Welcome to Flying Sheep Aviary

Why "Flying Sheep"?

We share our home, which we call "Collie Capers", with several Border Collies, a breed that was originally bred to be sheep herders extraordinaire. What else would a pack of Border Collies call the birds who share their domain? "Flying Sheep", of course! When it came time to give our flock of feathered goons a collective name, what could be more appropriate? Not a lot, I'm thinking. And that's how the "Flying Sheep Aviary" got its name.

The Flying Sheep Aviary is a small, private aviary consisting only of our own companion birds. We do not breed or sell baby birds. However, as this site develops, we will add photos, information and links that we hope you will find useful and enjoyable. Stay tuned, and check back often!

Most of the birds who reside here at Flying Sheep Aviary are large Macaws (and one so-called "Mini Macaw", due to their smaller physical size, NOT the strength of their personalities!). Macaws are incredible creatures. Not only beautiful, they are also flamboyant, intelligent, entertaining, inquisitive, loud, messy, and demanding. They are drama queens by nature, and will NOT be ignored. They are expensive to purchase and maintain, and they have an average lifespan pretty much equal to that of a human being. A committed, responsible macaw owner provides for their bird(s) in their will and estate.

Macaws are not for the faint of heart. With their big beaks, they can do a lot of damage, and most people instinctually jerk their hands away when a big beak comes at them. Macaws take this as a game, and if one learns that lunging at someone makes them jerk away, or, better yet, screech in terror, you can bet the bank that the macaw has just learned a delightful new "sport".

Macaws are social beings. They NEED lots of attention and social interaction. If not from their human, then from another (preferably macaw) parrot companion. They need toys and training to keep their active minds busy. A happy macaw is a joy to behold. A miserable one will break your heart. Before deciding to bring one of these magnificent birds home, please make sure you do your homework. Research, research, research, and look deep into your heart as you assess your lifestyle to decide if you can truly provide a great, long-term home for a macaw--one that both of you can be happy with. If not, enjoy them from afar. They're still just as wonderful, even if you don't have one residing in your own home :-).

To see the macaws we share our home and lives with, and to read their profiles, please click HERE.

Conures

Conures are, in many ways, smaller versions of macaws, although to confuse matters, the largest conures are bigger than the smallest macaws. Conures can be as bright, colorful, inquisitive, intelligent and entertaining as macaws, and are usually available at a much lower cost. They can also be just as noisy, feisty, and demanding. They just come in a smaller package :-). For someone who doesn't mind the noise, and who simply doesn't have room or the budget for a macaw, a conure might be a good choice. Again, be sure to do your homework. Screechy conure voices can drive some people up the wall!

We live with two conures. Petey McSweet, a Sun Conure, and Mango, a Jenday Conure. You can see photos and read their profiles, HERE.

A Thing for Wings

Do you have a thing for beautiful bird wings? We do. It's what makes birds so special, after all--those wondrous wings that give them the ability to leave the confines of earth for the freedom of the skies. That's why we don't clip our birds' wings--and why so many others do. This gallery is filled with photos of our parrots showing off one of their greatest assets--those beautiful wings. If you'd like to see them in all their glory, click HERE.

Links

Need help? Want to hang out with other pet bird enthusiasts? Enjoy just looking at photos? Try these links. The first four are some of my favorite publically-accessible parrot forum sites:

Avian Nation Macawboard Parrot Chatter The Perch

A good friend of ours owns this site, filled with gorgeous photos of and info about hybrid macaws:

Many Feathers

This website is run by another good friend of mine. She offers services in the Portland, OR metro area, as well as great info about and photos of many species of parrots:

The Bird Nerd