When did you first discover birds?

[RavensGryf]

Just for fun I'm curious at what age, or stage in your life you first fell in love with birds...

Did you have a Budgie when you were a child? Were you a teenager with your first bird? Did your grow up with parents owning birds? Did you somehow discover birds as a young adult? Maybe not until middle age?

It happened for me in my mid twenties. I had never even looked twice at birds before, and was never interested in them. Then, I saw the most beautiful Gouldian Finch at a pet store. I had to have him. More finches, then naturally parrots came through the years after that.

Tell me your story... When did you first fall in love? (with birds )

 

[MikeyTN]

I fell in love with birds since I was very young. They fascinated me ever since I was able to walk and explore. I'm one of the very few rare people that actually remembers everything that happened while at a very young age. I remember when I celebrated my first birthday. My parents did not want me to have a bird but I got myself a budgie without knowing any better at a young age. He didn't make it cause I didn't know how to care for him. Finally got my first bird on my own when I was 18 years old, a Pied Cockatiel named Caesar. My uncle raised homing pigeons on the roof top of my grandmother's house and I used to go up there to see the birds as my grandmother raised me the moment I was able to leave the hospital after I was born. She raised me until I was 3 years old. I was only able to go visit the pigeons under supervision. I have loved birds ever since.

 

[RavensGryf]

I'm one of the very few rare people that actually remembers everything that happened while at a very young age. I remember when I celebrated my first birthday.

WHAAAT??!! wow Mikey.

I remember just a little starting at 3.

 

[MikeyTN]

Yea I remember it was a large chocolate cake, I thought my grandma bought it but she told me it was my father who bought it. My family is shocked as well how much I remember. Even before I turned one years old, sitting on the high chair eating in my grandma's kitchen, I remember all that. My grandma used to let me keep frogs so I had the frog in the tub with me, she had an awesome bath tub that was all ceramic oval shaped tub. You don't see tubs like that now days.....

 

[goalerjones]

We had a parakeet, my brothers, named Blueboy when I was in high school but he wasn't very well loved and so he was very nippy. No attraction then.

In 2004 we met George, a Jenday conure who needed a home. It took a bit but the little guy stole my heart and he lived with us until 2011.

 

[MomtoPercy]

We had budgies and/or tiels for most of the time while I was growing up but, not knowing what I know now, they were not given the best care. They weren't mistreated but sadly and regrettably, we didn't do much about toys and other forms of enrichment Knowing what I know now, since getting Percy in July last year, I feel very guilty about the "poor" lives we provided those early birds I used to beat myself up about it but I've accepted that I can't change the past, only do better now. Like Ms Oprah says : when you know better, you do better

The only birdy that got real enrichment was my tiel, Bertie, who was an out of cage bird who went with me almost everywhere. I had him as a teenager and early adult but lost him to a neighbour's cat who came into my house and killed my poor Bertie After that I didn't want a bird for years, until my son at the age of 8 started begging for a bird.

I bought him two budgies whom he named Jack & Jill. We've had Jack, our budgie, for eight or so years and I did try with him - but again only what I learned from surly, misinformed pet shop staff. He's always had toys and so on but he developed a bad case of depression when his cage mate, Jill died 3 years after I got them and after that he wanted nothing to do with anyone. He's come out of his shell since Percy came, again because of what I learned since researching about best care for Percy.

So, I guess I can say I really discovered the joy of birds since I got Percy. Yay, Percy!

 

[SpotsandSally]

Ever since i was born, lol.

My entire life I've lived on a farm. At first, we used to buy chickens in spring, raise them, and sell them in fall. Then we had no birds for years, and i only got to see my grandmas birds, whom i wasnt allowed to touch. But one year, i asked my mom for birds and the farm started getting up again.


I remember my first parrot - cockatiel. Ugh, i hated that bird. My fault. We got it from petco. I think we had a couple budgies, & 2 cockatiels, all of whom were treated horribly, and had every right to hate me.

Getting Linnies was like... Like living your entire life in darkness, then seeing light. They were friendly, ate foods, were awesome.


