Product Description

“Birds are my passion,” says Joanna Burger, “but parrots are my weakness.” Fifteen years ago, when se adopted a neglected, orphaned thirty-six year old parrot named Tiko, she entered on of the most complex relationships of her life.

Sullen and hostile when he entered Dr. Burger’s home, Tiko gradually warmed as she carefully persuaded him of her good intentions. Eventually he courted her, building nests inside household furniture during mating season and trying to coax her into them. He nursed her vigilantly through a bout with Lyme disease, regularly preening each strand of hair on the pillow as she slept. For a while he even fought her husband for her attentions, but eventually theirs became a relationship of deep mutual trust.

The Parrot Who Owns Me is also the story of the science of birds, and of parrots in particular (America’s third most commonly owned pet, after cats and dogs). Woven into the narrative are insights and fascinating revelations from Joanna Burger’s work — not only about parrots, but about what it means to be human.

By turns delightful, hilarious, touching, and enlightening, The Parrot Who Owns Me introduces us to an unforgettable bird and his human companion, whose friendships tells us much about ourselves.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #34801 in eBooks
• Published on: 2001-07-03
• Released on: 2001-07-03
• Format: Kindle Book
• Number of items: 1

From Publishers Weekly
A woman and her parrot. It may not sound like much, but Burger manages to make the story of her relationship with her pet, Tiko, into one of the warmest, funniest and weirdest memoirs of the year. Burger (Twenty-Five Nature Spectacles in New Jersey, with Michael Gochfeld), a renowned ornithologist and professor of biology at Rutgers University, has lived for 15 years with Tiko, who now dominates almost every aspect of her life. He eats dinner off her plate. He takes showers with her. He wakes her every morning and trims her nails. The two have grown so close that they've even become (in Tiko's mind, at least) committed lovers. Every spring, Tiko shamelessly begins his courtship ritual: shredding newspaper for a nest, hoarding food and obsessively preening and kissing Burger. During these periods, Tiko is jealous in the extreme; if Burger shows her husband, Mike, any affection, Tiko will fly at him in a rage, nipping at his ears, even drawing blood. (By way of apology, Tiko will later join Mike in a whistling duet, often of baroque harpsichord music.) Burger anthropomorphizes Tiko: he can be happy, sad, angry, disappointed, bored. But this isn't mere pet-owner whimsy; Burger backs up every such characterization with hard science and decades of bird study in jungles, marshes and forests all over the world. Smart, precocious, fun-loving (he slides down the stair banister for kicks), Tiko provides ample evidence why parrots are the third most popular pets in the country (after cats and dogs). This book is a must-have for bird-lovers and a fun read for everyone else. (May)Forecast: This lively, intelligent book seems destined for longevity. Advertising in Bird Talk magazine should help introduce it to bird lovers, while a national publicity campaign should garner broader exposure.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Tiko, a 35-year-old orphaned, Red Lored Amazon parrot, and Burger, a renowned ornithologist and Rutgers University biology professor, have lived together for 15 years. Burger describes their relationship with the charm and warmth of a true animal lover who delights in her companion animal's antics and intelligence. Her special gift to her readers, though, is the scientific acumen with which she analyzes and interprets Tiko's behavior. By correlating it to behaviors found in the wild, Burger, the author of several books on avian behavior and natural history (e.g., A Naturalist Along the Jersey Shore), sheds light on the actions that frustrate, frighten, anger, or puzzle pet bird owners. Interwoven throughout the story are Burger's observations, gleaned from months spent in the field recording bird behavior, the horrific practices of bird trappers, and her growing sense of the delicate balance of all life. Written with reverence for life and tenderness toward companion animals, this is a book to be cherished. Animal lovers will enjoy it, and if your library subscribes to Bird Fancy, it is essential. The writing is accessible to the public library reader, while the author's credentials and documentation make it a suitable purchase for academic libraries. Cleo Pappas, Lisle Lib. Dist., IL
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Parrots are extremely intelligent, long-lived birds that mate monogamously and live in groups of close friends and relatives. Humans are extremely intelligent, long-lived mammals that (generally) mate monogamously and live in groups of close friends and relatives. These parallels both enliven and help explain the bond between humans and the parrots that own them and are exemplified in this new paean to the human-animal relationship. Burger is a behavioral ornithologist, widely published in scientific journals and steeped in the scientific method. She did not know how much her life would change when she and her husband adopted a 35-year-old parrot that had been tightly bonded with two recently deceased sisters in their eighties. Burger's story of the parrot's coming to life again when he joined her household and later became pair bonded with her (at which point Burger's husband became a supernumerary rival) makes for enchanting reading. Nancy Bent
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Customer Reviews

"A Love Story"
As I read this book I had to keep reminding myself that it's just "A Love Story" between Joanna Burger & her companion parrot, Tiko. This is not a book on how to bring up a companion parrot for the first time parrot parent. Some of the interaction between Tiko and Joanna goes against all behavioral advice that has been published before by behavioral parrot experts, and my own experience with companion parrots. You'll have to remember Joanna is doing scientific study and trying to let Tiko live as wild & free as possible within an enclosed household environment. Some of the things that Tiko is allowed to do could prove very fatal to a companion parrot. A companion parrot needs kind & loving discipline, and they do look to us as their parents in captivity for daily guidance and direction. If they don't have this, they end up very frustrated and confused, and stressed.

That being said, this is a wonderful story of the interaction and love between Tiko and Joanna. The experiences that Joanna had while on her many jungle trips to South America, etc, are captivating reading. I would love to read a detailed account of these scientific findings she experienced on these trips. This was a touching story, and I'm glad Dr. Burger shared it with us. If you are seeking expert advice on taking care of your new companion parrot be sure to check out the "Companion Parrot Handbook" by Sally Blanchard & her "Companion Parrot Quarterly" publication.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book - so will you!
Joanna has written a clear, insightful, believable and touching story of her 15 year love affair with her Amazon parrot. Her great relationship with her husband is mentioned too - for those of you sentimentalists who prefer true romance and love stories. Her impressive blend of scientific research, humour, love of parrots and openess to other way of communicating with our loved ones of all species, makes this a great read. As a trained scientist, behaviorist, and vet technician, I appreciated the years of field research on different ornithological species that Joanna details throughout the book. As a professional Animal Communicator, I deeply appreciated Joanna's way of presenting this story that left the door open for the reader to wonder about the magic that happens between any two beings that love each other. The book is filled with wonder, true storytelling at its best, and is just a great read, especially for anyone who has ever known (or would like to know) a parrot. In case you haven't guessed - I loved the book!

A treasure
I live with a parakeet who owns me, and after reading the review of this book in 'People' I had to find it. I'm glad I did. The stories of how birds in the wild and in human habitats relate to their companions are fascinating and often laugh-out-loud hilarious (Dr. Burger's parrot, Tiko, builds nests in furniture every year and tries to lure her in, with the hope that maybe this time eggs will result). If you live with a dog, cat or bird you will certainly find elements of familiarity, while her scientific explanations dovetail (no pun intended) nicely with the story. Overall, 'The Parrot Who Owns Me' is a delightful read for readers of all ages, and the birds depicted therein are charming. Long live Tiko and his adopted flock!