Parrot's oratory stuns scientists

BBC News On Line ^ | 2004/01/26 | Alex Kirby

[weegee]

I've heard that crows are smart enough to count but that they can't count well. If 2 people walk into a field (one with a rifle), the crows will know if only 1 walks out.

If 3 walk into the field and 2 walk out, supposedly the crows can't count that high (they get "1" and "many").

If this seems far fetched, the concept of zero was reportedly missing from many "advanced" cultures.

[weegee]

Does your bird understand the concept of "NO"? Can you inform the parrot that there will be NO pizza anytime the bird makes one of the unpleasant to you (but pleasing to the bird) sound effects (modern technology beeps)?

[weegee]

I had a stray cat that could open doors by putting paws on both side of the door knob and turning it. It would then claw under the door to open it all the way.

It would attempt to open the front door but couldn't because that had a release latch built into the door handle on the inside. Could always know when he wanted out by seeing him try to open that door.

I chalk it up to a survival instinct.

[weegee]

"Hold muh fermented nectar and watch this"

[PLMerite]

I dunno, but a 950-word vocabulary certainly qualifies him to be a Democratic *voter*.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Just wait until you retire to get one. That's when you'll both be at home all day and thus will need the company to prevent boredom (apart from your significant other, of course).

[Don Joe]

We have a cat who taught himself how to open the bedroom door. My wife didn't believe me until she saw it herself. (He'd climb up on a bureau in the livingroom and then work the doorknob until the door swung open, then he'd go marching in, and jump up on the bed.)

[redhead]

"Where do you go about getting "owned" by an African Grey?"

I hope you are not serious with this. Most parrot owners see their pets as distinct individual personalities, demanding and entertaining. I am "owned" to the extent that his care and attention consume a measurable amount of my time. Parrots are not the kinds of pets you get and ignore. At any rate, it's a figure of speech, and merely illustrates the extent to which Buster affects my daily life. I'm sorry if I offended or confused you.

[millefleur]

see my post # 61
(you're not a very careful reader, tsk tsk )

[weegee]

If parrots require so much stimulation and human interaction, what do they do in the wild?

[stands2reason]

Mr. S2R asked me to ask---he really wants to get a parrot, and wanted to know about how to go about getting one, ie. reputable dealers, etc....That's all I meant.

[pa_dweller]

Dust Jam

I love it!

[redhead]

"If parrots require so much stimulation and human interaction, what do they do in the wild?"

Beats me. My bird is domestically bred.

[redhead]

"Mr. S2R asked me to ask---he really wants to get a parrot, and wanted to know about how to go about getting one, ie. reputable dealers, etc....That's all I meant."

Most large pet stores have contact with good breeders who are ethical and have their parrots' best interests at heart. Find out through them if they reqire that you use them as "middleman".

Decide what kind of parrot you want to bring into your family. Macaw? Lots of sizes and colors and temperaments. Conures? Little, peppy, and adorable. Cockatoos? very needy in the hugs and loves department. If you can't spend a lot of time interacting with a cockatoo, it's better to get a different breed.

Talkers are Amazons and African Greys (although all will talk to a point). Amazons are green, with varying colors around head and neck. African Greys have two races: The Congo, which is a little larger, has a black beak, and bright scarlet tail feathers. The Timneh is a bit smaller, has ivory color in its beak, and the feathers are more of a maroon color.

The large birds are expensive. AG's run around $1,000. I don't know how much Macaws are, but I presume they are at least that much, if not more.

Be sure you are READY for a large bird in the house. They require considerable space. They are also very messy eaters, leaving shells and crumbs everywhere. They can also be destructive, as those beaks are very strong. So you may want to ponder whether to leave your bird at large or confine it. If you decide to confine it, be sure you get it the biggest cage you can afford, and plan to upgrade every few years.

Large birds live a long time. Their lifespan is roughly the same as a human's, so if you decide to take a parrot, decide also to whom you plan to leave it in your will should it survive you.

If you want to know more, just freepmail me. I'll be glad to answer questions.

[Tall_Texan]

If parrots require so much stimulation and human interaction, what do they do in the wild?

Their nature is to pair off, preferably with a bird of its own kind but, lacking that, it will bond to its owner, a bird of another breed or even an inanimate object (especially one with mirrors). If you've ever met a pair of bonded birds, they typically hang out with each other *all the time* like newlyweds. That's what they want - constant companionship and, unfortunately, we humans want more in life than to make longing looks and share meals with a bird all day. I live in an apartment with just one bird, a small macaw. I know she is bonded to me but I also know someday I'm going to have to break her heart and find her a new home (for her own good). The one thing about my breed of macaw is that they are adaptable and accept change better than some other breeds. She may grieve over it for awhile but hopefully, I'll find her a home where she'll get more attention and companionship than what I can give her.

[SunkenCiv]

A drunk staggers into a bar in Las Vegas casino, carrying a couple of shoeboxes, and says, "Bartender! A drink!"

The bartender shakes his head and says, "No you've had enough."

"Well," the drunk says. "How about if I show you something really cool? Then will you give me a drink?"

"Sure," the bartender says. "But it's gotta be pretty cool."

The drunk opens up an old shoebox, pulls out a parrot and sets it on the keys of the bar's piano. The parrot starts banging away, playing a beautiful song. In no time everyone else in the bar has gathered around to watch, and has stuffed hundreds of dollars into the tip jar.

The bartender gives him a drink. The drunk nurses it for ten minutes, finally finishes it, and orders another. "No way," the bartender says. "Now you've really had enough."

"If you give me a drink, I'll show you something even cooler," says the drunk. The bartender agrees.

The drunk opens the second shoebox, pulls out a rat, and sets it on the piano. The rat starts singing scat jazz to the music. Soon, everyone hearing the music is wandering in to see the musical animals and ordering drinks right and left.

The bartender is amazed, and gives the drunk another drink.

An agent who had been watching all this comes up to the drunk and says, "You've got a million dollar act there. I'll give you $1,000,000 for them right now." "Not for sale," the drunk croaks. "Ok, $500,000 just for the rat."

The drunk agrees, and the man pays him and leaves. The bartender says to the drunk, "What did you do that for? You broke up a million dollar act!"

"Relax," the drunk says. "The parrot's a ventriloquist."

[rimshot!] Adapted from an online version of a joke in Drew Carey's "Dirty Jokes and Beer".

[SunkenCiv]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=parrot