--- In Dan Dugan <> wrote:
> >I'm interested in finding out the noise levels (in dB) of
budgies. This is to understand if we can keep them as pets in the
townhouse we live in. Any help will be appreciated.
> Does anybody have any idea?
> -Dan Dugan
Sorry I can't give a dB level for the noise of a single budgerigar.=20
I do know it varies throughout the day. My parents have kept one -
the one that followed the previous dead one - for years. They
chatter during the day and imitate idiotic phrases such as 'pretty
boy'. Some have been trained to repeat their home address or phone
number so that should they escape they can tell someone where to
return them.
As far as I am concerned they should not be kept alone in cages =96
they sicken and die.
The sound level of thousands flying in a symbiotic flock is
something to hear. The whole flock can change direction at a speed
which is apparently faster than the speed of travel from a brain
neuron down a single axon to the birds tail. Have never come across
an explanation for that.
I first came to the Northern Territory in 1967. During the years
1956 to 1966 a mere 10 inches of rain had fallen. The drought broke
in `67 and I witnessed flocks larger than a football field. They
blocked out the sun as if a cloud had passed under it. I've seen
that event only once since. The huge flocks break into separate
streams which then rejoin after doing some aerobatic flying practice.
Recently, in a twelve month period, 63 inches of rain fell in
Central Australia. I expected to again see an irruption of
budgerigars. Not to be. There was an irruption of feral cats
instead! I am assuming the cats got to the baby birds first.=20
Incidentally, those feral cats have the same DNA as the present day
wharf cats of Rotterdam. The Dutch, in the 1600s, had the habit of
running their large sea going vessels onto the rocky coast of
Western Australia =96 the Batavia being the most notable. That event,
for its time, was the equivalent of the sinking of the Titanic.
The ships cats got ashore and gained a foothold in New Holland =96 as
Australia was then called. The Dutch cats rule the north west of
Australia and have been blamed for wiping out much of the native
fauna.
As far as budgies go the red river gums in the dry river beds are
the best source of budgie noise in the breeding season. The nest in
hollows in the trees where large banches have broken off. The sound
is enough to drown out normal human conversation at a barbecue!
I find there is nothing sadder than a single budgie kept in a cage
and being called "Chirpie" or "Blue". In the wild they are green and
yellow; but caged ones are often blue.=20
As I mentioned in my previous post I have just moved into a new
house and even though I know where the Marantz is among the mess, I
haven't had a chance to get it outside.
I can hear some budgies in aviaries nearby so I'll try to get some
recorded and post a file on my web site; but I'll need a few days to
get that done.
Gotta go ... I have to read the instructions for the new
refrigerator and washing machine. Haven't got instuctions for the
swimming pool so it will just have to remain murky for a week or
so. The chlorine level can't be too though as the White Plumed
Honeyeaters are drinking it.=20
Anybody got a good design for a bird bath?
Greg
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