This little page is dedicated to the little critter what sits upon Pirate Pete's shoulder. He would 'ave to rank among the top amazin' critters in all the world, certainly from Pirate Pete's one-eyed perspective he is. There are plenty of photos of Charlie at work on Pirate Pete's site but here are a few candid shots grabbed at Charlies mountain bush hideaway.
Charlie has thousands of fans in Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast of Queensland. As I looks at the calendar to check me dates I sees with stunned amazement that it is actually 11 years to the day since Charlie and Pirate Pete became an entity at the opening of Underwater World on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland in 1989. Since that time Charlie has accompanied Pirate Pete to around 450 birthday parties as well as the public performances listed on Pirate Pete'sperformance log
Charlie is not a "trained" cockatoo nor does he do any "tricks" His wings have never been cut and the only time he is inside a cage is when he travels with Pirate Pete by car. This came about due to the damage done to the first car he travelled in and the distraction he caused by crawling all over the drivers face as we travelled down the highway. Despite travelling inside a cage he has managed to leave his mark in every car he has travelled in. Chewed armrests, seatcovers and even glove box door are an extremely small price to pay for the love and devotion this little birdie has given me.
Charlie was born in 1978, we met each other in 1980 and apart from a three month period during a dark period in our family life in 1981 (brought on by a potentially fatal illness in a child - now conquered) has been fed everyday by the author of this tribute. There was also the two weeks in 2000 when Pirate Pete performed in Singapore - quarantine restrictions kept Charlie at home
The questions people ask about Charlie
People ask me of Charlie "How long have you had him?"
My standard response these days is "He's had me for about twenty years".
Why is he so good with people and children in particular?
In his formative time, Charlie spent two years of his life in a cage, in the centre of a dinner table surrounded by a family with five boistrous, enthusiastic and extremely noisey children growing up. Lots of noise, lots of activity and loads of attention and I'm quite sure that had some effect. Now when me older children comes to visit the bird addresses them in the voices they had as children.
Why doesn't he fly away? How do you get him stay there?
Two drops of super glue under each foot and he'll sit on me shoulder all day!
Does he ever drop anything on you?
When you travels with a Cockatoo on yer shoulder fer a few years or so yer gets to instinctively detect the little dance that preceeds the waste removal process and any pirate (with 'is wits about him) can then lean forward or back depending on which way the passenger is facing to avoid soilings. Nevertheless I have been "bombed" many times and lots of people delight in telling Pirate Pete he has a white streak down his back.
Does he like children?
He loves children! He thinks they taste really nice but he can't eat a whole one.
How do you stop Cockatoos from biting?
This is something we "got a handle on" in the early stages after losing pieces of ears, noses, earrings and more blood than I was prepared to lose.
Simple solution : when bitten, scream in pain (Not hard to fake) (No violence towards bird allowed) and admonish bird "What did you do that for!" "Oww that hurts!".
Two weeks after I employed this tactic the bird stopped biting me for no reason. He always makes sure he has a good reason now [that's just a little pirate joke.
I have offered this advice to other bird lovers with a biting bird problem and every report back has commented that the tactic stopped the bird biting....
(Below) The view from Charlie's perch
To anyone who might feel that Pirate Pete and Charlie are an unatural occurrence and the nasty pirate is taking advantage of the poor dumb animal I rear up on me hind quarters with righteous indignation and points out ..... the bird does not live in a cage and hasn't lived in a cage in more than 13 years, has never had his wing "clipped", toenails filed or been nobbled in any way, is free to fly when ever he wants (but never does) and happily climbs aboard Pirate Pete's arm with enthusiasm when it is time to go to work and enjoys his outings giving pleasure to literally thousands of people, groanups and children alike.
Charlie takes a bow
The funniest thing of all? Charlie is a girl!
