More introductions: Billet and Sooty

In addition to my own cockatiels, I wanted to introduce my parents' adorable birds. We've had them both since about 1990. Billet came to us from a neighbor, who found him outside when she was living in Florida. He just flew to her shoulder!

Billet is super-smart and if he hears my mom talking to me on the phone, he will come over and whistle a song into the phone or say "hello!" to me. He's probably close to 30 right now, which is really old for a cockatiel. He's still in great shape for his age--active and happy.

He loves towels and washcloths and potholders--if you shake a potholder at him, he will start whistling.

Billet loves to be petted and will come over and put his head down on your arm when you're not looking to try to get you to pet him. He also likes to nest in blankets and hide in my brother's shirt:

Sooty is about 21 and came to us as a young bird. Sooty likes to keep Billet company--they are usually in the same room. Even though they are both males, they are good friends and don't fight.

Sooty is a bit shy of people but will come ask for food or sit on my shoulder occasionally. If I'm sleeping, both birds will try to sit as close to my face as possible.

Sooty enjoys sitting in the sun and playing with mirrors (and other shiny things) a lot.

Sooty also likes to sleep next to this old record player, for some reason.

Sooty loves to hear Billet whistle and will come stand right next to him to listen. Over the years, their songs have gotten a lot more similar.

My parents let the birds fly around the house and do their own thing most of the time. They eat lots of people food and especially love scrambled eggs, noodles, bread, nuts (they shred them into dust), and potato pancakes.

When my parents lived nearby, I would sometimes bring Edy to visit. He LOVED to follow Billet around the house and cheerfully bother him. Billet was not very amused by this. Sooty would just hide--apparently Edy has way too much energy, haha.

Birdfriends at the ABQ zoo

While visiting New Mexico last week, I went to the Albuquerque zoo...I go there pretty much anytime I'm in town because of this:

There's a sulfur-crested cockatoo there that I love and it remembered me this time. I think it must have been raised around people since the first time I saw it, it came over and pushed through the bars to be petted! So smart! This time, my parents went up to the cage and it was just sitting calmly. However, when I came over it started dancing all over the place, said "Hello!" and waved, and ran to the front of the cage to whistle at me. It even made the same whistling noises I make.

Disclaimer--I would not recommend that you attempt to pet any birds in the zoo though...they have pretty large beaks and could certainly bite you if they wanted to.

I made a second bird friend this time...one of the zoo volunteers had a mini macaw sitting out with her in the Rainforest room.

Apparently I was the first person he said "Hello!" to all day. He did a lot of talking and dancing for me, and bonked on the perch like Edy does.

They also have a room with a ton of budgies there who fly around and do parakeet things, like nest in a log.

  

The flamingos at the zoo entrance are always quite colorful and loud!

  

There are also a bunch of peacocks who randomly wander the zoo and are not real shy. If you're eating french fries they usually want some.

If you can get up close to see, their tails are really amazing.

My birds: some introductions

Edy is about 8 years old and he's always getting into mischief! He loves to whistle/make crazy growling noises, ruin stuff around the house (mirror and picture frames seem to be his favorite), look at himself in the mirror, go in the shower, and do dances. He's really funny and pretty good at getting into trouble.

He's quite hyperactive...he likes to be petted but is always interrupting to bonk on your hand or bite your fingers or something.

He has a hilarious "tall and short" dance...as well as one we call "vampire dance" because it looks like he is biting his own neck, and others. Here he is doing tall and short. He loves it if you say "tall!" and "short!" along with him while he does it.

Edy is not shy at all, he loves meeting new people and will fly right away to your shoulder or head as soon as he sees you.

Tiny is the complete opposite...she's really shy, timid, and quiet. If she sees new people, she hides. Sometimes she will hide behind a glass (ineffective but cute).

She only makes noise if you leave her in a room by herself, which she finds really upsetting, even just for a few minutes. She's very affectionate and loves to be petted and snuggle at your face.

Tiny is about 7 years old but acts kind of like a baby--she doesn't fly great, and she doesn't seem to know a lot of "bird things." She is totally in love with my brother. Until lately she had a lot of health problems, especially with excessive egg laying. Luckily I have a fantastic vet.

Tiny likes to take a bath in a tupperware dish, and will open her wings helpfully for you to spray underneath.

Tiny really likes Edy, she is always trying to see what he's doing or attempting to get close to him. Sadly, he does not like her at all and will scream at her (and sometimes attack her) if she gets close.

More on their antics soon!