For Feather the 53-year-old cockatoo, life has turned around after spending 15 years alone in a gloomy basement. The bright bird now spends her days wrapped in love as part of a young family and one special member, in particular, is her favorite.
In the first week of April 2021, Stephanie Vito, who was pregnant with her first child, took Feather to stay at her Pennsylvania home with the intention of finding a suitable sanctuary for the rescue bird at a later date. The very next month, Vito’s baby daughter was born.
“Feather’s immediate reaction to Sophia was infatuation, literally. It was love at first sight, ” Vito, 33, told The Epoch Times. “She would scramble out of her cage and couldn’t run fast enough to the baby rocker to climb in and snuggle with my daughter.
“Some of the earliest pictures I have of the two of them is her perched up behind me on a silk pillow just staring down at her. I would have to pry Feather off the pillow; she would hold on for dear life—she didn’t want Sophia out of sight.”
Looking back on those moments and how Feather’s life has progressed with her daughter makes Vito emotional. Vito knew that taking the bird away from Sophia “would absolutely kill her” so the couple canned the sanctuary idea and added another member to their family.
“Feather found her purpose when I brought my daughter home,” she said.
“It wasn’t the path we initially intended to take, but it felt absolutely right in our hearts, and so when Sophia was born into this world, Feather was reborn as well, and honestly, that feels like a really beautiful circle of life.”
It was March of 2021 when Vito, who runs a small business with her fiancé and also works as a realtor, became aware of a parrot living in an unfinished basement. A colleague named Kathy contacted Vito to ask if she would go along and visit Feather, whose owner could no longer care for her, to give some insight into taking care of a larger bird species.
“I already had one cockatoo, Chepe,” Vito said, “and had owned birds most of my life—from eight years old up—so I thought it would be a good idea to offer some advice.”
As soon as she saw the then 52-year-old cockatoo, Vito recognized the desperate situation she was in. The bird was in a large, white cage with a single, pink perch and no toys, in a sparse room with a single storm window letting in a small amount of light. There was no company for Feather and no stimulation.
“I stood to the side and just looked at how disheveled this bird had become,” Vito said. “Her feathers had been over preened and her nails had overgrown back into the beds of her feet. She just looked so sad to me perched alone in that big cage. Cockatoos thrive on socialization much like humans, without it they can fall into deep depression ... and I believe that was the state Feather was in.”
That night, Vito’s colleague called to tell her she didn’t think she'd be able to care for Feather, explaining that the previous owner had mentioned that Feather disliked larger breed dogs. Since she had a large dog and lived in a small home, Kathy felt that the bird would be under added stress and asked if Vito would consider taking Feather in herself.
At eight months pregnant, taking in a rescue was the last thing on her mind but Vito’s heart hurt for the neglected bird and she knew that at the very least, the family could foster her on a temporary basis.
“I knew, if nothing more,” she said, “I could make sure she was in good hands, fed properly, socialized, and taken to an avian specialist until after the birth of my daughter when we could find a suitable sanctuary. My priority at that moment was getting her out of the situation she was in.”
Of course, happily for Feather, that all changed and the umbrella cockatoo now has a joyful existence with plenty of play, comrades, and treats.
Vito said: “She loves music (especially when Sophia plays the piano), waffles, pasta, and baths and she has a younger cockatoo buddy, Chepe, who is seven years old, who keeps her company when Sophia is out of the home or resting—so she is always in good company 24/7.”
The bond shared by bird and baby is incredible, with some of Vito’s social media followers referring to Feather as Sophia’s “mother” or “grandmother,” and the little girl showing complete devotion to her feathery friend in return.
Described by her mom as “a young Mrs. Doolittle” with a huge heart for animals, Sophia has an energetic, bright personality.
Cockatoo and girl started as cuddle buddies and then progressed to breakfast buddies when Sophia was able to sit herself up and start consuming solids. “They love to tear into the Dunkin Donuts Munchkins,” Vito said.
When Sophia’s motor skills began to develop, Feather became co-pilot on her baby walker and would hitch a ride on Sophia’s back when she crawled around the floor. Now that 19-month-old Sophia is mobile, the two are more mischievous.
Vito said: “One follows another around the house. A ‘secret’ hideout that I find the two of them in often is our pantry, usually on the floor with a bunch of applesauce pouches torn open ... and if we play some music they will most likely come out to dance, and crash for the afternoon nap.”
Every milestone Sophia goes through, Feather is right there by her side.
“Feather was there when Sophia took her first steps,” Vito said, “bobbing her head and squawking her on.
“They celebrated each other’s birthdays and one of Sophia’s first words in addition to ’mama‘ and ’dada‘ is ’baaard,' which she says while pointing to Feather. I also love those simple small moments of affection, when Sophia leans in to kiss her and vice versa—and more recently has been giving out hugs.”
Recalling the time she began sharing videos and pictures of the two on her social media, she said: “The internet can be so cruel and mentally I wasn’t prepared for the criticism ... I had this fear of all these beautiful moments I created being dissected and critiqued by strangers.”
When, encouraged by the positive reactions of friends, she finally found the courage to post a few short clips and stories online, the response was overwhelming.
“It just exploded,“ she said. ”I remember reading all the comments coming in and bawling my eyes out. People were seeing the beauty I saw in their relationship; it’s been amazing. It’s beautiful being able to see both of their lives just flourish, and I love being able to capture that.”
The animal lover is keen to emphasize that anyone considering becoming a parrot owner is strongly advised to think carefully and do their research.
“Parrots, as one follower said best, are ‘heirloom pieces,’ Feather and Chepe can live well into their 80s and will be inherited by my daughter,” she said. “Think ahead, plan ahead! So many beautiful birds end up being shuffled around from home to home. Feather was passed down 4 times prior to me ... just like any pet they are a commitment, except add the term ‘lifelong’ to that.”
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