Another African Grey attack

[Barbara]

Thought I would share this story of someone I know on a doll forum. I just read the story up above and wished I had told her since I knew she had a parrot. Here is the story.


I am posting this painful story for all of you who have birds that like to go outside. I now fully understand the danger of hawks. Hawks CAN and WILL attack our beloved birds...even if it means coming under our porch to do so. I am so thankful that I was spared losing my beloved bird...and I am not likely to ever forget the fear that was in my heart. So, no more outside for Pippin...which is really sad too. Here's what happened...
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For 8yrs, I've been putting Pippin outside in a cage that's on our porch. This is a big porch, with lots of stuff on it...chimes, bar-b-q pits, swing, plants, and so forth. Very domesticated neighborhood, in other words. This afternoon, I was in the house andheard Pippin screaming... and it wasn't his usual play scream. My DH was able to get out first...and saw the hawk hanging on to Pippin's cage. He chased him off...but I've NEVER seen them come in that close. I immediately brought Pippin in to look him over. The only thing I found was a small cut near his mandible. I don't know if the hawk hooked him...I suspect if that was the case, there would have been much more damage. So, he might have hurt himself when he hit the bottom of the cage. I cannot tell you how sick I am about the trauma this put my Pippin through...or how guilty I feel for what happened.

Then I thought...OK, now that Pippin appears to be settled...I' ll take him back out while we are sitting on the porch...so that he
would not be afraid to go out...and he was OK with it. BUT, the hawk came close again...buzzing low near our garage and boat shed, close enough for my dog to bark at him. So...I know he was looking for my Pippin again. I immediately brought him inside...and I don't know if I will EVER put him out again...which is so very sad. Pippin asks to go out every day...it's been his ritual for over 8 yrs. We do have in a pretty closed in garage...it has the opening for two vehicles...and then a door to the outside on the other end. BUT, since the hawk was hanging out near the bird shed...I know he would find Pippin in the garage too.

This was a horrible experience...I always thought I was a good "birdie mom"...but I feel like the very worst now. I've had Pippin 12years and would have been devastated if something would have happened to him. It is my job to protect him...and I know that I'm
beating myself up...but I feel like I failed him.

[LauraO]

Barbara: Thanks for sharing this story. I know we have had difficulty over the years with folks disregarding our warning about not taking their birds outside. While these stories are sad and scary, they help in teaching people the real dangers of birds being outside......I am glad Pippin was okay!

[michael]

Thanks for the post Barbara!....You know, my mother lost her very first bird after hanging its cage out on the front porch. Somehow my cat managed to pull her through the small bars in "mid air" leaving a pile of feathers on the ground below :( ...Even though our birds are in a cage, it just makes it that much harder for them to get away. I've taken my lovebird out in the summer months sometimes to get fresh air and a little sunlight. I always checked his cage first to make sure it was secure. Then, you can bet he was never out of sight or more than 10 feet away from me whenever he was out. Even then, I was still not 100% comfortable he was safe!....Really, I'm starting to think the artificial sunlight in the house might be a whole lot more safer period.

[wilkiecoco]

Kiwi goes out in the summer months, in his cage, with me sitting RIGHT next to him, for fresh air, stimulation and sunlight. I never, ever, ever leave him alone outside, as between squirrels, bigger birds, cats roaming around, and a million other things that would worry me, I don't take any chances.

While I often feel the guilt of knowing that the ideal situation is for them to be flying free outside, that is not the reality of our domesticated and beloved companions. Kiwi would not survive outside, and my job and responsibility, since I chose to take him into my world, is to keep him safe. I would never forgive myself if something happened to him.

Thanks for sharing the post Barbara - it is such an important issue that we always need to be aware of!