ErikaLynSmith.com

Leo is a Congo African Grey Parrot. He was my first BIG bird. Leo was an incredible African Grey that has changed my life, forever. I met Leo in 2001. He was a feather picker and self-mutilator. Leo was a highly anxious bird when I first met him. He had every reason to be upset. His current owners had moved to a bigger and newer house and Leo was secluded in an office, a computer room. He had with the cartoon network on a small television 24 hours a day. That would be enough to drive anyone insane.

Leo was a couple years old the day I met him. I studied up on BIG birds and knew he might try to bite my hand as a test to see if I would pull it away in fear. He was standing on his table perch when I arrived at his owner’s home. We watched each other for a few minutes, sizing one another up. To me Leo was larger than life. I can only imagine how I must have looked to him.

I quietly reached out my hand, prepared for a chomp. I had committed myself NOT to pull away no matter how hard of a bite he gave me. I said the famous words most birds are familiar with, "Step up!" and he put his beak on my hand to steady him and stepped up. I was terrified and amazed, as he climbed up my left arm to my shoulder. I had done it! I had picked up an African Grey and he had not even tried to bite me.

I know then I was in love with Leo. It was an amazing feeling. I knew he was going home with me that very day. I paid his owners the $500.00 they were asking and put Leo in his carrier and we headed home. Leo had chewed a hole the size of a pencil eraser under his left wing. He had plucked out all of his tail feathers and most of the feathers on his left wing. Leo was originally named Malik, yet Malik simply did not seem to fit him. So Leo he became!