Opera Singing Parrot Lost in New York Aria
Captain, a multi-talented parrot with a penchant for opera singing and bike rides, is lost in New York City, and owner Allen Kirson is on a mission to find her.
“I’m not doing too good,” Kirson said. “I’m not sleeping, I’m having dreams, it’s like a lost person, you know?”
Captain is a green and yellow Amazon Parrot who has performed with Kirson at venues like senior citizens’ homes and children’s hospitals.
Captain flew off Kirson’s shoulder while they were on a bike ride along Ocean Parkway in Kensington the day after Thanksgiving. After media outlets covered the story, Kirson received a call from someone who had seen a bird with Captain’s features flying between two trees in Owl’s Head Park.
Kirson has headed to the park to look for his parrot, although, he noted, one of his friends told him he was on a wild goose chase.
Captain isn’t just a beloved companion to her owner. Her talents have turned into entertainment for a number of New Yorkers, Kirson said.
“She entertains 20 people a day when we bike ride,” Kirson said. “Every day I hear ‘wow, awesome, cool,’ and people smile. In New York City if you get 20 smiles a day it’s unheard of, right?”
Kirson shares custody of Captain with his ex-wife, Roberta Klein.
Klein, who helped train the 25-year-old parrot, said losing Captain has been like losing a child.
“We’re all frantic and we’re all heartbroken, she said. “She has the vocabulary of a 2-year-old child.”
Kirson and Klein are offering a reward of $200 for the bird. They hope to find the parrot while the weather is unseasonably warm in New York. Captain, a tropical bird, could perish in cold temperatures.
Those with information about Captain’s whereabouts may call Kirson at (347) 350-5914.