Merlynn TMC card: two cockatiels framing the Merlynn badge, reading Have Feathers, Will Amaze

Mesa, Arizona — the comedy magic show of Leigh Hotz

MerlynnThe Magic Cockatiel

Have Feathers… Will Amaze

He was hatched to be a pet. He ended up a headliner. Merlynn performed card tricks, mentalism and a mini-sword box illusion, and he took the America's Got Talent stage with Heidi Klum. Today his act lives on with the magic birds who followed him.

Meet the magic birds

America's Got Talent · Season 17
Almost seven years on stage
Howie Mandel nearly used his golden buzzer

The aviary

Meet the magic birds

Three birds keep this act alive: the original star, the cockatiel who now carries his name on stage, and the young co-star waiting in the wings. Tap one to hear its whistle.

Merlynn

The Original Magic Cockatiel

Merlynn was picked out at a pet shop in Mesa when he was four weeks old, and he was meant to be a pet. Then the show doves went into a molt and Leigh needed a bird for one simple trick. The audience loved him so much he never left the act.

A cockatiel that jumps onto almost anyone's shoulder and starts a conversation.

Bird facts

Species: Whiteface cockatiel with pied and pearl spots
Hatched: January 2019 · Mesa, Arizona
Signature tricks: Card tricks, mentalism and a mini-sword box illusion
Personality: Finger tame, shoulder friendly, endlessly talkative
Biggest stage: America's Got Talent with Heidi Klum

Life story

From pet shop to headliner

Merlynn was never meant to be a working bird. He was meant to be a pet, until he jumped onto the right hand.

Before He Was Famous…

Merlynn TMC (The Magic Cockatiel) was hatched in January 2019 in Mesa, Arizona. He was only about four weeks old when magician Leigh Hotz and his wife Mamata came into Arizona Birds to buy a baby cockatiel as a personal pet. When Leigh placed his hand into the nursery cage to move some baby birds around, a young whiteface cockatiel with pied and pearl spots jumped right onto Leigh's hand. Leigh knew this was the one for him and his wife.

It would be another month before the bird was weaned off the hand-fed liquid diet and onto solid food, so Leigh and Mamata came back to the pet shop twice a week to bond with Merlynn. Once Merlynn was ready, Leigh took him home. Since Merlynn was originally going to be a personal pet and not a working bird, he had his own separate cage from Leigh's magic show doves.

Merlynn's Big Break in Show Business…

Merlynn was a great companion for Leigh and Mamata. He learned to talk and to whistle a few songs.

One day Leigh was getting ready to go out and do a magic show, and his doves were in the middle of a molt. They were healthy, but they would not look good for a public show if they lost feathers while they were being produced. Leigh decided to take Merlynn to the show for a simple bird trick. Since Merlynn was finger tame and already bonded to Leigh and Mamata, he felt safe using him.

Merlynn did his part of the act very well and the audience was ecstatic to see a magician using a bird that was not a dove, and one with such a great personality. Merlynn is so human friendly he will jump onto the shoulders of almost anyone and start talking to them. He eventually replaced the doves and became a staple part of Leigh's act.

Going Places In The Future

The rest is history. Merlynn The Magic Cockatiel performed in many magic shows, doing card tricks, mentalism and a mini-sword box illusion. He was a quick learner.

Merlynn performed on America's Got Talent doing a mentalism routine with Heidi Klum. Fellow judge Howie Mandel said he would have given Merlynn a golden buzzer, but he had already given his away to an earlier act.

Merlynn became popular on social media, with his own YouTube channel, Facebook page, this website, and most recently TikTok.

The big stage

America's Got Talent

Merlynn made it to America's Got Talent season 17. He performed in front of the judges, though his segment never aired on network.

Season 17 · with Heidi Klum

In his un-aired episode, assisted by comedy magician Leigh Hotz and his wife Mamata, Merlynn hypnotizes Heidi Klum by talking to her feet. Once under his birdy trance, both Heidi and Merlynn each select a card from a deck. The values of the cards are totaled and calculated.

On the stage table sits a toolbox containing a tool Merlynn has predicted Simon will select later in the act. The total comes out to 14, so Simon Cowell opens a tool catalog of about a hundred tools, turns to page 14 and selects one. Simon announces he has selected an eight foot ladder.

After a fanfare, Leigh reaches into the toolbox and struggles a bit before pulling out a gag ladder which is only about twelve inches tall, but has eight tiny feet with shoes on it. Merlynn then screams something, and Leigh replies, “Which OTHER ladder?” Leigh then pulls out a full size eight foot ladder as the climax of the act.

By this time Leigh and Merlynn had three X's from the judges, but Howie Mandel, who liked the act, said he would have given it a golden buzzer if he had not already given his away to a previous act.

Watch Merlynn on YouTube

Season: America's Got Talent, Season 17
Guest judge: Heidi Klum
The routine: Mentalism, a card count and an eight foot ladder
Judges' verdict: Three X's — and one near golden buzzer

Merlynn's AGT practice audition video, taken during COVID restrictions, that got him onto the show.

