Let's talk noise!

[Grey_Moon]

1. What kinds of parrots do you own?
-Rescued Timneh grey, male pied cockatiel

2. How would you describe their average daily noise making schedule?
-Morning and evening noise-fest lol, otherwise only when I leave the room do they get loud. Cockatiel chatters etc off-and-on all day, my grey is usually pretty quiet.

3. Do you have moments in which you say to yourself "oh my god, I can't live like this”?
-Not usually---except I am terrified that neighbours/family will complain about my tiel's extremely loud hormonally-driven contact call, and yes lol sometimes it drives me nuts. Other than that I'm pretty good at ignoring bad sounds (my grey very rarely acts up annoying-noise wise) and rewarding good noise.

4. How do you, or did you, handle your parrots when they are loud.
-Properly I'll turn my back and ignore them, rewarding them with my attention when they are silent or better when they offer another noise. Although sometimes I do use the whisper/shush technique---which I find only reinforcing unfortunately.

5. Any other notes or tips on the subject will be most welcomed.
-Realize that your bird is a wild animal. It has needs. There will be morning and night flock concerts--you cannot change that (although you can set the tone---only reinforce noises you like---don't think because they have to have these noise-fests that you have to put up with annoying sounds). Also---you can do whatever amount of 'training' humans might recommend for your bird---but it is a wild animal with instincts to fufill and a huge amount of energy in its body and spirit. Parrots *need* to move, you can't expect a parrot to be quiet when its been sitting still all day. This is why my birds are flighted, we have daily flight time. Also make sure they are bathed, stimulated and healthy--not to mention well fed. This will keep the noise down because they are tired and fufilled

[kaylayuh]

The Questions:
5. Any other notes or tips on the subject will be most welcomed.
- That's basically it, don't positively reward the screaming behaviour
- AND don't raise cockatiels with an African Grey parrot baby - the Grey will think it's a cockatiel, hence the breeding scream

@greymatter: Are cockatiels screams particularly bad? I've been toying around with the idea of getting one (read: I really would love to have one, but I'm worried about noise). I have budgies now who are chatty Kathy's, so I'm hoping a 'tiel isn't too much different.

[zazanomore]

The Questions:
5. Any other notes or tips on the subject will be most welcomed.
- That's basically it, don't positively reward the screaming behaviour
- AND don't raise cockatiels with an African Grey parrot baby - the Grey will think it's a cockatiel, hence the breeding scream

@greymatter: Are cockatiels screams particularly bad? I've been toying around with the idea of getting one (read: I really would love to have one, but I'm worried about noise). I have budgies now who are chatty Kathy's, so I'm hoping a 'tiel isn't too much different.

I think greymatter was referring to how the African Grey mimics the cockatiel. Cockatiel's aren't loud screamers, and they aren't really prone to screaming, but when the Grey says it, it is amplified.

Anyways, I have two budgies and a cockatiel. I think it is safe to say that two budgies are louder than one cockatiel.

And if you were to get a female cockatiel, the noise would be even more significantly lower.

[kaylayuh]

The Questions:
1. What kind of parrots do you own?
Two budgies.

2. How would you describe their average daily noise making schedule.
I uncover their cage between 6:30 and 8 a.m. and they scream and talk (loudly!) to eachother until about 10 a.m. They chat with eachother all day long, but they're mostly flirting with eachother or themselves in the mirror. They also scream when I am vacuuming or if they don't like particular music I'm listening to.

3. Do you have moments in which you say to yourself "oh my god, I can't live like this”?
In the morning, especially if I uncover them and try to go back to sleep. Mostly I find their chatting cute, and they drown out my elephant-imitating upstairs neighbors which is a great big plus.

4. How do you, or did you, handle your parrots when they are loud.
I ignore the behavior I don't like and chat with them and give them treats for behavior I do like. I know they're birds and they will make noise. When I was much younger (as in 6 or 7), my parents had a Molucan cockatoo that would scream all day. This was mostly because they didn't pay attention to him and threw shoes at his cage or covered his cage when he was screaming. Looking back at it now, it breaks my heart and I wish he had a better home. I can only imagine how miserable his life was in that cage with one toy and perch and no one to love him. I promised I would never do that to any bird I ever owned, and would love to own a cockatoo, even knowing the noise they make.

5. Any other notes or tips on the subject will be most welcomed.
No other tips, but everyone here seems to have good advice.

