Natural Instincts- How do they Know?

[Hawk]

I often find it curious how parrots know exactly what their predators are.

I live way in the country here in Michigan, and there are many species of birds that come in the yard, and don't seem to phase the parrots when they are outside with us. They have a 10 x 10 Screened Gazebo with perches in there. so they can watch the outdoors and even has there radio out there.

We have chickens ( pencil rock, Americana's, jersey giants, and those that have what looks like a bearded face) which come up next to us. Parrots just go " Buc buc" when the chickens come up.

But when a hawk comes around, low, they go mental....How do they know that's a bad bird to them?? How do they know? I've had my Grey and Senegal since birth, and they never seen a hawk or falcon, yet they know. A sea-gull or crow doesn't phase them, so they are capable of distinguishing between them. How do they know?

We have a couple of Falcons that use our yard as their hunting good because we have so many bird houses and feeders out there. Have a Harrier and red-tailed that frequent as well, and occasionally an eagle will come sit out back. Lives around here somewhere. There's a pair of peregrine falcons around, however the other day I found one dead in the back yard, not a scratch on it, Sad....Such a beautiful bird. I think it crashed into the pines chasing after something.

 

[SoCalWendy]

Rio my Senegal goes beserko over crows and Hawks. But not seagulls atleast I havent seen it.

 

[mh434]

I think it's something about the wingbeat and flight patterns of predatory birds that gets them going. We have a very high ceiling & skylights in the living room where all our birds are, and we have many, many eagles, hawks, and large owls in the area. When our flock is having a gab-fest (i.e., LOUD!!!) and one of these goes over, sudden silence ensues, and all the birds tilt their heads to the side to look up through the skylights. Once the predatory bird has been gone for a few minutes, the riot starts up again.

They ignore great blue herons, Canada geese, and gulls of all types utterly. But those raptors, well, just a glimpse is enough!

 

[miloslave]

I also saw this with my mustache parakeet. Had him since 5 weeks old so he has had no interaction with anything like that, but when we are out and he spots one in the air, he dives into my shirt and hides there, not a feather in sight. Amazing how they know. Most of the time I really have to search for it as it is so high in the air it is just a speck to the human eye!

 

[veimar]

Mine really don't care about hawks and crows. We have tons of black crows here, and when my guys are outside in the cage they just observe them with interest. The only thing that somewhat scares them is the private jets that fly low. There was a huge hawk on the tree near our house yesterday, and the crows just went nuts screaming and trying to chase it away (which they did). My guys saw all of it from the window, but didn't care at all. :0

 

[Hawk]

Rio my Senegal goes beserko over crows and Hawks. But not seagulls atleast I havent seen it.

If I' m Outside on the picnic table, my Senegal runs up my arm and under my chin when there is a hawk, or falcon...anything else it could care less about. We have chickens and one time one chicken came up near the picnic table and my senni was about to chase it down and give it a good lashing.

 

[Hawk]

I also saw this with my mustache parakeet. Had him since 5 weeks old so he has had no interaction with anything like that, but when we are out and he spots one in the air, he dives into my shirt and hides there, not a feather in sight. Amazing how they know. Most of the time I really have to search for it as it is so high in the air it is just a speck to the human eye!

Yeah isn't that something...their eye sights are as good if not better than a hawks or falcon from what I've seen in research. My Amazon and grey can see a jet 20,000 to 30,000 feet up....the little silver speck up there...truly amazing eye sights.

 

[Hawk]

I think it's something about the wingbeat and flight patterns of predatory birds that gets them going. We have a very high ceiling & skylights in the living room where all our birds are, and we have many, many eagles, hawks, and large owls in the area. When our flock is having a gab-fest (i.e., LOUD!!!) and one of these goes over, sudden silence ensues, and all the birds tilt their heads to the side to look up through the skylights. Once the predatory bird has been gone for a few minutes, the riot starts up again.

They ignore great blue herons, Canada geese, and gulls of all types utterly. But those raptors, well, just a glimpse is enough!

What's amazing, my amazon has a certain call that's different and unique when she sees danger such as a hawk or falcon. She did this the other day when on her perch next to the window. I came over and said...what what what is it??? then had a look, there on the pole was a snowy white owl.

 

[Mekaisto]

Not only do they have the instinct to recognise raptors, but they also know how to recognise when a raptor is hunting, rather than just flying past!

