Fillmore came to us in 1991.  I was looking for an African Grey parrot and instead of going to a breeder, I decided to look in the classified paper "The Recycler" popular in Los Angeles at the time. I found an ad for a 3-year old parrot in Newbury Park for sale with cage.  I called and found out that the owner was downsizing and moving up to the mountains. They had several pets and felt that the bird would be better off in another home.

We drove out to meet him and the bird seemed nice and well adjusted.  I agreed to buy him and went out to pick him up a few days later.  What a change in personality!  The bird, who was known as "Ditto" at the time started biting us and drawing blood.  I made the decision to buy the bird anyway, knowing that in time he would come around.

While driving home we thought about a new name, as we were not fond of the name "Ditto".  We were coming east on the 101 out of Camarillo and we saw the sign for the turnoff to get on the 23 going out to Fillmore.  We both almost simultaneously exclaimed Fillmore!  What a great name for a parrot!  

It took only a few days for Fillmore to warm up to his new home and his new name.  He's lived with us now for 27 years and SHE is a bona fide family member.

Yes, SHE.  Several years after Fillmore came into the house, she laid an egg.  So much for her being a he.  We called her a him for so long that we never were able to break the habit.  Sometimes we call her a him and sometimes we call her a her.  She doesn't seem to care!