Jan and Bob had a B次元官网网址渓ove connectionB次元官网网址� the first time they met, but most days she wishes he would fly the coop.

B次元官网网址淎 lot of people canB次元官网网址檛 handle Bob, he will bite them,B次元官网网址� Jan Robson says as Bob nuzzles into her chest.

B次元官网网址淚 can pretty much flip him upside down, do anything, and he wonB次元官网网址檛 bite me. ThatB次元官网网址檚 not because IB次元官网网址檓 fabulous with parrots. ThatB次元官网网址檚 because Bob and I have something.B次元官网网址�

Bob is a peach-coloured moluccan cockatoo, and along with 94 other parrots including macaws and amazons, heB次元官网网址檚 awaiting adoption at the Greyhaven Exotic Bird Sanctuary. It opened in a warehouse on the east side of Vancouver in July 2016.

Almost 600 parrots were rescued from the World Parrot Refuge in Coombs, B.C., on Vancouver Island after the death of a woman who operated the facility. Bob and his buddies are among those still waiting for forever homes, as are about 30 other birds kept at a house south of the city, in Tsawwassen.

A lease for Bob and the gangB次元官网网址檚 current abode, in a building thatB次元官网网址檚 up for development, has been extended several times and is set to expire on Feb. 28 so Robson is hoping that every bird, even her favourite, will tug on someoneB次元官网网址檚 heartstrings.

BobB次元官网网址檚 canoodling with Robson, spokeswoman for the sanctuary, isnB次元官网网址檛 going over well with his mates, who protest loudly from their cages, their wood-block mobiles and paper-plate toys are no match for the strokes and smiles heB次元官网网址檚 getting from a human.

B次元官网网址淗i there!B次元官网网址� says Gwenevere, a cat-calling cockatoo who repeatedly twirls herself upside down in her cage as Bob laps up all the attention.

A plastic tarp separates the cockatoos, which are prone to dander, from the macaws and amazons being chatted up by volunteers as a cacophony of parrots takes over, with green-winged macaws named Simon and Garfunkel leading the pack.

Medical records werenB次元官网网址檛 available for most of the rescued birds so Robson doesnB次元官网网址檛 know their ages. She says parrots are known to live for up to 80 years, meaning commitment phobics need not apply to adopt them.

Anyone who thinks a parrotB次元官网网址檚 main purpose is to entertain them with human chatter should consider another type of pet, Robson says, adding staff have discouraged some of the birds when they start up with their B次元官网网址減otty mouths.B次元官网网址�

People who value their furniture should also think twice about bringing a parrot into their home because the birds with strong beaks are known to peck away at mouldings, Robson says, describing them as B次元官网网址渄estructive,B次元官网网址� not to mention noisy.

B次元官网网址淢oluccan cockatoos have been measured as being as loud as jet engines,B次元官网网址� Robson says, adding Bob is B次元官网网址渆xquisitely loudB次元官网网址� when heB次元官网网址檚 not gazing into her eyes.

While parrots are B次元官网网址漚ttention junkiesB次元官网网址� that squawk endlessly if they donB次元官网网址檛 get their fill of love, Robson says theyB次元官网网址檙e also smart and have B次元官网网址渏oy packed into their little bodies.B次元官网网址�

Once an adoption application has been vetted, a phone interview and a home visit would follow, she says, adding people need to know what theyB次元官网网址檙e getting into instead of passing a parrot off to someone else if they canB次元官网网址檛 handle it.

B次元官网网址淥n average, these guys will be in seven different homes in their lifetime. And for a creature that bonds really, really closely with its family, thatB次元官网网址檚 abusive.B次元官网网址�

Erika Condon, 20, a volunteer at the sanctuary, adopted a parrot named Elton a year and a half ago and renamed him Lincoln.

Condon would miss his charms after not seeing him for a week so she decided to take him home to Langley, B.C., where he has mostly kept quiet between cuddles, she says, adding Lincoln may be an older bird.

As for Robson, she once had such a fear of birds that sheB次元官网网址檇 cross the street to avoid a pigeon.

When her partner moved in with two birds, she laid down the law and told him: B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 clean their cages, I donB次元官网网址檛 go near them, you donB次元官网网址檛 have them out when IB次元官网网址檓 home.B次元官网网址�

A maroon-bellied conure named Basil and Clancey the budgie took the opportunity to escape from their cages when Robson was alone with them. She locked herself in the bathroom, her heart pounding B次元官网网址�100 miles and hour.B次元官网网址�

The birds eventually won her over and now, 26 years later, Robson shares her home with six parrots.

Camille Bains, The Canadian Press

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