It's similar to the human fear of spiders, the dark, heights, etc. If you're a parrot and don't have that fear, you probably won't survive in the wild

 

[Scott]

Slightly O/T, but possibly linked to instinct.....

My birds love cooked whole wheat spiral noodles, but a few have recoiled from the hollow tube-style variety. Did they visualize them as small snakes??

 

[mh434]

Don't know about that one - our recently-departed Pauli (lilac-crowned) absolutely adored Kraft Dinner - it was his favorite treat in the whole world. He used to be able to smell it cooking, and would always get all excited! If we were making it as part of a casserole or something, we always had to put a little bit aside for him, without the additions. Of course, his portion still had to have the cheese flavoring, or he'd just look at it with disdain, as if to say "Send this back to the chef. It's not right!".

 

[Kiwibird]

I think it's something about the wingbeat and flight patterns of predatory birds that gets them going. We have a very high ceiling & skylights in the living room where all our birds are, and we have many, many eagles, hawks, and large owls in the area. When our flock is having a gab-fest (i.e., LOUD!!!) and one of these goes over, sudden silence ensues, and all the birds tilt their heads to the side to look up through the skylights. Once the predatory bird has been gone for a few minutes, the riot starts up again.

They ignore great blue herons, Canada geese, and gulls of all types utterly. But those raptors, well, just a glimpse is enough!

What's amazing, my amazon has a certain call that's different and unique when she sees danger such as a hawk or falcon. She did this the other day when on her perch next to the window. I came over and said...what what what is it??? then had a look, there on the pole was a snowy white owl.

Amazons do have a very unique "distress" signal, and I've never heard a zon who didn't make that very same noise when scared (or who doesn't hunch down, wings slightly spread, ready to take off). It must be something very deep down on an instinctual level that they produce that particular vocalization. They have super vision too, and can spot 'threats' instantly that take us time to find (if we can even see them at all). Kiwi is a bit fearless for a zon when it comes to predators, and he likes to 'harass' the wildlife outside his window. I've even seen him doing it with stray dogs, raccoons, crows, even a hawk once. Does his "I'm a big, bad amazon and I *DARE* you to come mess with me" strut back and forth with all his colors on full display. What actually scares him though is when he can see people walking around (or more little bits of movement) through the slats on the upper deck. It took me months to figure out what he'd flip out about occasionally. The normally no-contact amazon turns into a quivering pile of feathers who needs to be held and reassured by a human when that happens!

 

[Birdman666]

Years ago, my birds were going nuts, and completely out of control, and I couldn't figure out why. There was no getting them calmed down...

Then I went outside, and started to leave. I looked up, and saw that the hawks were raiding the nests of some crows, taking the fledglings...

The crows were massing and trying to drive them off... it was a full on bird war. (The hawks won.)

I had no idea what was going on. MY BIRDS knew what was going on, and heard everything, including babies calling for their parents, and parents sounding the "flock alarm."

sHORT ANSWER: THEY KNOW!!!

They hear and sense the fear in other birds. They don't have to know why they are afraid. They are empathic... they know that when these things appear, be afraid. Be very afraid!

It's part of the survival mechanisms they have been given.

 

[Birdman666]

What's amazing, my amazon has a certain call that's different and unique when she sees danger such as a hawk or falcon. She did this the other day when on her perch next to the window. I came over and said...what what what is it??? then had a look, there on the pole was a snowy white owl.

That's what I call the "flock alarm" call... and it notifies everyone in the flock who may be feeding or otherwise not paying attention that HELLO there is a life threatening situation here...

My wild caught Lilac Crowned amazon is my flock alarm when my birds are outside. She sees all, and warns us of intruders, strangers and/or potential predators.

 

[Birdman666]

Not only do they have the instinct to recognise raptors, but they also know how to recognise when a raptor is hunting, rather than just flying past!

It's similar to the human fear of spiders, the dark, heights, etc. If you're a parrot and don't have that fear, you probably won't survive in the wild

Mine are spooked and quiet and watching them when they are flying...

And they are just as spooked and quiet when there are turkey vultures around, (which is all the time around here.) Obviously, a turkey vulture isn't much of a threat unless you are already dying, but my birds do not seem to know that instinctively.

Crows, grackles, doves, cardinals, jays, and the other wild birds don't bother them in the slightest, although Tusk does seem to like chasing them out of the big tree when they are in it... (that's more sport than anything.)

