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.