Amigo is getting some training, today.

[Ziggymon]

re: Amigo is getting some training, today.

This whole situation saddens me more than I can say.

Ignorance can be cured. Arrogant ignorance cannot.

 

[Merlie]

re: Amigo is getting some training, today.

What's truly sad, in my eyes, is that Amigo seems like he's doing what's normal and instinctual. Protecting "his" people/person from an intruder. Your son is an intruder in Amigo's eyes, and you are his "person". He's protecting you, but getting punished for it.

My heart aches for this Too, and the fear and confusion he faces.

 

[Saemma]

re: Amigo is getting some training, today.

I can see that I belong to the wrong forum, where Amigo is concerned. I don't believe anyone here, can relate to an aggressive, free lying, male umbrella cockatoo.
I will continue to follow along, for our Sassy Goffin's girls, sake, because I know there is a lot of good info out here.

Once again please read as much as you can by Barbara Heidenreich. Even email her if you wish. You would be impressed if you knew about her professional background/experience. I am certain that if she is not able to provide specific advice to help you with your particular situation, she will certainly refer you an appropriate resource.

 

[AmberMuffinz]

re: Amigo is getting some training, today.

Please take the advice in this thread. You keep throwing advice aside even though people have a lot more in common with your situation than you think.

Seriously, because if Amigo decides he doesn't like your neighbors or something and starts dive bombing them I seriously doubt they will be as understanding as your son. I'm not sure how close you live to other people but this is a serious issue that needs to be addressed. A pizza guy, someone coming to your door, etc. You could be looking at some serious lawsuits or a very injured bird if he decides he doesn't like other people either.

You have gotten some very solid advice here, don't throw it to the side because you don't feel it matters or makes sense in your situation. If you look at it and review it you will see that it does.

 

[ImaBirdMom]

I am just speechless have you thought about rehoming Amigo to a rescue or a sanctuary? What about the lady you spoke to when you were having problems with the hawk? This isn't a life for Amigo... I'm not just talking about the pressure washer instance but other posts I've read regarding Amigo... I think you need to put yourself in Amigos feet and see that yes he gets to fly all over but I believe he indeed may not be as happy as you think... Please just think about what people are saying and put Amigo first and if that means giving him to a place or someone with cockatoo or big bird experience please do it for Amigos sake.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Laurul Feather Cat]

re: Amigo is getting some training, today.

You are proud of allowing Amigo to be an independent and WILD bird yet you attack him with a pressure washer when a (to him) stranger invades his territory; and a male stranger at that. He is acting as a wild cockatoo and you are punishing him for it instead of teaching him your son is family and is permitted on the property.

I think one of the reasons Amigo is permitted to live free is because of his hormonal cock behavior and rather than manage him in a home and a cage, you have allowed him to run free as a minimal hands on way of managing his behavior. If that is what has happened, OK. But you also have to deal with his territorial aggression. Does he attack all your visitors?

 

[Saemma]

re: Amigo is getting some training, today.

What you've shared today in this thread seems so inconsistent from one who claims to be proud of her bird, who considers him to be a member of the family and behaves in his best interest, hence the free-flying lifestyle stuff you posted on the *hawk* thread.

You know from past experience how Amigo feels about your son, yet you did nothing to protect him or to guide him towards better behaviour in the future. I don't have a *wild free flying* parrot, however I do have 4 parrots and a few years experience to know how NOT to behave towards them.

My heart does ache for Amigo. I just get the sense that although he has the freedom to fly in the wilderness, his lifestyle seems to have many limitations and it also seems be quite lacking in a few depts. There is no envy here. This is my personal opinion after having read through some of your threads.

 

[Jazzysmama]

re: Amigo is getting some training, today.

