danmcq

Mmmmm, I am certain your grey loved them. Looking for those photos.

Unfortunately, this happens a higher percentage of the time, than a "Bird Aware" person that understands the love the owner has for their bird and exhaust's all avenues of finding the heart broken owner.

Your spot on. Their emotions and reactions to them are as complex as a humans. I have the same relationship with Dayo. When it is just me in the house, He wants scratches and time with me. The minute my wife walks in the door or gets up in the morning, it's all about her and frets over where she is at all times if he is not perched on her shoulder or sitting on her lap.

Great stories of your flocks cognitive abilities Robin. Thanks for sharing these!

Leave the feather alone. Birds are the masters of the universe in feather maintenance and she will deal with it. No need for the drama of taking her to a vet or trying to fix it yourself.

My Peach Front Conure Jake was clipped and I mean all primaries clipped short. He is a suspected wild caught bird that I rescued from a guy that was keeping tons of parrots in his back yard from conures to macaws in size. Anyway, with Jakes wings clipped super short, we thought we "knew" he could not fly more than 10 feet before hitting the ground. He once startled while sitting on a perch on our patio, made it about 15 feet out which ended with him landing in the middle of our in ground pool. That poor little Guy was flapping with all his might to get out of that pool, but would barely go 4 feet and about 3 inches above the water and right back in. Fortunately I had my leaf skimming pole right on the patio, grabbed it and scooped him out in about 20 seconds from the time he landed in it. So, I just wanted to qualify my confidence in him not being able to fly by sharing this scary story. We trimmed his wings ourselves, so I know how short they were. We were always very careful about maintaining them and did not rely on a vet or groomer visit schedule. Now, a few weeks later, Jake again was sitting on his perch outside with us. Something (I suspect a Hawk fly-over) startled him and he FLEW to the 6 foot tall fence about 15 feet away and as I watched, it appeared that he tried to land on the top of it but fell to the other side. I ran out of our backyard and into the neighbors yard to retrieve him before a cat or one of their dogs could make a snack of him only to find that Jake was no where to be found. I looked in every nook and cranny of that yard, flower beds, bushes etc.... Nada! So, I thought perhaps he had actually not fell on their side but did fall on our side. Same search of our yard along the fence in flowers and bushes..nada! Now I was truly frantic and puzzled, did he perhaps fall right near a cat or dog and get eaten immediately? My mind was reeling!! Of course my wife was right there frantic as well. We searched and contact called as well, not a peep. I jumped on the forum and posted for help and any ideas, then had my wife watch for posts and update me with ideas. It happened about noon time, middle of summer and the high was going to be 109, I was afraid if he had not been eaten, he would die of heat stroke. We searched and called for him until it was dark...nada!!! The next morning just before daybreak, I was out there again along with my wife searching and calling. After about 20 minutes, I thought I heard a little "Squawk" that conures make. I called some more and heard another and was able to get the direction which was in the general area of a neighbors yard diagonally behind us a few yards. We finally saw this little orange dot on his forehead visible in a pine tree. I went and asked the neighbors (630am) if I could retrieve my bird from their yard. They complied of course and I tried using a PVC pipe about 20 feet long to have him step-up on so I could lower him to mu wife, He tried, then became scared and flew!!! This time he actually flew about 30 feet and went over another houses roof. So we run around the block to the front of that house and NO JAKE any where to be found. Well we started calling him again with no replies. This continued for hours and finally a return call from a hug tree a few doors down the street. he was about 70 feet up in that tree.. He could not fly down and was obviously scared to even try from such a height. I took his cage down there trying to coax him into trying. He did start slowly climb his way down the tree, but nor low enough. He was still about 30 feet up in it. I tried coaxing more and he came down a little more. But, still not close enough. Finally I thought, maybe if I rig up his little play stand about 1 inches tall and with a little ladder and perch on it to the top of a 30 foot long pole I used for cleaning the pole I may be able to get it to him by standing on a ladder. This was an all day event and he finally did step on to the perch and I slowly lowered him to his cage at a gradual angle and he could not wait to scramble in and get a long drink of water and eat tons of food. Now, my point. If he had been fully flighted and used to flying. He would have had the confidence to fly down to his cage the minute he saw it first thing in the morning. This is the huge issues with clipped birds that can and do fly off. They are terrified of the height and have no idea or confidence that they can flap down to you. Any way, I just wanted to share this story of my clipped bird flying away. It is my opinion, even if your bird is clipped, you should not take them outside without a harness or being in a cage.

