I’ve found the ‘zoom’ function on my new camera!
Husband named our weiro, ‘Buttons’ but Buttons doesn’t seem to be able to wrap his beak around this word, so I have decided to rename him ‘Zoomy’ because he does zoom around the veranda a lot and I think this is an easier word for him to mimic. And it’s appropriate because he doesn’t just fly gently onto my shoulder; he zooms at me, like an arrow, and usually collides BANG with my face, which he likes to nibble (maybe I should rename him ‘Cannibal’).
Aren’t weiros supposed to talk? All Buttons/Zoomy/Cannibal seems to be able to emit is a very LOUD wolf whistle – you know, the kind of whistle that attractive women attract from unattractive men working on top of buildings. Well, not always – sometimes it’s a bit of a vice versa thing.
Anyway Zoomy came to us, hand-reared, tame and wolf-whistley (I was not warned about the latter), so we have had to accept his flirtatiousness. He even kisses me on the lips when I am not expecting it and, as bird kisses are rather sharp, this can be a little disconcerting, and painful. But when I steer his beak away from my face and fling him place him gently back onto my shoulder, Zoomy/Cannibal then attacks my ear.
I think, because I have been preoccupied with the zoom function on my camera, one of Buttons’ new names is a partly a word association side-effect? I just cannot decide which name is the best: Buttons, Zoomy or Cannibal. So far, he is responding to all three names so perhaps I’ll just do that. After all, he is a mixture – ‘Buttons’ is his gentle self; ‘Zoomy’ is his speed-of-light self; and ‘Cannibal’ is his aggressive, face-eating self.
Any suggestions?
I love this zoom thing!
jmgoyder 
I just love it when they nibble and work their tongues between their beaks (whereby they soften up the flesh, perhaps). The feeling of their tongues on bitten flesh causes me to think of the name for your weirdo : Cannibal Licktor.
Oh thanks very much for the nightmare!
Julie, I know that they are not all native to WA but we are visited, in Stirling Street, by hordes of different larger parrot species. I just love those boofheaded galahs surfing the breezes and screeching with delight like crazy feathered adolescents. So much to enjoy in my life.
Let me know if you see Wantok, my red-tailed black cockatoo….
Unfortunately we only see the reddies 3 or 4 times a year. I will, however, set up a recurring tape in my backyard, playing Wantok, Wantok, Wantok…
If you find her, give a kiss from me!
My SIL named their cockatiel “Cheeky”.
Another name for me to play with!
Perhaps he can be a Royal Weiro with multiple names and then when he gets married his wife can stumble on the pronunciations …
Ha!
Buttons, Cannibal, Hannibal, Lictor, Zoomy
desperately wanted to kiss Julie
but she can’t remember his name
so now he’s going loony
I forgot you were a poet!
You taught me …
Oh yeah!
sounds a bit like a limerik doesn’t it … maybe
Yes!
Maybe Buttons/Zoomy/Cannibal is playing his version of Button, Button, who’s got the Button? and wants to make sure you know you’ve got the Button.
That’s a bit complicated – hehe!
Ha! Binki does the same thing – dive bombs my face, she usually hits my forehead and then crawls up on top of my head 🙂
They’d make a good couple.
Glad you found your zoom! I love your little cockatiel (that’s what we call a weiro here in the states). I sure do miss our little Bonjour… He lived 24 years which is a long time for a little bird. Ours never talked either, but he sure liked to sing to us. And of course, he did the wolf whistle thing too. 😉 ~ Lynda
They are adorable aren’t they. 24 years!!!
Great photos, Julia. Delightful!!
I completely forgot to thank you for your photographic advice (on your blog I mean). I have a loooooooooooong way to go but will get there!
A crazy bird by any other name – they’re such characters.
Crazy is my new name for him!
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