Birdie's a GIRL!!! and other cute realizations!

Hello out there to all of Birdie's fans!
Sorry I have neglected posting about sweet Birdie... but life seems to always be too busy and complex.
I have started this update so many times, that I think I will just post it unfinished, and add to it later, as I feel so bad I have not shared about sweet Birdie recently!!!

Birdie is doing absolutely GREAT, and entertains us, amazes us and cracks us up daily!

Here's Birdie perched outside her cage, on top the flag
which serves as the background behind her cage

And sooooooo.... with a bird chirping drum roll.... the long awaited "baby gender announcement" is... Birdie has definitively revealed to us that SHE is a GIRL!!!! For a month or two we watched her baby feathers fully come in (May and June), then at about 3-4 months old (July and August) she began molting out! All her soft downy baby feathers fell off, as well as her main flight and tail feathers. I think she actually molted out all her baby feathers, as the adolescent feathers pushed through! Thankfully not all at once, as she always had the warmth of her feathers!

Here SHE is with a combination of her baby feathers molting off 

and her new feathers coming in

 Here's a great picture of Birdie admiring herself in the fireplace frame-

and you can see her new feathers coming in.

The tail-flight feathers are still quite short here.

I think Birdie has found all the reflective surfaces in the entire house!

As she lost her baby feathers, her adolescent feathers grew in, revealing the soft tan, brown, grey, blonde colors of a GIRL sparrow!!! Finally we can refer to Birdie as HER and SHE!!!
I didn't reveal her gender definitively previously, as I read somewhere that you can't be certain of their gender around 6 months. 

Here's Birdie showing off her pretty feathers a few months ago

Just look at those beautiful and perfect adolescent feathers!

Ah Birdie, you are so very perfect!

Never ceasing to amaze us, especially since 

you were so close 

to not being here...

Such a perfect little girl sparrow you are!

Birdie has been part of our lives for a little over 6 months now (May - Nov) and how she's grown and changed is nothing short of a miracle. We still marvel about her fateful fall from the nest and that we just happened to find her on the front porch, cool and almost lifeless that cold May night.... and then discovering her twisted, sprained neck situation in the next several days, which caused us to be very tentative about her survival chances.  But Birdie had an amazing will to live and she is now so perfect in every way, and just an amazing delight daily!

Since moving into her "big girl" condo-cage, Birdie has developed quite the daily routine. We keep endless supplies of seeds and treats in her cage always, but still prepare her "baby food" for her (moistened small dog kibble) daily. I had read that as birds wean themselves from "parental" feeding, they will often stop wanting to be hand fed from their humans. Not Birdie! She looks forward to us feeding her by hand (still with the original tweezers!), and she even expects it! How do I know this? She flitters and  flutters and chirps around her cage, until we prepare and bring her softened kibble to her.

Birdie has become so integrated into our family routine, that she knows the various kitchen sounds of foods being prepared that she likes.
She knows the sound of when I open the Biscotti canister in the morning
She knows the sound of us putting a few dog kibbles in her dish
She knows the sound of us running the water in the kitchen sink
She knows the sound of breakfast cereal being stirred in the bowl... and if Birdie is out of her cage... she flits over to us at the table and "demands" to share!

 She has so many recognizable traits now, that let us know when she wants to be hand fed, when she wants her water changed, when she wants to be let out of the cage and when she's ready for bed and wants her cover on. She's so smart now, that it's not easy getting her back in the cage. Birdie no longer wants to be held or wants to perch on our fingers. But she will, by her choosing lol, land on our shoulders or hands.
She loves exploring in the kitchen and her newest spots are the refrig, oven handles and microwave. And guess why??? Birdie can she her beautiful reflection, and loves to see what she might think, is another sparrow. (Not to worry, I antibacterialize all her spots she's perched on, after she is back in her cage!)

Here's Birdie hanging out on the refrigerator water dispenser!

I just wish I could post her cute videos here. I guess they are too long and detailed and this blog venue doesn't allow for that amount of data bytes???

No doubt, Birdie entertains us daily with all her funny antics and bird behaviors! But as much as she is still showing "wild" sparrow characteristics, she is so human imprinted and so entirely used to and comfortable in our human environment. She knows nothing else but us and our house.
Recently on nice days, we take her cage onto the sunny porch, ironically right near where she fell out of the nest, and let her bask in the sun. I think her bio-family has come back to the front bushes, and I think I have heard them chirping to her... funny, she doesn't seem to care... or this is all my imagination and me "anthropomorphizing"...

I suppose all things Birdie does is just natural instinct for her, but since she is living in such an "unnatural" environment for a sparrow, the things she does, are just so funny to us... as we are your bird family and you know nothing different!

