Ladies' forum: All about birdies-please post what you love about birds

[Pray_Everyday]

Personally, I really like tropical birds like parrots, especially macaws or some of the more exotic parakeets. Unfortunately the only way I'll ever see them is in captivity, but that's ok.



Edit: Just realized I didn't say what I like about them - I like how they are so colorful, and in the case of macaws, their intelligence. It would be a huge responsibility to own one of the these birds, as they can live up to 70 years.

Around where we live I mostly just see finches, crows, pigeons and the occasional hummingbird, but on a trip to the mountains we saw a woodpecker once and some eagles.

Really beautiful pictures throughout this thread!

 

[christie2]

Personally, I really like tropical birds like parrots, especially macaws or some of the more exotic parakeets. Unfortunately the only way I'll ever see them is in captivity, but that's ok.

View attachment 44494View attachment 44495

Edit: Just realized I didn't say what I like about them - I like how they are so colorful, and in the case of macaws, their intelligence. It would be a huge responsibility to own one of the these birds, as they can live up to 70 years.

Around where we live I mostly just see finches, crows, pigeons and the occasional hummingbird, but on a trip to the mountains we saw a woodpecker once and some eagles.

Really beautiful pictures throughout this thread!

oh yes, I love these birds too. Their colours are amazing.

I've seen a video somewhere where the guy takes his parrot out for a 'walk'. The parrot flies from tree to tree above the sidewalks as he bikes along the road. Every so often the parrot returns to his shoulder.

Owning a macaw would be quite the commitment of 70 years, you're right.

I like your pictures too!

 

[Jessie]

I love cardinals so much. They were the only bright spot in the winter when we lived in the Midwest. They were so pretty against the snow. We saw one being attacked by a hawk and it was very sad.

I also love cat birds. When my daughter was younger she always wanted to go bird watching for her birthday, and that’s when we discovered them. They meowed like cats and we literally couldn’t tell the sounds apart.

 

[christie2]

I love cardinals so much. They were the only bright spot in the winter when we lived in the Midwest. They were so pretty against the snow. We saw one being attacked by a hawk and it was very sad.

I also love cat birds. When my daughter was younger she always wanted to go bird watching for her birthday, and that’s when we discovered them. They meowed like cats and we literally couldn’t tell the sounds apart.

In this video they recorded the catbird mimicing several birds and even a chorus frog! I'll listen to the end to find it mimicing a cat hopefully. No, unfortunately, not in this video.

I believe you when you write it sounded just like a cat. This bird's mimicing skills are very good.

It is always sad when you see your best bird get taken or hunted, its shocking.
Its too bad that cardinal was attacked.

 

[Pray_Everyday]

I've seen a video somewhere where the guy takes his parrot out for a 'walk'. The parrot flies from tree to tree above the sidewalks as he bikes along the road. Every so often the parrot returns to his shoulder.

How fun!

One time when I was hiking there was a man with a parrot on his shoulder. And at a farmer's market I used to go to there was a guy that would bring his parrot on his shoulder and the vendors would offer the parrot fruit to eat.

Owning a macaw would be quite the commitment of 70 years, you're right.

My husband and I were this close to getting a parrot back before we were able to have children. It was not a macaw but one with a lifespan of 30 years. Still quite a commitment so it worked out for the best that we didn't get the parrot. Once our children are grown, or at least teenagers, we may consider one, but not a macaw because by then it would likely outlive us - unless one of our children were genuinely interested in taking care of it once we're gone, I suppose...

Edit: I just realized another reason why it's good that we didn't go ahead and get a parrot in the past: this is embarrassing to admit, but before having kids and me becoming a Christian we both used to have a bad language problem, and it would have been really sad if the bird would have learned to repeat things like that.

I like your pictures too!

Thank you.

 

[Max Roscoe]

I'm curious if any of you can identify birds by their calls.
My mother asked me this question and I'm sad to say outside of a couple of species, I cannot.
Partly because birds often have many different calls.
I have a bird app I sometimes use for attracting birds to my feeders.
As an example, it has 6 different calls for the American Robin (probably the most common bird here). I can recognize one of them.
It is something I would like to study and practice.

