DUNEDIN, Fla - Lauren Reilly loves Rio, not the City in Brazil. Rio is her Blue and Gold Macaw. He’s not just any parrot; Rio is a free-flying parrot who is one of Reilly’s closest friends.

"My love for parrots actually goes back to when I was 11 years old," she recalled, "I started with parakeets, and I ended up volunteering at an exotic bird emporium."

That began a life-long devotion to learning all about her multicolored Macaw.

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"I always felt so guilty about birds being clipped and living in cages all of the time," said Reilly, "When I heard about free-flight, that (it) was a possibility that you could train your parrot to fly back to you and allow them to enjoy…, actually use their wings and to fly, I felt that is what I want to do with my life."

Reilly caut

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