They're *always* listening.... but are we?

[Inara]

Many here who know HRH Inara know that she has a great penchant for talking English, and some have said that they wished their less talkative greybies would talk more. It got me thinking that HRH also talks in her own "foreign to me" language.

 

She listens and listens, and so I try my best to return the favor. Over the past three years together I have come to know the meaning of many of her sounds even though to a stranger they would just seem like ... well *sounds,* but she is actually talking in her own Timneh language that is quite clear.

 

Here are a few examples:

 

--- a machine gun like burst of sharp staccato sounds means, "message received." for example when she sends out a flock call and one of us answers, she answers back with that.

--- a clunking sound means set down your coffee cup or glass

--- a woo0oo sound with excitement means I'm a party of one and the party is about to happen on one of my toys!

--- a high pitched squeaking sound means time to load the dishwasher (it is the sound of the squeaky dishwasher rack being pulled out only as a scrillion decibles!)

--- the first note of "Over the Rainbow" coupled with a squeaking floorboard means goodnight as I go to bed. (she does the 1st note and the squeak of my bedroom floorboard, I do the 2nd note, then she does the "message received" sound) Over the Rainbow is "my" tune that she uses to call me and If I Only Had a Brain is Joe's tune that she uses for him.

--- a laser-like sound means back off I don't know you!

--- a beak grinding means happy as a clam

--- a whoosh whooshing sound means get ready for a storm

--- a lipsmacking sound means whatever you are eating looks pretty damned good to me and I'd like some

--- a phone call ending boop sound means wrap up whatever you are doing and pay attention to me or you will get the pterodactyl sound next buddy

--- a weird assortment of loud R2D2 like noises when I am in another room means Hey! the timer in the kitchen is going off and why aren't you doing something?!

--- ticklewhew means blow softly on my feathers

--- a crackling sound means bring me a walnut (it's the sound of me cracking open a walnut shell)

--- a sharp yip like a puppy bark means you've startled me!

--- last but certainly not least while all the above sounds are her very own, I taught her from the first week she was with us a teeew-teew (think pew pew like little kid firing a fake gun sound) to mean D A N G E R. I would couple it with the word danger, and it did not take her long to figure out that that sound meant stay away from whatever it is (for example windows/flying into them) once she put together what danger meant all I have to do is make that sound if she is approaching somethat that I want her to stay away from and she will turn and go in a different direction. She will use it herself when she thinks something looks dangerous or doing something might be dangerous. Example if we are doing fly time and I move one of the perches way far away, she will give the danger sound until I move it to a distance that she feels good about. Or if the flight path is close to a lamp or other object. It's very cool.

 

I am sure that there are many other sounds that she uses that I just have not decoded yet.

 

As tuned in as everyone else here is also to our fids, I'm wondering what sounds that you've recognized in your fids' as unique to them and meaningful to you both? Tell all !

 

Inara's Hoomin

[murfchck]

There is one that stands out for us, it sounds like a cockatoo, or 3, screaming. Decoded it means, hey come talk to us! Haha!

 

My guys have so many that are each their own but my favorite for real is Bongo. He will start the Andy Griffith song and then when i join in he will stop and start making the finger snapping to the beat. It means he is happy and wants to interact! Coming from my statue, that means a whole lot to me!

[birdhouse]

Phenix didn't talk human for a couple of years. It actually never occurred to me that an adult wild caught grey ever would. But given the circumstances, I was hyper dialed in to him. So I realized pretty early on that he made situationally appropriate sounds. Like he started swallowing when he got hooked on drinking from my cup & expected me to share. There'd be spoon tapping whenever I went toward the kitchen & a certain fid was hungry, etc.

 

But what actually blows me away the most is Charm & the dogs. Because Charm barely says an intelligible "hello" & that's her entire human vocabulary. Except she does have the best laugh! But anyway, she's always been able to call each dog individually from across the house & have them sit to wait for her to give them a treat. She doesn't communicate w/them in any human language. But she trains them up & orders them around w/no problem at all. I just think that's amazing.

[Charlies Dad]

This is so funny to read...I think my little guy and I also have our own secret language comprised of special clicks and clucks. I need to be more attentive like you...the only think I notices is he makes the door swinging noise whenever a car pulls up in the driveway because he knows someone is coming through that door any second...

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

LOL! Sophie has certain clucks of approval, clucks of disaproval ! I know all her clucks. When she truly approves of something, I get an awwwwww. My rescued sunconure, who has passed from old age, would break into babble, look at Sophie on one side, Kiki on the other side who both sandwiched him in the middle of his rope and his cage. It was easy to tell that he needed some "space" from the girls! LOL! I of course removed the girls, but Sunny was thrilled that they both loved him secretly, never attacked them and I always found him snuggled up to someone. He and Kiki were obviously a pair in the end. ( nothing like having a boyfriend that goes up to your knees!). Nancy

[Inara]

There is one that stands out for us, it sounds like a cockatoo, or 3, screaming. Decoded it means, hey come talk to us! Haha! My guys have so many that are each their own but my favorite for real is Bongo. He will start the Andy Griffith song and then when i join in he will stop and start making the finger snapping to the beat. It means he is happy and wants to interact! Coming from my statue, that means a whole lot to me!

 

'too funny!!! hahaha Awwww... sweet Bongo. Bet your heart just melts when he starts that whistle! Love it that you know that he's calling you to come play!

 

Phenix didn't talk human for a couple of years. It actually never occurred to me that an adult wild caught grey ever would. But given the circumstances, I was hyper dialed in to him. So I realized pretty early on that he made situationally appropriate sounds. Like he started swallowing when he got hooked on drinking from my cup & expected me to share. There'd be spoon tapping whenever I went toward the kitchen & a certain fid was hungry, etc.

