2014-7-7 Webster "Webby", born Jan. 1995, is an African Gray Parrot, and became a member of the Steiner family 6 weeks after he was hatched.

7/13/14 Doug:
Put Webbie out and up in a tree Monday afternoon, but he got caught in a
sudden/bad thunderstorm with lightning and high winds. So he flew down
into foliage at the woodline and scratched up his noggin on both sides trying to
hide.

He wasn’t too happy with me for not getting him before it started thundering and
raining, but he doesn’t look too concerned at the moment about anything

This is Webster’s “How to look dignified and in charge when you don’t know where
you are look” when actually ‘he's loving the warmth and attention of a human
being’ but just won’t admit it.

Vet said he’s fine and in great shape for being almost 20 years old.

P.S. He likes female docs.

2/72007 Doug:
I have heard of "Alex", another African Grey who was picked up in a pet store by a university professor 17-18 years ago. They've been working with Alex for years, who can count, pick out items up to like seven different colors, and other stuff.

They say it's not a trick or rote learning but actual brainwork.

From my dealings with "Webster" here, I can tell you that African Grey parrots definitely have their own personality, they do have a sense of humor, and they like to at times be in control.

Imagine seeing a bird going from room-to-room calling "Angela" or "Roman". Not finding these people in a room he moves on...if he's in the mood to look for them at all. He actually peeks his head in the room and looks, then talks...

Fly?

No self-respecting parrot flies in a house when they can walk or use their beak to help them get up and down things!

Webster loves to walk up steps, but refuses to go down them. And there are days when he stays in his cage (his house) all day long, then the rare days where he's in the mood to explore and well he wants to come upstairs and be with everybody.

As far as leaving "bombs" or "bomblets", as we affectionally call them, Webster knows that he's not supposed to do it in certain places. But he does anyway. For this reason he spends most of the time in our basement aviary (our mechanical room), along with the other birds, a radio and a TV. For visits up to the house they are usually limited to our wood floor or, if on the rug in my office, he sits on a stool with plastic underneath.

He hardly flies at all. Loves cheddar cheese, sweet potatoes, pizza, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, chicken, rice, peas etc. Also has a very sweet beak. Would rather munch on a chocolate chip cookie than just about anything else, including a cracker.

Parrots though are a handful. They can be loyal as dogs but even more independent than cats. You should ask Angie and Lois about the times I've been talking and Webster will let out a huge "Yawn", like in addition to boring Angie and Lois to death with my talk he was even more bored. At other times he likes to imitate the phone - exactly, the microwave - exactly, or my voice or Lois. He doesn't talk that much, though, because he's been around too many other birds and not humans.

Problem is, I can't teach him anything. He seems to learn and do only what he wants (like a cat), although I've managed to train him to "make a circle" with his body anytime he wants something good to eat. But it just seems that the bird has a lot of "other stuff" going on in that brain at times.

African Greys are IMHO the best parrot for any person to own. But they are moody, independent, and stubborn at times, unlike other parrot species. They are well known to be the most intelligent and the best mimics around. I've had him for 12 years, and I'm ashamed to say he probably knows a 10th of what he should.

7/9/07 Doug:
"Circling"
He will shift his feet "around" instead of actually "walking" around in a
circle formation. In other words, he makes as tight of a circle as he can.

Birds are extremely loyal for the most part. Did you know that most
birds mate for life? In addition, if you want to breed birds just putting a
male or female together won't do it the vast majority of the time. They
have to be compatible, or as they say in the breeder business "proven".

Many types of parrots - without a natural mate - adopt one person in a
family as their favorite. Some birds prefer women, others men. Some like
kids, some hate kids. Some show extreme jealousy if, say, they adopt the
wife as their mate and the husband comes around.

Example: My Blue-and-Gold Macaw, "Molly", is attached to me. She likes
Lois and Angie, but she shows affection to me. And if Lois comes in "her
space" while it is "our time (Molly and Me, usually at feeding time) she
will raise a ruckus. If I take Molly upstairs, though, and place her in a
neutral setting, she is less dominant towards me...but all in all, Molly
favors me. More info: Molly was raised by a female who cuddled her all the
time. When I received Molly she was very leery of me at first, but
eventually realized I'm the one who cares and takes care of her. Since she
was only two years old, she changed her allegiance from a preference of
women to accepting me as her mate. Even today, if I put a woman or a man in
her space, I'd say more times then not she will favor the woman. Yes, they
apparently do know the difference!

Webster is non-committal, another reason why an African Grey can be a good
"bird choice" for a family. He really doesn't have a favorite person,
although I can get honorable mention at times. When I first got Molly,
Webbie practically wrote me off for about a two year period. Only in the
last several years has he "accepted" the situation.

Birds show loyalty in different ways, mainly due to their individual
personalities and their inherent, overall traits. I'm not talking about
cockatiels or parakeets here; it's hard to see much of an individual
difference in them at times.

But in the bigger parrots they definitely show individuality and character
traits. Molly is extremely loyal to me; no matter how much she hates what I
want her to do, or where I want her to go, or whatever, she has objected by
screaming and/or making noises but NEVER has made an attempt to bite or nip
me. Even when I am forcing her to do something she doesn't want to do, like
leave her cage or something. That to me is loyalty. Also, if you put Molly
in a room with other people she will always come to me first. Another sign
of loyalty.

Webster is loyal, but differently. If he doesn't want to do something,
he'll put up a fuss and even nip if I persist beyond what he wants to do.
He has even bit me once or twice, which really gets me mad and then the
fireworks really fly between us. But with Webster it comes down to treating
him as you would a person with his own will, rather than like Molly who will
always give in. Webster shows loyalty a lot less, because he is much more
independent.

Another weird thing: People say a dog makes a good watchdog. I will add
Molly to that list. Molly screams and makes a fuss every time somebody
comes close to our house; every time. It is like she has to alert the
entire flock (feathered and unfeathered!) that there is an intruder/danger
alert, and take off NOW NOW NOW!

Webster, on the other hand, is much more curious at who the intruder his; he
doesn't seem to actually care there is one.

If following me at times around the house because he wants to play or tug on
the bottom of my pants is a sign of loyalty, Webster does it; Molly never
has.

Both parrots like to play. Just like humans, playing builds confidence and
loyalty with your "pet".