Meet Pearl

The fetching and feathery “alpha” flock member almost needs no introduction….but he sure does love introducing himself!

Thus far, Pearl’s biography (co-written by his large featherless biographer) has gotten rave reviews from VIP fans just like YOU.

He is also very proud of his new recipe book, “Waffles & More,” which raises money for a timely and urgent cause – the “Save the Waffles” fund.

Each personally beak-o-graphed book is shipped out “right away, no waiting,” which is just the way Pearl likes everything to be delivered.

About the co-author: Pearl is an author, actor, pint-sized super spy .007, and cherished “alpha” flock member here at Casa Feathers n Beak n Shells!

Gender: Male.

Age: Timeless. We hope. (Typical lifespan is 20 years but the oldest known cockatiel was 36!)

Length: 10 inches (head to tail, not including crest).

Width: 2.5 inches (across wing blades).

Wingspan: Getting a certain avian to open wings, hold still, and get measured should be an Olympic sport. Which means we may never know.

Weight: 75 grams…give or take a few grams.

Color: Grey and white.

Favorite color: After grey and white? Green.

Favorite specific shade of green: Houseplant green.

Favorite food: Millet. Waffles.

Other favorite foods: Anything else my mom cooks or that other people are eating and not sharing.

Favorite shreddables: Library books and expensive store-bought books (not necessarily in that order). Magazines – and not the ads. He vastly prefers the meaty editorials that his featherless flock members are looking forward to reading. Wicker – couches, baskets, and anything else not designed to come into regular contact with small, sharp beaks.

Favorite activities: Shredding (see above). Admiring himself in reflective surfaces. Showers. Drinking water out of the faucet. “Typing” on my laptop. Shrieking. Flinging seed. Neck scratches. “Singing” along to my soothing meditation music (at which point it is neither soothing nor meditative and not really worth the $25 I paid for the CD….).

Daily schedule: Rise – whenever Mommy gets up. If Mommy gets up too early (unlikely but it has been known to happen) the resident not-a-morning-bird will hiss and try to bite when the cage cover is removed. All morning activities then focus on the feathers until cage changing, feeding, a shower (if desired) and location of a preferred perch is accomplished. After this, exhausted by all the attention, it is time for a very feathery nap. For hours. Upon waking, spa services (neck massage, feather scratching) are usually required. The large featherless assistant must be prompt to avoid shrieking. The assistant must not leave direct line-of-sight view at any time – and definitely not the premises – while  is awake….or not awake. Bedtime is whenever the feathered flock member gets more tired than an extended nap can deal with – usually around sundown in summer, and 8pm in winter.

Vocabulary: Shrieking. What sometimes sounds vaguely like “pretty birdie”. And, of course, the special chirps his Grandma taught him.

Pearl. Grandma (aka the “Small Tree”). Grandma, of course, is busy doing what grandmas do – admiring the visual majesty and dulcet singing tones of her precious feathery grandbird.

Favorite perches: Window ledges. Shower door. Bathroom bucket. Near anything reflective. Any location within shredding distance of green houseplants, wicker items, or crispy paper. Right on top of waffles, pizza, or anything else delicious that someone else is (was) intending to consume. The Small Tree (Grandma). The Tall Tree (Grandpa).

A perch on the 6’3″ green-wearing “Tall Tree” (aka Grandpa) is not always available, but is always preferred when available.