I will try again... and again to post the adorable videos I have of her sitting on my hands as I type on my laptop, eating various things with us, and taking bird baths!!! Just so adorable and precious. But until then, I will post this, so the blog-o-sphere can enjoy Birdie's beauty and miraculous survival story!!!

I will end with this hilarious picture of Birdie hanging out with her human family in pictures. This has become one of her fave activities... hopping around our family pictures on the bookshelf.. and of course... leaving us her little poop presents!

We just love you so much Birdie, and we know you love us!!!

Birdie being Birdie the sparrow!

Nature is just so amazing!

To think this little sparrow was originally destined to "not be"...

And now, Birdie is just so NORMAL and HAPPY and just such a healthy thriving bird!

People have asked me how I "trained" Birdie to do the things heshe does... but I haven't really trained Birdie, I just "encouraged" Birdie's natural instincts to emerge by trying to mimic what sparrow parents would have taught their offspring.

Fortunately for the internet and access to an infinite amount of information, I was able to learn how to "parent" a sparrow, and help Birdie to learn what heshe is already "wired" to know and do.

But really, how does Birdie KNOW to fly, to peck at seeds, take a bird bath?
Sure I imitated pecking at seeds with the feeding tweezers and imitated pecking at the water, but I certainly didn't have any literal part in teaching Birdie to fly! That's for sure!
Truly, nature, and who we are genetically disposed to be... is just miraculous! This little rescued bird proves the power of nature, and life's incredible will to survive, against all odds.

Birdie is just so normal now, so completely a "regular" bird! I think about all the wild sparrows that frequent Starbucks, pecking at the crumbs left behind by caffeinated customers. Wild sparrows raised by wild sparrows. That's "normal". Birdie is just like them... but inside our house, raised by and living with humans as hisher flock! And that's certainly not "normal" !

So how can my little rescued baby sparrow, who really only knows humans, be so naturally a bird?! Birdie is such a normal bird now, heshe really doesn't like to be held, aggressively pecks us when heshe doesn't like something, but freely flits about comfortably and lands on us by choice all the time.

Birdie does all hisher bird behaviors instinctively as though heshe was raised by sparrow parents. But Birdie wasn't!!! and I can't fully process this imperfect perfection.

Eating, pecking, flitting, flying, fluffing in the hay at the bottom of the cage after a birdbath and grooming! Birdie does everything bird-perfect!

I wonder though, when Birdie looks at and pecks at hisher image in the mirrors... is Birdie thinking it's another sparrow? Hoping it is? Wishing it is? Or am I "anthropomorphizing" and projecting human feelings here?

As I see it...

Birdie is pre-wired based on thousands (millions) of years of sparrow behavior, to naturally do everything heshe is doing. Passed down in Birdie's genetics, is the recipe for being a bird! Specifically, special sparrow!

We marvel at how this wild bird has adapted to a fully human environment, but still remains a "wild bird" with all hisher wild instincts!

In the morning, when we all first emerge, Birdie freaks out and flutters around the cage startled. We've figured out that we startle Birdie with looking "different" everyday... since as humans we change our clothes and thus our familiar appearance changes and scares Birdie! To Birdie, we have "changed our feathers", until heshe realizes it's us. Funny, we have now adapted to Birdie, and make a point to "warn" Birdie we are coming, so heshe is not stunned when heshe she's our "new feathers".
So basically, I wear plain T shirts around Birdie, and that's very comforting and calming to Birdie... not to mention, I have to be careful not to wear shirts with "shoulder poop signatures" to work lol!

Here's Birdie taking a bird bath
Heshe loves dipping into and vigorously flicking water around

Birdie thinks there's something amazing to be found on the keyboard

otherwise, why would "human mom" be so intently pecking lol

 Birdie also can't get enough of the shinny mouse pad.

I was so worried Birdie was going to click and send random emails for me

while I took these irresistible pictures



Birdie thought Papa Jim's hat was a perfect perch!

Here's Birdie discovering how fun it is to "groom" Scott

and peck at his neck and face hair

 Birdie's new favorite spot by the fireplace

Of course! Birdie can see hisher reflection in the brass frame!

And nest into the pinecones.

Truly it's amazing how this now PERFECT little bird knows how to fully be a sparrow!



New Meaning to the term "HOUSE" Sparrow!

Birdie, Birdie, Birdie!!!!!!!!!!!! you have taken over our lives!
Your adorable flutters, chirps, and desire to be with us is just beyond words! You have captivated our hearts and entertained us more than we could have ever imagined!

