Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

  • Winging It

  • A Memoir of Caring for a Vengeful Parrot Who's Determined to Kill Me
  • By: Jenny Gardiner
  • Narrated by: Teri Clark Linden
  • Length: 7 hrs and 1 min
  • 3.3 out of 5 stars (4 ratings)
Offer ends May 1st, 2024 11:59PM GMT. Terms and conditions apply.
£7.99/month after 3 months. Renews automatically.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Winging It cover art

Winging It

By: Jenny Gardiner
Narrated by: Teri Clark Linden
Get this deal Try for £0.00

Pay £99p/month. After 3 months pay £7.99/month. Renews automatically. See terms for eligibility.

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £14.99

Buy Now for £14.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Listeners also enjoyed...

Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul: Stories of Feline Affection, Mystery and Charm cover art
Chomp, Chomp, Chomp cover art
Chicken Soup for the Cat & Dog Lover's Soul cover art
Chicken Soup for the Soul: What I Learned from the Dog cover art
Always by My Side cover art
Lessons from Tara cover art
The Last Teacher cover art
Of Mice and Me cover art
My Life in a Cat House cover art
Hounded: The Lowdown on Life from Three Dachshunds cover art
This Is Not My Beautiful Life cover art
One of Us: A Family's Life with Autism cover art
You've Been so Lucky Already cover art
Pure Joy cover art
What Comes Next and How to Like It cover art
Rock Needs River cover art

Summary

A gift from an overseas relative, Graycie, an African Gray parrot, arrives in the Gardiner home not long after the birth of their first child, adding the responsibilities of parrot-hood to their newfound parenthood. Jenny Gardiner and her husband were hoping for a docile, beautifully plumed, Polly-want-a-cracker type of companion - but patchily feathered, scrawny, ill-tempered Graycie was the furthest thing from what they envisioned.

In Winging It, Gardiner shares in vivid and hilarious detail the many hazards of parrot ownership, from endless avian latrine duty to discovering the multiple ways a beak can pierce human flesh. Whether she’s swearing at the dog, mimicking the sound of the smoke alarm, or bobbing to the beat of the kids clapping for her amusement, she brings the family joy, laughter, and, sometimes, tears. So why would the Gardiners subject themselves to the crazy behavior of this parrot for so long? Well, because, as the Gardiners realize, Graycie is a part of the family, and just like in any relationship between living creatures, things do not always go according to plan.

A mix of hilarious pet hijinks and a poignant story of family commitment, Winging It is a reminder of the importance of patience, loyalty, and humor when it comes to dealing with even the most temperamental members of the family.

©2010 Jenny Gardiner (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about Winging It

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 3 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 3 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1
  • 4 Stars
    1
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 3 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Please do much research before bringing a parrot in to your home.

This book is an object lesson in how not to keep a parrot in my opinion. Practices such as wing clipping are now mostly recognised as cruel.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

How not to own a parrot really

It's true to say, as someone who is owned by 2 African grey parrots, this story is the epitome of what not to do. Granted mine a captive bred birds, however the care needs are the same. Please please do research before owning one, get an avian vet who could tell straight away that clipping wings caused the falls. In the UK thankfully wing clipping is nearly non existent.

The story in the book is a lesson to all that the bird is a family member that deserves the same amount if time and energy you would give a child. It's a good read to teach you the pitfalls of being owned by a bird, and definitely a lesson in how not to ignore its needs. Basically it's a 5 year old child that never grows up, relies on you for everything and deserves respect . Not all birds speak and a large percentage aren't cuddly, especially African greys. Don't put it in a basement on its own, they are flock animals. Birds will pick their person, but will live other family members.

I deeply admire the families message that a pet is for life and you have made a commitment to it, honour that commitment. They must be admired for sticking with Gracie and it's a story we don't hear enough.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!