If hawks are hunting in the area, we're going in!!! No way do I chance that one!

 

[Birdman666]

Amazons do have a very unique "distress" signal, and I've never heard a zon who didn't make that very same noise when scared (or who doesn't hunch down, wings slightly spread, ready to take off). It must be something very deep down on an instinctual level that they produce that particular vocalization. They have super vision too, and can spot 'threats' instantly that take us time to find (if we can even see them at all). Kiwi is a bit fearless for a zon when it comes to predators, and he likes to 'harass' the wildlife outside his window. I've even seen him doing it with stray dogs, raccoons, crows, even a hawk once. Does his "I'm a big, bad amazon and I *DARE* you to come mess with me" strut back and forth with all his colors on full display. What actually scares him though is when he can see people walking around (or more little bits of movement) through the slats on the upper deck. It took me months to figure out what he'd flip out about occasionally. The normally no-contact amazon turns into a quivering pile of feathers who needs to be held and reassured by a human when that happens!

Ha! My Sally is the exact opposite of that.

I've told this story before but it's kind of a fun one...

When I lived in the upper level apartment in NorCal (which is red tailed hawk west), I used to have a big bird tree on my balcony, and Sally used to sit on her boing staring out the window for hours at a time.

Well, somehow a hawk spots the bird tree on the balcony, and lands on it, and for a second or two stares at the tasty morsel in the window...

Sally lets loose with the "flock alarm" call, and flies across the living room, and down the hall to my bedroom. I watched her push the door to my room shut with her head... When I entered the bedroom, she had climbed inside Papaya's cage. Shut AND LATCHED the door to the cage, and was hiding behind a toy!

She wasn't taking any chances that hawk might get inside!!!

So no, big green chicken! SMART BIG GREEN CHICKEN...

 

[Kiwibird]

Ha! My Sally is the exact opposite of that.

I've told this story before but it's kind of a fun one...

When I lived in the upper level apartment in NorCal (which is red tailed hawk west), I used to have a big bird tree on my balcony, and Sally used to sit on her boing staring out the window for hours at a time.

Well, somehow a hawk spots the bird tree on the balcony, and lands on it, and for a second or two stares at the tasty morsel in the window...

Sally lets loose with the "flock alarm" call, and flies across the living room, and down the hall to my bedroom. I watched her push the door to my room shut with her head... When I entered the bedroom, she had climbed inside Papaya's cage. Shut AND LATCHED the door to the cage, and was hiding behind a toy!

She wasn't taking any chances that hawk might get inside!!!

So no, big green chicken! SMART BIG GREEN CHICKEN...

Lol. Sally is a smart girl.

Kiwi's prior home must've had 10+ dogs and cats running around and who knows what he was exposed to in the home before that. He isn't fearful of much, if anything, he wants those intruders to get away from his home and his flock. He will taunt a hawk outside the window (to be fair, the ones around here are about the same size as him) but he's afraid of blinds blowing in the wind and the movement between the slats of those upper decks. When you look at his lack of fear towards other things, you have to wonder what traumatized him so bad with slatted things!

 

[Birdman666]

Well, Maggie gets upset when the wind blows the awning down at the laundrymat...

So, I think it's just a normal "large object moving on it's own" kind of thing. I don't think it's the slats. I think it's the overall size thing, and, oh hey, is that thing supposed to be moving?! WHY IS THAT THING MOVING! MY GOD! OBJECTS ARE COMING TO LIFE! IT'S ALIVE... !!!

 

[Birdman666]

We have chickens and one time one chicken came up near the picnic table and my senni was about to chase it down and give it a good lashing.

The little Sennie I fostered was fierce enough to chase PEOPLE he didn't like around the room... and they were dumb enough to run! Even when you told them hold your ground and he will stop chasing you...

 

[Hawk]

We have chickens and one time one chicken came up near the picnic table and my senni was about to chase it down and give it a good lashing.

The little Sennie I fostered was fierce enough to chase PEOPLE he didn't like around the room... and they were dumb enough to run! Even when you told them hold your ground and he will stop chasing you...

Senni's are fearless little things.....And their bite is far worse than my Grey and Amazons put together. My grey and Amazon, one of them, are scared of the senni, but my Other amazon, Poppy holds it ground as if saying buss off.