Who knew a little rescued, disabled, near death baby sparrow would grow into such a healthy, independent, hilarious, inquisitive bird that has taken over our house!
Aaaahahahaaaa I laugh at the little poops delivered on the floor, counters, cabinets, etc. during Birdie's "out of cage fly overs"!
I laugh at how I have paper towels spread all over the counters, fax machine, and other surfaces!
I laugh at how I've had to change what I wear around the house now, since Birdie insists on sitting on my shoulder anytime I am in the kitchen or family room! Old T-shirts are in, nice clothes are out! I have to quickly change my office clothes before I let Birdie out to visit, as sure enough... not long after Birdie perches on my shoulder, Birdie leaves me a poopy-present!

Not to worry, we corral Birdie during dinner time!

As these little presents are not welcomed in our food!

Here's Birdie in hisher fave spot! 

I've learned to tilt my neck towards Birdie

when heshe insists on pecking my earrings!!!

 Here's Birdie helping to write Birdie's Blog!!!

 And I finally wised up and realized that my clicking on the computer keypad

was a direct invitation to Birdie to join me!

Of course! my finger clicking-pecking imitates natural bird pecking behavior!

Therefore I became the Best Bird Parent ever to Birdie!!! 

Peck, peck, peck, peck, peck, peck!!! what a fun game Birdie thinks this is!!!

 Seriously!!! Birdie loooooooooves the computer now!

When heshe jumps on the keypad, entries happen that I don't intend!

No banking or business emails when's Birdie's out!!! ahahahahaaa!!!

And finally, Birdie's newest fave spot to hang out

is the crevice where our kitchen cabinet doors ajoin.

Birdie must think this is hisher new tree!

(sadly I can't get the video to upload :/ )

 

Bird bath video to come!!

when I can figure out why my videos aren't loading :/

Ok, I give up and have now begun creating...

A BIRDIE YouTube channel!!!!
ahahahaaaaa :)
  I'll link it asap!!!

Flying, Fluttering, Perching and Pecking at My Humans

And so as Birdie grows and develops so does Birdie's sense of self confidence, natural instinct of investigation and sparrow curiosity!

Birdie's newest adventures include fly-overs from the cage to various landing sites in the kitchen and family room. Birdie is just so smart and so fascinating to watch! We just marvel at his healthy growth and development from an abandoned and injured newborn to a full fledged confidently natural flying adolescent sparrow... just flitting and flying around our house, as if it's just the most natural thing for himher to be doing! (Little does Birdie know, this is the most "unnatural wild bird" behavior!)

At this point in hisher explorations, Birdie stays close to hisher "comfort zone", flying in close proximity to things near and around the cage. As a result, when we are hanging at the kitchen table, Birdie now freely joins us, flying over us and deciding whom to perch on (and subsequently, poop on)!

Above, Birdie's enjoying me as the perch .... 

and soon discovering shimmery post earrings are great fun to peck at!
Below, is evidence of a well-fed Birdie...lol
check out Birdie's signature on my shoulder!

 Here's a hilarious video of Birdie pecking at my earrings! It's super funny, but actually that little sparrow beak is really powerful and sharp now! I can really see now how bird beaks are a natural "weapon" in the wild! Sorry the video is tilted, I can't figure out how to set it up straight... but you'll still crack up at me being attacked by "sweet innocent baby Birdie" !!!

The World is My Perch... and Birdie Loves Phones!

Taking Flight, Fluttering Fly-Overs and Random Poop!

Who knew we would successfully raise a WILD SPARROW?! thus transforming our human household into Birdie's world. Of course this makes logical sense that a tiny abondoned, injured baby bird would come to know nothing else but our environment as hisher own and only natural habitat, yet it is still so breathtaking to observe and take part in this truly miraculous experience!

Perhaps raising baby Birdie wouldn't be so incredible and amazing if the circumstances were different..?
If baby Birdie HADN'T been so young and totally helpless, totally dependent upon us his rescuers?
If baby Birdie HADN'T been so injured, disabled, deformed?
If baby Birdie WASN'T naturally a WILD bird?
But I still wake up each morning, call down the hallway from my bedroom to Birdie and am still amazed daily when I receive the happy and urgent return chirps back to me! This little wild creature is completely at "home" in our human home!! And knows nothing else but us, and knows nothing else but the inside of our house, the security of hisher cage and our kitchen and family room as hisher "world'!!

As Birdie explores more and more and "acts" more like a "real" bird, it's hilarious to take part in hisher view of the world. Who knows how Birdie really sees us and interprets us and our world? Who knows what is triggered in hisher little brilliant brain to fly to us and perch on us? I know we are seen as the "bird parents" and hisher "flock" as a result of early Imprinting, but what goes through that little mind when heshe CHOOSES to come to us and perch on us? Guess my next career will be that of a Zoologist or Animal Whisperer, or Animal Tamer/Rescuer?

