Gabby celebrates every day at SOS

No one at Save Our Seabirds knows Gabby’s actual birthday.

But don’t tell that to Gabby.

The 14-year-old umbrella cockatoo constantly serenades the bird-rescue facility, singing:

“Happy birthday to you,
“Happy birthday to you,
“Happy birthday, dear Gabby,
“Happy birthday to you.”

“Every day is her birthday,” said SOS CEO David Pilston.

Technically, Gabby is a “he.” The bird’s previous owners thought they had a female, but SOS staffers identified Gabby as a male because female umbrella cockatoos don’t have jet-black eyes. Still, they allowed Gabby to keep her feminine name and pronoun.

A Bradenton couple brought Gabby to SOS in 2011, because they could no longer care for her.
Gabby was well cared for, but many people are unprepared for the rigors of caring for a cockatoo, which has a lifespan of 80 to 100 years, according to Pilston — which is why SOS recommends that people don’t buy them to keep as pets.

“It’s basically like having a spoiled 3-year-old for the rest of your life and the rest of your children’s lives,” Pilston said.

Gabby’s owners listed her skills on a sheet of paper that SOS keeps in her file.

In addition to “Happy Birthday,” she also sings “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”

She dances, laughs and frequently says “Hi, Gabby,” and “Pretty bird.”

She’s also especially warm, even for umbrella cockatoos, which are known for their loving personalities.

“I never knew that birds could be affectionate,” Pilston said. “She loves to cuddle, she loves to be petted, she loves to have her back rubbed, she loves to be carried around on your arm.”

She also has other quirks. She doesn’t just eat her food. She often takes each bite across her cage and dunks it in water, before heading back for the next bite.

The SOS staff noticed Gabby’s talents as a performer and put her to work as the greeter bird at the entrance to the facility, usually during afternoons.

Gabby showed her talents once again on a recent afternoon, when SOS unveiled its new logo that Ringling College of Art & Design students created. The crowd broke out into applause.

“Yay!” Gabby exclaimed before singing “Happy Birthday” to the group — and to herself, of course.

VIDEO
Click here to view a video of Gabby performing her same old song and dance.

Contact Robin Hartill at [email protected]