- Dec 18, 2013
- 22,301
- 4,216
- Parrots
- Maya (Female Solomon Island eclectus parrot), Jolly (Male Solomon Island eclectus parrot), Bixby (Male, red-sided eclectus. RIP), Suzie (Male cockatiel. RIP)
I've seen one of these crows in action before at a bird store. One of these guys improvised a game on the spot with my 6 year old (then, 5 year old) son. He and another child stood in front of the crow's cage and, for some reason fathomable only to children of that age, began jumping excitedly from side to side.
The crow watched them for maybe two jumps and then, even as I closed the distance to warn my son about "antagonizing" the birds, he (the crow) began mimicking the movement.
So the boys stopped and looked at him. As did I.
So the crow also stopped and returned our stares, head cocked expectantly to the side.
So my son did another experimental side jump... and the crow followed suit. Once. My son jumped back. So did the crow.
So my son let out a laugh of pure delight and began jumping left to right to left in earnest, matched leap for enthusiastic leap by his newfound friend!
It wasn't so much the game itself that floored me, (Though that was plenty impressive enough!) as it was the spur of the moment spontaneity of it... and the effective way in which he communicated to my son both that he wanted to play and the rules of their little game.
One of those special moments between a bird and a child that you wish you'd recorded, you know?
The crow watched them for maybe two jumps and then, even as I closed the distance to warn my son about "antagonizing" the birds, he (the crow) began mimicking the movement.
So the boys stopped and looked at him. As did I.
So the crow also stopped and returned our stares, head cocked expectantly to the side.
So my son did another experimental side jump... and the crow followed suit. Once. My son jumped back. So did the crow.
So my son let out a laugh of pure delight and began jumping left to right to left in earnest, matched leap for enthusiastic leap by his newfound friend!
It wasn't so much the game itself that floored me, (Though that was plenty impressive enough!) as it was the spur of the moment spontaneity of it... and the effective way in which he communicated to my son both that he wanted to play and the rules of their little game.
One of those special moments between a bird and a child that you wish you'd recorded, you know?
