Bird Brain

Sometimes calling someone a birdbrain is a misnomer. The slang term usually refers to someone stupid. When applied to the REAL bird brain in our house – Baby, the African Grey Parrot – nothing could be further from the truth. Her little gray cells are in continual action, and she can be one determined little creature.

Today we’re waging a battle of wits. I hate to say I’m losing to a bird, but I must face up to the facts. She’s winning.

I want her to stay on or in her cage. She wants to get down and go walkabout. I tell her she ought to be thankful she gets down periodically and during the day is allowed to crawl around on her cage and play gym. “Many little birds,” I tell her, “are imprisoned in their cages 24 hours a day.” She remains unimpressed. She wants to be able to get down and walk around whenever she feels like it.

The biggest problem with her being on the loose is her aspirations to be a Carpenter Bird. A puppy is a many-toothed destructor going about on 4 paws, but a parrot needs only 2 feet and one beak to wreak havoc. Parrots chew. It’s a natural behavior. It’s just what they do, and if you get a parrot you’d better know that going in or you’re in for some unpleasant surprises.

One of her favorite haunts is to slip in the pantry when you open the door.

Unfortunately, parrots have no concept of what’s okay to chew up and what isn’t. The old phone book? A great chew toy and who cares? But the new cupboards? Your best furniture? A hardback book? You may not like it, but they all seem like great chew toys to a parrot.

Granted, she does need to get plenty of exercise, but there is no safe way to allow her down by herself. I have to keep watch on what she’s doing at all times. Sometimes that’s not convenient.

So to keep her on her cage, I’ve put baffles around the legs. I put rolling cardboard tubes on cross bars. I have cloth covering two sides. Every time I block one escape route, she figures out a new way to get down. Jess says she’s like a squirrel, figuring out ways to get to a bird feeder. Whatever you compare her too, she’s smart and persistent.

I come up with ideas to block her pathway down. She comes up with new ideas to get down. No matter what I try, sooner or later, she always comes up with a new path to freedom.

It’s a battle of wits. And the bird appears to be winning.

BWAAA HAAA HAAAA!!!
I'm down and going walkabout again!