Old Buddy has cracker chance at record books
A steady diet of Jimmy’s Pies could be an Otago cockatiel’s secret to a long life.
Roxburgh cockatiel Buddy is on track to breaking the Guinness World Record for the oldest cockatiel when he turns 32 in June.
Anne Walders and her late husband bought Buddy in 1986 to replace their previous cockatiel, John Wayne, who flew off her shoulder while she was mowing.
Buddy has had a long and happy life, being raised alongside Walders’ two children who are now 46 and 47. He often travelled in the car as a young bird, wolf-whistling at people on pedestrian crossings and accompanying the family on trips to Nelson.
The chirpy little fella even had his own place at the table where he frequently enjoyed a Jimmy’s Pie – a famous Otago brand – and a cup of coffee.
‘‘Usually if we are sitting here having a pie and he is sitting on a chair, he goes crook until he gets a piece,’’ Walders said.
‘‘He is family, he is Buddy Walders, and probably when the day comes that he dies it will be quite upsetting. I will miss him. He is quite a character.’’
Buddy not only gave her a purpose, but provided her with entertainment – he can ask for a cup of tea, say hello and thank you, and whistle Pop Goes the Weasel.
‘‘He carries his wings very low now. Those joints are starting to show the wear and tear. But all said and done, he is doing pretty good for an old bugger,’’ Walders said. ‘‘He is probably staying alive to keep me alive.’’
She hoped he could break the Guinness World Record. ‘‘Ten years is actually 40 years in human life for a bird, so I call him an old bugger now ... He is about 137 in human years.’’