FEATHERED FRIEND: Oscar the music-loving parrot with his new owner, Ben Buscke. Cameron Burnell / Taranaki Daily News
Here's a Taranaki senior citizen who can boogie with the best of them even though he's only 27. And a bird.
He's Oscar, the little corella parrot, who's been impressing his new owners ever since they began caring for him at the end of April.
"His favourite song is Boom Boom Pow by the Black-Eyed Peas," says animal-lover Ben Buscke, who adopted Oscar when the bird's previous owner, a former music teacher, was unable to care for him. "He really gets down and boogies to it, and if you don't dance and sing with him, he gets mad."
But this sweet-sounding tale of a man and his new bird hasn't developed without bloodshed.
Having spent 26 years in the same house with one owner, Oscar didn't adapt well to change and Mr Buscke soon learnt the parrot had control issues.
The car ride home was traumatic enough, when Oscar attacked Mr Buscke's ear and drew blood, while screeching, "What a mess, what a mess."
And when the daily 4.30am wake-up calls began, Mr Buscke and his partner, Margie McLean, quickly realised that life would never be the same.
The couple love the fun, though. Oscar, who refers to them both as Seven, has an ever-growing vocabulary and enjoys being read a pop-up book called 10 Chirpy Chicks, from which he has learnt to count to seven.
And with more than 50 different phrases, Oscar is one pet guaranteed to surprise his new owners even more.
Battle-scarred Mr Buscke says it was not easy gaining Oscar's trust, and he lost a lot of flesh in the process.
But despite the parrot's need to exert his authority over the entire household, Ms Mclean says Oscar never swears and always remembers his manners.
"When I have to move his cage to vacuum under it, he always says 'That's better, isn't it? Thank you, Mum.' " [rc]
© 2009 Fairfax New Zealand Limited
July 29, 2009
NEW ZEALAND: Parrot takes charge of new owners
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WELLINGTON, New Zealand / Taranaki Daily News / July 29, 2009
By Brooke Sheehan, Taranaki Daily News
FEATHERED FRIEND: Oscar the music-loving parrot with his new owner, Ben Buscke. Cameron Burnell / Taranaki Daily News
Here's a Taranaki senior citizen who can boogie with the best of them even though he's only 27. And a bird.
He's Oscar, the little corella parrot, who's been impressing his new owners ever since they began caring for him at the end of April.
"His favourite song is Boom Boom Pow by the Black-Eyed Peas," says animal-lover Ben Buscke, who adopted Oscar when the bird's previous owner, a former music teacher, was unable to care for him. "He really gets down and boogies to it, and if you don't dance and sing with him, he gets mad."
But this sweet-sounding tale of a man and his new bird hasn't developed without bloodshed.
Having spent 26 years in the same house with one owner, Oscar didn't adapt well to change and Mr Buscke soon learnt the parrot had control issues.
The car ride home was traumatic enough, when Oscar attacked Mr Buscke's ear and drew blood, while screeching, "What a mess, what a mess."
And when the daily 4.30am wake-up calls began, Mr Buscke and his partner, Margie McLean, quickly realised that life would never be the same.
The couple love the fun, though. Oscar, who refers to them both as Seven, has an ever-growing vocabulary and enjoys being read a pop-up book called 10 Chirpy Chicks, from which he has learnt to count to seven.
And with more than 50 different phrases, Oscar is one pet guaranteed to surprise his new owners even more.
Battle-scarred Mr Buscke says it was not easy gaining Oscar's trust, and he lost a lot of flesh in the process.
But despite the parrot's need to exert his authority over the entire household, Ms Mclean says Oscar never swears and always remembers his manners.
"When I have to move his cage to vacuum under it, he always says 'That's better, isn't it? Thank you, Mum.' " [rc]
© 2009 Fairfax New Zealand Limited
FEATHERED FRIEND: Oscar the music-loving parrot with his new owner, Ben Buscke. Cameron Burnell / Taranaki Daily News
Here's a Taranaki senior citizen who can boogie with the best of them even though he's only 27. And a bird.
He's Oscar, the little corella parrot, who's been impressing his new owners ever since they began caring for him at the end of April.
"His favourite song is Boom Boom Pow by the Black-Eyed Peas," says animal-lover Ben Buscke, who adopted Oscar when the bird's previous owner, a former music teacher, was unable to care for him. "He really gets down and boogies to it, and if you don't dance and sing with him, he gets mad."
But this sweet-sounding tale of a man and his new bird hasn't developed without bloodshed.
Having spent 26 years in the same house with one owner, Oscar didn't adapt well to change and Mr Buscke soon learnt the parrot had control issues.
The car ride home was traumatic enough, when Oscar attacked Mr Buscke's ear and drew blood, while screeching, "What a mess, what a mess."
And when the daily 4.30am wake-up calls began, Mr Buscke and his partner, Margie McLean, quickly realised that life would never be the same.
The couple love the fun, though. Oscar, who refers to them both as Seven, has an ever-growing vocabulary and enjoys being read a pop-up book called 10 Chirpy Chicks, from which he has learnt to count to seven.
And with more than 50 different phrases, Oscar is one pet guaranteed to surprise his new owners even more.
Battle-scarred Mr Buscke says it was not easy gaining Oscar's trust, and he lost a lot of flesh in the process.
But despite the parrot's need to exert his authority over the entire household, Ms Mclean says Oscar never swears and always remembers his manners.
"When I have to move his cage to vacuum under it, he always says 'That's better, isn't it? Thank you, Mum.' " [rc]
© 2009 Fairfax New Zealand Limited