I seriously doubt that your son is the only one Amigo would attack. You are his flock and he only wants to protect you. I don't understand why you can't put him in a cage when you know your son is coming to visit. Do you have a garage thats attached to your home so that your son could pull his car into it, shut the garage door and go directly into your home to visit you so that Amigo could not get to him? Putting him into a cage while your son is visiting is not abusive, but spraying him IS. It is our responsability to ensure our pets are safe and any company as well. I fear for Amigo's life flying wild with hawks around, it's an accident waiting to happen. It's also a law suit just waiting to happen when an outsider comes onto your property. You are wanting him to be both wild, tame and mannerly all rolled into one. This isn't fair to Amigo. Also, the members on this forum and all other bird forums dearly love their birds, when they read of abusive actions they're going to have strong opinions. Everyone is trying to guide you and help you, please accept their advice, they only want what is best for your Too.

 

[AMidnightSoul]

re: Amigo is getting some training, today.

I've read this thread and other threads regarding Amigo and I have to say that it's very confusing. Up until now I've purposely not replied because of my strong feelings against releasing non-native species to the wild (even when there is no chance of finding a mate and breeding).

It seems like you brag about Amigo being wild & free and imply his life is better than everyone else's birds because of it, but then there's this thread talking about how you're trying to stop his inconvenient wild & free ways through negative means. If he's kept wild & free, he needs to be allowed to behave wild & free. We can each express to each other in words what we want and don't want and we can hear from you what you expect of Amigo. If we're confused by what your saying, imagine how confused Amigo is by what your doing.

I don't even want to go into the topic of releasing a non-native species to an area......I'm biased since I work in the habitat conservation sector, so I'll just say that him being in the wild in an area where Cockatoos aren't native could very well have negative impacts on more than just him & your family that are far more reaching than you might realize since there's no way you can watch his behaviors 24/7 while he's being wild & free.

 

[lwis]

re: Amigo is getting some training, today.

Part of me wishes that this is not in fact the life that this bird lives, and that this person is just posting ridiculous things merely to get a rise out of all of us....but unfortunately, there is a larger part of me that is deeply saddened and disappointed, as I believes that this is a case of incurable arrogant ignorance, like Zggymon said. To which I say, if you know everything mare, and refuse to appreciate or take anyone's advice, why bother wasting all these knowledgeable and caring people's time and emotion?!
I know they are knowledgeable and extraordinarily caring, because they spend a great deal of time researching, learning, and practicing some of the best known methods to care for and train their birds, while trying their best not to take away their parrot's 'birdness' (for lack of a better word). They also take the time to respond to your outlandish posts with their best efforts to be thorough, polite, and empathetic. I applaud everyone for their efforts, but it seems that it may be a waste of energy.
I truly hope that you take some (if not all) of the advice that is given here, mare. If you do not wish to make any compromises for the sake of the bird that you are responsible for, then I hope you take one piece of advice from this - find Amigo a home where HIS best interests are first priority. A home where he will not be lonely or abused, or cold, or threatened by predators. Where he is safe, loved, and part of a family.

 

[macawpower58]

re: Amigo is getting some training, today.

I know if I did something that was condemned by my peers, even if ashamed and contrite, I'd feel pressured to defend myself.

I'm guessing this may be the same situation here. Perhaps on hindsight, you do realize using the hose wasn't the best alternative. I understand your responses though. I'd probably do the same, at least at first.

I hope everyone calms down and gives you a moment to think.

I myself am not sure what your best course of action is, but I think between you and the members on this board, one can be found. One that keeps both bird and son safe.

 

[lwis]

re: Amigo is getting some training, today.

I know if I did something that was condemned by my peers, even if ashamed and contrite, I'd feel pressured to defend myself.

I'm guessing this may be the same situation here. Perhaps on hindsight, you do realize using the hose wasn't the best alternative. I understand your responses though. I'd probably do the same, at least at first.

I hope everyone calms down and gives you a moment to think.

I myself am not sure what your best course of action is, but I think between you and the members on this board, one can be found. One that keeps both bird and son safe.

This is a very understanding response, and I appreciate the empathy here. However, I think most people here have given this person the benefit of the doubt before, and from reading other threads and responses that Amigo's owner has posted in the past, they know better now. Though, I do hope you are right, macawpower58.

 

[Mare]

re: Amigo is getting some training, today.

