Smart Bird!

[Kiwibird]

I have recently (in the past few weeks) noticed Kiwi doing something super smart! One of his favorite activities is if I put a little "toy" (oversized bead or button or something) in a little cup (like a childs teacup or foraging cup). He likes to remove the little item and play with it (roll it around in his beak and stuff, and I am careful with things always being too big to swallow). Anyways, he used to eventually drop the pieces and would have to find other things to do if I didn't come by and put it back in the cup for him. Recently though, he's been going and collecting the 2 pieces and putting them back together himself, so he can just keep repeatedly taking the toy out of the cup and playing without needing me. I've also been watching him 'experiment' with trying to put other little foot toys together with a pretty intelligent (for a bird) methodology. I don't know about anyone else, but that's an exceptionally smart thing for a bird to figure out all by himself! Perhaps it's been working with the bird puzzles for a while now that he realized he can take things apart AND put them back together He learned a while ago if he carried them one at a time, once he dropped all his foot toys, he could go pick them back up and bring them all up to his platform perch again to play with some more. I wonder how long it will be until he's making them into more "complex" toys. Now if only he could learn how to change his cage liners and wipe down his own perches:54:

Anyone else have things their birds "picked up" something without teaching that they find exceptionally smart?

 

[Taw5106]

Thanks for the idea. I bought some cat toys, balls with bells inside, and I've been playing with them in front of Venus, Buddy watching from afar (this is how I hook him). Venus has started picking up the ball and playing with it, Buddy observes closely. I've been saving bottle caps and think I have enough to start putting them in a cup with treats so I'm going to mix a toy in it. Again thanks for the idea. Kiwi is SO smart!

 

[Hawk]

Thanks for the idea. I bought some cat toys, balls with bells inside, and I've been playing with them in front of Venus, Buddy watching from afar (this is how I hook him). Venus has started picking up the ball and playing with it, Buddy observes closely. I've been saving bottle caps and think I have enough to start putting them in a cup with treats so I'm going to mix a toy in it. Again thanks for the idea. Kiwi is SO smart!

Hi Cat toys are fun for birds but be very very careful of some of those cat toys with the hidden flimsy metal bells in them... I made the mistake of buying a cat toy for my grey and inside it had a hidden metal bell. He got it out and had it wrapped around his beak and half down his throat. Was in distress and was caught in him. Being a weekend, the nearest emergency vet was 3 hours away. I ended up Having to wrap in in a towel have wife hold him while I took needle nose pliers and unhook the bell that was tightly wedged on his beak and pinching his tongue and partly down his throat. God it was a scary situation, but got it out, but not without 9 stitches of my own from his beak.

Never again will I get cat toys unless I know exactly what's in them. Made in China too by the way. If they are not trying to kill our dogs they are killing our birds and animals.

 

[strudel]

I wonder how long it will be until he's making them into more "complex" toys.

Ever seen "Rise of the Planet of the Apes"?

My galah isn't that interested in toys (or she's not that clever, I don't know ). She usually ignores "stuff" and just wants to sit on me.

 

[RavensGryf]

That clever Kiwi ! I think he's "trying" to impress you! Making sure you take notice... He's VERY smart.

I can't say I've noticed anything so outstandingly Einstein-ish from my crew that it stood out as memorable, but Griffin 'looks' like the smartest probably because he's more active, inquisitive, and assertive than the others.

 

[Kiwibird]

I wonder how long it will be until he's making them into more "complex" toys.

Ever seen "Rise of the Planet of the Apes"?

My galah isn't that interested in toys (or she's not that clever, I don't know ). She usually ignores "stuff" and just wants to sit on me.

I was more hoping for this to go in the direction of a self-cleaing parrot, not one bent on world domination (Though if ever there was a bird to lead a mass avian rebellion, Kiwi would be it).

That clever Kiwi ! I think he's "trying" to impress you! Making sure you take notice... He's VERY smart.

I can't say I've noticed anything so outstandingly Einstein-ish from my crew that it stood out as memorable, but Griffin 'looks' like the smartest probably because he's more active, inquisitive, and assertive than the others.

More like too smart for his own good! I'm still torn on what to do about his obvious intelligence and interest in EVERYTHING. I think now that he knows we're his "flock" he wants to be a valuable flock member and learns from us. I think that Griffin of yours could be second in command when the above mentioned rebellion begins

 

[jasper19]

Nice, it really is amazing how smart they are.

I picked up one of those turn style puzzle toys for angel. The one where there are 4 different levels, and you have to line up the open port with the slot below for the treat to drop through all the way through.

I was thinking it would be too hard for her to figure out, but sure enough she gets the peanuts out. I haven't seen her do it, but if i am doing something else in room (like on computer)...i will all of a sudden look over and she is eating peanuts, and they are all dropped to the bottom! Just amazing.