Off Topic: Someone mentioned being unfamiliar with azaleas. Maybe it's just a southern thing but there are a HUGE deal in the south and it surprised me to hear someone unfamiliar with them.. If you have never seen a yard full of azaleas in bloom, you are missing out. Here's the famous Calloway Gardens:

 

[christie2]

How fun!

One time when I was hiking there was a man with a parrot on his shoulder. And at a farmer's market I used to go to there was a guy that would bring his parrot on his shoulder and the vendors would offer the parrot fruit to eat.


My husband and I were this close to getting a parrot back before we were able to have children. It was not a macaw but one with a lifespan of 30 years. Still quite a commitment so it worked out for the best that we didn't get the parrot. Once our children are grown, or at least teenagers, we may consider one, but not a macaw because by then it would likely outlive us - unless one of our children were genuinely interested in taking care of it once we're gone, I suppose...

Edit: I just realized another reason why it's good that we didn't go ahead and get a parrot in the past: this is embarrassing to admit, but before having kids and me becoming a Christian we both used to have a bad language problem, and it would have been really sad if the bird would have learned to repeat things like that.

Thank you.

That's accountable thinking, that you would not have wanted the bird to repeat your cursing in the past.

 

[christie2]

I'm curious if any of you can identify birds by their calls.
My mother asked me this question and I'm sad to say outside of a couple of species, I cannot.
Partly because birds often have many different calls.
I have a bird app I sometimes use for attracting birds to my feeders.
As an example, it has 6 different calls for the American Robin (probably the most common bird here). I can recognize one of them.
It is something I would like to study and practice.

Off Topic: Someone mentioned being unfamiliar with azaleas. Maybe it's just a southern thing but there are a HUGE deal in the south and it surprised me to hear someone unfamiliar with them.. If you have never seen a yard full of azaleas in bloom, you are missing out. Here's the famous Calloway Gardens:

oh isn't that nice, what a plush and luxurious looking image.



I have never seen flowers amongst tree trunks like this.

Its like standing at the edge of a tree room watching ladies with multicolour dresses chat.

I've only seen sparse wildflowers in the woods or a stand of trees.
These azaleas look like flower bushes. There is a flower here that looks more bushlike. Its called prairie rose.

That's cool you have begun to study the bird calls. That's interesting the app gives you 6 different calls for the American Robin.

When I start a new learning project, I find that whenever you remember is often enough.

One of the bird books I have, has a couple pages with space for writing where you saw that species of bird and other info. I thought that was thoughtful and kind of the author to encourage the reader gently into birding as a hobby.
Its like a mother that inquires if you can identify any of the birds by their call. She's attempting to gently pique your curiosity in this new hobby.

Later this weekend, after viewing new safer apartments with air conditioning, I will write out my bird book titles. I think I only have three. I took them to storage but I will bring them back to have with me and I can share what's in them.
One has a little speaker on the side of the book with buttons to find the number of the page your bird was on. You press it at that number and you can hear one call.

 

[IconWriter]

You can search for birding clubs and groups. Sometimes the local parks have nature walks where they search out the wildlife to identify them.

I enjoy making up names for bird calls. There is one that goes "Tweet o tweet o tweet o TWEET!" Then there is already the classic owl "Who cooks for you?" Our robins sound like laser guns: "Pew! Pew! Pew!" Our woodpeckers do sound like they are laughing. The chickadees here go: "chick a dee dee dee".

 

[PineTreeFarmer]

You can search for birding clubs and groups. Sometimes the local parks have nature walks where they search out the wildlife to identify them.

I enjoy making up names for bird calls. There is one that goes "Tweet o tweet o tweet o TWEET!" Then there is already the classic owl "Who cooks for you?" Our robins sound like laser guns: "Pew! Pew! Pew!" Our woodpeckers do sound like they are laughing. The chickadees here go: "chick a dee dee dee".

I love this so much. Tempted to listen and figure out musical notation.

 

[christie2]

I wonder which ones go tweet o tweet o tweet o TWEET. I sound that out in my mind as I read it, I can hear it. I know its one I associate with tent campground camping.

I cosign the robins going Pew! pew! pew! like lasers. That's a good comparison.

I saw a black capped chickadee when I first went out today, it was soundless. Too bad.

 

[Starlight]

oh yes, please contribute, I'm relieved you both decided to let the hawks be.

