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Ripping up the road
Administrator
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
- Joined
- 4/15/10
- Messages
- 50,092
- Real Name
- Matthew
Our "Mayor of the Avenue" award is presented to a member who exhibits the qualities that distinguish them to be an upstanding credit to the Avenue, a loving, informed, conscientious and caring bird parront and an all around good neighbor.
I am happy to announce that tka is February's Mayor of the Month.
I enjoyed reading your interview, and am sure that everyone else will as well!
1. What kind of birds do you have (age, species and names)?
Leia, a Bronze-winged Pionus aged three and a half
2. What got you interested in birds?
I’ve always been interested in all kinds of animals! Growing up, my family had all sorts of pets: dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, gerbils, stick insects. As a linguistics student I learnt about Alex, Irene Pepperberg’s famous Grey, and was amazed at how he was able to communicate with his human caregivers. About five years ago I met a Timmeh Grey and was fascinated by how interested she was in me – she even came up to me and asked for headscratches by bowing her head. I knew very little about bird language so tentatively caressed the feathers on her nape, and was so pleased that she welcomed my touch and we had been able to communicate.
3. What have your birds brought to your life?
A lot of joy, some worry, rather less in my bank account.
4. What have you learned from sharing your life with your birds?
Patience, sensitivity and respect. How to back off and let someone take their time. How to shed expectations about what a human-avian friendship ought to look like, and how to allow something unexpected and beautiful flourish.
5. What's one birdie memory that will stay with you forever?
The first time Leia landed on my head! She hadn’t yet decided whether she could trust me and I didn’t force her into stepping up, so it was a very hands-off relationship for about a month. One day she was flying around the room and, to both of our surprise, ended up on my head! I’m not sure who was more startled!
I also remember the first time Leia wanted me to scratch her eyelids. Her skin is so delicate there, and it was such a humbling expression of trust.
6. Where is your bird’s main living area?
My living room. She’s allowed into the kitchen if she’s on me and I’m not doing anything dangerous, she goes into the bathroom for her shower, and the bedroom is totally off-limits. I have a curtain separating the living room from the rest of the flat but Leia has learnt to climb over it. If I’m in the kitchen without her, I’ll sometimes sense myself being watched and oh look, there’s a parrot hanging off the curtain on the wrong side looking immensely pleased with herself.
7. Did you change things in your home to accommodate your birds and if so what kinds of things did you change?
I used to go to a parrot club when I was researching whether a parrot and I would be a good fit. Sadly they had to close due to an ageing membership. It was a real treat to even be involved for a few months.
9. What is the one luxury item you would love to have for your bird(s)?
An outdoor aviary. Failing that, I’d love to drill holes in the ceiling so I can set up a more exciting play area for her.
10. Is there any bird that you dream of owning and if so why?
A Pionus friend for Leia. I’ve fallen in love with the species – they’re such thoughtful, self-contained little birds with a quietly cheeky side.
11. Describe a typical day with you at home with your birds.
I have a fairly flexible schedule so it depends on what I have to do that day. Leia gets uncovered at 9am, I say good morning and we have a bit of a chat and a headscratch, and I refill her water bowl. She’s out between at least 6 and 9pm and gets her fresh food then. We maybe do some target training, I give her some foot toys to play with and shred, and she’ll hang out in the room while I do some work. If she’s in a playful mood she’ll try to chew through the plastic curtain rings and I have to go and retrieve her, then she’ll immediately fly back so I have to retrieve her again. She can keep this up for some time! I’ll change her cage papers, wash and refill her water bowl and refill her foraging toy with pellets. At about 8:30pm, Leia likes it if we sit on the sofa together so she can get some headscratches and doze on my shoulder while I read. At 9pm she goes to bed. She’ll fly to her sleeping perch and gets an almond sliver before I wish her goodnight and cover the cage.
12. What have you learned about owning birds that you would like to share?
Gaining a bird’s trust is like making friends with a new person. You have to think very carefully about what you’re bringing to this friendship rather than just expecting a bird to instantly adore you. Sometimes you have to work hard to earn a bird’s trust, and you do this by being patient, kind, respectful and trustworthy.
13. If you knew then what you know now about birds, what would you do differently?
I would have got two right from the start. Leia and I have a close friendship, but ultimately I’m not another bird and can’t give her all the friendship and interaction that another bird would be able to provide.
14. What other hobbies do you have?
It’s both work and a hobby, but I read a lot and write professionally. I’m also learning to knit – it’s important to learn new skills and, for my work, important for me to learn how to be a beginner at something all over again.
15. Anything else you would like to share?
Thank you for making me mayor of the avenue! This community has been a wonderful source of information, advice and support, and I’m a better companion to Leia because of you.
I am happy to announce that tka is February's Mayor of the Month.
I enjoyed reading your interview, and am sure that everyone else will as well!
