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Post by bickitrainer on Aug 24, 2008 17:44:45 GMT 10
After seeing Robert's thread about a hawk attacking finches, I'm getting quite worried.
I take Bicki out with his harness sometimes. There are big eagle bird things flying around, but I've only felt concious about them until now.
So, should I stop bringing Bicki out? Would they attack?
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Post by robert on Aug 24, 2008 18:01:38 GMT 10
Bickitrainer,I took Precious to the Local Coffee Club,today. I had to be carefull,when I saw Crows flying nearby. When you take a small bird,or indeed even a medium bird outside,it is best not to put the bird on your shoulder unless you are under cover,in a building.I had to continually watch.Precious was either eating,of cuddling up to my neck. Best from Robert and Precious
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Post by Jane on Aug 24, 2008 18:39:12 GMT 10
Take Robert's advice Bickitrainer, it's always better safe than sorry  Actually I'm having trouble with a big horrible 'Kite' bird hanging of my avairies the last few mornings  |
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Post by vankarhi on Aug 24, 2008 19:08:46 GMT 10
Don't stop taking Biki out.......just always be aware of might happen.
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Post by bickitrainer on Aug 24, 2008 21:39:31 GMT 10
Thanks guys for the advice.
Robert, does your little precious have a harness?
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Post by robert on Aug 24, 2008 21:46:18 GMT 10
Bickitrainer,Precious does have a harness,but as of yet,does not know how to use it. His wings are clipped. Hopefully one day his feathers will grow back,and he will fly around at home. But please be carefull,even with a harness on,predators can still attack and kill small and meduim sized birds.Best Robert and Precious
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Post by linda040899 on Aug 24, 2008 23:48:21 GMT 10
Don't stop taking Biki out.......just always be aware of might happen. Fact of the matter is this. Predator birds go after their prey at roughly 100 mph. If your bird is on your shoulder, or anywhere with you except in a carrier, the predator bird will have your bird and be gone before you even realize what's happening! If you think a harness is going to keep your bird from being taken, think again. At this speed, the harness will be what kills your bird and the predator bird will keep on going because you will not be able to hold onto the harness. Sorry to put it so bluntly, but fact is fact. |
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Post by bickitrainer on Aug 25, 2008 17:30:41 GMT 10
 ...very scary. There are like a million kites above our heads all the time. I think I'll stick to Bicki excersising on the stairs... |
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Post by vankarhi on Aug 25, 2008 20:15:42 GMT 10
Don't stop taking Biki out.......just always be aware of might happen. Fact of the matter is this. Predator birds go after their prey at roughly 100 mph. If your bird is on your shoulder, or anywhere with you except in a carrier, the predator bird will have your bird and be gone before you even realize what's happening! If you think a harness is going to keep your bird from being taken, think again. At this speed, the harness will be what kills your bird and the predator bird will keep on going because you will not be able to hold onto the harness. Sorry to put it so bluntly, but fact is fact. I have owned birds all my life and have lived in Australia all my life and I have always had a bird sitting on shoulder while out and about and have never had one attacked by a predatory bird. I have heard of birds being attacked while in cages on verandahs or out getting some sun in the yard.......I have heard some gruesome stories actually and first hand stories too. I have also heard of a bird who flew/jumped down to the ground from the shoulder........to be picked up by a hawk or crow or something. I am not saying it is not a possibility of our pet bird being attacked while on our shoulder..........but it has never happened to me. It is great to be armed with knowledge too. Oh and I live in the country too and we have crows, hawks, kookaburra's to name just a few, living around here........but as soon as they see a human they are gone. I also do have cages outside now too so the pet birds can come outside with us and be relatively safe. |
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Post by robert on Aug 26, 2008 12:03:52 GMT 10
Tracey,When you say you take your birds outside on your shoulder,do you mean Eclectus and Alexandrine.Do you take You take Cockatiels,Budgies,or even a Conure sized bird outside on your shoulder?Butcher Birds are extremely efficent killers,to write in a horrible manner,but they seem to pick on small birds.There are predators who will leave African Greys alone ,but go straight to Lovebirds. I have looked at free flight sites,on the web,and all you seem, to see there, are the Big Parrots.I am not saying that the BIG Parrots don't have Predators.They do,but they are fewer in number. Even having a Cockatiel on your shoulder,on the backsteps,can be disastorous with Crows. Crows can behave like cats or dogs. They can just sit still and wait to strike. I have noticed this.Butcher Birds can get up close without you even realizing.This is because they can glide. Hope this is of some help.Please be carefull. Best Robert and Precious
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Post by bickitrainer on Aug 26, 2008 12:41:53 GMT 10
Yes, and also how about Alexandrian Parakeets? Should we be wary about them too?
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Post by petiel on Aug 26, 2008 14:15:06 GMT 10
I am very worried when I take my birds outside in their cages and only leave them outside if I am home. I never leave or take birds outside on my shoulder or stand anymore.Early this year I was sitting playing with some young cockatiels I was rearing on their large stand and a chicken hawk flew down and got one and fly away with it. I have also seen them fly down and take doves while I have been outside. These 2 chicken hawks are not scared of people and will fly down very close to you.
