Photo Credit: Dale Thompson

It seems to me when a bird is advanced in years, that the late fall to early winter months will take them. The first snap of cold, and the continuing chilly nights have to be very detrimental to those fragile old bones. Even living outside by the sea, in California’s extremely mild climate, the temperature cooling down drastically ushers in the unwelcome presence of the dreaded Grim Reaper. The sinister Hooded One, who bristles in uninvited on the coat tails of the North Wind, armed with a newly sharpened scythe, to scrutinize Eclectusville and make his choice of the flock. In the autumn of ‘06, the reaper claimed still one more ancient wild caught Vosmaeri. This time it was Grandma Vos Eclectus who was harvested by the Unwelcomed One.

These wild caught old parrots are my special treasures, because there are simply no more of them coming into this country. When they are gone, we birdkeepers will never have the chance to experience this rarity, ever again.

The wild caught Vosmaeri have a very different look to them. They have this massive, beefy look that the Vos who have hatched since in captivity, just don’t seem to have. These old Eclectus have a completely different mating call and unique vocalizations that soon none of us will ever be fortunate enough to hear again. My thoughts about the wild caught birds are perhaps the older ones were the weaker of the group, maybe not having the strength and stamina to get away from the trappers like a very young bird would be able to do.  So Grandma could have been an older bird coming in to the USA in 1972. 

My beloved Grandma Eclectus died today in my arms.

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