New bird to be

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Skyes_crew
Posts: 1946
Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2013 12:49 pm
Location: Hawaii

Re: New bird to be

Post by Skyes_crew »

MissK wrote:
Of course I see a third alternative - teach them both a novel call at the same time. If I had to place money on it, my money would be on Miss Squidgette learning the Nila call. I don't have any money, of course (the dog ate it), so I'll just offer a piece of jute. Good thing I have plenty of that!
Lets ummm make sure that jute is kept way up off the floor :wink:

Here's how the baby and older bird interaction went down in my house. Now granted this was the opposite gender introduction than yours so results may vary. Geez I sound like a commercial lol. Anyway, when the two birds were finally introduced hamlet became very quiet in light of skyes obsession with talking over everyone else. I thought the bird was a mute. One day while I was cleaning the bird room floor, listening to Skye ramble on, I looked up and realized it wasn't Skye talking...it was hamlet. He literally picked up everything she said, right down to the tone and inflection of her voice. And it's happened again in my house but this time from hamlet to Chico. So now I have three IRN's that say the same exact things, call the same exact way. It's creepy lol.
I am owned by my birds...and I wouldn't have it any other way :D

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InTheAir
Posts: 2040
Joined: Sat Jan 12, 2013 4:24 pm

Re: New bird to be

Post by InTheAir »

I think a food fight would be Nilas idea of heaven, he'd just sit there with his beak open and see how much he could catch! :wink:

I almost bought a pomegranate the other day, Nila has never tried it, but they were imported so bought some locally grown raspberries instead since they are just as messy.

I'd put my money on Nila learning her contact call immediately, if I hadn't spent it all on a health check and bird toys and another cage.... He learnt Janey and Charlie's noise after hanging out with them for a few hours!

Wow that's cool mel! I hope we see that phenomenon. Nila says his phrases in several different ways, so it could be interesting. It would be so cool if she learns the evil laugh that Nila does into his coup cup to amplify it...

Dave is trying to teach Nila a new contact call at present. He wants one person/bird to say bok bok bok and the other to answer I'm a chicken.
MissK
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Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2012 3:46 pm
Location: Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.

Re: New bird to be

Post by MissK »

Skyes_Crew - I think there WAS some jute in there............. It's in a baggie defrosting now.

InTheAir - Rocky and I do the two part call. We established the single note call first and, when that was solid, added a two part whistle after. It isn't perfect, which is to say it's not A-B every time. It might be (if Rocky is the first letter in the pair and I am the second) A-B, A-B, A-B, B-whatever I choose. By the same token, it can go A-B, A-B, A-B, B-A, B-A, B-A, A-B, A-B, A-B, etc. Very cute. Any variation is possible. Sometimes we get stuck in A-A, A-A, A-A for a while. Sometimes it's B-B, B-B, B-B. Usually, though, it's just a series of A-B or B-A. Now and then he will stick in a three note call I was hoping to integrate but was too mentally lazy to finish, or his version of the wolf whistle. He has other whistles but, interestingly, they do not ever show up in the contact call series.

Tell Redzone to keep at it! The two part call in whistles is really fun - with Boks and Chickens it's bound to be exponentially better.

Incidentally, I might have mentioned, it was this two part call that softened the hard heart of my non-bird-endorsing friend when she was visiting. She watched an exchange of A-B, A-B, A-B with little appreciation, but when I threw in an out-of-sequence A and Rocky answered with a B, I saw the magic in her smile. Right there she got it, she understood a Ringneck could be more than just another animal you have to feed and clean after. It also set her up to appreciate Rocky's version of "Tweet! Tweet!", though to be honest it's not very clear and she wouldn't have understood it if I had not also said "Tweet! Tweet!"
-MissK
InTheAir
Posts: 2040
Joined: Sat Jan 12, 2013 4:24 pm

Re: New bird to be

Post by InTheAir »

The calls are how the boys seem to be amusing themselves at work this week! There are definite benefits to running your own business :mrgreen:

Tweet tweet is the cutest thing for a bird to say. Rocky is a star!

