It's True-Nature Abhors a Vacuum

I have been sadly missing our sweet Magoo....but must admit the budgies are getting along better, cage maintenance is WORLDS easier...

However, as our gentle readers know, it has been said that Nature Abhors a Vacuum. And now we have further evidence that this is true.

Today, when enjoying the budgies outside on the front porch of our LBB (little blue bungalow), J noted that underneath the netting around the cage, there was a budgie. J said "how did one of budgies get out?" He looked more closely, and realized, none of the budgies were out: a NEW budgie had crawled in toward the cage, trying to get food! A lost budgie! An escapee budgie!

So we only just gave away our beloved baby Magoo-only to have this budgie arrive. J believes he is male; but I am not sure--I think it is very hard to tell sometimes, and this may be young budgie. S/he (we'll just say "he" in the future for convenience) is a wild-type (green) budgie, with darker markings than Boo or Magoo, and a bluish tone in the tail and underbelly. He is missling his tail fetahres...and looks a bit rumpled generally. There is evidence that he has been clipped but is growing back. I'll post an ad on Craig's list and also ask our neighbors, the Clampetsino's, to see if one of their budgies has escaped. I hope so; I really don't want to have to keep him...but, I have named him "Gypsy". Naming him is likely a mistake.

Magoo Update

Magoo is a very wonderful bird.  He is energetic, playful, and very brave, sometimes even foolhardy.  He has always been like this--after all, his first flight ended in near disaster as many of our gentle readers well recall!  He has no fear of wandering outside of the cage, he is perfectly happy flying back to the cage from a finger--even if he lands on the floor, he will climb right up the cage from any angle and get right back in.  He has found his role in the flock, and he is no longer courting Mary ann nor challenging Sutcliffe, but he is by no means subdued.  He is tame but "bratty", he likes being the "decider" about what he is going to do, and finger sitting isn't always on his agenda!  He was the first to play with the bell toy, while the others observed the toy with distrust for several more days.  How much of this is his being young? How much is just testosterone? How much is Magoo's special unique personality independent of these other factors (I am convinced that personality diversity is just one more genetic trait that promotes survival of the flock).  While it was stressful and not easy to organize, it really is nice to have Magoo in the flock, as he is clearly very happy and integrated well.

Singers and Song Preferences

A person I once knew said to me that bird songs are not actually expressions of joy, but expressions of stress (he was really sort of a negative person anyway, in retrospect).  I told him that I didn't think that could be true, because the bird's glee is so clear in their songs.  I now also realize that when stressed out (by having the cage cleaned, or when Nikko the cat was nearby during the budgies trip through KY), the budgies are very, very quiet.   However, in addition to being complex beings when it comes to food or perch choices, as noted in the prior post, budgie vocalization choices are also more complex than simply expressing either "joy" (or stress).   Budgies have at least the following repertoire of song types:

• Singing for singing's sake ("Grooming song"):  This consists of rather long, varied songs, usually executed by the males (Sutcliffe or Magoo) or less often, Boo, and least often, if ever, by Mary ann.  When one of the birds is singing in this way, the three other birds tend to groom.
• Chirping to mate/flock: This vocalization is a loud "chHHIIIRRRPPP! chhuuuirrPPPPP" which is executed when any gender of budgie is separated from the cage/flock.  When Sutcliffe or Mary ann are the isolated budgie and one of them makes this sound, their mate replies in kind.  However, this reply may or may not happen if one of the other budgies is in the isolated circumstance (brought away from the cage and into a different room).  The non-mated budgies are also less likely to make this noise when in isolation.
• Singing after trying new food: This is largely Sutcliffe's realm.
• Singing along to the radio or when one of us is on the phone: All participate.  the favorite songs are Toby Keith songs.  They seem to like K's calls to Oma.
• Greeting the day and the night: Budgies (all) sing with vigor, varied songs, all at once, first thing in the morning and when the sun goes down (or the lights in the house are dimmed as we all wind down).  It is a joyous sound!

Prepare to Be Surrounded by a Large Flock of Budgies!

I must say I am one suddenly of the biggest fans of the Atlanta Zoo, and certainly the biggest fan who has never been there.

MG sent me this news item, about a planned budgie aviary at the Atlanta Zoo, and I think that the concept is brilliant!

This links two of the listed three favorites things of budgies together in a zoo exhibit: those three favorites being: The Flock, Millet Seed, and the highest Perch. However, I am changing my mind re: the importance of the third item (more on that to follow in future posts).

This aviary will allow people to go in and hold out a seed stick. The budgies will be free to land on people and eat the seed sticks. The budgies will be free to fly around and do what they want generally, as the cage will be completely open.

I really love this idea and think that whoever thought of this really understands budgies, and how to get some of the things that are truly wonderful about budgies included in the zoo exhibit! I just wish I could be a part of the planning, execution, and scientific observation teams doing this great project. I will have to settle for being a mere zoo visitor..which isn't a bad option at all either considering how fun this aviary will be!

