Bird myths

[Cowtown]

Myths and Realities

Myth: Birds are dumb. The ones that talk just mimic sounds.

Reality: The term "birdbrain" cannot be used to define the intellectual capabilities of birds. Mynah birds may be great mimics, but scientific studies have proven that parrots are extremely intelligent creatures, on a par with great apes, whales and dolphins. They even surpass human intelligence when it comes to navigational ability. Parrots are capable of cognizant speech and conceptual learning.

Ant... You are so right... The more I study and learn the more I want to study and learn... does that make sense? :30:

Just from the short time I have been a guardian for Abby and being here on line with you great people I have learned so much detail about parrots in general and more about Eclectus Parrots.
Each bird is an individual just like we are. We each how hour own accents when we talk (or jabber) We each like different things to eat... and as we get older we expand our tastes, likes and dislikes.

Some of our more 'bird brain' birds are capable of singing opera word for word and some stutter just saying hello... but you know what..
I think each one is great and brings a smile to my heart just to know that they care enough about us to want to talk, to play and do silly crazy stuff to entertain us humans.

That what is just some of the may things that I explain to people that ask me why do I want a bird that just sits there eats, poops and sleeps..

BTW.. last night I was sitting on the couch with Abby on my arm, she was just sitting there looking at me.. she wiggled her tail feathers, yawned and closed her eyes... she then let out kind of a sigh look at me and then looked at my leg... yep poopie... I just laughed and stroked her neck...
Being a guardian is great... I love it..

Oh well my early morning ramble is over..

Bless each and every Feathered friend and all of you great Guardians
that are out there..
Have a great day.

Mike

 

[antoinette]

Mike we love them more and more each and every day. You are so correct we live and learn every single day.
LoL Mike..... Abby did try give you a warning sign, by the way she wiggling her tail feathers

Incidentally I visited my Aunt and cousins on Friday, they know I have an AG. We began talking about pets etc, my Aunt often watches Mishka's video's, asked how is Mishka's talking coming along.
My cousin Chantelle asked YOUR BIRD TALKS...... ANT .... LIKE WE TALK ............ NO WAYS BIRDS JUST SAY HELLO, BYE BYE AND PRETTY BOY
This I have got to see and hear.
I showed Chantelle the video clip of Mishka saying I want to go to the bathroom to poopie.
I have never seen someone more flabbergasted and lost for words in my entire life.
Chantelle watched a few vid's of Mishka.......
Want to know what she said Mike? I thought birds just sits in their cages, eat sleep and poopie.
So many people are missing out on such a wonderful experience, through ignorance.

 

[Cowtown]

Yes I know she did.. I was not paying close attention to her...

I did not scold her.. I just laughed and cleaned up the poop..

I thought that was funny what your cousin said.. "eat, sleep and Poopie" It is amazing how may people have no idea. I guess we are the blessed bird brains...

 

[Chris Winkler]

Timneh greys cannot talk as well as CAGs. Absolutely not true! I know of many Timmies that have huge vocabularies. One recites versus from the bible. Some CAGs never even talk.

The voice is more childlike but Echo's vocab is unbelievable. Especially when he talks in content..

 

[Chris Winkler]

Myths and Realities

Myth: Birds are dumb. The ones that talk just mimic sounds.

Reality: The term "birdbrain" cannot be used to define the intellectual capabilities of birds. Mynah birds may be great mimics, but scientific studies have proven that parrots are extremely intelligent creatures, on a par with great apes, whales and dolphins. They even surpass human intelligence when it comes to navigational ability. Parrots are capable of cognizant speech and conceptual learning.

Plus to think with a brain the size of a walnut or smaller. Just imagine if they had a larger brain! They would be the dominant species not us humans! :22:

 

[antoinette]

Yes I know she did.. I was not paying close attention to her...

I did not scold her.. I just laughed and cleaned up the poop..

I thought that was funny what your cousin said.. "eat, sleep and Poopie" It is amazing how may people have no idea. I guess we are the blessed bird brains...

Wish I could have seen your face !!!!!

They can't understand how we get so excited when our fids, do or say something new, THEN I explain, how did you react when their child achieved something new, it's exactly the same with a bird.
But better still, our birds never grow up, and remain cute !!!!!!

 

[Pheonix Rising]

So there's another myth in itself then
birds eat, sleep and poop. That's it
they don't play and joke and do all sorts of stupid things to entertain us
they don't reek havoc on your hair brush or your car keys or your medical pager you leave lying around unattended
they do not talk or jabber or do anything to get our attention to let us know what they want
they do not enjoy cuddles and being out socializing with their family
oh and best of all they don't sqwark loudly or bite at all
lol I guess some people shall never know

 

[Ratzy]

I have some about budgies.
Males make better petsand are tamer ( !! The tamest of mine are female, always giving me kisses and nibbling on me).
When a female's cere changes to brown,you have to give her a nestbox ( OMG!! Budgie's ceres change to brown at 4-6 months!)
Only males talk
A pink cere means female.
A blue cere means male
Concrete perches are good ( they cause bumblefoot, an infection ).
The less bars on a budgie's forehead, the older they are ( they lose the bars when they go through the first moult ).
Because they are small and 'disposable', there is no need for a vet.
Budgies eat seed in the wild, so they obviously don't need veggies and fruit in captivity!

 

[Wings]

Bumping this thread here but heres one that bugs me so much...well...maybe this video will help, one of the most inaccurate videos on the web...*shudders*...Toucanets aren't even parrots....

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yxh5nE5hgBM"]Parrot Types; Which one is best for You? - YouTube[/ame]

 

[HalfInsane]

Myth: parrots are low-maintenance pets.

 

[Kalidasa]

This is a myth that's pretty harmful, that a bird will start talking only after its tongue has been split. People used to actually do that, split the tongue. Ugh.

 

[Nocturnal]

"Sunflower seeds have a drugging effect on birds, which is why they want them so bad! They're actually addicted to its effects!"

Er, no. The only thing that even comes close to that is that they might enjoy the energetic "high" that comes from consuming something so high in fat, giving a quick boost of energy. But they can attain this from any other high fat food, they are not addicted to a drug!

 

[happycat]

Just about everything I read about Kakarikis before I got Kirby :/
Kaks are not skittish and untouchable.

Also, Budgies ARE parrots. And parakeets are not just budgies. I believe many birds are considered parakeets (including Kakarikis)

 

[Nocturnal]

Birds don't have ears!

 

[JDlugosz]

LOL Linky, you and Ant. have to control those fids of yours lol

Mine is very much related to Barb and Linkys posts, but i am just spelling it out:

MYTH: Parrots use height to show dominance

I think that is better!

Right, they actually use width.

So what's this stuff about "pecking order", if not a dominance thing?

 

[JDlugosz]

This is a myth that's pretty harmful, that a bird will start talking only after its tongue has been split. People used to actually do that, split the tongue. Ugh.

That still seems prevalent today among Chinese.

 

[JDlugosz]

I read [ame="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0764583530"]Parrots for Dummies[/ame], and she repeated the myth that birds take two complete breaths to cycle the air through their system.

 

[chippy]

MY fave was two friends telling me, "I didn't know birds had personalities..." They BOTH said how wrong they'd been after meeting Wilbur (RIP) and that meeting him had changed their perception of birds forever