"There are trees in the desert since you moved out."

I'd like you to meet Nigella Red-Belly, the newest member of my little flock. She was hatched on March 19, 2003 at Old World Aviaries near Austin, TX and hand fed by Scott and Linda Lewis. She's a real beauty, and she's already trying hard to talk! I think she is saying "I love you." She's trying hard, whatever she is saying. It definitely has 3 syllables.

She chose me. I had a choice between a very tame Senegal*, although a bit nippy, and my Nigella. She was very standoffish**, but oh so pretty. She would not even come to me, when he tried to place her on my hand. This made me sad, as I really had my heart set on a little red-bellied girl. The Senegal was handsome for sure, but well, they are known for a very shrill whistle alarm call, that had me very concerned. I'm not really fond of shrill noises. (Imagine that) Anyway, I was about to tell Scott I would take the Senegal when Nigella flew across the nursery room and landed firmly on my shoulder and in my heart.

What a graceful flyer she is! She was hovering and pivoting in mid air! We trimmed the ends of her first 5 flight feathers, but she can still fly rather well, no more hovering, but can maintain altitude and land gracefully. Perhaps a slightly more drastic clip is in order. Although I have mixed feelings about the whole wing clipping issue, but do believe she would probably be safer in my apartment with a clip.

This species is sexually dimorphic, she does have some of the red-orange on her breast that is so intense on the boys, but her real beauty are the sea-foam green feathers on her rump and back. They shimmer as if forged from the fire in a opal! Absolutely, without a doubt breathtaking in the sunlight.

She's mostly grey. The feathers of her wings have a wash of the same green on the edge of each feather, giving them a jade-ish cast. Her brightest orange patches are on her shoulders. Her eyes are orange, and pin when she is excited or scared. It's my understanding that the orange of her eyes will get more intense as she get's older. She seems to think walnuts are divine. I'll have to go get her some more in the morning for enticement.

I'm sure we are going to have many wonderful adventures together I'll keep you posted.

* Senegal's and Red-Bellies are members of the same family of Parrots, the Poicephalus. They have many of the same characteristics, but look different.

** Had no clue that is one word, but Webster says! :)