THIS might as well be a story for the birds — light, gay and cheery. I can’t recall any other welcome in my whole life as I had in Alan Abellanosa’s home, the birdman on Woodland Street.
His living room was a busy presence, active and acrobatics; with birds of every color, size and shape and varied voices.
The pigeons and doves variable plumage with purple and green on its grey coat; iridescent on the neck of a feral pigeon. They were cooing constantly and Alan explained the reason.
“They were communicating,” he said and then continued, “Pigeons and the cockatoo were gregarious, sweet and loving and so easy to tame.”
Enchanted by a parrot, I am quickly cautioned, they were greats and gregarious pets, but they bite!
The birdman lectured and tried to inject humor as we started our conversation. “The sex of the pigeon is based on appearance and they have excellent hearing abilities and like the dove, the are monogamous — one mate in a lifetime. But there is an extra pair of mating that do occur, initiated by the male.”
Alan is handsome, respectful and utterly charming; and not only to his birds. He tells me of a childhood (as early as seven) he had spent his most delightful times, not playing games with other children, but pitting and taking care of his bird menagerie and assisting and learning his mom’s dishes, that were renowned and to die over. When he moved his family here in the U.S., the only grief he felt most, was leaving his birds.
But birds would find him. They came in pairs, singularly or as gifts from friends, and swelled through the years. He bred from eggs to birdies into birds. He had canaries, finches, pigeons, doves, cockatoos, parrots, and sparrows. He would give them the funny simple names in the dialect such as “MacMac,” “Balut,” and “Zebra.”
Each one had its own peculiarities, as he personally hatched the newborn. He listened to each express their joys, anger (when feeding was late) and excitement. He has learned the salty pain of each passing. They had a secret language, whispers to his ears, or exchanges, pleasantries with their mouths. He has learned when to whisper, tiptoe and move about with caution, because in the early morning if they can hear his most minute sound, and they will be so excited they could wake the whole house!
All around the living room, they were waiting, shuffling with their waddling gait as they flew excellently all over. I listened, as they provided many different calls as they express excitement with others. I noted the “begging call” used by the young, as if soliciting food from their parents, or Alan, who is always on standby. Their typical song is simple, almost musical.
They are all plumage, with their toothless beaks, four chambered hearts, lightweight skeletons. The tiniest bird is the 2-inch hummingbird and the largest the 9-feet ostrich. The parrot, which does not have vocal cords is among the most intelligent birds and has the ability to imitate human voices that enhance their popularity as pets.
Most eat fruits to get the seeds. Also, the birdman is a chef, who caters to a few frinds when he’s not doing his full time job as a apartment building manager
I had asked Alan how he felt about the humanity services to the birds, such as battery farming, hunting, captivity, caging, stuffing and plucking for clothes, hats and meat. His face grew sad, he became pensive, and the smile disappeared from his face. It disappeared for a while, as he cheered up quickly and said, “How about some bird thoughts?”
He then added, “Birds are found in mangroves, fish ponds and trees.”
But did one think that birds came to the same tree each night? They don’t. The mynah talking bird as pets, are trained to talk. It keeps a house cheerful and entertains children. Birds sing after a storm. The one swallow doesn’t make a whole summer. But lovebirds, doves and pigeons have only one mate in a lifetime.
Which reminds me of “Oh, that a bird can fall in love with a fish, but where will the live? (Thoreau)”
This evening at a Chinese dinner, I passed — when the fired pigeon delicacy was served.
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