Cockatoo Peekaboo
September 2, 2015 5:06 AM Subscribe
That poor driver
posted by saturday_morning at 5:24 AM on September 2, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by saturday_morning at 5:24 AM on September 2, 2015 [2 favorites]
That poor driver
At least the bird and human weren't saying "are we there yet?"
posted by GenjiandProust at 5:35 AM on September 2, 2015 [2 favorites]
At least the bird and human weren't saying "are we there yet?"
posted by GenjiandProust at 5:35 AM on September 2, 2015 [2 favorites]
A++ post, A+++++++bird. Thank you for improving my day 1000% with this post.
(I really miss having a bird, but metafilter taught me that my bird's cage was too small so now I just gorge myself on bird videos.)
posted by a fiendish thingy at 5:36 AM on September 2, 2015 [5 favorites]
(I really miss having a bird, but metafilter taught me that my bird's cage was too small so now I just gorge myself on bird videos.)
posted by a fiendish thingy at 5:36 AM on September 2, 2015 [5 favorites]
Mrs. Wombat and I are privileged to live in a rainforest canopy which a large gang of Sulphur-Crested Cockatoos also call home.
They are beautiful, smart, resourceful and amazing animals. They are loyal to their mates, grumpy, witty, terrifyingly intelligent and loud. Leaving and returning to roost every day, the screeches are earsplitting*.
We are very careful not to encourage them to visit our house. It would be the easiest thing in the world to offer small treats, and they would soon become fast friends.
Until the first day you *don't* give them treats.
As our neighbours found, a flock of disappointed cockatoos will fuck your stuff right up. Deck furniture, roof aerials, flyscreens, anything they can get their beak into. Have you looked at that beak?
Awesome, wonderful, clever, beautiful, psychotic food-driven vandals.
I love every one of them.
But as a pet? First, you need about eight for them to be happy. And second, now you have eight of the bastards inside your home.
* Play a loud high C (C7) on a flute. They hate that. They'll screech at you from a kilometre away.
posted by Combat Wombat at 5:39 AM on September 2, 2015 [25 favorites]
They are beautiful, smart, resourceful and amazing animals. They are loyal to their mates, grumpy, witty, terrifyingly intelligent and loud. Leaving and returning to roost every day, the screeches are earsplitting*.
We are very careful not to encourage them to visit our house. It would be the easiest thing in the world to offer small treats, and they would soon become fast friends.
Until the first day you *don't* give them treats.
As our neighbours found, a flock of disappointed cockatoos will fuck your stuff right up. Deck furniture, roof aerials, flyscreens, anything they can get their beak into. Have you looked at that beak?
Awesome, wonderful, clever, beautiful, psychotic food-driven vandals.
I love every one of them.
But as a pet? First, you need about eight for them to be happy. And second, now you have eight of the bastards inside your home.
* Play a loud high C (C7) on a flute. They hate that. They'll screech at you from a kilometre away.
posted by Combat Wombat at 5:39 AM on September 2, 2015 [25 favorites]
Playing cockatoo peekaboo? Is that what the kids are calling it nowadays?
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 5:54 AM on September 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 5:54 AM on September 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
Obligatory link if you think you want one of these birds. Warning: sound, which is not nearly as loud or as long as the sound you'd be in for if you had one.
They can be sweet, lovely birds, but almost no one is prepared to live with one. Best left wild.
posted by fiercecupcake at 6:31 AM on September 2, 2015 [5 favorites]
They can be sweet, lovely birds, but almost no one is prepared to live with one. Best left wild.
posted by fiercecupcake at 6:31 AM on September 2, 2015 [5 favorites]
In the space of that video, the bird probably shat on her. Twice.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:33 AM on September 2, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:33 AM on September 2, 2015 [3 favorites]
I don't know, toward the end it starts to feel like the bird's just phoning it in. I'm just not feeling the commitment to the character that was there in the beginning.
