Jan and Bob had a 害羞草研究所渓ove connection害羞草研究所� the first time they met, but most days she wishes he would fly the coop.

害羞草研究所淎 lot of people can害羞草研究所檛 handle Bob, he will bite them,害羞草研究所� Jan Robson says as Bob nuzzles into her chest.

害羞草研究所淚 can pretty much flip him upside down, do anything, and he won害羞草研究所檛 bite me. That害羞草研究所檚 not because I害羞草研究所檓 fabulous with parrots. That害羞草研究所檚 because Bob and I have something.害羞草研究所�

Bob is a peach-coloured moluccan cockatoo, and along with 94 other parrots including macaws and amazons, he害羞草研究所檚 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 gang害羞草研究所檚 current abode, in a building that害羞草研究所檚 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 someone害羞草研究所檚 heartstrings.

Bob害羞草研究所檚 canoodling with Robson, spokeswoman for the sanctuary, isn害羞草研究所檛 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 he害羞草研究所檚 getting from a human.

害羞草研究所淗i there!害羞草研究所� 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 weren害羞草研究所檛 available for most of the rescued birds so Robson doesn害羞草研究所檛 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 parrot害羞草研究所檚 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 害羞草研究所減otty mouths.害羞草研究所�

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 害羞草研究所渄estructive,害羞草研究所� not to mention noisy.

害羞草研究所淢oluccan cockatoos have been measured as being as loud as jet engines,害羞草研究所� Robson says, adding Bob is 害羞草研究所渆xquisitely loud害羞草研究所� when he害羞草研究所檚 not gazing into her eyes.

While parrots are 害羞草研究所漚ttention junkies害羞草研究所� that squawk endlessly if they don害羞草研究所檛 get their fill of love, Robson says they害羞草研究所檙e also smart and have 害羞草研究所渏oy packed into their little bodies.害羞草研究所�

Once an adoption application has been vetted, a phone interview and a home visit would follow, she says, adding people need to know what they害羞草研究所檙e getting into instead of passing a parrot off to someone else if they can害羞草研究所檛 handle it.

害羞草研究所淥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, that害羞草研究所檚 abusive.害羞草研究所�

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 she害羞草研究所檇 cross the street to avoid a pigeon.

When her partner moved in with two birds, she laid down the law and told him: 害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 clean their cages, I don害羞草研究所檛 go near them, you don害羞草研究所檛 have them out when I害羞草研究所檓 home.害羞草研究所�

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 害羞草研究所�100 miles and hour.害羞草研究所�

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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