Updates from Derren Brown and the Enigma Crew

Class says:

The first one freaked me out but so bloody cute!! Parrots amaze me!

ReliegiousMarie says:

Awww i love them all three…the naked one is absolutely sureal to watch, almost as looking at a Dali painting that came alive …….i wanttt

Cannonball Jones says:

The shutter one has been doing the rounds of office emails for a while now but I’m still stunned every time I see it. Has anyone ever held a competition to find the strangest noise they can elicit from a bird? I’d pay good money to see/listen to that!

Berber Anna says:

That first one is hilarious, but for the sake of its owners, I sincerely hope that it doesn’t do that too often.

I like parrots, but parrots tend to severely dislike me. Every time I stop to admire one (at a pet store, animal act, or just out with its owner) it tries to attack me. I’ve been bitten (those beaks are like nutcrackers!) and scratched several times.
My guess is it’s because I smell of cats. They probably think I’ll turn into one and eat them when they’re not looking.

The parrots at the zoo are an exception, though. They play with me through the mesh of their cages, and lick my fingers. Cute!
The keas (parroty things from New Zealand) are cool too, but rather mean. In New Zealand, they bite sheep to drink their blood. I strongly suspect that’s the reason they tried to lure me to their cage by holding pieces of carrot from their fruit tray through the mesh, then bit me when accepted the offering. Still among my fave zoo animals, though. I like animals that try to trap me. *grins*

Berber Anna says:

They apparently drink sheep’s blood (not exclusively, btw, they’re omnivores) because humans invaded their habitat and created grazing pastures for their sheep, thereby destroying the original (smaller) prey animals — mostly the young of other birds, if I recall correctly — that the keas used to hunt. Being inventive birds, they adapted to the new situation by becoming birdie vampires.

Oh, and according to the documentary I watched on them, they delight in throwing rocks down slopes onto unsuspecting passers-by, and in destroying cars by tearing off all the rubber bits.
Trickster vandal parrot things. They’re funny.

They didn’t draw blood when they bit me, btw. Unlike sheep, I have hands, and can get a bird’s beak off me when I’m attacked.
I still play with them, but I now use a stick instead of my fingers. They seem to like trading sticks and leaves from their cage for sticks and leaves from outside.

Parrots do use their beaks to investigate things, so soft bites/touches are probably not meant in an aggressive way. Or maybe it wanted to establish dominance or something — they are social birds, so maybe they think of humans as part of their group structure as well?

Ms G says:

Loved the clips. With the naked cacatoo I first thought “HUH, is it real??? and then “Oh MY God .. those stupid people completely neglected the bird! Awfull .. stupid stupid … ” .. hehehe .. but then the story was being told .. Was a bit disappointed with the mick jagger imitation but hey .. (would not have called it mick jagger imitation .. a bit hyper or neurotic perhaps, it moves faster than the cacatoos I’ve seen (although they all of a sudden can go from I’m so cute .. pet me … to BITE! Within a blink of the eye ..

The parrot that imitates a baby … Almost unbelieveable … but I loved the moment it got up and gave this not so depressed look .. shiney eyes … it already got to me with its crying and the way went in this behaviour .. However did they learn the bird this I wonder. I’m still not sure .. is it true (the crying, or not …). I know, they can make so many sounds and talk but this .. with the behaviour to it … never seen such a thing ..
The bird who makes the car alarm and shutter noises .. I’ve seen it a very long time ago, many years ago .. I remembered very vaguely .. I liked seeing it again .. (I first thought .. geeezz .. this bird isn’t doing anything special .. and .. hm, not very scared of this guy apparently … how’s the distance .. etc .. and then .. AHA! The clip took a bit too long imo, the thing it was about was really at the very last.

The birds that attack sheep .. I heard about them last year .. they apparently hunt at times in packs .. and kill the sheep .. not sure if it is the same bird. I recall them to be quite large, from what the person told me. And are not bird of prey, which is what it makes it so weird ofcourse. Never heard of those before.

fifi says:

I can’t be the only one who found the Lyre bird making the sound of a chain saw a little upsetting given they are destroying their habitat.

Oh dear I the only one who finds themselves getting more and more emotional at the drop of a hat as they get older?

Danel Kirch says:

About facinating, here’s another pretty cool video
About ants

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozkBd2p2piU