FEATHERED FRIENDS PARROTS KEEP FUN IN FAMILY.

Byline: Naush Boghossian Staff Writer

CANYON COUNTRY - People might think Jolene, Buddy and Baby behave like animals: They screech, tear up the couch and kitchen chairs, and they like to mimic others.

They hang out on the balcony, talking to people who go by.

But Mark Webb loves his three parrots as if they were human.

``I look at these birds as family, as children. They're so loyal. It's unconditional love,'' Webb said. ``They communicate with you, they talk to you, they show affection.''

Tempting the fates, Webb asked Buddy, ``Can I have a kiss?'' and Buddy obliged.

As he played with the three birds, rocking them, hugging them and kissing them, Webb affectionately talked about each of their quirky personality traits.

Buddy, 15, loves to talk, but he doesn't have a discernible vocabulary, so he just rambles on and on in Buddy-speak.

Webb adopted the yellow and green parrot, which is common to Mexico, about six years ago. It seems Buddy's previous owner loved the bird - even keeping in touch with the parrot with regular phone conversations for three years after giving him up - but Buddy just didn't jibe with the guy's fiance.

He also loves to say ``hello,'' so when the phone rings at the Webb home, there is a barrage of hellos heralding the call.

When Webb first brought Buddy home, the bird started saying ``hello.''

Well, Webb's wife, thinking that a lady was calling out from outside the home, went out to the balcony after taking a shower, and started calling back, ``hello, hello,'' while she struggled to cover herself.

``She stood on the balcony for five minutes looking around and saying hello,'' Webb laughed.

Jolene, 20, a blue and gold macaw, loves to laugh.

She stretched repeatedly while puttering around on the grass, displaying her two-tone coloring.

``Jolene was kept in a cage for two years, and the person who had her wasn't able to take care of her and give her a lot of attention, so every time she gets out, she stretches her wings,'' Webb said. He couldn't believe when he found out the bird's name was the same as his mother's.

Baby is 3 years old and an attention hound. He'll say ``hello,'' ``I love you,'' ``shut up,'' ``step up'' and ``wanna go outside?''

When an employee at the nearby pet store told him the bird he had been eyeing - Baby - with the $2,000 price-tag would go on sale the next day for $600, Webb made sure he was the first in line the next morning.

Baby is the bird he has bonded with the most.

``I look forward to 40 years down the line,'' Webb said, kissing and cuddling Baby. ``This'll be my pal forever.''

One of the benefits to having the exotic birds, Webb believes, is exposing his 8-year-old son, Tyler, to something most kids don't have the opportunity to experience.

``I don't ever want him to fear them. I want him to mature and grow and not be afraid of certain things,'' Webb said about his son. ``And he's fearless with the birds and in life itself.''

Webb has always had a predilection for uncommon pets. He had a macaw when he was about 7 years old, and he once had a raccoon.

Now, in addition to the three parrots, the Webbs have a pet dog and a tarantula, because Webb said he's making up for the nine years he wasn't able to have pets when he played professional baseball.

Tyler Webb said that there have been times that the birds have been a source of comfort to him.

``I just pet them and kiss them, and it makes me feel better,'' the boy said.

The birds are definite attention getters, especially since Webb likes to take them with him to a lot of places. He takes them driving, to his son's baseball games, the pool.

``One of the great joys of having birds is the reaction of adults and kids alike, because people don't get the opportunity to be this close to them,'' he said.

But the neighbors have a mixed reaction to the birds.

``I think there are people that enjoy their beauty, but if they get outside and get squawking, it can get annoying - especially if all three of them get going,'' Webb said.

In fact, all the squawking has even gotten him into a few uncomfortable situations.

``If I'm on a business call, the person on the other end of the phone hears screaming and all this noise,'' he said, smiling. ``They're probably thinking he's beating his kids and wife.''

In the kitchen, three jars full of feathers display how much the Webb family cherishes the birds.

``The myth is that when a bird drops a feather, he's giving a gift to you,'' Webb said, and for each feather, they let the birds know they've received the gift and will hold on to it.

A thought that brings Webb joy and comfort is that the birds will stay in the family for years since they will be passed on to his son.

``Baby will live to about 85 to 90 years old and Buddy up to 60,'' Webb said. ``These are birds that will be in this family for years.''

For more information on parrots, visit the Parrot Society of Los Angeles on the Web at www.parrotsocietyoflosangeles.org.

CAPTION(S):

4 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color -- ran in SAC edition only) Tyler Webb, 8, enjoys the load of Jolene, one of three parrots that have become part of the Canyon Country clan's family.

(2 -- color in SAC edition only) Buddy, one of the Webb family's three parrots, shares a word with the clan's pooch in Canyon Country.

(3 -- color in SAC edition only) Canyon Country resident Mark Webb gets a kiss from Jolene, left, as Buddy looks on.

(4 -- color -- ran in SAC edition only) Baby keeps an eye on Jolene, in front, who with a third parrot Buddy, have become a big part of the Webb family.

David R. Crane/Staff Photographer