It looks like there's some new-to-me birds in your links and I will watch them.

Scrub jays and black phoebes are just darling.
I love them already.

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the bald eagles eating roadkill. I remember pulling over to watch them. First I was shocked they were a carrion eating bird and then I was shocked they were up here....I thought the U.S. had first dibs on them because of the association with the bald eagle in U.S. symbolism in pop culture, somehow, I didn't think they'd cross the border!

We’re down in California and I have to say that the location that we spotted this guy (edit: the bald eagle) must have been one in a million. I looked it up and we were easily 200+ miles south of where their regular habitats are. The bald eagle is such an amazingly striking bird. Huge too! Both of us were dumbfounded when we saw it swoop down in front of the car!

My brother said he has seen a hawk roll a baby deer, trying to hunt it. If you have that many birds of prey your yard, you know you don't have any issues with stray moles or mice!

My brother lives in a metro area, and the hawk in his yard sits atop a little tin carport roof, and hunts mice and rabbits in this little piece of grass he has in the back of his property.

I can't imagine the blue jays fighting back. Or that it would be much more than irritating of just, a deterrent, if the blue jays did?

I don’t know if they’re really “fighting back” but they sure do harass the hawks. I’ve seen them myself, three to four blue jays, swarm and chase one of the hawks back into its tree. And if it tries to fly out they chase it back. There is a juvenile hawk that sits up on a light pole and the blue jays just constantly bug it. It’s interesting because the hawk can’t catch them unless it has the advantage.

I guess I forgot to add what I like about these birds.
Hawks: They’re beautiful creatures. I got to see one up close after one flew into our window and rung its bell. Maybe not as smart as they’re given credit for.
Scrub jays: They sound like morning to me. I guess they’re considered “nuisance” birds but I love them. They’re so smart (apparently their brain to body weight ratio is similar to humans, chimps, and dolphins…) and they are really social, friendly birds. They watch us as much as we watch them. Also, it seems they are really good red shouldered hawk impersonators . The “experts” say it’s hard to tell the difference between the calls. No. It’s very easy. The hawks call is much, *much* louder. We can easily hear it two blocks away. The blue jays (scrub jays) imitation is not anywhere near as loud.
Black Phoebes: They’re very social and not skittish. They have a sweet chirp and seem happy hanging around watching people.

 

[Atlas Shrugged]

I love their personality. Only bird still alive is our African Grey who will probably outlive us. The wild baby bird my dad saved and nursed back to health was beautiful. He was let go once all good to live his life. For a short time it was pretty cool having a wild bird fly around your house and mom having an epic fit. He came back twice and the last time was to show my dad his mate then flew off never to be seen again. That seriously brings a tear to my eye. Birds are awesome.

 

[christie2]

We’re down in California and I have to say that the location that we spotted this guy (edit: the bald eagle) must have been one in a million. I looked it up and we were easily 200+ miles south of where their regular habitats are. The bald eagle is such an amazingly striking bird. Huge too! Both of us were dumbfounded when we saw it swoop down in front of the car!

I don’t know if they’re really “fighting back” but they sure do harass the hawks. I’ve seen them myself, three to four blue jays, swarm and chase one of the hawks back into its tree. And if it tries to fly out they chase it back. There is a juvenile hawk that sits up on a light pole and the blue jays just constantly bug it. It’s interesting because the hawk can’t catch them unless it has the advantage.

I guess I forgot to add what I like about these birds.
Hawks: They’re beautiful creatures. I got to see one up close after one flew into our window and rung its bell. Maybe not as smart as they’re given credit for.
Scrub jays: They sound like morning to me. I guess they’re considered “nuisance” birds but I love them. They’re so smart (apparently their brain to body weight ratio is similar to humans, chimps, and dolphins…) and they are really social, friendly birds. They watch us as much as we watch them. Also, it seems they are really good red shouldered hawk impersonators . The “experts” say it’s hard to tell the difference between the calls. No. It’s very easy. The hawks call is much, *much* louder. We can easily hear it two blocks away. The blue jays (scrub jays) imitation is not anywhere near as loud.
Black Phoebes: They’re very social and not skittish. They have a sweet chirp and seem happy hanging around watching people.