posted by Naberius at 6:37 AM on September 2, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by Naberius at 6:37 AM on September 2, 2015 [4 favorites]
PEEK BOOOO BIRB
posted by infinitewindow at 6:49 AM on September 2, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by infinitewindow at 6:49 AM on September 2, 2015 [3 favorites]
birds are one of those pets that I'm glad other people have
posted by dismas at 6:52 AM on September 2, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by dismas at 6:52 AM on September 2, 2015 [4 favorites]
Combat Wombat, I lost my best friend in school to a Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo. That bird was insanely jealous, and I just got tired of being screamed at all the time. Eventually he (my friend, not the bird) got married, and his wife took exception to various appliances being dismantled while they were away at work. I'm not sure what they did with it, but I hope they ate it.
posted by sneebler at 7:17 AM on September 2, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by sneebler at 7:17 AM on September 2, 2015 [2 favorites]
I had a roommate with a bird. He did two cute things. When you turned out the lights he would whisper: "good night" and he would call himself "fucker bird." The first he learned from his owner, the second he learned from my boyfriend and I.
posted by vespabelle at 7:23 AM on September 2, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by vespabelle at 7:23 AM on September 2, 2015 [2 favorites]
Parrots have impeccable comedic timing.
posted by grumpybear69 at 7:24 AM on September 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by grumpybear69 at 7:24 AM on September 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
My friend Howard used to have a yellow naped Amazon, and learned to call him by name when it wanted him. So it would just sit there in its cage going "Howard! Howard! Howard!"
At one point he and his wife went on a lengthy trip and they boarded the bird at a shop that had a ton of other birds around. And apparently their bird taught all the other birds to say Howard! all day long. When he came back to pick his bird up, there was a chorus of birds all going Howard! Howard!
So my guess is that in the vicinity of Ithaca New York there are now a whole bunch parrots and cockatoos named Howard. If you live around there and your bird is called Howard, this is probably why.
posted by Naberius at 7:39 AM on September 2, 2015 [13 favorites]
At one point he and his wife went on a lengthy trip and they boarded the bird at a shop that had a ton of other birds around. And apparently their bird taught all the other birds to say Howard! all day long. When he came back to pick his bird up, there was a chorus of birds all going Howard! Howard!
So my guess is that in the vicinity of Ithaca New York there are now a whole bunch parrots and cockatoos named Howard. If you live around there and your bird is called Howard, this is probably why.
posted by Naberius at 7:39 AM on September 2, 2015 [13 favorites]
Is anyone here a bird scientist? I don't want to derail this BEWARE OF COCKATOO discussion, but I am pretty curious about what's going on with this bird.
Is it having actual fun and interacting with the person on purpose or is this a complicated survival response that has no upside for the bird apart from it's giant companion-captor not eating it? I'm not asking to create a bummer situation, just curious. Please show your work.
posted by SharkParty at 7:40 AM on September 2, 2015
Is it having actual fun and interacting with the person on purpose or is this a complicated survival response that has no upside for the bird apart from it's giant companion-captor not eating it? I'm not asking to create a bummer situation, just curious. Please show your work.
posted by SharkParty at 7:40 AM on September 2, 2015
Birds like companionship, they're smart, they can bond to certain people but it's hard to do and takes a lot of time and patience which, judging by the pure joy in both of their demeanors, seems to have happened here. Check out the N'kisi Project, Jane Goodall was super into it.
Also I'm pretty sure he yells "yay!!" a couple of times, so.
posted by Mooseli at 7:57 AM on September 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
Also I'm pretty sure he yells "yay!!" a couple of times, so.
posted by Mooseli at 7:57 AM on September 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
also when did we all start saying "Birb?" I do it too! I just don't know why?!
posted by dismas at 8:00 AM on September 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by dismas at 8:00 AM on September 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
also when did we all start saying "Birb?" I do it too! I just don't know why?!
Because The Birb is the the word.
birb birb birb. Birb is the word.
posted by eriko at 8:14 AM on September 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
Because The Birb is the the word.
birb birb birb. Birb is the word.
posted by eriko at 8:14 AM on September 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
Is it having actual fun and interacting with the person on purpose
My local bird expert says that that cockatoo is pretty darned excited (in a positive way). She also says that the cockatoo probably followed that up with some friendly biting, because that is just how they are.
posted by GenjiandProust at 8:18 AM on September 2, 2015
My local bird expert says that that cockatoo is pretty darned excited (in a positive way). She also says that the cockatoo probably followed that up with some friendly biting, because that is just how they are.
posted by GenjiandProust at 8:18 AM on September 2, 2015
I've mentioned this once before. I once heard all these Star Wars sounds from my next door neighbor's house. Light sabers, blasters, ships going into hyperdrive, from all over his house.
