March 17, 2006

• God....I can't wait to eat those parrots.
• Almost as impressive as the Nyawk pigeons that ride the train. Almost.
• Awww. Resilient little blighters, ain't they? They remind me of the parrots of Telegraph Hill in San Francisco, about whom a movie was made.
• Squaaaaaawk! What a cool story! I'll have to ask my NYC acquaintances if they've ever seen them.
• Piratey!
• Where are you, patita?
• Ah, yes, the 'warmth given by the heat of the transformer.' Which is why the nests catch on fire on occasion. (At least, the West Haven/Connecticut ones, which are the ones I grew up with.) Hardy, yes. Bright, not particularly. (Also, "Support your local invasive species"? What kind of eco-logic is that?)
• here, Wolof! and thanks to beeswacky for a fantastic post! I've had one of these guys as a pet for about eight years. They are very affectionate and chatty birds. Austin has several feral colonies (they fly over my house occasionally), and Hyde Park in Chicago has some well documented nests. They are all over the place! cobaltnine, there is a theory that these birds are filling the ecological niche of the extinct Carolina parakeet (more info on their ecologival role here).
• here's my boy! he says "tickle chicken" to you all!
• Continuing in my quest to show there is no situation not covered by a Beastie Boys line... "NO...CHEEP...TIL...BROOKLYN!" or "She's chirpy - and she's just my type"
• Your bird looks to be in fine plumage, patita. All the quakers I've met thus far have been clever birds, and the only complaint I hear from their owners is "Noisy." But then, all conures and indeed most South American species seem to be so compared to other parrots. Interesting question about whether these birds will survive on their own. Their greatest enemy is man, of course, and farmers fear any animals that will destroy crops. There are two mindsets concerning 'invasive' species. Those who are pro and those who ain't. Particularly when human beings have exterminated a native species such as the Carolina parrakeet, and an 'invader' successfully fills the empty niche, we should not leap to eliminate the newcomers, but rather see what their effect on the natural environment is. My general view is that any creatures whatsoever which manage to co-exist with human beings ought to be left alone, since species in the wild seem, in too many cases, to be verging on extinction, a situation attributable directly to humankind's unrivalled ability to pollute soils, air, water.
• The story of how the Carolina Parakeet was slaughtered is particularly sad. The birds, who mated for life (and not always heterosexually) were also very close as a flock: when one was in trouble the others came to help. Farmers, trying to protect their crops, would shoot one bird from the sky. The others would fly down to aid their dying friend, making them easy targets for the shotguns. When I look at my African Grey (Sam) and my Blue Fronted Amazon (Wicket), I just shudder as I recall that story.
• My African grey (she's domestically bred) absolutely panics whenever she sees any long, thin object in a human hand. It seems to be an instinctive reaction -- the other grey I had also shared this trait, and other grey-owners have noted the same thing. In order to calm her down, we'vee been leaving a broom or a mop in the same room as her cage, but nothing will prevent the roof-lifting growls, paniced squawks, and fizzings should anyone touch -- or go too near -- these pieces of equipment. I've pondered this behaviour for decades, but can't say I understand it.
• Sam has no problem with broomhandles, but like most greys, he has his quirky phobias. Yesterday I walked through the room with a basket full of laundry, not realizing that it was evil laundry. He freaked. He also doesn't like it when I wear a hat.
• Well neither do I! We just both want to see what your hair is up to - it could be plotting against us, or murmuring insults behind our backs.
• Not my hair, nor scalp, nor skull, nor lid, would ever harm the quidnunc kid.
• Periwinkle is not fazed by hats, by dogs (likes 'em), by other birds (except hawks), by jewelry or glasses (which drive some of my other birds mad with excitement). Her sole aversion seems to be the stick-thingy plus human being combination. She has been known to fuss if she can see people outdoors with snow shovels or garden tools near the windows. I've had her since she was a fledgling of a few weeks, and this is an innate behaviour, seemingly. She's not fond of sudden movements, but none of my birds are. On the other hand, she's very companionable about people sneezing -- she immediately sneezes right back. Ditto coughing. We suspect she believes these are flock calls. You cannot make too much noise for this bird. And her hearingb is extremely acute -- she can pick up a sneeze from the other side of the house, and three floors above the bird room. She does alarms of all sorts, and the whine of a neighbour's malfunctioning hearing aid is a great treat for her. (And we hear about it for days after the visit ends, curse it.)
• Sam will whistle for and call both dogs by name, will then bark, and will then scold them for barking. He calls the dogs so often and so well that one of them no longer comes to us when WE call. He frequently asks anyone who may be nearby "Would you like some hot vegetables?"
• my quaker has the long/thin thing phobia as well. the worst thing is the hose for the vacuum cleaner, and one partuclar broom (a small thing with an attached dust collector). oh, and red things. we like to say that he is afraid of things. you know, all things. the pionus is made of stouter stuff!
• My grey loves the vacuum and will whistle and sing to it when it is being used. My poor little blue front cowers in fear. So he gets to go to the bedroom, with treats.
• Periwinkle's like Sam about the vacuum, sings and has a happy time. But EVIL are the brooms, the mops, and things like garden hoes or rakes, or a new perch for another bird's cage. So whenever I cut apple branches for the bird cages I am careful to leave some leaves on them -- which seems to eliminate the Fear Freakout with her. As they dry out, the twig stubs have to be clipped off lest a bird impale itself, and we find on the whole this seems to eliminate freakouts from all the parrots at the New Awfulness in a cage.