Have you heard of a talking crow?
Meet Friar Tuck, the crow.
Tuck is 17 years old and a non-flight African pied crow. He was born in captivity and rescued from a pet store.
He’s been living in the American Eagle Foundation located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee since he was rescued.
Tuck is a memorable bird because he can talk like a human.
He’s very good at mimicking words and sounds so he is able to mimic the sounds he hears regularly.
Since people greet him every day, whether by the staff at the foundation or by the visitors, he’s learned how to say “Hello” or “Hi, Tuck.”
And when he hears the doorbell, he’ll yell, “Come in!”
And it’s not just words.
He also mimics sounds. There’s a bullfrog nearby that he hears every day and he’s learned to mimic the frog’s sound, too.
Tuck may not be able to answer your questions when you talk to him but if you don’t pay him any attention or he wants to get your attention, he’ll say one thing.
He’ll say “What!”
Tuck is part of the 75 non-releasable birds that live at the foundation. Most of them were born under human care and do not how to survive living in the wild.
And more than that, Tuck is an African pied crow and not native to the United States.
Releasing him to the wild would be far more dangerous for Tuck.
He’s also unable to fly.
This is because he’s got arthritis on both his wings. He also has arthritis on both of his legs so he can’t climb anymore.
The American Eagle Foundation is a safe place for birds like Tuck.
The foundation’s primary objective is to protect eagles and other birds of prey and release them into the wild after rehabilitation.
But they also take in birds who can no longer be released into the wild.
Its primary mission consists of three parts.
Conserve, educate, and protect.
And that’s why the foundation is open to all visitors.
They conduct tours at the facility so the visitors can learn more about the birds and learn how the foundation and their donations are helping them live and survive.
They also have an Eagle Mountain Sanctuary inside Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee where they also protect the non-releasable bald eagles as well as educate the visitors about bald eagles.
Tuck likes being the center of attention and is always willing to be the star at the shows they have on every tour. You won’t miss him when you go to a show.
He’s the one at the end of the ‘Wings of America’ birds of prey show, collecting donations.
One of the things the American Eagle Foundation advocates for also is conservation.
It’s not reserved for professionals.
Anyone and everyone can do small things to help with protecting birds of prey.
We can do simple things like clearing up our trash or cleaning up the waterways, according to Macy, Tuck’s primary caregiver.
Hear Tuck chat it up with his ‘mom’ in the video below!
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