Backstage

Merlynn's famous friends

Merlynn was always trying to expand his knowledge and skills in the art of magic, and he often consulted the top experts in the industry. Pictured here he is with Lance Burton, Franz Harary, Mark Wilson, Andre Kole, Banachek, Bizzaro and other top performers.

Merlynn with Franz Harary — Franz Harary

Merlynn with Jeff McBride — Jeff McBride

Merlynn with Mark Wilson Family — Mark Wilson Family

Merlynn with Lance Burton — Lance Burton

Word of mouth

What people say about Merlynn

Merlynn has been noticed by entertainers, business people and fans from all over.

“I just got chills… Oh my GOD… That was like paranormal.”
Alex Rivers
Street violinist & AGT contestant

“I would have given you a golden buzzer if I hadn't already given mine away to a previous act.”
Howie Mandel
AGT judge

“You're the worst magician I ever seen!”
Simon Cowell
AGT judge

Photo album

A few cool pics

Snapshots from Merlynn's life on and off the stage, from baby bird to headliner.

Fresh from the aviary

Latest from Instagram

New bird photos land here straight from @merlynntmc — no updating needed.

Training a new feathered sudent magic.

Sky the baby Quaker Parrot is our newest addition to our flock. He will be trained to perform magic tricks just like Merlynn The Magic Cockatiel and will make his world appearance soon.

I got phone notification my Roomba could not recharge itself. When I got home, It appears it found my wife’s bra on the floor and stole it.

Streaming projector for sale at Wizard Magic Shop inside Mall Of Peddlers in Mesa Arizona.

Merlynn the Magic Cockatiel on Instagram

Trying to train my rescue parrot Stormy to fly to me. 1st attempt. I am laying down in bed with my cockatiels so he knows birds are okay with me.

Fan Fusion was fun hanging out with Kriti Dance

Experimenting looking for new logo for my shows

Short video sample from yesterday. Full album when I get back home

Today’s sample vacation photo. Full album when we get back home.

Stormy the Indian Ringneck parrot update. He is now doing beak crunching when I talk to him. That means he is more comfortable around me, but not enough to go onto my finger. #Stormytheoarrot

The birds enjoy their playground time

Follow @merlynntmc

Blog & news

Stories from the perch

Everything from the original blog, from Featherdale fairy tales to the latest news about Sky The Quaker Parrot.

NewsOctober 24, 2026

Meet the New Merlynn: Smoky Takes the Stage

Merlynn The Magic Cockatiel still headlines Leigh Hotz's comedy magic show. These days the bird in the tiny tuxedo is Smoky, who has taken over the role full time…

Fictional AdventuresApril 27, 2024

Merlynn in Featherdale

Once upon a time, in the bustling city of Featherdale, there lived a remarkable cockatiel named Merlynn. Unlike other birds, Merlynn had a flair for magic…

NewsJuly 11, 2024

Welcoming Sky The Quaker Parrot: A New Co-Star for Leigh Hotz's Magic Shows

Leigh Hotz's magic shows have a new cast: Smoky now performs full time as Merlynn, and Sky The Quaker Parrot joins the act as his co-star…

TributeJune 24, 2024

Remembering Merlynn: The Magic Cockatiel Who Enchanted Audiences

Farewell to a magical performer. It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Merlynn, the talented and enchanting cockatiel…

NewsOctober 13, 2022

Merlynn appears for America's Got Talent Judges in Season 17

Merlynn made it to America's Got Talent season 17. He performed in front of the judges, but unfortunately, his segment did not air on network…

FeaturesJanuary 24, 2024

Uncover the Magic: The Time Traveling Adventures of Merlynn the Magic Cockatiel

Step into a world of wonder and enchantment as we embark on a thrilling journey with the one and only Merlynn, the time-traveling magical bird…

In memory

Farewell to a Magical Performer

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Merlynn, the talented and enchanting cockatiel who brightened magician Leigh Hotz's comedy magic show.

Merlynn had been performing magic for almost seven years. He left us in June 2024 during a severe wind and dust storm, when a tree on our property startled him from his sleep and caused what is known as “night fright”, which he did not survive. Our other cockatiel, Smoky, who was Merlynn's understudy, also experienced the fright but thankfully survived.

Merlynn's passing is a significant loss to Leigh Hotz's show and to everyone who had the pleasure of seeing him perform. His legacy of bringing joy and wonder to audiences will live on through the memories shared by those who witnessed his magic. We will always remember Merlynn not just as a cockatiel, but as a true performer who brought a touch of magic into our lives.

Going forward, Merlynn The Magic Cockatiel lives on as a permanent character in Leigh Hotz's magic act, now performed full time by Smoky, who took over the role and the name. Sky The Quaker Parrot joins the production as its second co-star.

Meet the birds carrying the act forward