Dear Parrots magazine,
Parrot Intelligence
I've been really enjoying the articles in recent issues about parrot intelligence, and am particularly loving the narratives on smaller parrots.
I have a little Quaker parrot called Maya, who definitely demonstrates some real cheek! Maya does not speak, but she does laugh and frequently seems to do this at very appropriate times. A rather amusing example of this was during one of our frequent walks. Maya loves coming outside in her Kaylor Collar birdie harness and winter hoodie, and often greets the locals, who love her.
One day, we were walking back up the street to our house and we passed a building that was having quite a lot of work done. Just as we were passing, one of the builders tripped over the ladder he was carrying. Luckily he was fine, but I wondered for a moment why he was looking at me with such a hurt expression. After two or three seconds, I realised that Maya was laughing hysterically on my shoulder and the poor man had thought it was me! I quickly set him straight and he was as charmed by Maya as everyone else always is. This is just one of many examples that make me think, not only does Maya understand what laughing means, but she has a sadistic sense of humour all of her own!
Thank you for the stories of parrot intelligence. It's always lovely to read about the personalities of other birds, and serves to remind me just how lucky I am to have one of these incredible creatures in my life.
Becci Fearnley, by email