Before we left two years ago Theo the goffin cockatoo was getting poofy as big as she could and walking hurriedly after my cockatoos Bondi and Bandit who are rose breasted cockatoos. Now Bondi is a small goffins cockatoo, so it’s not like her size is intimidating…

But because my birds are fully flighted they find it easier to fly away than risk getting hurt in any way and I can’t seem to convince them that Theo is in fact, bluffing.

Because I socialized Cressi (congo african grey) and Bondi, I thought, why not socialize Bondi and Theo? They are of the same size for the most part, and both females. They have nice personalities, though Bondi is a bit more easy going about things than Theo but Theo is definitely learning.

Theo, by the way, was thought to be a boy from her first owners if you couldn’t tell…

Anyway, the first few days back I decided to just watch the interaction between Theo and my birds. Theo would intimidate Bondi and Bandit to fly away, but Cressi would intimidate Theo to fly away. It was an interesting array of flights to watch take place.

While having all 4 smaller birds out and flying around (all of which are fully flighted) I watched more of their interaction. As Theo approached Bondi to intimidate her on the railing, I put my hand up to intervene and save Bondi the trouble of having to fly away.

Theo stopped where my hand was, using it as a border and Bondi felt safe enough with my hand there not to fly away.

Here is the video of how that went:

Obviously I wasn’t socializing in the best of circumstances – I had a lot of distractions from other birds.

A little while later though… both Bondi and Theo ended up on my lap for some cuddles. Theo was more interested in Bondi whereas Bondi had no interest in being close to Theo at the time. But again, I placed my hand up as a barrier and both liked the idea of having it. Theo tried pushing the boundaries and Bondi really wanted the boundaries left intact.

I decided that if Theo’s face was facing away (in other words, beak = away) then I’d let Theo get close to Bondi, that way Bondi didn’t feel threatened in any way as Theo’s position was actually showing trust and vulnerability. Bondi would lightly touch Theo a bit and see what would make her move. I watched and judged by watching their body language not only with each other but with me on how far I’d let each one go.

Here’s how that looked:

They eventually got to the point of sweetly just beginning to preen one another. Then I thought I’d end while things were on a high note for them both and offer space to both of them.

Since then, Theo doesn’t try to intimidate Bondi. Instead of going towards her all puffed up on the railing, Theo actually walked in the opposite direction to do her own thing.

Socializing the two of them has made Theo feel less like she has to show who’s boss and prove that she’s unafraid and it’s doing wonders for their relationships around the house.

Honestly, if they weren’t both fully flighted, this story wouldn’t be as sweet sounding… in the least.

Two years… 730 Days… 17,520 hours… Countless Miles… No matter how you look at it, two years on the road is a long time!  Especially when you travel the country by truck and RV… correction; make that two trucks, and two RV’s, a flock of birds, magic props, motorcycle, and a house cat.  Driving separately from Jamie can be painstaking, but it does give me some time to reflect.  Not only on shows and future plans, but on training, and what I can do to become a better trainer.

Image Copyright Feld Entertainment 2010

I’m one of those people who is constantly in the pursuit of perfection.  Always trying to learn more, and always trying to become a better person and professional.  At many times, it’s to a fault.  These past two years have really given me the chance to realize how important it is to live in the moment.  It has also given me phycological insight on how to get my birds to reach perfection on and off stage.  After all, I’m hired to perform a 1st-class production with professionally trained parrots – and likewise, my birds are expected to be “1st Class Performers” as well. It would be hard to be “the best” if my birds would land in the rafters, or fly out the backdoor and disappear into the Vegas desert, only to be found a week later by strangers.  In my industry, there’s no room for errors.  Sometimes that can translate to a lot of pressure for my birds, after all they didn’t sign the contract, I did.  So I always do my best to reward their every moment.

October 30, 2011 finally arrived, and we performed our last show in Wilkes Barre, PA.  I had performed for five different Ringling Shows over that two year tour, and it was all coming to an end.  Aside from a huge sense of accomplishment, there was a strange calmness that suddenly overwhelmed me backstage shortly after performing Catapoultry with Bondi.  I looked around and realized… 5,000 people in an arena, sold out shows, TV, Radio, Print… it was all coming to an end in 73 minutes from that exact moment.  Surrounded by black curtains and 7-sets of birdie eyes staring at me through the dimly lit backstage, as if they could tell I was finally processing it all; I took each bird out, kissed them on the head, held them for a moment and thanked them out-loud for being there for me for the entire tour. The ups and downs, the tornados and snow storms, 20 degrees to 120 degrees – it didn’t matter, they had achieved perfection in nearly every show, night after night, mile after mile, audience after audience.

