A feathered singer has been spreading cheer with his freestyle vocals as he performs viral duets with his owner.
Tico, a double yellow-headed Amazon parrot was a part of a yard sale when Frank Maglio Jr. first met him 23 years ago.
Mr. Maglio, who had just moved from Maryland to Florida, wasn’t in the market for a bird. Although Mr. Maglio shied away from buying Tico because of the high price, the seller was persistent. She eventually told him that Tico would have to be sent to a shelter if she couldn’t find him a home as she couldn’t take him with her to England.
“That broke my heart,” Mr. Maglio, a manufacturing representative told The Epoch Times. Finally, he made an offer and welcomed Tico into his home.
However, Mr. Maglio, now 60, only discovered Tico’s unique vocal skills about 20 years ago.
“During the pandemic in 2020, I found out I couldn’t travel and that was going to be for quite a while,” Mr. Maglio said. “So I had started making training videos for some of the products I represented, so I could do more of a virtual business and work remote.”
One day, Mr. Maglio was filming a video for a musical instrument and was practicing a song to play.
As his wife, Gina started recording him playing the song—Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin—and Tico began to scream.
It didn’t sound particularly pleasant and Mrs. Maglio suggested that they continue the recording after Tico stopped. However, Mr. Maglio had a hunch they were onto something.
“He was actually crooning to the music,” Mr. Maglio said. “I was really blown away by what I was hearing and seeing because it sounded like he really was performing.”
Although Mr. Maglio couldn’t complete the training video, he had a lot of fun with Tico and eagerly anticipated making another video with the talented bird.
Amused, Mr. Maglio posted the video on Facebook, and his client’s wife, who was familiar with parrots, commented saying she had never seen a parrot like Tico and suggested that the duo start a YouTube channel.
For Mr. Maglio, these jam sessions with Tico mean “everything” to him, and the bird loves bonding with him too.
Mr. Maglio shares that the bird is like a “bandmate in real life.”
“Like human relationships between bandmates, we depend on each other, but we are not in love with each other,” he said, “Even though I love him dearly!”
“He liked the music. His timing was impeccable to start and stop,” Mr. Maglio said. “And I loved how he looked at me for the cues, he was seasoned at that point.”
Mr. Maglio describes his channel as a place “where people tune in for a smile and a dose of happiness,” adding that his fan base is “extremely kind.”
“Our fan base loves him and depends on us for a smile,” he said. “So it motivates me to keep making videos.”
In recent tumultuous times, people from a war-torn country have watched Tico as they are sheltered underground.
These grateful viewers have told Mr. Maglio that if it wasn’t for the duo “giving them hope and light that there is a kinder world out there, they wouldn’t have made it through.”
Since their channel has witnessed such tremendous success, Mr. Maglio is ready for the next chapter. The couple recently bought an RV, and they are planning to take the show on the road and host meet-and-greets with fans. This is certainly set to be an exciting time for Mr. Maglio and the fans—and, of course, for Tico.
