Wino Parrot

My bird is a wino. A long time ago I gave him a teeny tiny wee taste of red wine, and ever since then, if he sees me in the bar opening a bottle of wine, he makes his excited calls to let me know he would like to have whatever I'm having.

Because he's a lazy drunk, he's not bothered to learn how to say, "Dearest mother, if it's not too much trouble, I would like to taste a tiny drop of that fine vintage you're uncorking," and instead just repeats what he already knows: "Hi Henry!" "Hi Henry bird!" "HI!" "C'mere Henry!" "Wanna come out?" "Meow!"

Even hardcore boozers know how to sweet talk someone into sharing the hooch. But he does seem to have a well-developed palate for an animal that has to dig its food out of a bowl with a beak.

The problem is, once he tastes something he likes, he never forgets, so as I sit here enjoying my glass O red, he's over there repeating everything he knows how to say.

This is how I've learned how to tune out most types of annoying sounds, just like those moms at the store who seem blissfully unaware of their bratty kids barking "Mom! Mom! Mom! Mom! Buy me this! Mom! Mom! Mom! Mom! MOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!"

I'm a Falconer...

...Of sorts. Henry and I have a new trick.

I was cleaning in the bar the other day and Henry was on his play perch in the front room. He really wanted to be where I was, so he flew the 30 feet or so to me from his perch, but couldn't quite figure out how to land on me or my hand, so he made a u-turn in the air and flew back to his tree.

Last night I'd been working in my office for a spell and when I came out into the bar, in he flew, right to me, but this time he landed on my hand when I held it up!

I was so impressed with his new skill, I practiced with him today to see if he could do it again. I stood in the bar and called him, and after just a few calls, he took off and flew right to my hand. Then I sent him flying back to his perch by saying Go home! and he flew right back to his tree.

We did this a few times and he never missed, which is impressive when you consider he's had very little flying experience in his nine years. He's almost always clipped, but after this last molt, I let him continue growing out all his flight feathers.

I don't like getting him clipped when he hasn't grown out all his feathers - there's always the risk that they'll cut a blood feather and then it's just a stress-fest until they get it pulled. Gah - no thanks. I'm sure he'd agree.

For the past few months he's been flying around the house now & then, which isn't really a good thing, because there's always a chance he could fly into a wall, a window, or an open toilet or some other hazard, but I've noticed he is really agile and able to maneuver well around doorways and avoid the ceiling fans.

He needs to be clipped, but this is way too much fun!

Almost a Rocket Scientist

My fluffy little parrot apparently isn't just a pretty feathered face. I gave him an animal cracker cookie this morning, because of course he loves eating cookies the shape of elephants, monkeys, and most of all, CATS.

He took the cookie and immediately dropped it into his water dish, waited a couple of moments, then picked it back out and commenced eating it.

Turns out he likes them a little softened up and knows exactly how to make that happen. Now if he could only start doing the dishes and my laundry.

Update: I gave him another cookie this morning (Friday), and he was on his play perch, which is next to his cage. He took it and walked over to his cage, up onto the top, over to the water dish and dropped it in before munching it down. Now he won't eat them any other way. I love it.

Another Update: The other day I gave him a cookie dipped in coffee - what a mistake. You have to give him credit - he's got quite a palate.