Sam Conure

Sam was a green-cheeked conure that came to me 15 years ago when he was just a couple of months old. He was totally crazy- extremely fearful and would get easily overexcited- but he was also an amusing bird and a lot of company. If he were out on top of his cage (where his playpen was) and I came close to it he'd try to bite my face and hands, but he loved being petted on his forehead and cheeks. He'd give an alarm call whenever something was in the back yard, or there was something new in the studio, if the other birds were flying around, or if he were bored. This morning when I went into my studio to feed and water the birds, Sam was lying dead on the bottom of his cage. There was no warning; he didn't show any odd behavior or signs of discomfort yesterday. But now he's gone.

He was a true character and is sorely missed.