Broken Blood Feathers

Yesterday I decided to give Mali and Zaire a bath in the new house we just moved into. It was a very nice day out and that's the best for drying out the birds after bath time. Mali as usual just sat in the bottom of the sink with her eyes closed and seeming to enjoy the warm water running over her back. Zaire was his usual neurotic self, screaming and fighting the water the whole time. Somewhere in the fight, Zaire broke a blood feather off under the skin. I hate it when this happens, and it seems to happen a lot more with him than with Mali. I can't even remember Mali breaking a blood feather ever. I had some hemostats and reached in the hole the broken feather made and tried pulling the rest of the feather out. I couldn't get it, so I decided to leave it alone. Zaire clots up real good with these things. It's not something that usually worries me. Sooooo, moral of the story is, don't freak out at bath time Zaire!

The Outdoor Aviary

It’s important for bird’s to be able to get outside and get some sunshine on their feathers. In the Utah winter it’s so hard to get them into sunlight and I think it affects their moods. I don’t see it so much in Mali the Timneh, but it’s very obvious in Zaire the Congo. He is louder, more defiant, and seems to eat more in the Winter when he doesn’t go outside. During the summer, he seems to calm down and is easier to handle. I think it has something to do with him being able to go outside.

When I start talking about going outside to play, both birds run to their doors to be picked up and not forgotten. Zaire holds his foot high in the air to show me he is ready to step up whenever I’m ready to take him.

A few years back, my boyfriend John built me an incredible powder coated, decorative metal aviary for my birthday. He welded the whole thing together and themed each of the panels with his decorations. They have decorations depicting each season, night, and day. He even made some perches for the inside of it. The birds love to sit out in it during the warm spring and summer days.

Does the African Grey Understand Our Words?

Mali and Zaire pick up words easily and have since I’ve known them. It seems they only have to hear a word once and if it catches their attention, they will repeat the word. Words said with emphasis and emotion seem to be their favorites. If I want them to repeat a word on cue, I keep small treats on hand next to their cages to reward the word that is spoken immediately. The reward encourages them to repeat the word more. As they repeat the word, I add a cue to it.

One day Zaire said “Hello” when my phone rang and I rewarded the word with a treat. I made my phone make the ringing noise again, and he said “Hello” and was again rewarded. After doing this about ten times, I started to say “Hello Zaire” then make the phone ring, and he would in turn say “Hello” back. Eventually, I stopped making the phone ring, and just said “Hello Zaire,” and he said “Hello” back to me.

The African Grey is very intelligent and in tune with their world around them. Mali and Zaire watch everything I do and have learned the context of my actions. I’m not exactly sure if they have learned cues or if they really understand what I am doing, but I have made some significant observations about the speech they use throughout the day.

Everyday when I get ready to go to work, I tell them that I have to get ready to go. Mali will repeat, “Ready to go.” I no longer have to say anything about getting ready to go for Mali to say “Ready to go.” All I have to do is start putting on my clothes and/or shoes and Mali will make the observation. She throws other words in like “Bye” and “See you later.” All of these words I have used in passing, but never rewarded. Because the words haven’t been rewarded, I feel that the birds are talking in context and learning a language as a small child would.

It is a beautiful spring day out in Utah today. Mali and Zaire just stepped out for some time in the outdoor aviary.