One thing about Greys (Old world Parrots) only flock togther and avoid all other birds. Amazons, Macaws and conures (New world Parrots) do share common grounds with each other and tolerate co-mingling of vatious species. I have a conure that keeps on trying after 4 years to be "Buddies" with my Grey Dayo, Dayo always chases him off.

Paul, it is the same as losing a birth child. It leaves a hole and pain that will never be filled, but grieving does pass and you do still have the hope that he is out there and will be found someday. We're all feeling for you and hope and pray for you as well.

I hope you are successful at rescuing the poor grey. Jesus, makes you wonder why or how they got this grey to begin with!

Great photos, thanks for sharing this!

Congrats! Look forward to hearing and seeing tons more.

My grey said his first word arond 12 to 14 months old. Same as Ray's, once started, he never stops.... 400+ words and phrases at 4 years old now...

Ray is right. My grey will climb all around his cage due to wanting out. Approaching and offering something through the bars when he wants out is just asking to get a good bite, rather than taking the treat. They are brats and want their way. I guarantee you he is climbing around like a caged tiger that wants out. Their mental age at maximum is that of a 4 year old child ......

No clip my birds wings... they are safer flighted....

I purchased a huge Mazanita tree stand at a bird mart for $135. Bird Marts are normally the best place to purchase items like this for one fourth to half the price you will find them for online. Toys, cages etc. are also a lot more reasonably priced at these as well.

You are missed!!! Stay safe and thanks for what you are doing for our country.

Looking forward to the arrival and photos!

Your spot on Paul! No one can put some preconceived limit on how far a grey or any other bird may fly over time from the point of origin.

Youve receiuved great advice here. Welcome and I look forward to hearing updates and seeing photos of your newly rescued grey.

My little conure traveled 40 miles away where he was found in two weeks time. In the wild, they travel on average 50 miles a day.

Congratulations! Cute baby grey and it seems all is going well in the first day.

It's wonderful to hear she is doing so well and basically back to her old self. I am anxiously waiting for the video. You know how we all love videos of each others greys and it's always a treat to watch them.

The others have given very good comments. First, I wish your father well and hope he recovers from that terrible cancer. The chemo and radiation is a true misery to go through. There is no doubt Stewie knows your father is not well. Greys are very empathic and act according to the mood or health level a person is in. Since you have taken on not only caring for your father, but also taking care of Stewie's cage, food and attention needs, you have become the "Go To" flock member. Those high pitched dinks and loud macaw type calls for you mean he wants your up close and personal attention. I would suggest, perhaps leave him in his cage until you actually have the time to spend one on one time with him. That will stop the destructive wood chewing behavior you are describing due to you not allowing him to do it. They love to chew wood and shred things. The "Forbidden Fruit" that you protect from him is the first place he will go when your out of sight. Greys are notorious for the fake out head scratch and nip. They get big fun out of that and really there is nothing you can do to stop a bird from biting. Some will respond to timeouts in their cage, others will gladly take the cage time for the sheer enjoyment they receive from that bite they delivered. Also, they will bite if you try and get a step-up for example and they have no desire to. You will learn his body language very rapidly and know when to avoid a bite by simply not completely the hand move you were about to do. I look forward to hearing a lot more of your questions as time goes on. It actually sounds like Stewie is thriving under this new living situation.

Happy Hatchday Ana Grey!!!!!

Hi Paul, have you had anymore sightings in the last couple of days? I hope and pray along with all the others following this thread and the facebook threads that you and Murphy are soon reunited.