On the new bird front, she is slowly making progress towards accepting us, despite me making some major errors. She stays quite near her dish while I drop treats in it and looks at her dish a couple times when I enter her room. Favourite food today is mandarin.
She also chomped some balsawood in a most enthusiastic manner and I saw her have a brief nibble on some other toys.
Skyes_crew
Posts: 1946
Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2013 12:49 pm
Location: Hawaii

Re: New bird to be

Post by Skyes_crew »

Uh oh...she's inquisitive. You're going to have your hands full with this one :D

I've often thought of trying the two part call or phrase with one of my birds. The only one that seems to be picking up words lightning fast right now is Cyrano. He can't whistle yet though. I have no clue why??? Since the video he's picked up peekaboo, good boy, and what I think he's trying to turn into "don't be mad". I definitely want to see the bok bok...I'm a chicken one if you achieve it. Any suggestions for me and Cyrano?
I am owned by my birds...and I wouldn't have it any other way :D

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InTheAir
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Re: New bird to be

Post by InTheAir »

"I'm a chainsaw... with wings!" And "I can ffflllllyyyyyy!"

I took a video of her chomping balsa and of our interaction as I approach to put more yummies in her dish. Now I am kicking myself that I didn't make a video record a few days ago for comparison! She stays so much closer the the bowl already and looks interested rather than worried. I can't wait until her a Nila can hang out and do bird things together!

Oh and my laptop had a major hissy fit so I spent half the day trying to back it up in case it's on its way out.
ranechild
Posts: 295
Joined: Mon Apr 01, 2013 12:57 pm
Location: Baltimore, MD

Re: New bird to be

Post by ranechild »

Absolutely beautiful. Little Miss Squidgette Tamaryn Star has such lovely color on the wings! I look forward to reading all about her development.
Skyes_crew
Posts: 1946
Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2013 12:49 pm
Location: Hawaii

Re: New bird to be

Post by Skyes_crew »

Noooo not the laptop. Time for a new one :)

I like the chainsaw. Don't know if he can master the ch sound yet but lets try :D

I can't wait to see video of Nila and Squidgin zooming around the house together.
I am owned by my birds...and I wouldn't have it any other way :D

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InTheAir
Posts: 2040
Joined: Sat Jan 12, 2013 4:24 pm

Re: New bird to be

Post by InTheAir »

Thanks, Ranechild. I can wait to get some good open wing photos!
She is also a chainsaw. I think I should have called her destructobeak! She is demolishing her spiral rope perch already. I might have to take it out of her cage soon.
She is also very confident about new things in her cage, she heads straight over to investigate them.
She came up and grabbed some apple while I was dropping it into the dish this morning.
Skyes_crew
Posts: 1946
Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2013 12:49 pm
Location: Hawaii

Re: New bird to be

Post by Skyes_crew »

Welcome to my world :lol: everything I buy them gets destroyed.
I am owned by my birds...and I wouldn't have it any other way :D

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InTheAir
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Re: New bird to be

Post by InTheAir »

She's taking mandarin pieces from my finger! I'm so happy with my clever girl!
Skyes_crew
Posts: 1946
Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2013 12:49 pm
Location: Hawaii

Re: New bird to be

Post by Skyes_crew »

Proud mama :D
I am owned by my birds...and I wouldn't have it any other way :D

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InTheAir
Posts: 2040
Joined: Sat Jan 12, 2013 4:24 pm

Re: New bird to be

Post by InTheAir »

It's hard not to be when living with 2 perfect parrots :mrgreen:
ellieelectrons
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Joined: Mon Jul 19, 2010 1:17 am
Location: Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia

Re: New bird to be

Post by ellieelectrons »

I was very lucky and got to meet Squidgette today. She is very beautiful and a very sweet bird too. Nice to see Claire's patience and perseverance is paying off. Well done Claire.

