Hiking Cockatoo Amadeus Mozart on Sugarloaf Mtn
Training for the hiking cockatoo starts when they are young. We have more info and a FAQ on the "Hiking Cockatoo" pages at http://www.cockatooweb.com . These are images of Amadeus from several hikes when he was between 8 and 10 months old between Nov 2006 and Jan 2007. His "basic training" is to sit confidently on our arm or shoulder as we hike. He has to learn not to jump or fly off, and his droppings on command as part of his potty training. This gives him a chance to socialize with humans and grow accustomed to strange locations and objects. Amadeus is a good natured bird as can be seen in the 11th picture where he is sitting on the shoulder of a stranger he had just met. I've forgotten the hikers name, but I do remember that he had an umbrella cockatoo at home. Amadeus is the younger brother of Mozart who hiked with us all over the local parks, Sugarloaf, Great Falls, Catoctin Mtn and also in Yosemite, Bryce Canyon and the north rim of the Grand Canyon.
Apr 3, 2007
Photos: 14
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