Fiji’s Last Show – Photo Mishelle Statford

It was when I picked up Bondi, who had been looking at me concerned the whole time, that a single tear made it’s way past my right eye, and was now slowly passing my lips.   I kissed her on the head, thanked her for giving her all, even on days that she wasn’t feeling well.  It was as if she and I connected more than ever.  She mirrored my mood through every phase of the tour, from being a rock star on stage, to the tender moments offstage that an audience and cameras never see.  When we lost Fiji, she completely shut down with me, as if she was mourning her loss through me.  And on October 30, 2011 she once again  understood my feelings and that this was her last show, and we could both go home and relax until our next journey begins.

Bondi Performing Catapoultry

I learned many things on this tour about life & training.  From the highest highs to the lowest lows, and yet one lesson stands out miles ahead of anything else I could ever possibly write.  A lesson that we should all live by, a lesson that keeps you moving when your down and constantly elevates you while you’re up.

“Always love your birds like it’s the last day you’ll see them, for they provide more to us than could ever be transcribed into any human language.”

I’m so grateful for everything they’ve given me.  Those of you who can truly relate know the exact feeling I’m conjuring when I say these words.  And those of you who are just now paving that path with your birds will soon understand the feelings that are impossible to put onto paper.

In our seminar DVD set, I talk about the Gypsy Experience as a means to training your bird.  It refers to my lifestyle – everyday a hundred new mile markers roll by, every night my birds are in front of more than 5,000 people.  Every day they experience different people, places, and things.  For a species that spends 80% of its day foraging for food and having to figure out new things, this is the next best thing to a magic potion for success with your psittacines.

Whether I’m traveling by land or by sea, I always try to “add value” for my clients by offering to do a free animal training seminar.  To my clients, I’m going above and beyond by doing more than they hired me for, and secretly I’m doing wonders for my flock!  They get to meet people of all ages and races.  The more you can expose your parrots to these new experiences everyday, the more confident they’ll be throughout their lives.  Additionally, it adds invaluable training time for them.

Inevitably, birds seem to think that a trick is completely different when you add a dozen (or 5,000) people into the equation.  It’s as if they do the trick perfectly on stage with full lights, sound, and pyro… but when you add applause into the equation it’s no longer the “pick-up-your-foot-and-wiggle-it-back-and-forth” command.  Similar… but now it’s the ”pick-up-your-foot-and-wiggle-it-back-and-forth-with-applause” command… totally different!  ;o)

If you can find yourself in a position to be able to get your birds in front of more than a couple people, do it!  It doesn’t have to be fancy, and it doesn’t have to be perfect.  That’s the beauty about doing an animal seminar.  You can educate people about your parrots, talk to them about training, and the audience can see them during the learning process.

I wanted to get Rocko in front of an audience, to test how he would respond.  The following video showcases that beautifully.  The angle isn’t the best, but due to laws we couldn’t include kids in the video without written consent from each parent.  Clearly that wasn’t an option, so we shot it from the side.  In this video you’ll get to see what it looks like when we’re training our birds a new behavior.  Sometimes it requires a lot of patience… I use these opportunities to get my birds ready for the big stage, socialize them, build confidence, and entertain/educate my audiences.

Enjoy Rocko’s first animal training seminar, and a sneak peak behind the scenes of my training.

pacific parrotlets

A questions that we often hear at Birdtricks is: “what is a good first bird to get?”. It’s a difficult question and one that I answer reluctantly. I will try to offer my opinion…

First, I want to say that I don’t really believe in “starter” birds. It is often said that a smaller bird is more suitable for the first time owner. I don’t entirely agree.

All birds are created equally. There is no one species of parrot that requires less care or commitment than the others. Every single species needs the same considerations to health and diet, enrichment and attention. In this regard, there is no diffference between a budgie or a hyacinth macaw. Basic care requirements are not minimized because a parrot is smaller.