When Amigo was being chased by the hawk, I paid attention to your responses. I am not arrogant, far from it. Sometimes I hope that people can see another side, another side of where these birds, not just cockatoos, come from.
Amigo was not hurt, and I think that saying they do not know what respect means, is ridiculous. How do you think they survive in a flock? There is a hierarchy in a flock and Amigo is learning this, not by abuse. I'm sorry of you think this way.

 

[~birdybea~]

re: Amigo is getting some training, today.

How do you think they survive in a flock? There is a hierarchy in a flock and Amigo is learning this, not by abuse. I'm sorry of you think this way.

Parrots do not have social hierarchy in the wild. There is no "alpha" or boss in a flock.

 

[BraveheartDogs]

re: Amigo is getting some training, today.

Exactly.

Parrots do not have social hierarchy in the wild. There is no "alpha" or boss in a flock.

 

[~birdybea~]

re: Amigo is getting some training, today.

To expand on the above statement:

There is much talk these days about dominance and dominance hierarchies in captive parrots. To fully understandcaptive bird behavior people should begin with an understanding of wild bird behavior. Through personalobservations, discussions with many parrot field researchers (personal communications: Brice, February, 1994,Munn, July 1998, Gilardi, February, 1999, English, November, 2000, May, May 15, 2001) and review of literature,this author has found no evidence of flock hierarchies in wild parrots. The field researchers all attest to aggressionand disputes among parrots. However, the aggressors are not consistent from one incident to another. A bird thatlooses a confrontation with one bird may just as well win a confrontation with the same bird later. It could be saidthat the winners of these confrontations are dominant over the losers. However, the dominant position is limitedto each specific incident and does not carry over to future encounters. There is no evidence of social hierarchies inflocks of wild parrots that resemble social hierarchies commonly found in many mammal species. If dominancehierarchies exist in wild parrots they are most likely limited to family groups.

Copied from http://www.naturalencounters.com/im...ng_Parrot_Behavior_Naturally-Steve_Martin.pdf

Steve Martin is a very knowledgeable behaviourist and trainer, who has done some amazing work with free flight birds. He has a very, very thorough understanding of bird behaviour (captive and wild).

 

[Mare]

re: Amigo is getting some training, today.

If this is truth Belinda, then we have issues in our home. I will investigate what you have said and go from there.

 

[~birdybea~]

re: Amigo is getting some training, today.

If this is truth Belinda, then we have issues in our home. I will investigate what you have said and go from there.

I hope you find some good resources on the topic! For a good number of years we got most of our ideas about bird behaviour from what we knew about other animals, especially dogs as they're such common pets. That's where the ideas of dominance and social hierarchies in birds stem from. What I find especially ironic now is that many dog trainers and behaviourists these days are reaching the conclusion that those theories don't even apply to dogs!

 

[Mare]

re: Amigo is getting some training, today.

I've been re-reading, "Mind of the Raven", not sitting by the book at the moment so can't remember author's name, and ravens have a definite hierarchy. That's a corvid not a parrot, now I see. Still, you cannot have a bird, parrot or corvid, attacking and except it, just because it's a parrot.
Belinda, the article you posted says, " If dominance hierarchies exist in wild parrots they are most likely limited to family groups". Well, at the risk of seeming arrogant, we live in a family group and Amigo is not the boss.

 

[BraveheartDogs]

re: Amigo is getting some training, today.

Dominance means "priority access to resources", nothing more and nothing less. The is exactly what Bernd Heinrich was referring to in Mind of the Raven. I dont think anyone said just accept an attacking parrot, we said take responsibility for the issues you are having instead of acting like it is somehow Amigo's fault and punishing him for it. That birds life is one giant mixed message and it's not okay.

I've been re-reading, "Mind of the Raven", not sitting by the book at the moment so can't remember author's name, and ravens have a definite hierarchy. That's a corvid not a parrot, now I see. Still, you cannot have a bird, parrot or corvid, attacking and except it, just because it's a parrot.
Belinda, the article you posted says, " If dominance hierarchies exist in wild parrots they are most likely limited to family groups". Well, at the risk of seeming arrogant, we live in a family group and Amigo is not the boss.