[rec.birds] Birds who walk on floors...

dragon@eleazar.dartmouth.edu (Sam Conway) (11/09/90)

In article <946@cfiprod.UUCP> susans@cfi.com writes:
>
>Lately they've been cruisin' the floor, following me from room to room.
>Anyone who lives with a bird who walks on the floor can probably
>identify with how silly they look.

Yes, I can.  Our peregrine falcon likes to come inside and sit on her
ring perch in the office while we're working.  Often, though, she gets
bored, jumps down, and runs off to find something to do.  We'll be
working in the exam room and hear her talons clicking on the linoleum.
*flutter*  *thud*   *ticktickticktickticktickticktickticktick*  *flutter*

Her favorite thing is to run into the exam room and jump up onto the 
windowsill so that she can watch us while we work.  Amazingly, she never
bothers any of the other patients, despite being an instinctive bird-
eater.  She seems more curious than hungry.

Watching her run along, her wings held forward and her body swaying from
side to side, is quite endearing.  She tends to dash around like a little
sportscar, so we are obliged to put a sign on the door lest she get
trodden upon:  "WARNING:  WANDERING FALCON".

(It's a joke.  Get it?)


>                        Susan S. (susans@cfi.com)
>
>                        Another Friend of Bill's 

                         Sam C.

					(Who doesn't know who Bill is).

-- 
Sam Conway                             * What shape do you usually have?
dragon@eleazar.dartmouth.edu           * Mickey Mouse shape?  Smarties
Chemistry Dept., Dartmouth College, NH * shape?  Amphibious landing craft
Vermont Raptor Center (VINS)           * shape?  Poke in the eye shape?

sj1s+@andrew.cmu.edu (Sherrianne M. Johnson) (11/11/90)

Hi.  I'm new to this bboard, and shouldn't cast stones, but...
I'd just like to add a dampening note of caution about letting birds (or
smaller species of birds, like parakeets and cockatiels) walk on the
floor.  I had a parakeet some years ago, and our family let him walk on
the floor and do whatever he liked;  he was a very sweet bird.  However,
one day he was puttering about on the floor, as usual, and my sister ran
in the room and stepped on him.  His back was broken and he died almost
instantly.  I suppose it wouldn't matter, if there were no young
children around.
I just loved him very much and hate to think of this tragedy happening
to another bird lover.  Sorry to add this morbid theme.

Sherri Johnson
sj1s@andrew.cmu.edu
Carnegie Mellon University
sher
*********************
"One could do worse than be a swinger of birches."
---Robert Frost