Hyacinth macaw

You might ask yourself why a larger bird is more appealing to you. Believe me when I tell you that a smaller bird is every bit the parrot that a larger bird is.They are as intelligent, interactive and demanding  – they just come in a smaller, less intrusive package. A larger parrot is not a better parrot.

There are, however, significant logistical differences in the ownership of larger vs smaller birds to consider. Size is very relevant in the following areas:

Vocalization: It only makes sense that the larger the bird, the louder the voice. If your hearing is sensitive, or if you have nearby neighbors that own shotguns, you might reconsider getting a larger parrot (check THIS out).

Biting: As a new owner, you will find yourself at a disadvantage when it comes to adeptly reading your bird’s body language. If you harbor a fear of being bitten, and chances are you will be at some point, a smaller bird might be right for you. Birds can sense apprehension and some will use it to intimidate and manipulate you.

Housing: Do you have the space in your living room for a cage that is 3 or 4 times the size of your refrigerator? Don’t forget about the play stand.

Damage: The bigger the bird, the bigger the beak, the bigger the holes in your shirts/furniture/carpeting/doorways…

Sulphur crested cockatoo, blue and gold macaw

Certainly, there are species that are correctly defined as high maintenance, either behaviorally or in their special needs. For instance:

• The lory owner needs to be well educated about their unique diet and will need to find creative solutions to the “messes” they make because of their nectar-based diet. They don’t so much poop as squirt and the wall behind the cage will not fare well. Nor will closely placed furniture, or the floor, for that matter.
• The african grey can be overly sensitive to its environment, can be phobic, and will mimic every sound emitted in your household. This can be endearing, annoying and/or embarrassing. Dad will have to stop swearing like a sailor and couples will not want to keep their african grey’s cage in their bedroom. (A discovery some friends made when their bird replayed the audio portion of the night before in the presence of their dinner guests.)
• Then there’s the cockatoo who might be best served by an owner that has some serious experience in parenting, as they require someone who is adept at dispensing tough love to keep them from developing bad habits. Cockatoos always seem to be wanting things that are not good for them.They are constantly seeking attention. Sometimes you must deny them and it is difficult not to give in at times. It’s easy to make mistakes with them and many should have the number of a local rescue tattooed under their wing.(Some will simply come with the number 666.) Cockatoos are my favorite species, but this is a bird that I really think belongs in the hands of an experienced bird person.

Umbrella cockatoo

In the end, the answer to the question of which bird to get is more related to the person considering parrot ownership than it is to any parrot species. It boils down to what kind of potential bird owner you are, what your circumstances allow for and how tolerant you are to the behaviors that certain species are famous for. There is no patented “right” first bird.

I have watched people who wanted a macaw as a first bird do the “responsible” thing and start with small birds, eventually graduate to a medium sized birds, and finally get their macaw. The result is a house full of birds, all needing attention, when all they wanted originally was a single macaw to dote on. I think that people should get the bird they want, but ONLY when certain, beyond a doubt, that they are up to the challenge. Many new owners do very well with a large first bird. I have also seen people fail miserably with cockatiels, who are known for their friendly and compliant natures.

budgies

Know what you are getting into. Exhaustively research any species you are considering. Understand that ANY bird will be a huge, long-term commitment. Most importantly, be brutally honest about your limitations as a potential bird owner and don’t go for a bird that you aren’t able to give 100% to.

I’ve always had a very diverse flock. Because of this, all my birds have reacted differently to certain aspects of thier life. For instance; bathing.

My larger parrots such as my Rose Breasted Cockatoo (Galah), Congo African Grey, Blue and Gold Macaws, Military Macaw, and Swainson Toucans have always preferred to either bathe in the natural rain water outside, in the shower with me, or in a large bowl.

When I first got my galah, Bondi, she wouldn’t bathe for months. She hated any form of  water. I took off on a cruise ship job and was forced to leave her behind with my parents. They had no prior experience with birds before except for a parakeet named Skuttles (yes, after the seagull on the Little Mermaid) that I had when I was in kindergarten.

They looked up tons of training courses online where they learned how to teach her “the retrieve” and how to talk. And they are the ones that got her to bathe. She loved to play in the sink, running in and out of the flowing water. Eventually, when I came home, she started showering with me. One hotel in particular that we stayed at together had a railing at which she loved the positioning. I turned around after pushing the soap from my eyes and saw how much she was enjoying catching the mist off my back. Ever since, she has been an avid shower taker!

