Air Horn Noise?!

[Birdman666]

Something triggered a memory of my Female Foster Vos Eckie... (I was told it was a Vos. I can't say that I really know the difference. She was a big one.)

Anyway, this bird used to do a perfect immitation of an Airhorn. (Particularly when she wanted something and didn't get it, or wanted to be picked up, and you didn't do it.)

Someone told me it was a natural noise they all made. Someone else told me that this bird had been exposed to an air horn (like during startle training) and had picked up the noise...

I don't recall ever hearing another Eckie do an air horn noise.

Anyone else have an Eckie that makes an air horn noise?!

 

[Anansi]

Mine definitely don't. Their natural flock call is more of a pterodactyl type call. Lol! So I'd be inclined to believe that your foster was indeed exposed to an air horn.

There was another ekky in the bird store where I got Bixby (a boarder, not for sale) who perfectly mimicked both the alert beep of a microwave and the piercing sound of a car alarm. The latter was less than pleasant to listen to and lost its novelty after maybe the second or third time. Lol!

But yes, ekkies are excellent mimics.

 

[Birdman666]

That's what I thought...

I think someone startle trained this bird using an actual air horn!

She was a funny, funny bird, and used the air horn ability to great comedic effect whenever she wanted something.

All of my zons and my CAG can do the microwave beep, the smoke alarm, and the doorbell. Tusk, of course, does them best...

 

[Anansi]

Neither of my ekkies has taken to mimicking inhuman sounds as of yet. Both have picked up on my wife's laughter. Bixby says "ow", which he learned from my sons who play hard and often find reason to make such an utterance, and Maya very much enjoys whistling. (I'm currently trying to teach her that "mockingjay" whistle from Hunger Games.)

Other than those sounds they also mimic a few words, but no household appliances.

 

[Pinkbirdy]

Mine do[but their rehomes]. I don't know if that makes a difference. One was a breeder and the other wasn't liked well by the other owners. We call them the "Bullhorn Brothers " and OMG !! their the loudest in the house. Their pretty good now they don't like any stress.

 

[Birdman666]

Bullhorn brothers! Hah, that's funny...

So you know what I'm talking about, and the airhorn noise is a natural vocalization?

I'd walk by mine, and she'd want to be picked up and do that noise - point blank range... to voice her displeasure. And anytime she begged for food, and wasn't getting it fast enough...

Is it just a VOS eckie thing?

 

[Pinkbirdy]

Might be

 

[drlisaort]

Oliver does not make a foghorn sound but boy oh boy does he make a high shrill scream when my husband and I are trying to talk to each other. He also picked up the ring tone of the housekeeper and it's quite annoying too...but both make me laugh...which encourages more of the same. :20:

 

[Scott]

My female Vos Eclectus, Angel makes a distinct foghorn sound! It is entirely a single pitch without variation.

It's a spontaneous honk that seems unrelated to any stimulus or emotional state. Lasts for about 2 seconds or so, and occurs roughly 2 to 3 times per day. Interestingly, she used to talk rather well but hasn't for years. FYI she's 24 years old and had her weaning completed by my mom direct from a trusted breeder. Angel is unfortunately a one-person bird (loves me) and has little tolerance for other parrots except for a very sweet and tame Goffin.

 

[camo]

Hi all,

Pebbles (our newly adopted, said to be 3 year old female eclectus) has been settling in, and I have tried unsuccessfully to record some of her vocals.

Gizmo (our male eclectus, 1 1/2 year old) does not make any vocals other than a shriek on rare occasions, but he loves to get talking, and when he does, Pebbles tends to join in, but in her own language (she has not spoken a word yet, so I don't think she had anyone spend significant time with her).

One of the more interesting noises she makes is what I can only describe as a toy gun firing (imagine a toy laser gun). We were certain this was a learned sound, until last week, when we visited the Australian Reptile Park, and spent some time at the Eclectus enclosure. To our surprise, two of the females began making the exact same sound, so I now believe this is a natural sound for them.

She has not made an Air Horn Noise yet, and to be honest hopefully she never will.

I need to get the phone out and try to record some of the sounds, I would love to know if others have heard them.

Cheers,

Camo