Winging it

Danette Goulet

FAIRGROUNDS -- Nothing draws a crowd faster than three live,

vibrantly colored parrots nibbling on Nilla Wafers.

Within moments of her arrival at the Orange County Fair on Wednesday,

Elizabeth Johnson and her three parrots -- Mac Charlie, a 10-year-old,

blue and gold macaw; Red Radar, a 7-year-old, green-winged macaw; and

Green Grazie, a 35-year-old military macaw -- were surrounded by about 15

adults and children of all ages.

“It can fly like this,” said 3-year-old Ethan Hanson of Fountain

Valley, flapping his arms wildly.

Although many children stretched out their hands to gently stroke the

tame birds, Ethan declined, thinking of his aunt’s parrot, Rascal.

“I don’t touch him because he bites,” Ethan declared, chomping on his

own finger to demonstrate the potential danger.

Other children couldn’t wait to touch the large birds.

“It was great,” said Brittany Vill, 4. “I never touched one before,

but now I did. It was soft.”

It was one of only a few times Johnson was paid for showing off her

beloved South American birds, but she is trying to raise money to rescue

yet another macaw from the caged life it leads in a pet store, she said.

Macaw parrots, which live to be about 100 years old, are often thought

to be highly intelligent creature, Johnson said.

People have marveled at parrots’ ability to talk for decades, but what

always has crowds gathering is their beauty.

“They’re beautiful,” said Lois Striley of Orange, who chatted

excitedly about the birds to her husband. “The colors are absolutely

gorgeous. It’s always fun to watch them.”