[Chris&Akilah]

1. What kind of parrots do you own?
One Senegal Parrot

2. How would you describe their average daily noise making schedule.
She makes noises in the morning before being uncovered. It's nice, mostly garbled parrot-talk, whistles and clucking. I can half-sleep through it (she is in my bedroom, but I'm a deep sleeper) and if I snooze too long she will get louder. She will make these noises here and there throughout the day. The only time obnoxious noises are made are when I am leaving the room or she is mad about being put back in the cage. Then it's either a loud screech or scream. Occasionally she will do a peircing whistle while playing.

3. Do you have moments in which you say to yourself "oh my god, I can't live like this”?
No, not anymore. I went through a period where I was really just surprised at the noise she could make and thought I couldn't stand it. Then I watched lots of parrot videos on youtube of different species, spent more time at the bird store. Visited an aviary. I realized why you often read that Sengals are "quiet"...it's compared to other commonly kept species of parrot. Even what seems to be Akilah's best attempt to scream at the top of her lungs falls far short of deafening, unlike the calls of certain other parrots. I'm not sure if that's because she is a juvenile, will she get louder when mature? Teaching her various whistles helped too, I learned about "contact calls", and the 'come here' whistle is much nicer than a shriek. If I ever have an "omg I cant live like this" moment, it's because she sticks to me like glue, not because of noise.

4. How do you, or did you, handle your parrots when they are loud.
Ignore if it's a really obnoxious noise. Otherwise I'll call back with things I want her to learn to say or whistle.

5. Any other notes or tips on the subject will be most welcomed.
Umm well I guess my only tip would be for people considering a parrot, to take what they read about noise with a grain of salt. Go and hear a bird for yourself, or listen to a good recording of it's worst noises at full blast. I think authors of some bird care articles use the term "quiet" too loosely, and it misleads people. Quiet to a person who is experienced with parrots, is NOT quiet to someone who is new to them.

[Sarah&Rico]

1. What kind of parrots do you own?
A Senegal Parrot
2. How would you describe their average daily noise making schedule. ..
Rico starts making noise usually about 8:30 am if we're sleeping in, or as soon as my husband leaves for work at 7:30am on weekdays...he likes to have an adult in sight I guess, my kids don't count to him lol. I don't mind too much since it's about time for me to get up anyway. He makes some noises throughout the day, but nothing unbearable. He gets a bit chatty in the evening too sometimes, but that's when he's cuddliest and wants attention.

3. Do you have moments in which you say to yourself "oh my god, I can't live like this”?
No, not with Rico. I had budgies years ago and I felt like that often..but I was pregnant, tired, and miserable at the time, and they were preventing me from much needed naps. Not sure they'd bother me now.

4. How do you, or did you, handle your parrots when they are loud.
thankfully my house is open concept, so if he can see me he's usually quiet. His cage is in a place where he can see me most of the time so it's not a problem. On the rare occasion I want to have a nap upstairs and he's being vocal I'll put ear plugs in then I don't hear him.

5. Any other notes or tips on the subject will be most welcomed.
I don't know if Rico is typical for a Senegal, I got him as a rehome, and he's a great bird. I love him dearly and he doesn't really have any habits I find to be overly irritating.

[issy]

1. What kind of parrots do you own?
Rainbow Lorikeet

2. How would you describe their average daily noise making schedule. ..
He starts calling out to the other lorikeet's at sunrise (around 6.20) at an ear-splitting volume.

3. Do you have moments in which you say to yourself "oh my god, I can't live like this”?
Yes, he sometimes gets into a fit of excitement and will start screeching as loud as he can and start attacking all of his toys. When he wants attention he will also call out.

4. How do you, or did you, handle your parrots when they are loud.
I usually ignore it, but when I get yelled at I have to go to his cage and distract him.

5. Any other notes or tips on the subject will be most welcomed.
I've asked many lorikeet experts about this and it is all normal lorikeet behavior, so I don't mind it very much.

I've solved the morning screaming somewhat: If I can wake up before he does, I usually take him out of his cage and play with him, then he ignores the lorikeet's outside completely.

As for the screaming bursts, if I do flight recalls just as he starts, it will get rid of all his extra energy and he will calm down.

