Not really new but haven't been around much

[crossfit]

Hi Friends,

 

I haven't been around much and thought I would pop in to say hello and give you an update on my baby Hawkins. He is now ten months old, almost 11 months (will be a year on Jan 7). He is quite the talker and has a really great sense of humor. I don't think he has come into his own voice just yet as he still sounds gravelly most of the time he talks but as he is a CAG, he is talking a bit early anyway.

 

Some of the things he has said:

 

"Dork, Dork, Are you a Dork" (dork is used much the same as the word "silly" in my family - its affectionate, not insulting)

 

Sabre, Sabre, Come, Come (Sabre is the mastiff)

Sabrina (Sabrina is the pomeranian - he doesn't seem to want her to come, just says her name)

 

Hi

Hello

Hello Little Buddy

Hi Little Buddy

Hello Hawkins

 

Bird

Bird's the word

I'm a good bird

Are you a bird? (currently we are trying to teach him to say "no, I am a pterodactyl" in response to "Are you a bird" but he only asks us the question back.)

 

Sam (Sam is my human son)

 

Parrot

good parrot

I'm a parrot

Dead Parrot (he actually said that to someone who was saying "pretty bird, say pretty bird".

 

Bless you (plus the sound of sneezing - learned these when I had a cold)

 

He also whistles the close encounters theme song, the addams family theme song, repeats all the various drawer and door squeaks in the house, also the microwave beep, my laugh, Sabrina's bark with variants,...

 

There is more but I can't remember them all right now.

 

In addition, he is quite the gymnast. He loves to hang upside down from anything and especially if he can get the thing he is hanging from swinging. He is lately trying to figure out how to bring large dropped foot toys up from the bottom of the cage to the perch he prefers to play with them on.

 

He has decided he no longer likes his harness so we have begun to reintroduce it slowly. I may end up buying a second one in a different color and see if that helps. This seems to have started after a day at the park when a Hawk flew over while he was on the harness.

 

He still loves to go to the park with me when safely in his backpack and he talks to all the children. We go once a week to a homeschooling park day and everyone knows him. He has lots of conversations with people of all ages there.

 

He is currently molting a lot but I expected that around now. He has all his lovely adult tail feathers in now.

 

I can't think of much else at the moment. I am also doing well. Hawkins has been a wonderful addition to my family and I love to talk with him and play with him. Have a great thanksgiving those of you on the same side of the pond as I am and great holidays to everyone.

[Luvparrots]

What a great update on Hawkins and you and yours. Hope you find more time to spend with us, you are missed. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!

[Georgiesmum]

What a really clever boy!! You are very lucky

[crossfit]

Oh, thought of some more of his words:

 

"I love you" and "NO" as well as a kissing sound that sounds like when I make kissing noises at him.

 

He is a really clever boy. I think African Greys are just amazing. From what I have read, the corvid family (crows) are also this smart just not in terms of language. I wouldn't want to own a crow though! These guys have really made me rethink the concept that humans are the smartest simply because we have the largest brains. There is clearly other things involved in thinking than just the size of the brain or even the size of the frontal cortex. Sometimes it makes me wish I had time and money to go back to school and study this more deeply. On the other hand, learning directly from Hawkins and from the rest of the birds I know (both in person and online) really is plenty to ponder for the rest of my life. (those of you who remember me, know I love to ponder and think - it even got me in trouble here before! lol)

[chezron]

Your grey does sound amazing! Check out this very interesting article on bird brain structure and function- http://www.dana.org/news/cerebrum/detail.aspx?id=798