Are you using bird sound videos on youtube?

[veimar]

I'm pretty new to parrot world, and I sort of have to invent things how to entertain and tame my feathered babies. But I discovered a very interesting thing.
When I first got my gcc about 4 mo ago I played bird videos for him and he just LOVED that and chirped along.
This Monday I went to pick up my new 5-6 old lovebird (completely untamed according to the owner) and the lady gave me two parent raised baby budgies as a bonus. They were so tiny and wild that I was even scared of them.
So… from day 1 I started to play budgie/parrot sounds videos for several hours a day from my laptop. I let them all out to fly in the room, but the lovie appeared to be clipped. On day 3 when I was holding the computer with the bird sounds on my lap, the lovie came to me and snuggled under my robe (it's day 4 now and she just did that again and is chilling there right now), and the budgies flew as close as possible and chirped along. I was super surprised yesterday when instead of long frustrating "catching" they allowed me to pick them up and return to their cage - no screaming, no biting, they just perched on my fingers! It was only day 3! So I kinda attribute it to the bird sounds coming from "me" - maybe it helped them to trust me more.
Here are a few favorite links:
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOkQQHaCgRE"]Питомники попугаев. Parrot's feature-length DVD film. - YouTube[/ame] (start from about 0:14 - I posted this as a separate thread some time ago)
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47wb0GeWm0s"]❀ Joyful Budgerigars - YouTube[/ame]
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYtuMiWtDxs"]❀ Budgie Trill - 3 Hours © - YouTube[/ame]
and there are many more…

So what do you think? Are you using this kind of entertainment as well? I think the natural bird song gives them a soothing environment that they would have in the wild.

 

[getwozzy]

I haven't used videos like that before (but it's a good idea and if it's working for you then keep it up!) but my budgie cage sits in front of a window and I'll open the window so they can chirp along with the outside birds- they get VERY into it sometimes lol

 

[veimar]

Oh yes, we have tons of birds singing outside too, but it's in 30s and 40s here again! ;((( So no open windows today. I started this off in winter when there were no birds - so I guess fro summer you can just use natural sounds. I take Parry outside all the time when it's warm, and the wild birds visit him - they get so confused by seeing him!

 

[Agapornis]

My GCCs LOVE wild bird chirping/nature videos on YouTube! They don't watch them, but they love to listen. I use the ones that go for several hours when i'm going to be out of the house. Fiji gets so excited hearing the wild birds, she starts chirping along

 

[Taw5106]

I do and one favorite is Disco the budgie. I never knew a budgie could have such a vocabulary. Check him out on you tube. Here's a link to one of his videos, enjoy! Buddy watches intently and begins to mimic.

[ame=http://youtu.be/EFJeY9fL5tk]I'm Disco and I Know It! - YouTube[/ame]

 

[goalerjones]

Hahnzel mimics the crows in our neighborhood and does his best to keep up with the blue jays.
For videos, I use the ones shot at aviaries when no one else is home. I use airplay with my iPad and put them on our big screen. He gets really excited.

 

[Taw5106]

Buddy mimics the black birds outside. I think they are a type of magpie but they frequent parking lots for scraps and I've chased them off our trash cans. He's now starting to mimic the YouTube videos I play. I'll leave the house with them rolling on the TV for him.