Lovebird on the Loose

A peach-faced lovebird that may have been out in the wild for quite some time, and belies his name, startled Scott McArthur recently. The bird landed on the McArthur Tree Care truck near the Black Dog Bakery and Café on State Road in Vineyard Haven. As the bird hopped possessively about, it appeared ready to hijack the tree care truck. Happily, Tara Bolash of Animal Health Care Associates in West Tisbury came by and took command of the situation The lovebird is now in residence at Animal Health Care, but is n ot making friends with other bird residents.

“He puffs himself up and is very tough,” said Rebecca Mayhew, who suspects that someone let the bird out quite some time ago because of his disposition. Another possibility, however, she says, is that he is getting ready to molt and therefore is feeling grumpy. “Molting is sort of like a baby teething,” she says.

Should the bird’s original owner — or anyone else — want to take possession of him, bearing in mind that he does not seem a friendly sort, the lovebird can be found, for the time being at least, at Animal Health Care. The telephone number is 508-693-6515.