Jackie Kohlman is something of a “rare bird” when it comes to how she earns her paycheck. For the last 20 years, she has worked as the bird handler supervisor at the beachfront Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa—a tropical, Polynesian-style accommodation located on eight acres of San Diego's Mission Bay.
Far from being stuck in front of a computer from 9 to 5, Kohlman spends her days feeding, caring for, and cleaning up after the resort’s feathered residents, which includes six large parrots and nine Mandarin ducks, as well as the other occasional wildlife that migrate to the property. She also oversees the resort’s real-life, enchanted outdoor Tiki room, where the parrots get the chance to impress guests with their talking and tricks.