.....Thheeeennn they died. And i just accepted the fact id never own a parrot. But then we got Kiwi! And i thought he'd die ): he almost did. But i swallowed my fear, and ended up spending 800$+ on vet bills. And hes a happy bird since. I remember the feeling of dreading waking up, expecting to see a dead bird. But hes absolutely thrived.


The care of parrots has really opened my eyes. Ive never seen such beautiful animals. And they've really got me realized that... Im a bird person. I like dogs. I love birds. I like goats. I love birds.

 

[antoinette]

I like birds but never had an urge to get one. I often went to bird parks and read a lot about birds, they fascinated me.

One day in 2001 my ex-husband knocked on our door, and said he has a present for me. He brought in an African Grey, cage and all.

He was in the Congo on business and while driving on a road, some guys at the side of the road whistled at him signalling for him to stop.

The then offered him the bird an cage for 20$. He felt so sorry for the bird, it was blistering hot and thought the bird would probably die.

He paid the 20$ went to a pet store an purchases some food and toys.

He then crossed the border covering the bird (thank God he was not caught).

He brought the bird straight to our apartment. I was petrified having never ever owned a bird.

We decided to name him Congo.

Congo was so scared BUT he eat, which was a good sign.
I was not able to hold him at all.

The following day after bribing him, I managed to get him into a picnic basket then I took him to the vet, he had all tests done and was given the all clear. He was estimated to be about 7 years old.

Congo adjusted beautifully, in few days he was stepping up for me and became very sociable. He loved people around him and continued talking in a black language.

He was so tame I trimmed his nails and clipped his wings without a problem.
He showered with me daily, we had a loving trusting bond.
He got along with my two sons amazingly well.
Within a year, he began talking and understood what was being asked and replied accrodingly in the correct context.



I was totally in love with him.

We hand Congo for 6 wonderful years then unfortunately I had a bad accident ice skating, and was unable to care for Congo. My hand was constantly in a cast for almost a year.

My ex took Congo in he was happy there. We often visited him which I was so grateful for being able to still see him.

I then became guardian to Mishka (AG) who is the most wonderful bird and companion ever.

Two Christmas ago my ex was going away on holiday and asked if I would look after Congo. I was in my element and so excited, just to spend time with Congo again.

On the day Congo was to arrive my ex took him to the vet to have his nails trimmed and wings clipped.

I waited in anticipation for the doorbell to ring.

When they did arrive I ran downstairs .............

Only to be told that Congo died on the vet's table, he had had a fatal stroke.

I was absolutely devastated.

 

[Anne]

When I was about 15 I needed a friend. My thought was a cat, because you can cudle them. But with a cat and more people in a house, you never know if the cat's becoming your friend or the friend of another family member. So my mother suggested a bird. I had not really a good feeling about it, but she was so sure that I got my first cockatiel. And we became friends and that never changed. That I had to go study and I couldn't take her with me. But where I lived I could have a parakeet. His name was Sjors and I took him to my room in the city where I studied and in the weekends and holidays I took him with me home. We became best friends, he talked a lot and could to things (tricks). That was the beginning of my bird obsession I wanted a parrot. I read a lot about parrots and the taking care of them. I went to a "Parrotzoo" where I met a Senegal Parrot that was sooooo sweet. At home I looked up information about that specie. And after that I found Otto. And the addiction started. After that I wanted to learn more and more about food for him, training, behaviour, everything. And than Weekamp, Joris, Suzy and Kwiebuz came into my life. I never regretted one moment in my life that I had choos to have parrots. I only got more and more enthousiastic. And I think that will never stop.

 

[MonicaMc]

From the time that I can remember, I've always had a love for things that could fly!

That does not include the time when I was a toddler and I would pick up wasps/bees and roll them between my fingers and stick them in my mouth! I somehow never got stung and never ate them! Nor did I kill them. After sticking them in my mouth, I would then cry and wait for someone to come over and tell me to open my mouth and I'd refuse. Eventually, I did, and the bee would fly away. Now, my mother, being allergic to bee stings, you must imagine the kind of horror that was!

I seriously do not remember that time, but I do recall being fascinated by butterflies and moths. I wanted to keep them as 'pets'. I recall one day being in the back of my grandmothers old 67 chevy/ford truck (forget which, it hasn't moved in years and the interior has deteriorated/rusted away) parked underneath a big tree with branches low to the ground. On this particular day there were tons of hummingbirds flitting through the branches!

