Wild IRN visiting me regularly!

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carlabeth
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Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2015 9:58 am

Wild IRN visiting me regularly!

Post by carlabeth »

I have had a lone green parrot visiting my backyard feeders for a while, but have only recently seen him close enough to determine that he is a male Indian Ringneck parrot. I assume he is wild, but realize he could have been an escaped pet. He usually hangs out in my mimosa tree in the early morning chattering away, but he was there when I came home after work so I started calling out to him. He flew down to the small tree in front of my bedroom window where all the bird feeders are and climbed down to a feeder dish -- he didn't seem bothered that I was standing behind my open window just a few feet away talking to him. That's when I was able to determine that he was an IRN. The bird feeder he eats from is just a shallow terracotta bowl that is only a few inches off the ground, so to protect him from potential danger (cats), I made a DYI outdoor perch by affixing a natural perch onto a tripod with feeder bowls on either end and then filled the bowls with a parrot mix. I put the tripod perch under the same little tree where he could easily see the food -- what are the chances that he will use the perch and eat from it? I just want to keep him off the ground to protect him. Will he get used to me if I continue to talk to him when I see him? I really enjoy seeing this beautiful bird and have no plans to capture or tame him -- I just want to help him thrive. Any suggestions?
carlabeth
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2015 9:58 am

Re: Wild IRN visiting me regularly!

Post by carlabeth »

I'm happy to say that the wild IRN has discovered the feeding perch I made for him! This morning, I saw him sitting on the perch eating the parrot food - it makes me feel good that he knows there is food and a safe place to hang out with all of the other birds who visit my yard.
MissK
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Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2012 3:46 pm
Location: Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.

Re: Wild IRN visiting me regularly!

Post by MissK »

That's so nice!
-MissK
carlabeth
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2015 9:58 am

Re: Wild IRN visiting me regularly!

Post by carlabeth »

Yes, he has shown up every morning! He chatters for a while in the tree and then comes down to the feeding perch for breakfast -- I can watch him from my bedroom window!
Wessel Gordon
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Location: South Africa
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Re: Wild IRN visiting me regularly!

Post by Wessel Gordon »

Carlabeth,

The fact that he doesn't seem bothered by your presence also makes me think he's an escaped pet. The only problem you now have is convincing the other birds that the food is meant for him and not for them.

Wessel

PS: I think it's wonderful that you decided to let him keep his freedom while supplying him with food.
carlabeth
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2015 9:58 am

Re: Wild IRN visiting me regularly!

Post by carlabeth »

Wessel,

I also believed he was probably an escaped pet, but yesterday after work, a neighbor told me that just the day before, she heard and saw TWO green parrots chattering away loudly in one of the trees on our street in between her house and mine. She also saw them flying together having a great time - she said it looked like they were playing. To my knowledge, only one parrot has regularly visited the feeding perch I made, but I'm at work most of the day. I have occasionally seen another bird eating out of the parrot's bowls, but for the most part, they leave his food alone as there is plenty of bird seed, black oil sunflower seeds, peanuts and nyjer seeds to go around for everyone, lol. Doves, sparrows, house finches, goldfinches, hummingbirds, bluejays ... I feed them all and enjoy having them visit.

I haven't seen the parrot much during the week, but I know he visits -- last weekend, I added a piece of a fresh corn cob to his feeding area and I saw him eating it. So I now put a fresh piece of corn out the night before and it's been chewed on when I get home, lol. When I don't see him, I still know he's around as I can usually hear him. I nicknamed him "Free Bird" -- seemed fitting, huh, lol?!!
MissK
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Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2012 3:46 pm
Location: Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.

Re: Wild IRN visiting me regularly!

Post by MissK »

Is there known to be an IRN community in your area? Even two I would expect to be escapees, otherwise I would really expect a lot more. If they are escapees, how nice of them to have found each other...........
-MissK
carlabeth
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2015 9:58 am

Re: Wild IRN visiting me regularly!

Post by carlabeth »

I'm not aware of there being an IRN community, but I haven't checked. Even if the parrot was a escaped pet, he has clearly adapted very well to living in the wild. He looks like he's in great condition and he seems to be a very happy bird. I'll be able to keep an eye out for him on Saturday so hopefully I'll get a chance to see him again and perhaps even his buddy. I'll update if I have anything new to report.
Wessel Gordon
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Joined: Wed Jul 13, 2011 12:02 pm
Location: South Africa
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Re: Wild IRN visiting me regularly!

Post by Wessel Gordon »

Hmmm....that second bird poses a huge problem, doesn't it?

Going by the assumption it's another IRN and depending on it's sex you have to think of another name.

I'm not surprised the other birds leave his food alone if there's so much other food around and besides, IRN's can be fairly food-possessive from what I've seen.
carlabeth
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2015 9:58 am

Re: Wild IRN visiting me regularly!

Post by carlabeth »

Wessel, are you saying that if he's got a mate, he's not a free bird anymore, ha! I don't believe much in marriage myself, so you've got a point, lol. I know the parrot I saw is a male because he clearly has the black ring - hopefully I'll get a glimpse of both tomorrow morning!

In addition to the corn cob, I hung a piece of apple next to the parrot's bowls last night so I'll check that tonight to see if he liked it.

Yep, there is plenty of bird food out there - they are eating me out of house and home, but I enjoy waking up to them!

Carla
MissK
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Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2012 3:46 pm
Location: Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.

Re: Wild IRN visiting me regularly!

Post by MissK »

I think you should get a store bought parrot toy and hang it out to see what they do!
-MissK
carlabeth
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2015 9:58 am

Re: Wild IRN visiting me regularly!

Post by carlabeth »

I did that a couple of weeks ago, loll =-- I hung two parrot toys with bells and a bird mirror -- yeah, I went a little parrot-nutsy, loll!
MissK
Posts: 3011
Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2012 3:46 pm
Location: Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.

Re: Wild IRN visiting me regularly!

Post by MissK »

So.... what happened then?
-MissK
carlabeth
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2015 9:58 am

Re: Wild IRN visiting me regularly!

Post by carlabeth »

I haven't been seeing as much of the wild IRN of late. He spent a couple of hours chattering while hanging out in my Mimosa tree last Saturday (8/29) morning and came down to his perch and fed for a while, but I haven't seen or heard him since. One of the parrot toys has been chewed up a bit (the kind that is meant for chewing), but I never actually saw him giving any attention to the toys. It's possible that he comes to my yard when I'm at work, so I'll continue to keep his feeding bowls filled for a while longer. It was a gift to be able to see him, but it's possible he's found another food source and/or has moved on to another location. It was fun while it lasted :o(
MissK
Posts: 3011
Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2012 3:46 pm
Location: Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.

Re: Wild IRN visiting me regularly!

Post by MissK »

Maybe he'll surprise you by showing up with a girlfriend by and by....
-MissK
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