Photo by Jamieleigh Location: Holland America Line Wrapped Up: Rose Breasted Cockatoo "Bandit"  

I had a really hard time naming my youngest cockatoo, Bandit. I ended up doing what most people do and I looked online at popular parrot names that were already in use in great large lists. Nothing really stuck out at me but we had him already and I couldn’t leave him nameless. The thing is, I should have, and waited to see what name fit his personality before jumping into names all too fast. So, I went with “Bandit” because I thought it was cute, it sounded good with my other cockatoo’s name Bondi so it was easy to say “Bondi and Bandit” and he was quite the little rascal so I thought it was fitting – for the most part.  

But as I’ve grown to know him I’ve realized I was too pre-mature on my name picking and pressured myself into it. And now, it’s too late to change his name because he knows it and he knows it well. One of the biggest mistakes people make is fretting over the perfect name when really; you can spend time getting to know your bird a little before sticking a name to him immediately. If I could do it over, I’d name him “Chaos” because that is what he really is.

Article by Jamieleigh Womach. She has been working with parrots and toucans since the age of 17. She isn’t homeless but is home less than she prefers to be. She travels the world with her husband, daughter, and a flockful of parrots whom she shares the stage with.