Harlingen man brings Valley View Senior Community love through birds

Michael Zaker, a resident at Valley View Independent Living in Harlingen, is seen with his parrots San Martin, Maximus and Tiana. (Courtesy photo)

What do San Martin, Maximus and Tiana all have in common?

Well for starters, they’re Amazon parrots and they’re loved by their friends — the residents at Valley View Senior Living in Harlingen.

The parrots belong to resident Michael Zaker, who is dedicated to avian care, and has made it a monthly tradition to share his love of parrots with his fellow community.

“Michael’s visits create meaningful moments for him and all of our other residents,” Executive Director of Valley View Senior Living Liza Magallan said in a news release. “It’s an activity that people really anticipate, and we’re grateful for the sense of connection it brings to everyone involved.”

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Michael Zaker's parrots San Martin, Maximus and Tiana are seen in this undated photo. Zaker is a resident at Valley View Independent Living in Harlingen and has made it a monthly tradition to share his love of parrots with his fellow community. (Courtesy photo)

Michael Zaker, a resident at Valley View Independent Living in Harlingen, is seen with his parrots San Martin, Maximus and Tiana. (Courtesy photo)

Michael Zaker, a resident at Valley View Independent Living in Harlingen, is seen with his parrots San Martin, Maximus and Tiana. (Courtesy photo)

Michael Zaker, a resident at Valley View Independent Living in Harlingen, admires Sebastian, a red-crowned Amazon parrot, and his double yellow head Amazon parrot, San Martin. (Travis M. Whitehead/Valley Morning Star)

Michael Zaker, a resident at Valley View Independent Living in Harlingen, holds his birds in their birdie backpack. (Courtesy: Valley View Senior Living)

Michael Zaker's birds in their birdie backpack. Zaker is a resident at Valley View Independent Living in Harlingen. (Courtesy: Valley View Senior Living)

Michael Zaker, a resident at Valley View Independent Living in Harlingen, shows his birds to residents. (Courtesy: Valley View Senior Living)

Zaker’s birds occasionally visit the assisted living and memory care residents during snack time, which creates an opportunity for interaction and fun.

San Martin, a yellow-crowned Amazon parrot, is the oldest at 16 and most experienced of the group and often accompanies Tiana, a 3-year-old red-crowned Amazon parrot. Zaker’s newest addition to his flock is Maximus. The release noted each parrot brings their own personalities and experiences to everyone who meets them.

“I call myself a bird brain,” Zaker previously told the Valley Morning Star. “The meaning for bird brain is people who are responsive to birds, who do bird training.”

Since moving to Harlingen in 2016, Zaker had bred parakeets and cockatiels then later embarked on adopting Amazon parrots, adding that he had learned through YouTube videos how to train the birds.

“I adopted the Amazon parrots because they were a special meaning to me,” Zaker said. “They are large birds, and they are also very smart, very intelligent.”

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