When I was young, we had budgerigars in a cage (yes, I know!!). The birds used to “play” in front of a mirror by dancing (bowing and moving their heads from side
to side) and chattering, and moving around the mirror.
Today, I saw a green King parrot doing what looked like the same behaviour in respect of a knobbly growth on the Eucalypt where it was perched. For the several
minutes that I was watching, the bird nodded and bowed to the knob, chattered and moved from one side to the other. Very similar behaviour to the budgie. Then it got bored and joined its friends.
It is possible, I suppose, that the bird mistook the knob for an image of our gracious monarch and was actually celebrating his birthday.
David Rosalky