I recall watching for hawks and eagles on the way to and from school, or any time I went on a drive. One time on the way to school there was either a golden eagle or a young bald eagle sitting on the fence. As the bus came towards the eagle, the eagle took flight right in front of the bus, causing the bus driver having to slow the bus down in order to not hit the eagle. It was amazing seeing that wingspan! It was wider than the bus itself! The eagle eventually swooped away but it still made for one amazing morning!

I also used to hunt for barn owl feathers. One summer where I grew up there was a barn owl that was hanging out in the trees. I was always amazed by this particular birds feathers, because the flights had small black marks on them and these markings appeared to be tiny little black birds flying. Since then I've never seen another barn owl feather like those ones.

At one point in time I started helping someone with their chicken coup/duck pond. I mainly helped to collect eggs and the eggs were white, blue, green and tan/brown. Before then I never knew chicken eggs came in different colors! The housing for the chickens contained their food and nest boxes as well as a place to roost. Not only that, but it was also designed with wild birds in mind. I'm not sure what wild birds, but pigeons took up the space. Above your head were tiny boxes with entrances to the outside world but each one you could open from the inside to take a look in. I enjoyed looking at the pigeon eggs, and if there were any, the chicks, too. As far as waterfowl go, the owner had mostly white ducks (and I think one male mallard?), but occasionally she also had geese. At one time she had a white goose, and later on had a farm goose. The owner normally never had more than one goose at a time. I do recall days though of just sitting on the outside of the fence watching the birds.



For my 12th birthday, my mother bought me a "start up" cage. It was a blue and white cage with a blue base that came with two plastic perches, a plastic swing and two plastic food dishes. I was excited to finally have a pet! (at the time, we lived in an area that had a no pets policy - a rule that many tenants broke!) I thought we'd go out immediately to go and fill the cage with life, but after a few months I thought it'd be just a cage. It wasn't until August (almost half a year later!) that we finally went into a pet store to choose a bird. As far as I knew, we were going to Best Buy and after that we were going to Barnes and Nobles. After Best Buy, instead of going to the book store, we went into Petco! I was so excited by the variety of birds (finches and canaries, budgies, cockatiels and some small conures!) that I didn't know what to get! My mother ended up pointing to the "parakeets" and asked "How about one of these?". That's when I picked out a gorgeous little light blue male budgie with light grey stripes and named him White Waters!


A bit over a year later and some friends of the family bought me a hand raised cockatiel as a gift. She (the tiel) didn't sell as quickly as some of the other handraised tiels from this breeder so she was getting "old" (5 months old) and in need of a home. A little over a month of having her and a "stranger" gave me a "mit-red" or "red masked" conure. I was 13 years old at the time, and I'll be honest, that conure is not the kind of bird to get to a child! He was not tame and he had multiple health problems. In retrospect, I suspect the person who had him previously thought he'd be a family bird, but I'm the only person within my immediate family who's bird crazy! (I have met another family member that had a flock of tiels and I know of another one who's a bird trainer 9 hours away! but I've never met him)



Since then, well, my love for them has only grown! I'm old enough now (and have been) to say that I've owned birds for half my life, which isn't very long compared to some other owners!

 

[TessieB]

I was about 5 years old when introduced to birds. Living in Florida, a neighbor had an outdor aviary filled with parakeets. I was fascinated with them, the noise, and all the colors. Yes, way back then, parakeets came in assorted colors. I love birds, all birds, even the ugly ones.

 

[Betrisher]

Dad gave Mum a budgie (SweetiePie) when I was two and he was the first bird I was ever aware of. I discovered homing pigeons when I was a teenager and had a flight of about a hundred birds. While I was at Uni, I kept a budgie (which I found under the hospital steps) and a starling (which fell from its nest on the Rural Science building). My Dad had a SC2 and four Galahs (including Dominic, whom I inherited) when I was a young adult and I kept a few Peachfaces during that time as well.

