Can different species of birds learn from eachother?

[Ann333]

My fiance had an idea last night that had for whatever reason not occured to me. When my gcc and 'tiel meet eachother, will the 'tiel start to learn that there is no need to fear people by watching my gcc seek out my attention? Can my gcc teach the 'tiel that veggies cooked food are yummy? Can my gcc teach the baby 'tiel to fly?

 

[Flboy]

I would say, short answer, yes! Remember, Pumkin first! Your little boy is going to be a little upset and worried for a bit, so he always gets the first treat and hello. Friends should fuss over him too! As you know, they are way smarter than most folks realize and he will be reading all of you like a book, before he makes Popcorn part of his family! I am so happy for you all!

 

[Ann333]

Thanks! I will make sure he knows I still love him just a bit more. Hehe. He comes first.

 

[RavensGryf]

It depends on what is going on in the bird's head (and how wild they are), and whether they're inclined to want to be cuddly or not. My birds who see Robin getting full body cuddles don't compete for that, because they're not into that. There are other behaviors that can be learned from each other too. But not species specific things such as body language and natural noises, unless it's mimicking.

As others have mentioned, be sure to address Pumpkin first with interactions. When I talk to the others before Robin, he gets very angry, and am more likely to get bit hard when I do go to him.

 

[Mimsy01]

I agree, it's some things for some birds. A lot of mimicking though. Our starling is very talkative, like all day every day. Foo who was much more quiet and still is c ompared to Zeki, talks much more now and has been working on her vocabulary again. Zeki has tried doing things Foo does, like climbing things, though he's not built for it at all. Foo has became more independent and a confident flyer, by watching Zeki.

I think it depends on the how much they are interested in others. Both my birds also really like the dogs and rabbit, so will follow them around as well and try to "help" with their things. like moving hay around, stealing a dog kibble ect. My dog copy's them as well and now wants to eat a head of lettuce, weirdo.

 

[MonicaMc]

I'd say yes, birds can learn from another species!



I had, at one point in time, 5 adult, flighted budgies. None of them were tame. Three were rehomes (probably previously pet store purchases) and two came from a breeder already as adults. (around a year old? not hand raised, either!) As an experiment, I decided to see what I could "do" with these birds. I had a really simple idea in mind! Just get them comfortable with me! I started out by feeding them every single morning with my hand inside the cage and some seeds in my hands. That's all I did for a couple of weeks!


[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUx81WHTUwk"]1 Bird in hand Leads to Many - YouTube[/ame]


After a month of working with them, I then had them flying out of the cage and to my hand for food! Birds that previously had no interest in me actually looking forward to "interacting" with me in the mornings and it was just a simple little thing!



[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlSm4uFZzVU"]More Budgies!!!! - YouTube[/ame]







That completed my experiment..... or so I thought! At the time, I also had 5 adult cockatiels of various "tameness" - from completely scared and skittish (avoids me at all costs) to previously hand raised and tame but then ignored for who knows how many years. Well, one of the hand raised and ignored cockatiels, Sunshine, decided to start following me around the room one day. This was abnormal behavior for her, as she didn't show any previous interest in me, which I was fine with. She even landed on me one day and I mistook her for Casey, my hand raised and tame/friendly cockatiel... except that Sunshine was heavier than Casey and she immediately took off soon after landing on me. Sunshine had landed behind my head so I didn't realize it was her until she took off and I turned to look. For two weeks, Sunshine continued following me around the room during feeding times and had even landed on me a second time before the light bulb finally went off! One day I tried feeding her by hand like I had done with the budgies and she happily accepted! She wasn't completely trusting of me, but it was her choice to interact with me in this manner. Over time that changed!