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Post by farseeker on Aug 26, 2008 15:05:48 GMT 10
My guys live outside, I have no choice in that - however, the biggest predators as far as birds go around here are butcher birds. We have a couple that hang around the area but they have shown zero interest in the birds, apart from wondering what the funny things in the cages were. They'll wander across the verandah catching bugs but don't look twice at the birds nowadays. As for taking my guys outside - I'm currently trying to get Trouble used to a harness, but that's more as a 'just in case' measure than wanting to take him out. I do think that he could benefit from experiencing new places though, so I've started looking into ways to set up a small cage on a sort of pram or trolley thing, so I can take him for 'walks'. |
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Post by robert on Aug 26, 2008 16:20:49 GMT 10
Bickitrainer,I took Precious with me,when we visited this lovely elderly lady,who lives near us.Precious enjoyed sitting on her shoulder.You can take Bicki out with you.You just have to be very selective where you go.Also I would not trust Butcher Birds. They have been known,to attack small birds in cages.The small birds freeze out of fear near the wire.The Butcher Birds,with their long beaks,just bite, the necks of the small birds, off. Just because it hasn't happened in the past ,does not mean it wont happen.The small birds are especially vulnerable. From Robert and Precious
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Post by vankarhi on Aug 26, 2008 17:16:22 GMT 10
Robert......in the past when I had tiels and budgies...... yes they came outside with me on my shoulder. I used to let Takoda walk around on the grass when he was younger and yes I had him on my shoulder when he got lost for those 2 days  (but I got him back) Yes I used to let Bo my galah free range around our yard during the day.......she loved it. Skye used to come out with me on my shoulder and on a tstand.......so did Shrekie for that matter. Takoda is still allowed to sit on a tstand while we are having a bbq (his wings are clipped and he is kept far from the bbq. I guess that is reasonably safe at it is at night.....but I have done it during the day too sometimes just so he can be outside with me. Hasn't this been a thought provoking topic....... Ok now Pauline you have scared me......... I never took my birds out blindly ........ but I think I might be a little more .......... careful........ Might have to rethink some of my ideas now. |
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Post by bickitrainer on Aug 26, 2008 18:11:54 GMT 10
Wow yes... it has been a thought provoking topic indeed... But I guess, as Robert said, it is ok to take your birds out... just be very careful. |
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Post by petiel on Aug 26, 2008 21:25:05 GMT 10
Yes Tracey I was just like you and allowed my birds to walk around the yard and Vincent use to walk around his stand. I wasn't really worried about the butcher birds and they never worried my birds. These chicken hawks are a real worry and they are so fast they can see the birds from a long way away and just fly down and pick them up in their feet.
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Post by bickitrainer on Aug 27, 2008 17:14:11 GMT 10
This morning I saw a kite being attacked by two small birds. I'm guessing it was approaching their nest and they went to protect it.
They were probably just a little bit bigger than a lovebird, yet were able to scare the kite away?
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Post by robert on Aug 28, 2008 10:28:05 GMT 10
Sorry,if I am going on about this.But I have heard horrible stories about Butcher Birds.They might leave Cockatiels,Conures and Quakers alone.Iwould not trust them with Finches,Budgies or Lovebirds.My sister feeds the Butcher Birds at her place. There are also other people who do,too.I have heard conservationists argue against this,because of what the Butcher Birds do with the smaller birds. Best Robert and Precious
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Post by farseeker on Aug 28, 2008 10:45:56 GMT 10
Robert, I don't think it's 'going on' if you're just trying to impress the dangers certain birds can be to our flocks on us.  And I too have heard horrible stories about butcher birds. In my case though there's not much I can do about it. My Mum is very displeased whenever the birds have to come in because of the cold at night, so having them inside all the time isn't an option, as much as I would like it to be. With the budgies I have the cage set up so that where there are perches at the front where the butcher birds could get to them there are toys in front, to make it more difficult and give them some protection. Their lowest perch I have positioned away from the front of the cage as well. Speaking of butcher birds though, sometimes they do go against their nature so to speak. I remember when I was in Brisbane seeing a young rainbow lorikeet on the ground, being attacked by a crow. I went to interfere but before I got there a butcher bird started attacking the crow and scared it away. I thought it must have been because it wanted the rainbow lorikeet for itself, but it just sat with it until the parents turned up and convinced the young one to fly back up into the trees. Very unusual, but it was nice to watch. |
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Actually I'm having trouble with a big horrible 'Kite' bird hanging of my avairies the last few mornings 
(but I got him back)
And I too have heard horrible stories about butcher birds. In my case though there's not much I can do about it. My Mum is very displeased whenever the birds have to come in because of the cold at night, so having them inside all the time isn't an option, as much as I would like it to be.