bittybirds: the blog

As Toby’s campaign for the U.S. presidency continues, he’s reaching out to voters in innovative new ways. Join Toby’s Facebook group today!

The other day, Toby kept me company while I worked at the computer. As the David Bowie classic “Magic Dance” (from Labyrinth) played in the background, Toby perked up and started rocking out—bobbing his head a little and whistling, almost in time with the music. When the track ended, he stopped. I replayed it, and he joined in again; I paused it and he paused until I pressed play. So I grabbed the camera and recorded his antics for posterity.

For your viewing pleasure, bittybirds.com is pleased to present Toby rocking along with “Magic Dance.”

This is a bird with good taste!

Toby just loves to whistle the Andy Griffith tune. He’s been hearing his papa, Reggie, sing it since he was just an egg!

Reggie learned to whistle the Andy Griffith song when he was about a year old. I would whistle a section of it, and then Tyler would whistle it back. I’d ask Reggie, “Can you do that?” and eventually, he figured it out.

When Reggie and Charlie were in the nest box with eggs and then chicks last summer, Reggie sang the Andy Griffith song *incessantly*. Judging by how many eggs she laid, Charlie found it pretty darn impressive! As a result, all the baby birds had a constant soundtrack of Reggie singing Andy Griffith.

Toby, being a smart and attentive little bird, started whistling the Andy Griffith tune at a very early age. He just picked it up from Reggie. I’ve been working with him to fill in some of the parts that Reggie never got, and he’s doing a great job! It’s not perfect, but that doesn’t matter; as the video proves, Toby is awfully cute. :-)

Unfortunately, Reggie hardly ever whistles Andy Griffith anymore. I think he feels like Toby stole his thunder. Poor little boo!

p.s. That video looks way darker now that it’s been compressed by YouTube than it did on my camera. Here’s a shot of what it’s s’posed to look like:

Ever since Toby’s visit to Angell Memorial Hospital a few weeks ago, he’s decided to be a little drama queen.

Here’s what happened at the Hospital. When he met the vet and vet tech, he was so cheery and friendly that he just charmed them completely. But when they gently picked him up to do an exam, he’d never really been “manhandled” before, and he did. not. like. it. So what did he do? He went, “SQUAAAAAWK.”

We all laughed at such a loud, dramatic sound from a such a little bird.

Later in the exam, he made his newfound sound pre-emptively. He was sitting happily on the vet tech’s hand, so when the vet wanted him to step up, he looked at her and said, “SQUAAAAAWK.”

Ever since then, he has been busy perfecting the dramatic, pre-emptive “SQUAAAAAAWK.” It’s like, “You want me to step up? No way! SQUAAAAAWK.” “You want to pet me? Not now, I’m busy! SQUAAAAAAAWK.” “Did you just look at me funny? Cut it OUT! SQUAAAAAAAAWK.”

What an articulate little bird. :-)

Last week, Charlie made bathing look sooo fun that Bowie wouldn’t leave her alone. He wanted a turn!

Here is a video of Charlie bathing while Bowie bugs her:

(BTW, note how well that video shows the color difference between a Cinnamon Pearl cockatiel [Charlie] and a Pearl cockatiel [Bowie].)

5 minutes later, Charlie gave in. Bowie hopped up on the bath tub eager to try it, but couldn’t figure how it worked.

Then he had the hardest time figuring out how to step down from it:

Phew. Thank goodness he finally found a way down. Toby was just dying to get a sip of that dirty bath water!

Baby tiels are too funny.

I have so many cute pictures of the hatchlings. Here’s a picture of the first clutch of babies.

Clockwise from left: Piccolo, Piper, Toby, and Lily.