Category Archives: Pearl

Like any discriminating diner, Pearl enjoys baked goods. Sweet, savory, fluffy, crunchy…..carbohydrates are a growing bird’s best friend. Clearly.

Getting a cockatiel fed is a marvel of timing and logistics. For starters, cockatiels are very smart. They recognize patterns quickly, and they can anticipate what is about to unfold. Eagerly. To compound the challenge, cockatiels are anything but subtle. If they want something, there is no reason to hang back. Either you will giveContinueContinue reading “Subtlety is Overrated”

We’ve already covered mutual admiration (this is a state that most frequently occurs when Pearl encounters another cockatiel, or Grandpa, aka the “Tall Tree”). Appreciating the admiration of others is always in a cockatiel’s repertoire. But my little overachiever takes it one step further. He is perfectly capable of admiring himself when no one elseContinueContinue reading “Mutual (Self) Admiration Society”

I never have had any aspirations of running a day spa. Nor am I likely to ever get paid for my services, though they are much in demand these days. My single, (very) satisfied, (frequent) repeat customer is continually teaching me what I need to learn in order to master the art of avian massage.ContinueContinue reading “The Art of the (Avian) Massage”

“Bird Sense: What It’s Like to be a Bird” by Tim Birkhead is the book I have been waiting for since I was seven years old. I am 42 now. So I only had to wait 35 years to get my question answered. Bonus. Even after reading “Bird Sense”, however, it is still challenging toContinueContinue reading “Bird Sense”

Into every avian life difficult choices sometimes fall. Like, for instance, the choice between editing Mommy’s computer document (Mom clearly needs the help and pecking the computer keys is great fun): And the always all-time favorite waffle:

My little feathered dude’s got moves. I suspect he trained Madonna. But unlike most celebrities, Pearl doesn’t suffer from shyness, stage fright, or any of those other all-too-common potential career-enders. And talk about range. He reminds me of the octopus-headed singer lady from the movie “The Fifth Element”. From subterranean to supersonic, Pearl elevates chirpingContinueContinue reading “Strike a Pose”

Literally. So I am typing away on my laptop, absentmindedly snacking on puffy Cheetos, my fav treat. Suddenly I look up to see….. The daring adventurer checks to make sure his brave foray is duly noted: Scouting the surrounding territory for potential poachers (as any skilled adventurer would do): Looking to the front, to bothContinueContinue reading “Adventures in Cheetos”

If it’s reflective, my avian is going to find it. It doesn’t matter whether it is large or small, rectangular or round, short or tall. The bathroom is a spot of particular interest, since Mom often goes in there to fine tune matters of personal grooming. If Mom finds the things in there useful forContinueContinue reading “Nail (Claw) Polish”

With “The Parrot’s Lament and other true tales of animal intrigue, intelligence and ingenuity”, author Eugene Linden tackles that topic animal researchers, scientists and writers everywhere try to steer clear of: defining animal intelligence without anthropomorphizing (assigning human qualities to) animals. This, as you might imagine, tends to be a toughy. But Linden doesn’t seemContinueContinue reading “The Parrot’s Lament”