How does an acclaimed actor and comedic genius like Will Ferrell unwind after a tough day at work? By spending some valued time with his incredibly expensive bird collection, according to his good friend Adam McKay.
McKay, who has directed Ferrell in films like “Anchorman” and “Step Brothers,” told HuffPost Live on Monday that Ferrell’s home is brimming with birds of all kinds, and Ferrell himself is a bit of a bird whisperer.
“He has giant cages on his property filled with different tropical birds, and these are the kind of birds that will bite you, that you have to be careful with, but when it’s him, they just fly right to his arm,” McKay said. “Often times if you’re at his house … he has, like, a cockatiel on his shoulder for long stretches.”
An affinity for birds isn’t exactly surprising, but what will shock you is the enormous monetary value of Ferrell’s flock.
“He had to have his bird collection insured, and I think it’s worth over $7.8 million in rare birds he has,” McKay said.
That lofty sum certainly shows that Ferrell’s love for the ornithological is real, but McKay added that he learned just how much Ferrell values his menagerie when McKay wrote a scene featuring a bird and asked to cast one of Ferrell’s.
“He has a turkey buzzard that has a 14-foot wing span that’s one of his favorite birds,” McKay said. “The bird’s name is Gregory. I said, ‘Let’s put Gregory in the scene.’ He was like, ‘No. The birds are not for money. The birds are for God.'”
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Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2016/01/25/will-ferrell-bird-collection_n_9073212.html
