It’s common for puppies or babies to cry when we’re leaving the house, but you rarely hear of a crying bird.
But this little cockatiel just can’t handle watching his human leave for the day – and has tried to find a way to communicate those emotions.
It was caught on camera one day as the owner was getting ready to leave.
“When my friend’s cockatiel gets upset, it sings an Apple ringtone. It’s usually when he ties his shoes and gets ready to leave the house.”
What does an iPhone ringtone have to do with convincing his owner to stay home? It’s hard to say.
Maybe the bird saw his owner walking on his way out the door but turned back to answer a phone call one day. That may have lead him to believe it was a sound that could make him change his mind!
Or perhaps he just hears it all the time and quite likes they sound it makes. Maybe he thinks it’s an angry sounding tune and that’s why he’s chosen it to express his displeasure.
I know that sound feels aggressive if you use it as your morning alarm, or have it set as the ringtone to your bosses’ calls.
Cockatiels are a variety of parrot found in Australia.
They aren’t as chatty as other species like a budgie or African Grey, but they can still mimic human sounds and songs.
When training a cockatiel to speak, it’s best to start off with short, easy phrases and to pair them with actions.
Sally Blanchard, a parrot expert, offered some simple advice.
“Start your day by greeting your bird with an emphatic “Hi” and say “Bye bye” when leaving. Soon, your cockatiel will learn to associate these phrases with certain activities and may begin to say them.”
So somewhere along the way it seems this little guy started to associate his owner’s phone ringing with him tying his shoes, and eventually leaving the house.
Hmm… sounds suspiciously like he’s that friend that’s always running late, if you ask me!
According to expert Laura Doering, cockatiels have a variety of different chirps and sounds they’ll make to communicate with you. One of those sounds is known as a “contact call”.
“When you leave the room, your cockatiel responds with a chirp or sequence of chirps, as if to say, “Where are you going, and when will you be back?”” – Laura Doering
Some cockatiels can learn to say a few simple words and phrases, and it’s usually males that are most likely to speak.
So instead of trying to learn to say “don’t go! Stay at home with me!”, the iPhone alarm tune was easier to pick up.
I love how dramatic this bird is. Please stay, I’ll even sing you this weird song if you want!
Do you think the owner has changed his ringtone yet, or plans to teach the little ball of feathers anymore songs? Maybe something with a little more… soul. Something less robotic the next time.
Watch the video below to hear the cockatiel’s funny cover of the Apple iPhone’s classic “Opening” ringtone that we all know too well.
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