Does your bird respond to a contact call?

So Sassi (my black capped conure) will call me when I leave the room and is usually content if I call back. But if I initiate the contact call she doesn't respond. It's not a big deal, but it would be useful if she ever became lost inside or outside - thinking of the recent post about Jade.

Does your bird respond to a contact call? Did it come naturally, or did you have to train for it?

Happened automatically with Nigel!

Amazons seem to come with a pre-programmed set of 'sounds' that they will use for different 'things' plus a set that they will develop with their family. Different words and sounds for different people, so one needs to pay attention to what these words and sounds attach too!

I agree with you that developing a set or words, songs, sounds, etc, that your Parrot will respond to 'every time' is very important! Our Amazon is both free flying and full walk-about and it is important to know where he is at any moment.

In their natural setting, all of our Parrots are in near constant communication with each other. In most homes, likely caused by the lack of our on-going communication with them they become less likely to return a contact call.

I am a big believer in a noisy house. With tons of on going communication with everyone. This greatly increases the likelihood that when you need them to return a contact call they will.

Have a base set of calls that must be answered. And, this set is a must both ways and always i.e. everyone must return any one of that set of contact calls. I call these the "I am here and I am okay, where are you?" calls. Our Amazons have quickly learned these and response and call often using them.

Great subject!!!

Gee, the Rb is so rarely quiet for more than a few minutes, except for afternoon naptime and at night.
I never considered that much of a gift, but given Jade's story, I guess it is.
Thanks for helping me realize that.

Thanks 'Boats. Salty does use a contact call for me, and it sounds like he is developing one for my wife. I always call Back "I'm here! Where are you?" and he will subside ( his contact call is REALLY loud). But I've neglected to start my own initiating call. Shoot, I do need to do that. My last parrot, Maxie (RIP) had one for me and I had one for him that he would answer. Came in handy when he escaped 1 time, and the only way I found him was by him answering my call. Thanks, amigo.

My budgie dave was a poor mimic (dave was actually a girl) but always responded if I whistled so I could find her anywhere. She once flew away because she had been spooked. All my wife could tell me was "she went that way over the houses" . I walked the streets for three hours whistling till heard that reply. Even then she was hard to find I had to jump fences and climb a dense tree all the while whistling and zeroing in on the reply I even fell and got hurt still got the scar to add to the story. Finally found her she stepped up I put her on my shoulder and we walked home. So you are right that response can be incredibly important.


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Ollie calls me and I call back with "I'm here" or "be right back" and then he does a little grunt noise but it's not really a grunt.. It's one of his "busy bird" noises. It's sooooo cute. However, it's not helpful if he were to get lost.

Wrench, any tips on getting her to answer?
I've just been trying different whistles, this, that and the other thing to see if she will answer. My husband has a turkey call, maybe I should try that! I kinda sounds like her - maybe my husband's not very good at it if his turkey call sounds like a conure. hmm..