ParrotCam

[Phillip]

What do you think it would take to get the highly social birds linked through the Internet? Do you think the larger petshop chains would fund a network of computers allowing social birds to communicate with each other? I envision something I call a "peck screen" - like a touch screen but more durable. The initial screen would have a grid of photos of different species. The bird would peck the image and then be connected to a screen of photos of individual birds of that species. Pecking a photo on that screen would establish a 2-way audio/video chat link. There could be indicators of whether or not a particular bird was on line. Avian research facilities would have special accounts allowing them to view live or recorded exchanges. Bird owners with computers, microphones, and cameras would be able to join - possibly for a small rental fee for a peck screen. I think this would be of enormous benefit for isolated or stressed birds and research. Pet shops would have fewer problems with bonding to employees. I just wanted to get the idea out there - if it isn't already. Please pass this on to anyone you think would be interested in taking this forward. That's not me, by the way. I have only cats - Abysinnians - that are allowed outside only on a leash, as they love birds in their own special way.

[Ryan416]

It's bad enough that people have become zombies staring and pecking at a screen all day. Im not about to mount an iPad in my parrots cage. LOL

[friend2parrots]

It's bad enough that people have become zombies staring and pecking at a screen all day. Im not about to mount an iPad in my parrots cage. LOL

+1 !

While that is indeed a brilliant idea, Philip, I was thinking along the same lines as Ryan416... I am sure parrots would benefit far more from face to face, real-world interaction with other parrots, than through a digital media.

EDIT: just occurred to me that I ought not to critique the digital medium too much, even though I'm from a pre-digital generation .... after all, I've learned so much from online sources... about parrots and so many other things! oh well!

[marie83]

I agree with the previous posts. That said I do try to get by on as little as I can anyway so...