 

A very sweet example of how our fids don't have to speak human to communicate with us if we listen and tune in.

 

But what actually blows me away the most is Charm & the dogs. Because Charm barely says an intelligible "hello" & that's her entire human vocabulary. Except she does have the best laugh! But anyway, she's always been able to call each dog individually from across the house & have them sit to wait for her to give them a treat. She doesn't communicate w/them in any human language. But she trains them up & orders them around w/no problem at all. I just think that's amazing.

 

Wow!! I honestly don't know many humans (other than sheepherders) who can call individual dogs w/out using each dog's name. Amazing is right!! Charm is absolutely brilliant! And why do I have visions of her thinking of them as her minions......

 

This is so funny to read...I think my little guy and I also have our own secret language comprised of special clicks and clucks. I need to be more attentive like you...the only think I notices is he makes the door swinging noise whenever a car pulls up in the driveway because he knows someone is coming through that door any second...

 

Outstanding! Charlie is already wanting to communicate with you. Now is definitely the time to mimic what sounds he gives to you so that he knows you have heard him. When he does the door noise, you might want to then say something to him (always the same thing) like, "The door! You are right! Someone is here and will come in the door!" Then when they leave say "Going out the door." As you are going about your day, talk with him and describe what you are doing in simple terms - like "I'm going to the kitchen to get water." Or "I am exercising!" or "Good morning," whatever. Name objects and foods that you give to him. He will listen listen as a young child listens and learns. He may or may not grow up to be a talker but he will definitely communicate if he knows that you pay attention when he has something to share with you, in his own time and his own way. It is very cool no matter what "language" they use!

[neoow]

Alfie knows when my housemate or I are coming home. He sees the car pull up and hears us getting to the front door. That's when he starts saying "hello!" as a cheerful greeting. He'll do the same when he hears my housemate coming down the stairs into the lounge. Or when we go to open the door to someone.

 

Whenever I show him new things, I try and sound excited about them. I show them to him, tell him about them and go "ooo!" So now whenever he's not sure about an object, he says "ooo!" in exactly the same way. I'm therefore a bit more mindful if I'm taking it near him (like the washing basket- he's very unsure about the washing basket!)

 

I can't think of any others at the moment. The only other thing he does is wait 'til my housemate is passing the cage and make the biggest loudest squeak he can. He occasionally does it to me too. And as he's at ear level it goes right through you and is hard to ignore.

[Inara]

Nancy, Sophie says more with just a twitch of her feathers than most humans. I love hearing about her and I think it is the sweetest thing ever that she has her favorite bedtime books.

 

Neoow, Alfie is such a love. It has to feel great to come home after a long day to someone who makes it known that he is happy to see you. OY those loud squeaks close up...they can make a human's ears ring, that little stinker!

[Elvenking]

I very much identify with the language you speak of. Issac talks to me with sounds. I know what they all mean and teach others. He has a few things he says...but the real meaning is in Isaac's sounds. He makes the same sound when he is nervous around people, I can tell from out of the room if something has startled him by a sound he makes. I can tell when he is excited and playful. Right now he is howling, "Littaaahh bbooooooyeeeee.....out!" which is pretty clear what he wants there. He's asking me to cook something when he makes the microwave sound. He says "graaahhhwwoooll" when he is thinking about my daughter. Things like that. We also do challenge\response calls...he makes a sound and I do another in response. Lots of those. Great topic!

 

Me and him are super tight. We'll never be apart if I can help it.

[birdhouse]

Wow!! I honestly don't know many humans (other than sheepherders) who can call individual dogs w/out using each dog's name. Amazing is right!! Charm is absolutely brilliant! And why do I have visions of her thinking of them as her minions......

 

lol Surprisingly, no. Charm is an enigma in a lot of ways. And I have to say that one of them is that she doesn't generally seem to think of anyone as her minion ...for the most part. She is after all a parrot. It is gene encoded so occasionally it's just inevitable, I guess.

 

But I think of her as more the bratty little sister who's much too adorable for her own good. We all know she delights in making mischief. But she still manages to get away w/pretty much everything.

 

Which is how she got her name. There are very few who can resist her charms.

[Inara]

I very much identify with the language you speak of. Issac talks to me with sounds. I know what they all mean and teach others. ...................... We also do challenge\response calls...he makes a sound and I do another in response. Lots of those. Great topic!

 

Me and him are super tight. We'll never be apart if I can help it.

 

It doesn't surprise me at all that you understand Isaac's language, you two are so attuned to one another. HRH Inara and I like to play call and response too. It is so fun, although it seems to always escalate to a point where she throws a super complicated one at me that there is no way I can do!! You and Isaac are best pals for life and I can't ever imagine you two apart. Isaac has stolen my heart through your stories of that wonderful fellow.

 

 

lol Surprisingly, no. Charm is an enigma in a lot of ways. And I have to say that one of them is that she doesn't generally seem to think of anyone as her minion ...for the most part. She is after all a parrot. It is gene encoded so occasionally it's just inevitable, I guess.

 

But I think of her as more the bratty little sister who's much too adorable for her own good. We all know she delights in making mischief. But she still manages to get away w/pretty much everything.

 

Which is how she got her name. There are very few who can resist her charms.

 

This just made me smile. I actually have a very charming bratty little sister whom I adore! So you have given me the perfect picture of Charm. Now whenever I hear about her, will picture my sis! LOL