[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q88bN30qOjo"]Sunshine in the Morning - YouTube[/ame]




Before I found Sunshine a new home (where she could get more physical interaction with humans since it was clear she wasn't just some aviary bird! ), Faye joined the flock. I don't know if Faye was parent raised or hand raised, what I do know is that she's been in at least 3 homes prior to my own and probably owned by idiots that entire time! Regardless, although she was new to the flock, she was watching Sunshine.... so obviously, I had to feed her by hand as well! (mind you, she didn't have to eat from my hand! There was food available in dishes and it was a "free for all" kind of meal!)


[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9w9w8nMRmw"]Hesitant Faye - YouTube[/ame]



As time progressed and Faye's confidence levels and trust grew, so did her desire for this simple little interaction! She would "demand" this behavior by following me around the room kind of like what Sunshine had done and wait for me to offer her food!



[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH9ZWxhCSAE"]Not So Hesitant Faye - YouTube[/ame]




Which lead to feeding the entire flock of cockatiels by hand! Including the most skittish bird who avoided me! That would be Pistachio (slightly bald head). Pistachio went from avoiding me to flying to my hand from the floor (where he couldn't see that I had food in my hand) and eating from my hand, or flying to my shoulder and patiently waiting for me to get food to feed him.



(ignore Casey... the third tiel climbing up my arm!)


[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjKmHswgiHs"]Cockatiel Feeding - April 24th - YouTube[/ame]






What I find most interesting about this is that although I have stopped feeding the tiels by hand, the most skittish bird, Pistachio, is the first one to eat from my hands without any qualms if I were to randomly feed them by hand one day! (Casey aside....) The other tiels have to warm up to the idea of doing it again.

 

[JerseyWendy]

IME YES, they can and do learn from each other. Here is an example of my DYH Sam, going a little ballistic with a bell while on the swing. That particular spot is my B&G's favorite hang-out. When my big macs are out, Niko plays on the swing with the bell very much the exact same way Sam does. Once I get Niko on camera, I'll post it here for comparison. (That may prove a little difficult because as soon as he sees me grab my phone, he stops any and all activity ... :32

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oVAT9lRdnU"]Sam playing wildly - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Aquila]

Parrots and birds by nature are social learners and I definitely believe they learn from each other!

When I had my conure Berry, she always dunked her pellets in her water bowl, Sydney never did when I first got him. After a few weeks he started doing it too and has continued ever since. Silly little thing, but he definitely picked that up!

 

[Ann333]

Thank you all for such great replies! This is encouraging. Popcorn is not tame yet, but at such a young age and with such a wonderful big brother to show her the way, hopefully she will want to be my friend withing a few weeks. She doesnt seem scared. The few times I have changed her dishes and covered/uncovered her cage, she just watched what I was doing. She isnt running or hissing, just watching. Hopefully that is a good sign.

It would be really cool if she is a he - and he mimics Pumpkin. Pumpkin talks all the time practicing his words constantly.

 

[Mallory]

Let's not forget that our birds are capable of learning from primates (us) even by observing and then "mirroring" our speech and behavior. Considering that, it seems much less amazing that different species of parrot can learn from each other. My birds certainly do!

 

[Ann333]

Haha nope I still think it is really cool. I'm going to love watching my 'tiel learn from my gcc and from me. It will be interesting to watch what she picks up on.

 

[SoCalWendy]

I definitely think so... My canary will watch how Kiwi interacts with me. He isn't tame, but he isn't super afraid of me either. He lands near me all the time, I mean with in inches, and especially if Kiwi is on me. When I found him between my bed and my closet mirror (he is so vain, loves to look at himself) I just picked him up and removed him from my bedroom. He was so relaxed, even I was shocked. So I do think they learn from each other.

 

[MonicaMc]

Maybe you'll get lucky and Popcorn will learn some words or sounds from Pumpkin, even if Popcorn ends up being a female! I have heard of some talking female cockatiels before, and confirmed since males can't lay eggs!

 

[Ann333]

That would be a wonderful bonus! I really like that pumpkin talks because it is easier to redirect his screaming. If he screams too much I start whispering phrases that he knows. Soon he stops screaming to be able hear what I'm saying. Then he repeats me in a normal voice to practice his words. It's great!