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Do corellas like to have fun! Bird behaviour

To:
Subject: Do corellas like to have fun! Bird behaviour
From: John Gamblin <>
Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2001 18:26:40 -0700 (PDT)
G'day you two beaut people,

Re: The question in the subject line then yes without
any doubt whatsoever. But what I would like many to
consider on the list is perhaps when a Galah, Little
Corella or other such "raindancer" uses a wire to
slide along or perform it's looping it's also cleaning
and washing it's feet? because the wire is not like
shiney stainless steel but has some roughness to it?
on numerous occasions I've seen them in wet and dry
conditions doing their wire "raindance" when dry check
out the reduced rotation? when wet it's watch out
you'll get dizzy ..... Most of the screeching seems to
come from times when foot friction is high.

hmmmm I'll put this to the list to see if it's noticed
elsewhere?

Goes back to growing grass in household carpet on top
of nest boxes :^D with this little bit of moisture
here today. Hope "Cere Hugo" likes the carpet idea?

JAG and fevvers ( GO HAWKS )

 wrote:

Hi Laurie,
What you observed is not uncommon in Galahs, and I
imagine Little and Long-billed Corellas would do the
same thing. Galahs have been seen sliding down the
stays used to support power poles, then flying back to
the top and sliding down again, all the time
screeching and flapping wings.

Cooling feet perhaps?

Towards dusk, these three cockatoo species seem to go
a little "mad",

EWE WOT say that again you pink hair supporter and
this ancient bod will box yer :^D

and often fly at high speed, weaving through trees and
calling, before settling down to roost.

Perhaps cawling family to tell them of a new safe
footspa?

Rowley, in his book "The Galah" describes this as "mad
flight".

I'll bop and Cleenex that dog too.

It can also be observed in the early morning.
Long-billed Corellas, which I studied for several
years, seem to engage in several "play" activities. 
One is to seize a small twig in the beak while flying
past a tree, and carry it for some time, before
dropping it, accompanied by "excited" calling.

Aren't I clever eh? that type of thing Ian?

Another I have seen several times while the birds are
feeding on Onion Grass (Romulea) corms, a staple food.

Sometimes a large clod of soil is dug up, and birds
will hold this in the feet and roll on their backs,
biting at the soil. This is not directed at removing
corms to eat, but appears to be "fun".

New small stones for roughage you mean?

While these intelligent birds are common,

That's better :^D mad indeedy, only mad people I know
are pomes trying to play cricket against Oz and in
England.

It is often rewarding to spend some time observing
their behaviour.

Totally agree so much so that I just rewrote an Olde
Max Merritt and the Meteors song to this effect.

Cheers
JAG

Have a great weegend and "GO HAWKS"

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