I had an unplanned pregnancy at nineteen and when my then-beloved had buggered off, I fell into a bit of a depression. A dear, dear friend came and dragged me out by the hand and took me birdwatching with him by way of diverting my misery. That's when I became a serious Birdo and have remained one ever since. I'm interested in all birds, not just parrots. In fact, I'm interested in all animals, not just birds. My friends tell me it's exceedingly distracting to have a conversation with me outdoors because I keep scanning the skies as I chat.

 

[thekarens]

When I was 16 I met my grandmother for the first time and she raised tiels. I named him Xerxes

 

[Kiwibird]

The day my parents brought me home from the hospital. They couldn't keep the birds away from me And they were such good birds, very understanding of me learning to hold them or perhaps petting a little hard (except Alfie lol, he was the naughty one who bit me in the cheek when I was about 3). I've loved parrots since as long as I can remember

 

[Kalidasa]

Born into it lol! My father kept birds, all my cousins and relatives scattered about have had, or still have birds. I was given my first bird (budgie) at 5....probably only so I would leave my dads cockatoo alone . The most birds I've ever had at once was 16..mostly tiels. Lovies, budgies, canaries and finches. Now I'm more comfortable with my cozy flock of 3. I've never "outgrown" my love for budgies in favor of larger birds. And I've never outgrown my sense of wonder at them all, they still make me feel like a kid at heart

 

[kq_fan]

When I was about 7 my sister got the cutest little blue and white budgie Lollypop! She was amazing and vary smart! But one day someone left the door open and my cat Rosie got in and well she is in a better place now... But I was so fascinated with how smart and adorable she was! So later I got a green male budgie Mango And he was the love of my life till he got a brain tumor or something like that and he is with Lollypop now. Then JayJay came and I was just neutral to parrots like oh they are cute! But when I saw Lilo at the pound, I researched all I could about GCC's then I researched about Macaws then cockatoos then from there I fell in love with parrots! So I guess its Lilos fault! My dad always had Cockatiels, Green Cheek Conures, Love birds, and a Lilac Crowned Amazon as a kid. So he always was encouraging me to get a parrot!

 

[riddick07]

I've always been interested in birds! I think it was the fascination with the wild animals. I rescued a baby squirrel when I was around 11 because he fell out of the tree. My mother had sectioned him off to see if the parents would get him without telling me and then I wandered outside and saw him. He immediately got dragged inside and I googled how to care for him. Then we rescued a baby deer since the mother had been shot by a hunter off season. And then there were the baby birds. The parents would build nests in the barnyard and the horses would knock them down in curiosity. Often the shock of the fall would kill them but if they lived I put them in buckets and hung them up usually the parents would care for them in that.

It took forever to convice my mother of that first bird! They aren't good pets...they aren't cuddly or interactive and they make a mess... HA she learned her lesson I think I was sixteen when I finally got my first cockatiel And now I have 8 and she has 2 of her own:54: Whenever we go somewhere we both look for bird stuff....just the other day we passed a craft store and we both said that would have good bird stuff around the same time She's been converted

 

[Terry57]

I was 13 when I fell in love with 2 little zebra finches I named them Couth and Couthless (thinking I was being clever).
After that, I was in my late 20's when the bug bit me again. I had a boyfriend at the time who absolutely loved birds, and we ended up with a LSC2, RLA, Harlequin Macaw and a Toucan, as well as many small birds. When we split up, he took all the big birds and left me with the little guys. After they passed, it was many years before I got birds again. Last year, I decided to pick up a free Zebra finch...my gateway bird. My husband, Reg, also fell in love with having birds,and we now have 63 of all shapes and sizes. Now I wonder how I ever existed without them

 

[MamaFuzz]

My mom got me a budgie, Tweets, when I was around 8. I researched everything I could and was able to handle it a bit. Unfortunately my older brothers did not appreciate her chirping and we're not nice to her. She was rehomed with someone who appreciated her chirping.
Now after 20 years and being in an apartment where pets with fins, feathers, or scales are allowed, I finally revived my love of birds. I am happily infected by the 'birdie bug' and hope I am spreading it to my kids as well.

 

[RavensGryf]

Thanks guys... I've enjoyed reading EVERY ONE of your stories Some made me laugh out loud, or say OMG

Victoria, that's funny about your previously non-bird mother. Now look at her posting passionately on this forum too haha.

Keep the stories coming people