First on our list of priorities is the care and well being of the various birds in our care. In addition to providing our Educational Programs, we have, to some degree, become a rescue facility for homeless parrots. Each year several parrots come to us from people who can no longer care for them, for what ever reason. At present we have accepted and agreed to take care of more than 80 large parrots, with several more presently on hold as we upgrade our facilities and acquire more supplies for their care.
In 1986, "Chester" was given to Chris Biro shortly after Chris left the United States Army's 82nd Airborne, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Chester was a hard biting little Cherry Headed Conure that previously belonged to the boyfriend of Chris's sister. While visiting, Chris had been able to hold Chester and take him for walks on the beach, a feat previously considered impossible. Thus Chester was given to Chris as a birthday gift. Thus began Chris Biro's love affair with parrots.
Chris had Chester for about six months before Chester was lost in Omaha Nebraska during a cross country trip. Chester's wings were clipped, but a few feathers had grown back and he managed to fly into some trees, never to be seen again. A very hard learned lesson about wing clipping and/or flight training.
Two years later, Chris bought a Blue & Gold Macaw, "Jeremy" who later helped start the "Show".
The public activities of Chris Biro, and later The Parrots & Pirates of ESENCE, got started in Walla Walla, Washington in 1989.
While studying Engineering at Walla Walla College, Chris Biro and his Blue & Gold Macaw, Jeremy, became known in the area due to Chris' riding an 1100 Honda motorcycle around town with Jeremy on his shoulder. Soon the pair began receiving requests to make appearances at local day cares, nursing homes, churches, and elementary schools. When a photo of Jeremy sitting on a 4 year old child's arm appeared on the front page of the Walla Walla Bulletin, the calls for the pair's free appearances became overwhelming.
During summer break, Chris began experimenting with ways to make his very friendly bird "earn his own keep". Chris acquired two more macaws and then attended several local events where Chris charged a nominal fee for a photo of people holding the birds. Chris soon discovered that this was not going to turn out to be a big money maker because people very much wanted to talk and hold the birds, but not so many wanted to pay for a Polaroid photo to get the experience. More importantly, it was discovered that people had a tremendous fascination with the birds and most expressed genuine appreciation for their "first contact with a real live parrot".
For his last event of the summer, Chris put on his Halloween pirate costume - usually worn, accompanied by Jeremy of course, to insure winning monetary prizes at local Halloween costume parties. As a "pirate" Chris saw a marked increase in the public's interest and incorporated the Pirate theme into an "act".
For the coming next year, Chris presented the Pirate and "crew" (Macaws: Jeremy, James, and Jack) as a grounds entertainment act for the fairs of the state of Washington. The Pirate and crew were hired to appear as part of the 1991 Island County Fair in Langley Washington (Whidbey Island).
Chris put all the money earned with his birds (plus some) "back into the birds" and soon was appearing at several fairs and elementary schools throughout the state of Washington.
In 1993 Chris left Walla Walla College and engineering to be a full time Pirate and moved to Roy Washington. There Chris was joined by Gudrun Maybaum. The two established the "educational program" as a not for profit corporation, the "Endangered Species & Environments, National Center for Education" (ESENCE), hoping to draw funding from outside donations. It was soon learned that neither of the two, nor any of the other occasional volunteers, were good at, nor comfortable with, non profit "begging for money". And after learning of various legal "quirks" relating to being a non profit "corporation" the corporation was intentionally allowed to lapse in 1995 and the Pirates of ESENCE reorganized as a simple first amendment association (also not for profit - see purpose statement above). Later, due to delays in the "reorganizing process", a completely new association was formed as simply "NCE". "The Parrots & Pirates of ESENCE" having become well known in the Pacific Northwest, the name has been retained as an associated trade name.
In June of 1999, Jackie Cottrel joined the group and began going to fairs as a regular member. In November of 1999, Gudrun Maybaum and Chris Biro split up and Gudrun left the group. In the summer of 2000, the crew was joined by Dr. Dan McGuire and Margo and Frank Driscol. At the end of the 2000 fair season Chris Biro and Dan McGuire moved the birds to 20 acres in Amboy, Washington
Today, various other associate "pirates" often appear along with the more "seasoned pirates" at fairs, libraries, elementary schools, malls, business parties, etc. and the crew has grown to over 81 birds, of some 28 species. The show has developed into a kind of hands-on education parrot "talk show" and the organization also serves as a rescue facility for unwanted birds (as facilities and funding permit).
The show remains focused on safe hands-on interaction between the birds, the pirates and the public, and a strong education presentation is combined with a few behavioral tricks and some wild freeflying to keep it entertaining. The pirate theme has grown to be an effective part of the education program as it adds color and "character" and also draws interest to the feathered "crew". In 1997, the Nesika, our very own portable 40 foot long Pirate Ship, made its first public appearance in Stanwood Washington. Needless to say, it was a major success and has greatly improved the effectiveness of this program and helps draw plenty of press right-ups. Click to read more about the pirate ship.
