So You Think You Can Dance

Parrots never have a shortage of confidence. They are born fully stocked. And every experience just adds to the stockpile. Let’s say, for instance, that one avian learns to dance. Two assumptions immediately occur: 1) That avian assumes they are a great dancer. 2) That avian assumes they are a great dance teacher. Because itContinueContinue reading “So You Think You Can Dance”

Death to Strawberries

I wouldn’t want to be a strawberry around my avian. I’d be okay being the round red part, because then I could fly under the radar. But woe to anyone who awakes and discovers that they are the dark green strawberry top, which is clearly a gustatory sensation in a cockatiel’s world. As well, whenContinueContinue reading “Death to Strawberries”

TWD (Total Waffle Destruction)

I will admit it. I like Ultimate Fighting. I find it fascinating that so many of the fighters have stories to share about how one mentor who believed in them changed their life. Equally fascinating is how most of the folks who come out talking trash about their opponent are the ones who end upContinueContinue reading “TWD (Total Waffle Destruction)”

The Great Waffle Descent

(This post is for two of Pearl’s greatest fans, Erin Ferguson Young and Jason Young.) The question on the table today is – just how excited DOES Pearl get when I toast up his daily waffle? Even if you discount the very reliable preset daily alarm (approximately 30 minutes of shrieking at escalating volume toContinueContinue reading “The Great Waffle Descent”

Subtlety is Overrated

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”

Mutual (Self) Admiration Society

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”