September 27th, 2008 by Gypsy

July 15, 2005 — An African gray parrot named Alex may understand the concept of zero, something which eluded mathematicians for centuries, according to a study described in a recent press release by Brandeis University.

The 28-year-old parrot spontaneously began using the word “none” when presented with an absence of objects during numerical tests, according to researchers Irene Pepperberg and Jesse Gordon, who described their findings in the May issue of The Journal of Comparative Psychology.

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September 21st, 2008 by Gypsy

Former Md. Firefighter Rescues Unwanted Parrots
December 30, 2007 - 1:55pm

DAMASCUS, Md. (AP) - Paralyzed on his right side and unable to speak following a car accident, former firefighter Brian Wilson credits his parrots with helping him get back on his feet.

Now, he is returning the favor by caring for birds others no longer want.

“I was supposed to be in a wheelchair, in a nursing home,” Wilson said, recalling how his parrots helped him recover from the brain injury suffered shortly after retiring as a Montgomery County firefighter in 1995.

“They kept repeating one word, and they knew I would say it right,” Wilson said.

“It was like I was a child. But it worked. They taught me how to talk again. Then I had to learn to walk, because I had to let them out and take care of them and clean their cages.”

Now, people bring him birds, often warning he won’t be able to hold them. He often amazes the owners by winning the birds over in minutes.

“Ninety percent of them have been so neglected, they don’t want to come out of their cage because they don’t know what will happen,” Wilson said.

Wilson speaks with a deep voice when he instructs parrots to step up or down, and softly when he tells them he loves them and gives them kisses as rewards. If they don’t respond correctly, he ignores them.

“They need attention all the time,” Wilson said. “I give them everything they want and deserve.”

They also need a balanced diet, Wilson said, noting seeds alone will cut their life span in half. Parrots enjoy fruits, vegetables, and even chicken bones, which they chew to get to the marrow, but can’t have chocolate, caffeine and avocado and apple seeds, which can be fatal.

Wilson said his finances are becoming tighter because he is moving from disability to retirement and is seeking donations for his Wilson Parrot Foundation, including a reliable van a car dealer might want to donate.

Government workers can help through the Combined Federal Campaign of the National Capital Region and Central Maryland.

For those considering a parrot as a pet, he advises them to let the bird choose the owner.

“Know that they are messy, destructive and need attention,” he said.

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Information from: The Frederick (Md.) News-Post, http://www.fredericknewspost.com

(Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

September 20th, 2008 by Gypsy

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

MUNCIE, Ind. —  A noisy parrot that likes to imitate sounds helped save a man and his son from a house fire by mocking a smoke alarm, the bird’s owner says.

Shannon Conwell, 33, said he and his 9-year-old son fell asleep on the couch while watching a movie. They awoke about 3 a.m. Friday to find their home on fire after hearing the family’s Amazon parrot, Peanut, imitating a fire alarm.

“He was really screaming his head off,” Conwell said.

The smoke alarm had activated, but it was the bird’s call that caught Conwell’s attention.

“I grabbed my son and my bird, and got out of the house,” he said.

The fire destroyed the home’s dining room, kitchen and bedroom, Muncie fire officials said. It remains under investigation.

Aside from Peanut, Conwell said the fact that he and his son fell asleep on the couch helped save them. They may not have heard the alarm or the bird if they were asleep in their bedrooms.

Conwell said he runs an air conditioner and a breathing machine in his bedroom and they drown out a lot of noise around the house.