(note: above image was downloaded from Parrots in the Land of Oz website, this site and PBS special are highly recommended!)

Magoo Has Returned

Magoo has been unadopted as a Ringo by the adoptive family.  Our lease only allows for two birds, but we have now snuck in not only Boo (from the beginning) but now, Magoo. J. fetched Magoo in the ice and snow in Maryland and drove with him for two days from MD to TX.  He did very well in his little carrier, other than when once he got a bit cold going from the car to the motel.  Unfortunately J wasn't comfortable taking him right through the lobby, so he ended up staying in a less then pleasant, in fact, rather old holiday inn.  They both survived.  Upon arrival Magoo was placed in the very large cage  with his dad.  They did great!  Magoo did everything that a budgie does in a very short time.  He ate, he hopped and drank from the water bottle, he chewed on a stick, he rubbed his head on a stick...ahhh.  He was  a very happy budgie.  When Mary ann was added, he did ok (a day later).  Yet, the third day, Boo was added.  Magoo got really stressed.  He was shaking rapidly, with quivering wings, at high frequency, low amplitude.  Poor Magoo!  We removed Boo, and Magoo did well.  After  another day, we re-added Boo and all did well.  At this point, the pecking order seems to be Mary ann at the top (as always), then Boo=Magoo, and at the bottom, it appears, is Sutcliffe.  Though really, Boo is mean to everyone, but Mary ann trumps her.  Magoo is only mean to Boo and Sutcliffe.  And Mary Ann is generally mean, but she tolerates Sutcliffe the most.  So it is a bit circular.  So the cliche that applies may not be "pecking order" but "round robin".

Sutcliffe-Continued Discussion

Dear all; while I know you can read the comments, I wanted to highlight this one posted today re: Sutcliffe's feeding behavior:

nacly dog said...

this is acting as the flock leader.  He checks out possibly tainted food, takes the first risk then guards the rest from possible predators.  this behavior is consistent with dimporhism and a social hierarchy.  I've seen flocks of geese show the same behavior.  Sutcliffe would be a good leader for a small feral flock".

This is fascinating.  I don't know much about geese, but remember their social structure being discussed in the book about King Arthur, "The Sword and the Stone" which I read as a young person.  King Arthur spent time with many animals and learned their social behavior.  The geese were very important to teaching King Arthur how to lead compassionately.

I am so proud of Sutcliffe!  He came from a budgie bin, where he really had no upbringing or opportunity at all, and he has become tame, socialized,  the pater familias who saved the life of his beloved child (Magoo), and a true flock leader.  

Thanks naclydog for these insights!

The Baby Can Now Stand on Perch

Yesterday, when we handled the baby, he was able to hold onto a finger with one foot, or another, but not with both, and could not stand. We placed him in the bottom of the cage, and Stucliffe, herded him and showed him the way back up towards the nest box, but we gave him his final shove back into it. When we go to get him out, he scurries out the front of the box! Today, he was much more skillful, and stood well on a finger. He also has become a good flyer, literally, overnight. This baby is really a prodigy! He is not too tame, though, at least not yet. Today, we put all three cages (1. the nuclear family of Sutcliffe, Mary Ann, baby, 2. Boo 3. Mia) in the same room. There was much flock-related excitement from all. Our ultimate goal: one communal cage (For heaven's sake, this multi-cage cleaning and feeding is making us bonkers). The baby, who was OUTSIDE the box on his own volition this morning, spent the rest of the day in the box after the arrival of Boo and Mia in their respective cages. Mary ann is being quite snarky to Sutcliffe. Its not clear if she is just reverting back to her old self, now that the baby is older, or if having the flock around stressed her out. As experience with Lola showed, Sutcliffe does have a wandering eye (hence, his nickname, "Slutcliffe").

Thanks to all who have voted, DON'T FORGET TO VOTE!!!! It seems that the problem with voting twice has been solved, and votes will only be noted once. Or, at least once per computer.

Note: If you check results, it looks like "Lovey" is winning, but, that is only because I don't know how to resolve the minor glitch that, every time you click "check results", a vote goes to Lovey, even though, Lovey no longer appears as a choice. Free widget poll, what can I say?

We were pleased to see Legal Aid's comment, re: letting the Baby Bird pick its own name. However, it isn't clear to us how to organize that. thoughts?

Tuesday is Boo's Day

I have decided that it would be fun to make every (or at least Most) Tuesday's a "Boo's Day". The reasons are several:
1. Most of the blog focuses on eggs, but, Boo is also very interesting.
2. Boo is my adored favorite. (is that wrong?)
3. You gotta love him, he's the baby! (We'll see what happens when the next brood comes along though, lol!)
He is now in his own cage, and happy again, with Mia in a new cage by herself. She caused him to lose weight (a whole 2 grams, and he only weighs 32 grams!). She also stressed him out so badly that he went into a massive molt. But this morning, one week or so after Mia's removal, he was singing to his hearts content. She was eating some dill weed that I put in her cage, contentedly it seemed, though did I imagine it, or was she also doing it a bit grumpily?