I would like to see these scrub jays and black phoebes, I like the birdies that like us humans.

There was something called a cowbird last summer that would travel along with me in the yard at work, the brewer's blackbirds do the same thing. Flying along with me and sometimes just flying back and forth slowly in front of me. The juvenile nighthawks are not afraid to get close to humans either.
I think bird family members 'tell' each successive generation which local humans they see repetitively, are ok to trust, which humans are kindred and won't harm the variety of yardbirds.

I think birds have facial recognition skills too. I wonder what they're going to do when I work tomorrow in different colour clothing(I had to get more breathable material to work outside in) We'll see if all of them have facial recognition skills.

 

[christie2]

I love their personality. Only bird still alive is our African Grey who will probably outlive us. The wild baby bird my dad saved and nursed back to health was beautiful. He was let go once all good to live his life. For a short time it was pretty cool having a wild bird fly around your house and mom having an epic fit. He came back twice and the last time was to show my dad his mate then flew off never to be seen again. That seriously brings a tear to my eye. Birds are awesome.

An African Grey sounds like he's a type of parrot if you think he will outlive you.
I love birdies' personalities too.

I like thinking about the comfort this wildbird offered your Dad, to reassure him that he was so healed and healthy and grateful to your Dad that he wanted to proudly show off his mate that he found.

This brings a tear to my eye too.

 

[Atlas Shrugged]

An African Grey sounds like he's a type of parrot if you think he will outlive you.
I love birdies' personalities too.

I like thinking about the comfort this wildbird offered your Dad, to reassure him that he was so healed and healthy and grateful to your Dad that he wanted to proudly show off his mate that he found.

This brings a tear to my eye too.

My dad truly cares for all life. He will move a worm off the sidewalk. He was out for his daily walk and saw the bird and egg on the sidewalk. It rolled out of the nest I guess? He didn’t want it to be eaten by a predator. He brought it home and nursed it back to health. Before he was let go my dad would watch Star Trek with him on his shoulder. The bird was a grackle. Hope I spelled it right. Once he was full grown his back feathers were a dark blue/purple. He was still a kid here.

 

[Atlas Shrugged]

An African Grey sounds like he's a type of parrot if you think he will outlive you.
I love birdies' personalities too.

I like thinking about the comfort this wildbird offered your Dad, to reassure him that he was so healed and healthy and grateful to your Dad that he wanted to proudly show off his mate that he found.

This brings a tear to my eye too.

From what I remember they live at least 50 years if not way longer so yeah he will outlive us.

 

[Atlas Shrugged]

An African Grey sounds like he's a type of parrot if you think he will outlive you.
I love birdies' personalities too.

I like thinking about the comfort this wildbird offered your Dad, to reassure him that he was so healed and healthy and grateful to your Dad that he wanted to proudly show off his mate that he found.

This brings a tear to my eye too.

Ok but riddle me this Batman cause there is some confusion here. My dad would feed mice to his snakes. Granted I loved the snakes. They are cool. Beautiful skin. But when you have a house with daughters and granddaughters that love furry things you don’t do that. We put a stop to that and he wasn’t happy about buying frozen dead mice to thaw out. But we fell in love with those cute furry mice. I’d play with them in the kitchen and put ‘em back before mom came home! So my dad will save a worm but feed a mouse to snakes. Don’t get it. Cause I guarantee if he saw a mouse limping he’d try and mend it back to health.

 

[christie2]

My dad truly cares for all life. He will move a worm off the sidewalk. He was out for his daily walk and saw the bird and egg on the sidewalk. It rolled out of the nest I guess? He didn’t want it to be eaten by a predator. He brought it home and nursed it back to health. Before he was let go my dad would watch Star Trek with him on his shoulder. The bird was a grackle. Hope I spelled it right. Once he was full grown his back feathers were a dark blue/purple. He was still a kid here.

What a good little birdie! Thanks for sharing this picture.
I like grackles too, and isn't that neat how birdies like to sit on human's shoulders? Birdies are so companionable and likeable.

 

[Atlas Shrugged]

What a good little birdie! Thanks for sharing this picture. View attachment 44695
I like grackles too, and isn't that neat how birdies like to sit on human's shoulders? Birdies are so companionable and likeable.

This was the big mouth when my dad brought him home.