[entrancedbymyGCC]

1. What kind of parrots do you own?

and , both male, both right around early maturity (2 for the GCC, going on 4 for the Cape)


2. How would you describe their average daily noise making schedule. ..

Quiet until some sign of household awakening occurs, usually between 8 and 9. Then a period of good-morning contact calling, not super loud.

Neither has a really noticeable morning/night serenade routine, but contact calling is most noticeable when we get up in the morning and when we get home in the evening. We try to respond to contact calls, but not to screaming or continuous noise-making to solicit attention.

Both may have period of tackiness in our presence, but this is a pleasant chattiness, mostly in human-sound or other imitated sound. Both may solicit being brought out of the cage or over to where we are sitting using vocalizations at any time of the day, but usually are quiet when we are not in the room with them and not moving around the house a lot.

3. Do you have moments in which you say to yourself "oh my god, I can't live like this”?

Rarely, although Scotty's native call is a beeping/peeping sound that can get a bit wearing. Fortunately he has taken to "Hey Birdie!" instead.

4. How do you, or did you, handle your parrots when they are loud.

If it's is a contact call, and I am not in the room, I'll call back once or twice to let them know I'm home an about where I am. If they are attempting to get attention by constant vocalizing, I may check on them once to make sure nothing is really wrong, but after that I make a point of not responding to any ongoing unpleasant calling. I'll wait for something acceptable and soft voiced, and I'll respond to that by paying some attention for a moment, to reinforce the softer request. If it is a real alarm sound (Scooter has a very recognizable call that means "the vacuum [or whatever] is about to eat me!" I do respond by checking in and offering reassurance or salvation as the situation requires. If they are chatty loud and I'm not in the mood, I either buck up and tolerate it, or go somewhere else. Some level of happy noise making is just part of the deal. But then, I don't have a 'too or a macaw or something that can shatter an eardrum.

I'll add that I'm normally kind of a noise averse person, I hate TV or music that is too loud and I'm always asking my husband to turn things down a notch. Even so, I don't mind the parrot-noise at the level our two generate it. It's hard not to smile when your alarm clock goes off, and from across the hall you hear a funny imitation of a rooster alarm clock sound followed by "hey birdie!" from the one and "eep" followed by "pretty scoo-scoo" from the other.

5. Any other notes or tips on the subject will be most welcomed.

Select quieter birds if you don't want too much noise, but expect to have to occasionally experience noise when you don't really want it. Choose vocalizations (words, whistles, really any kind of sound) that you would prefer to hear, and reward those lavishly and consistently with attention, or whatever is being solicited. Dont react to vocalizations you don't want repeated, even if it means using earplugs for a few days (unless you think there may be a real danger or problem involved, but if you do have to check in to be sure there isn't, be aware it will tend to reinforce that sound). If you don't have a dark, unoccupied room for night time, get a cage cover.

[Julsiebean]

Of all the birds I have ever had, my jenday was the loudest. He was a screamer. Everything set him off, and he got my male cockatiel started, who might be the loudest cockatiel ever!

Piccolo, my male cockatiel is noisy almost all day. He starts when the house hold rises, and settles when we do. Though whenever there is a flurry activity he cannot resisit joining in. He is loudest mid morning from oh, 10:30-noon and then again around 3-5. I can hear him in my car, in my driveway! He sings, whistles, bangs, clicks, and puts on an all out show. Even when he is quiet all you have to do is look at him and he gets started. When he gets to be too much, like when my toddler is napping all I need to do is cover his cage and he pipes down.

The loud factor with my Quaker isn't an issue. She is surprisingly quiet. She honks a greeting a few times a day, and in the afternoon will join in with Piccolo returning his whistles and such. She is very easy to live with.


As for noise, over the years I learned volumeisn't always the issue. There are some birds I'd never have simply because I don't like the kind of noise (as opposed to volume) like lovebirds. My husband couldn't handle the screaming of our Jenday, but I'd take that any day over a screeching lovebird!

[Margaret]

4 Budgies(3 male and 1 female) and Cockatiel - I believe female.

Budgies actually never shut up- but their noise is not bothering me, opposite. Maybe only when Mango start the competition with TV or water in the sink It actually make me laugh. My boyfriend is owned by 2 females budgies, so sometimes he is singing to me: "It's a jungle out there" But he loves my budgies.
Cockatiel so far whistle, which I found out very cute and funny. Teeth grinding- I cant say that's my favorite, but I'm getting used to
And it's nice to be at home/come back from work and knowing you are never alone