1. What kind of birds do you have (age, species and names)?
Leia, a Bronze-winged Pionus aged three and a half
2. What got you interested in birds?
I’ve always been interested in all kinds of animals! Growing up, my family had all sorts of pets: dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, gerbils, stick insects. As a linguistics student I learnt about Alex, Irene Pepperberg’s famous Grey, and was amazed at how he was able to communicate with his human caregivers. About five years ago I met a Timmeh Grey and was fascinated by how interested she was in me – she even came up to me and asked for headscratches by bowing her head. I knew very little about bird language so tentatively caressed the feathers on her nape, and was so pleased that she welcomed my touch and we had been able to communicate.
3. What have your birds brought to your life?
A lot of joy, some worry, rather less in my bank account.
4. What have you learned from sharing your life with your birds?
Patience, sensitivity and respect. How to back off and let someone take their time. How to shed expectations about what a human-avian friendship ought to look like, and how to allow something unexpected and beautiful flourish.
5. What's one birdie memory that will stay with you forever?
The first time Leia landed on my head! She hadn’t yet decided whether she could trust me and I didn’t force her into stepping up, so it was a very hands-off relationship for about a month. One day she was flying around the room and, to both of our surprise, ended up on my head! I’m not sure who was more startled!
I also remember the first time Leia wanted me to scratch her eyelids. Her skin is so delicate there, and it was such a humbling expression of trust.
6. Where is your bird’s main living area?
My living room. She’s allowed into the kitchen if she’s on me and I’m not doing anything dangerous, she goes into the bathroom for her shower, and the bedroom is totally off-limits. I have a curtain separating the living room from the rest of the flat but Leia has learnt to climb over it. If I’m in the kitchen without her, I’ll sometimes sense myself being watched and oh look, there’s a parrot hanging off the curtain on the wrong side looking immensely pleased with herself.
7. Did you change things in your home to accommodate your birds and if so what kinds of things did you change?
- No Teflon – I bought a new set of ceramic pans and gave my Teflon-coated pans to family members. I emailed the manufacturers before buying a new hairdryer and an iron to make sure they didn’t contain PTFE/PFOA. My partner even found a ceramic waffle maker for my birthday!
- Old curtains on top of a dresser to prevent her chewing the wood and another old curtain along the back of the sofa so she doesn’t poo on the sofa itself.
- No air fresheners, limited cleaning products (I mostly use F10) and I signed up for a vegetable delivery box so we can all enjoy more fresh food.
- I bought a set of wireless headphones for the TV in case one of the humans wants to watch something noisy when Leia’s asleep, but usually we stream stuff or watch catch-up TV while Leia is still awake.
- Leia is even on my tenancy (rental) agreement so my landlords can’t change their mind about her.
I used to go to a parrot club when I was researching whether a parrot and I would be a good fit. Sadly they had to close due to an ageing membership. It was a real treat to even be involved for a few months.
9. What is the one luxury item you would love to have for your bird(s)?
An outdoor aviary. Failing that, I’d love to drill holes in the ceiling so I can set up a more exciting play area for her.
10. Is there any bird that you dream of owning and if so why?
A Pionus friend for Leia. I’ve fallen in love with the species – they’re such thoughtful, self-contained little birds with a quietly cheeky side.
11. Describe a typical day with you at home with your birds.
I have a fairly flexible schedule so it depends on what I have to do that day. Leia gets uncovered at 9am, I say good morning and we have a bit of a chat and a headscratch, and I refill her water bowl. She’s out between at least 6 and 9pm and gets her fresh food then. We maybe do some target training, I give her some foot toys to play with and shred, and she’ll hang out in the room while I do some work. If she’s in a playful mood she’ll try to chew through the plastic curtain rings and I have to go and retrieve her, then she’ll immediately fly back so I have to retrieve her again. She can keep this up for some time! I’ll change her cage papers, wash and refill her water bowl and refill her foraging toy with pellets. At about 8:30pm, Leia likes it if we sit on the sofa together so she can get some headscratches and doze on my shoulder while I read. At 9pm she goes to bed. She’ll fly to her sleeping perch and gets an almond sliver before I wish her goodnight and cover the cage.
12. What have you learned about owning birds that you would like to share?
Gaining a bird’s trust is like making friends with a new person. You have to think very carefully about what you’re bringing to this friendship rather than just expecting a bird to instantly adore you. Sometimes you have to work hard to earn a bird’s trust, and you do this by being patient, kind, respectful and trustworthy.
13. If you knew then what you know now about birds, what would you do differently?
I would have got two right from the start. Leia and I have a close friendship, but ultimately I’m not another bird and can’t give her all the friendship and interaction that another bird would be able to provide.
14. What other hobbies do you have?
It’s both work and a hobby, but I read a lot and write professionally. I’m also learning to knit – it’s important to learn new skills and, for my work, important for me to learn how to be a beginner at something all over again.
15. Anything else you would like to share?
Thank you for making me mayor of the avenue! This community has been a wonderful source of information, advice and support, and I’m a better companion to Leia because of you.