I asked him about it later later, and he said his Cockatoo loves science fiction movie sounds and after they watch a movie he would make the sound effects all day and often into the next day.
posted by eye of newt at 8:27 AM on September 2, 2015 [5 favorites]
I asked him about it later later, and he said his Cockatoo loves science fiction movie sounds and after they watch a movie he would make the sound effects all day and often into the next day.
posted by eye of newt at 8:27 AM on September 2, 2015 [5 favorites]
/r/birbs (reddit)
/r/birbs (imgur)
little birbs are beebs
I do not know why
posted by sidereal at 8:30 AM on September 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
/r/birbs (imgur)
little birbs are beebs
I do not know why
posted by sidereal at 8:30 AM on September 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
SharkParty, I am not a bird scientist, but I refer you to one of metafilter's greatest ever bird comments, which I think captures some of the notion that birds enjoy hanging out with their human servants. (For anyone wondering: yes, this is one of Nattie's stories about Bongo.)
posted by a fiendish thingy at 8:32 AM on September 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by a fiendish thingy at 8:32 AM on September 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
I credit poffin boffin for all things birb.
posted by infinitewindow at 9:09 AM on September 2, 2015
posted by infinitewindow at 9:09 AM on September 2, 2015
I know I brought the doom and gloom, but I would say yes, it certainly does look like this cockatoo is enjoying itself :]
I love birds, and I love my birds, and I also know that even my little flock (6 budgies and a cockatiel) is a handful. I love my parents' Congo African Gray, but he is really less of a pet and more of a perpetual toddler. I dream of having a large parrot someday, but unless I have a house and either work from home or have some other way to be home most of the time, I know I couldn't give it the life it deserves.
So instead I just love and tease and spoil my cockatiel Chicory, who is becoming a dear friend.
I think it fundamentally comes down to: birds are not pets. We can't really slot them into being a domesticated animal. They have very different body language and communication, and different needs from us or any commonly kept mammal.
On the other hand, a relationship with a bird who loves you? It feels like winning the lottery. This dinosaur, this thing that could be over there destroying something, would rather be on my shoulder getting kisses and scritches. It's one of the best feelings I know.
posted by fiercecupcake at 9:31 AM on September 2, 2015 [6 favorites]
I love birds, and I love my birds, and I also know that even my little flock (6 budgies and a cockatiel) is a handful. I love my parents' Congo African Gray, but he is really less of a pet and more of a perpetual toddler. I dream of having a large parrot someday, but unless I have a house and either work from home or have some other way to be home most of the time, I know I couldn't give it the life it deserves.
So instead I just love and tease and spoil my cockatiel Chicory, who is becoming a dear friend.
I think it fundamentally comes down to: birds are not pets. We can't really slot them into being a domesticated animal. They have very different body language and communication, and different needs from us or any commonly kept mammal.
On the other hand, a relationship with a bird who loves you? It feels like winning the lottery. This dinosaur, this thing that could be over there destroying something, would rather be on my shoulder getting kisses and scritches. It's one of the best feelings I know.
posted by fiercecupcake at 9:31 AM on September 2, 2015 [6 favorites]
And for me, "birb" came from unspecified Tumblr (where the bird fandom is called "birblr") or from Important Birds (has that ever been an FPP?).
also proof that the bird dander is affecting my mind: FIVE budgies, not six. though in my defense they are mostly just a hivemind of feathery jerks. aww, but I love 'em.
posted by fiercecupcake at 9:51 AM on September 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
also proof that the bird dander is affecting my mind: FIVE budgies, not six. though in my defense they are mostly just a hivemind of feathery jerks. aww, but I love 'em.
posted by fiercecupcake at 9:51 AM on September 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
This is adorable! It almost makes me want one. Almost.
posted by Fig at 10:04 AM on September 2, 2015
posted by Fig at 10:04 AM on September 2, 2015
A Sulphur-crested Cockatoo named Coconut is the Minnesota Zoo's bird show #1 attraction.
posted by mcstayinskool at 10:20 AM on September 2, 2015
posted by mcstayinskool at 10:20 AM on September 2, 2015
In her 20's, my BFF had a whole bunch o' birds - a couple lovebirds, a couple finches, some budgies...I forget, there were a lot.
