The Birds.

A couple of months ago a friend called me; a family member of hers had two birds that might need a new home in the future.  Well, that future is now.  As of yesterday, this home's bird population went from one to three. 

Meet the Birds:

Our original member, Quigley, is a tiny 1.5 year old budgie who spends her days chirping along with movies, baby toy noises, and winning squawking competitions with the outdoor birds.  Budgies originally come from Australia, and at the time we thought she was a he, so it was only fitting to use the name Quigley.... the name of Tom Selleck's character in an old movie based in Australia, Quigley Down Under.

And on the huge side of the bird-size spectrum is Jackie.  I'm assuming Jackie is a male, but I could be totally wrong.  Jackie is a green cheeked amazon, which are originally from Mexico and are endangered in the wild.  Jackie is about the size of a cockatoo to give you an idea how big this bird is.  Oh, and amazons can be really LOUD at times.  I'm talking ear drum shattering if you're in close range. 

And last but not least, there's Sparky, a yellow-crowned parakeet/kakariki, which are originally from New Zealand.  Kakarikis are hyperactive birds; constant climbing, playing, searching, investigating, and flying. Which makes sense because he's constantly running and climbing all over the inside of his cage. 

Progress:

Today was day 1, and these next few days will be dedicated to letting  them adjust to their new surroundings.  I joined a parrot forum to get real live advice on these birds and got some relieving tips.  Signs of comfort include eating, drinking, vocalizing, etc... Basically acting normal.  Jackie and Sparky are showing promise; eating, drinking, pooping, vocalizing with sounds and words.. All the normal bird stuff.  Jackie's word repertoire currently includes "it's ok", "I love you", "yeah", "go night night", "hello", "hello chuck", "what's pretty bird doin?", "pretty bird", and I'm sure there's more....  While Sparky's only spoken "pretty bird" while frantically looking at himself in his mirror. 

This first day has been fun just watching them, listening to them, talking to them...waiting to see what they do next.  And I'm ok with leaving them be for another day or two.  I'm excited to see what the future holds, but I'm also intimidated by the size of Jackie's beak (you would be too). 

No matter the number of phrases, their size, or anything else- these birds are amazing creatures, and I can only hope that they will grace us with their affection.  

To Be Continued...