 

As far as my budgies/parakeets were always concerned, they have always loved being misted by a spray bottle on a nice, sunny day. I’ve noticed none of them want to be wet when it’s gloomy outside. And if you pay attention to wild birds, they prefer to bathe in the sunshine too. I love to move their cages outside to bathe them so they soak up the sun in the process (making it so they dry off easier and get some fresh air, always able to get out of the direct ray of light if needed).

There are so many ways to bathe your birds, it’s just finding out which way they like it. My blue and gold macaws (Jersey and Chayko) would only bathe in a huge dish that could fit them both. They were sprayed by a bad animal trainer before and were traumatized by any sort of water coming out towards them in any form. However, if you got a huge dish they could both splash in, they were happy as could be. From the dish, we were able to show them that a shower was okay, too. If one bird sees the other try something new, chances are, he will try it too!

To recap, here are all the different ways you can try getting your bird to enjoy bathing:

• Invest in a shower perch and let your bird shower with you. Let him catch the mist off your back; never directly spray your bird with a stream of water.
• Try taking your bird on a walk outside on a  naturally rainy day, see how he reacts to being sprinkled on. Some birds love rain and thunderstorms, especially larger birds such as macaws.
• Let your bird explore the sink while you run a light stream of water from the faucet. The water will create mist which your bird can then choose to run in and out of, or simply ignore.
• Buy a spray bottle only for holding water and try misting your bird with it. Make sure the settings are on mist, and not one hard stream as this can be seen as punishment towards your bird if it comes across negative or hurtful.
• Provide your bird with a shallow dish large enough to make a splash in. Some birds will use their own water dishes to bathe in so make sure he has an extra one so he’s not drinking his bath water.
• Let your bird shower without you there. Put your bird on a shower perch and aim the shower head at a wall where it can bounce off to create mist for your bird(s). My doves love this and actually prefer not to be perching while doing this but your bird may prefer to perch if it’s not a dove. Everything is up to your bird’s personal preference.

King O photo from www.bestfriends.org

When I have asked bird owners what initially attracted them to parrots, they usually say it is their beauty and grace. Birds are visually stunning. It is impossible for that not to be the first thing we notice about them. It is only once we really get to know and understand them that that their vibrant personality outshines their briliant appearance. We are taken with their extreme intelligence and the profound connection that has developed.  Then we are whipped.

I am always saddened when I hear from an owner whose bird has begun feather destructive behaviors. Once medical possibilities have been ruled out, it is heartbreaking to imagine that your bird has been so emotionally distraught in it’s environment that it would resort to these measures. Unfortunately, many owners feel a lot of guilt.

Sometimes the cause of the upset can be found within the birds immediate surroundings, and sometimes the problem is so internalized that it is only known to the bird. We rearrange the furniture, re-outfit the cage and adjust the diet and hope we hit upon something that will make life more settled for the parrot. Usually, should we be lucky enough to find the cause, it is too late. For reasons that no one can be 100% certain of, the plucking often continues even once the source of the problem is eliminated. Eventually the folicles in the skin become too damaged for feathers to regrow, and we have a bird that is, to many people’s way of thinking, ugly.

To my way of thinking, these birds have a special kind of beauty. When you strip away the outer layer that attracts the eye, what is inside can more easily shine through. A plucked bird can live a happy, healthy and enriched life – if you allow it to.

King O photo from www.bestfriends.org

Meet ducorps cockatoo, King O, a resident at Best Friends Animal Society in Kenab, Utah. King O (originally named Ophelia until he was determined male) plucked out his feathers with his feet following the death of his owner. He has become something of a star at his new home and in the avian community. It is impossible not to grin as you watch the his videos, like this one, posted on his own facebook page. This is a bird who truly enjoys his life.

If your bird is plucked, it is likely that you care more about it than he does. Try not to feel embarrassed by his appearance, and if you carry guilt, let it go. It is pointless for you to assume blame for something unforeseen and impossible to understand. There are NO experts in this area. No one fully understands why birds do this.  We can only scramble to try to find a solution when it happens.

However, if you let him suffer a lack of socialization and deny him happy outings because you find it uncomfortable to answer questions about why he looks the way he does, that fault is yours. I’m sure that if you search your heart you will find that you love your bird as much as you did before he lost his feathers, maybe even more.