Ellie.
InTheAir
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Joined: Sat Jan 12, 2013 4:24 pm

Re: New bird to be

Post by InTheAir »

Nila has been sitting on his tree talking to us from the other room and squidgette decided to join in from upstairs. Nila softly imitated it. I guess that answers who will modify their call fastest, but whether it will turn into the dominant contact call between them is yet to be decided.
Have you guys watched the David Attenborough lyre bird clip on you tube?
Skyes_crew
Posts: 1946
Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2013 12:49 pm
Location: Hawaii

Re: New bird to be

Post by Skyes_crew »

Do you have a link....I'm lazy :mrgreen:
I am owned by my birds...and I wouldn't have it any other way :D

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InTheAir
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Re: New bird to be

Post by InTheAir »

Skyes_crew
Posts: 1946
Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2013 12:49 pm
Location: Hawaii

Re: New bird to be

Post by Skyes_crew »

That is truly the most amazing bird I have ever seen. My kids thought the chainsaw was hysterical. I loved the kookaburra. I have an audio if that bird from the zoo here.
I am owned by my birds...and I wouldn't have it any other way :D

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InTheAir
Posts: 2040
Joined: Sat Jan 12, 2013 4:24 pm

Re: New bird to be

Post by InTheAir »

I love hearing kookaburras, though we don't get them in our neighbourhood often. The last house I lived in regularly had one visit that would take treats from your hand.
I've heard Nila do a pretty good impression of one a couple times after a camping trip, not as good as the lyrebird does though.
I really like tui from nz too. They mimic a bit too, there was a wild one that hung out near a house I lived at who did a pitch perfect phone ringing as the end of his call.
I have considered giving Nila a cd of my favourite bird calls to listen to on the rare occasions we leave him home alone in the hope he picks some up.

I'm so proud of my boys right now, they were training together and working on some ring tricks on the tree tonight!
Skyes_crew
Posts: 1946
Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2013 12:49 pm
Location: Hawaii

Re: New bird to be

Post by Skyes_crew »

You're lucky you get to see wild free birds like that. I only get to see the poor caged ones. I too thought of playing a bird call. Wonder which of my flock would pick that one up :)
I am owned by my birds...and I wouldn't have it any other way :D

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InTheAir
Posts: 2040
Joined: Sat Jan 12, 2013 4:24 pm

Re: New bird to be

Post by InTheAir »

You guys must have some really interesting birds over there?
Australia really suits my lazy bird watching style, I get to count the species of waterbirds while driving to Daves shed. On Sunday's I drive past a roundabout that's usually littered with cockys. I see galahs and pigeons from the house, and barry the bush turkey does our yard work for us (we mow and he rakes). One of his chicks ended up in our house once, and made itself at home in the fruit bowl. And I see little bats in the back yard, no idea what kind though. Bat id is hard!
I've seen kangaroo casually hopping through the university grounds or having a nap in the sun. That's pretty cool.
I think my life would be complete if an echidna moved into our garden... :D and some fairy wrens would be good too.
Skyes_crew
Posts: 1946
Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2013 12:49 pm
Location: Hawaii

Re: New bird to be

Post by Skyes_crew »

Hawaii has some fabulous nectar birds. Just not where I am unfortunately. They live mostly on the other islands like Kauai and maui and the rainforest of Hilo. I live too near to the city. If I retire to Hawaii it's going to be to Hilo. I've grown to dislike oahu. Australia must be like a zoological lesson every time you step outside your door. Someday soon I'm going to get there. The military has what are called "hops" that fly there a couple of times a week. If I could square a sitter away, I just may be knocking on your door one day soon :D
I am owned by my birds...and I wouldn't have it any other way :D

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Redzone
Posts: 108
Joined: Sun Jan 13, 2013 2:27 am

Re: New bird to be

Post by Redzone »

Hey we have plenty of spare rooms, lol!

Yeah australia IS kind of like living in a big zoo, I grew up only 10 k's from here at forest glen, where wallabies grazed on the grass near the clothes line during winter, you could spot the occasional koala in the trees, and observe taipans sunning themselves on the brick window sills on a regular basis LOL
Skyes_crew
Posts: 1946
Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2013 12:49 pm
Location: Hawaii

Re: New bird to be

Post by Skyes_crew »

Thanks Dave...just rub it in lol :D
I am owned by my birds...and I wouldn't have it any other way :D

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InTheAir
Posts: 2040
Joined: Sat Jan 12, 2013 4:24 pm

Re: New bird to be

Post by InTheAir »

I do think the best thing about living where we do is that I haven't seen a taipan, orany other snakes! I love lizards and birds and mammals and marsupials, but I'm petrified of snakes! Even tiny tame ones give me the heebeegeebies!
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