There was one bird that she was told was at least somewhat capable of learning to imitate speech, so she spent almost a year trying to teach it to say "Elvis has left the building!" No such luck; the closest it got was this rushed mumbled thing that sort of sounded like "elvizizleddabidding". So she gave up.
However, the birds all sang a lot, so for a while her outgoing answering machine message was just a ten-second recording of whatever birdsong she captured simply by pressing "record" on her machine. Every single person who called her while that was her message knew that they'd gotten the right place.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:51 AM on September 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
There was one bird that she was told was at least somewhat capable of learning to imitate speech, so she spent almost a year trying to teach it to say "Elvis has left the building!" No such luck; the closest it got was this rushed mumbled thing that sort of sounded like "elvizizleddabidding". So she gave up.
However, the birds all sang a lot, so for a while her outgoing answering machine message was just a ten-second recording of whatever birdsong she captured simply by pressing "record" on her machine. Every single person who called her while that was her message knew that they'd gotten the right place.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:51 AM on September 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
I love happy birds!!!!
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 1:16 PM on September 2, 2015
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 1:16 PM on September 2, 2015
I have a grey cockatiel who makes a variety of interesting noises, but never upon prompt, all at random times, and usually going on for a minute or more, ending when he damn well pleases. It's totally like having a human roommate.
posted by oneswellfoop at 1:27 PM on September 2, 2015
posted by oneswellfoop at 1:27 PM on September 2, 2015
I have always loved birds, especially parrots, and when I was about 12 I (not knowing what I was getting into) talked my parents (profoundly not knowing what they were getting into) into buying a parrot. So we got a blue-crowned conure. We named him baloo. He (or she, no idea really.) was adorable, and loved cuddling and scratches. He also hated being alone at all, much less for more than five minutes, and would express that by screaming loud enough to be heard a block and a half away at the bus stop. So he spent most of his time sitting on my shoulder, gnawing on my glasses, methodically punching long rows of little holes into my shirt, biting my ears, and just shitting all over me. He would get really stressed when left home alone even for just a couple hours, and started plucking feathers self-destructively and it became more than we could deal with and we had to give him back to the people we bought him from.
So the moral of the story is don't go lightly into buying a parrot, even a small one. Maybe one day when I have a house I'll build a big roomy aviary and keep a couple rescue parrots together so that they can keep each other company. But until then I have a birdfeeder.
posted by bracems at 4:08 PM on September 2, 2015 [2 favorites]
So the moral of the story is don't go lightly into buying a parrot, even a small one. Maybe one day when I have a house I'll build a big roomy aviary and keep a couple rescue parrots together so that they can keep each other company. But until then I have a birdfeeder.
posted by bracems at 4:08 PM on September 2, 2015 [2 favorites]
Eric is my favourite birb at the moment, although he's a little bit tetchy.
posted by h00py at 6:04 PM on September 2, 2015
posted by h00py at 6:04 PM on September 2, 2015
cockatiel friends of metafilter unite!!!
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 11:42 PM on September 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 11:42 PM on September 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
ugh I just watched the eric video - that poor bird snapped at by the dog and yelled at by the human. I'm not surprised he's tetchy. I'd be furious. gah gotta go be extra nice to my birdie.
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 11:54 PM on September 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 11:54 PM on September 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
Some birds should not be kept as pets, period. Cockatoos are notoriously difficult.
I have a Senegal parrot, however, who is delightful and not loud at all. The somewhat less-flashy African birds, like the Poicephalus group, are lovely, cuddly pets without so much pain.
That said, Turtle Bird has a pretty fair vocabulary. She laughs appropriately and was fascinated by this video, after which she let out one long, low whistle of approval.
posted by kinnakeet at 8:10 AM on September 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
I have a Senegal parrot, however, who is delightful and not loud at all. The somewhat less-flashy African birds, like the Poicephalus group, are lovely, cuddly pets without so much pain.
That said, Turtle Bird has a pretty fair vocabulary. She laughs appropriately and was fascinated by this video, after which she let out one long, low whistle of approval.
posted by kinnakeet at 8:10 AM on September 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
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