Close encounter with Gladstone`s iconic South American Macaw!!

Anyone that has lived in Gladstone for some time, will know of the South American Macaw that flies the streets, socializing as it does, when let out to fly by its, very very trusting owner.

It goes into businesses and homes, visiting people, and been feed and patted by anyone it meets.

One thing it likes to do, and I`m between two minds about this, is to fly in and out of traffic, almost playing chicken with cars and bikes.

Today, this is exactly what he did to me.

I was leaving a premises, and putting my helmet on, when he did a low level fly past my head, and land on a sign in front of me, looking at me. Sure enough, as soon as I started to ride, he jumped off the sign, and started flying over to me, and proceeded to fly at my eye level beside my head, and tried to land on my head, without success, and then down to my handle bars for fun I assume. Amusing as it may look from an on looker, and in the right place and time, I`d probably let him try to land on my handle bars for a free ride, but he, at one point, was directly in front of my head, with his tail feathers touching my face, and I could not see where I was going.

I think he`s a magnificent, and impressive creature, and if I owned him, I don`t think I`d be letting him fly the streets, as only just recently, someone tried to take him. But I do see an accident in the making with him, by distracted drivers and riders.

Some people in Gladstone, say he gets a bit annoying, as he wont leave, and gets destructive by chewing things when he visits.

There`s a love hate relationship with him, but........I really don't want to see him taken away, as he is a friend bugger, and I don`t know to many towns around, that has anything like him, just flying the streets at will, and going home when he`s had enough for the day.

Maybe have a word with the owner about it .

He sounds like he belongs to the community with no real owner if he is flying free around Gladstone and agreed if I was the owner I would have him under lock and key.

I am just up the road in Townsville and I have never heard of it MB, I am Surprised no-one has knocked him off to be sold on the bird market as the Gladstone Iconic South American Macaw.

All towns have their characters , yours just happens to have feathers . Enjoy the moment while you still can ,and be glad it doesn't have teeth and road rage .

gus wrote:All towns have their characters , yours just happens to have feathers . Enjoy the moment while you still can ,and be glad it doesn't have teeth and road rage .

We have Peacocks and Peahens that stop traffic here. They think they own the bloody road and that attitude has been passed down through the generations.

We have 4 geese that like to walk and the road . I stand on the front deck and yell "DONT MAKE ME COME DOWN THERE ".
 They walk off and head towards the dam where they are supposed to be . Maybe they are taking English lessons at night .

gus wrote:We have 4 geese that like to walk and the road . I stand on the front deck and yell "DONT MAKE ME COME DOWN THERE ".
 They walk off and head towards the dam where they are supposed to be . Maybe they are taking English lessons at night .

Or you've hung around them so long , you talk geese to them without realising it 

We've got ducks.

Maybe you need to setup a perch on your top box mate. That way it'll land on the back instead of the handle bars

A mate of mine once had a run in with a wedge tail eagle on his ZX14. It ended up on the tank, both of them winded. My mate stopped, pushed it off and rode away.

Whats in the air up there Gus?

Our local geese terrorise the children at Soldiers park ( in Collie) if they happen to have food  Other than that they seem to keep the place tidy of any food scraps.

He`s an awesome bird, with heaps of character.

Thank god he doesn`t bite!!!! The size of that beak is a bit scary, and well and truly capable of lopping off a finger.

The owner has only had the one mishap with it been abducted, and that was only recently, which made the local paper, and after discovering where it was,  he said he would never let it out again. Well 2 months later, and he`s out again.

The town only has about 50 000 people, so its no metropolis, and every knows who owns the bird, so a local would be a dumb arse to even try and steal it. It also has a missing toe, so is easily recognisable.

Its a bird, so it should fly, not be caged. He is a loyal bird, and always goes home.

Its a good thing in the town I think. I just would hate to see an accident happen, due to his crazy antics, of flying in and out of the traffic as he does. Its a big game for him.

It certainly is an amazing bird. We were at the Indian Brothers for tea and it came straight up to us at the table. It didn't think much of the garlic naan bread though.