Below are a sampling of Birdie's favorite human and household perches!

ME!!! ahahaaa :)

Birdie loves Scott!

as Scott was first to encourage Birdie to learn to sit on the human hand as a perch.






Birdie also lets Scott know when he wants to be touched or petted... or not! That little beak is a powerful little weapon for sure!

Sadly Alissa missed out on Birdie's early rescue and raising being away at college,

 but Birdie quickly learned she was just another bird in our flock!

 Birdie loved nibbling on Alissa's nails!

Here's Daddy-bird Jim

So funny how Birdie gets shocked every morning
when Jim appears with a different shirt. 

Birdie is quite startled and confused with Jim changing his "feathers" daily!

And since Birdie has "grown up" with my phone taking pictures and videos since heshe opened hisher eyes, my phone is just another extension of me and one of Birdie's happy landing zones!

It's so funny trying to use my phone, or especially trying to take pictures and videos of Birdie, as the minute the phone is focused in Birdie's direction, that's an invitation to perch! I was able to catch these adorable pictures quickly using Jim's phone to take the picture

No matter the angle of my phone,
it's an invitation for Birdie to perch!

And and invitation to peck and manicure my fingers!

Feeding Baby, Eating, Growing Fast, Discovering New Foods

In just 2 months Birdie has gone from fragile injured dependent baby bird, to a strong flying, playing, pecking, normal independent eating and drinking full fledged Sparrow! This has been such a miraculous journey helping Birdie grow, thrive and survive!
This blog entry is a somewhat sequential summary of Birdie going from hand fed by necessity, to hand fed because it's fun and Birdie is beginning to expect things to nibble on!

But first, here's a short video of Birdie during the first week of dependence and disabled neck:

As Birdie became stronger, and grew more feathers

it seemed Birdie's neck gradually normalized ! 

Here Birdie is still turning awkwardly to eat

but navigating so much better!

With time, and experience as Bird-Parents, 

we also gained greater skill at getting the food into the target!

We were so excited when Birdie surprised us with sitting on our hands

almost normally! Feeding became so much easier and Birdie grew stronger fast!

Here Birdie was still in the original little nest,
but with the nest inside a larger pet carrier,
as those feathers and wings were developing quickly
and we couldn't predict if Birdie would 

suddenly take flight out of the protective enclosed area!

Here's Birdie in the BigBird cage! Graduation!

Birdie liked to perch on the little nest, munching happily from the tweezers.

But Birdie quickly transitioned from the enclosed nest area to the BigBird cage,
and as hisher wings grew strong, and Birdie flitted around the cage

I removed the little nest.. as soon Birdie preferred the upper area perches!
yep, just like what would be Birdie's natural environment...
living in a tree!

Soon Birdie learns all about hisher wings and in no time

Birdie is venturing out of the cage to perch atop the cage!

Once Birdie graduated to the cage, it seemed like heshe grew into 

a "regular" bird fast! It's been great fun introducing new foods.

Here's Birdie learning about a banana!

Yummy !

In no time, we found various colorful and delectable seeds and grains for Birdie

Bird Dad Jim brought home some cherries!

Birdie added those to the list of delicious treats!

And in no time, Birdie learned the kitchen table was a great place to hang out!

Here's Birdie and Scott having Cream of Wheat for breakfast!

In no time flat, Birdie learned spoons hold all kinds of treats!

Well we now have our very own "Starbucks" sparrow!

 I'll title these pictures: Biscotti Breakfast with Birdie :)

Jim found the most amazing mini Biscotti's at Costco and we enjoy them every morning with our coffee. Birdie soon decided this was hisher new favorite routine also, as Birdie looooooves nibbling and pecking on the hard Biscotti! Just look at the nibbling neck angle! No neck disability there!

Note the tiny little bloodspot on my thumb... Birdie missed the Biscotti
and that little beak got me, not the Biscotti!

Birdie's new beak sharpener is Biscotti!

And just this weekend, Jim decided on popcorn with his movie...

Yes, you guessed it, Birdie now loves popcorn! And actual corn too!

In addition to all these (supplemental) treats, Birdie has an endless supply of actual Bird Seed, hanging Millet Sprays, high protein Poultry Crumbles, crushed (with a baker's roller pin lol) dog kibble and Birdie still likes to occasionally eat the softened dog kibble from the tweezers.
It's certainly a relief to see Birdie so independent eating "normal" bird seed and drinking water by hisherself, but I will actually be sad when Birdie completely weans and graduates from eating hisher "babyfood" from the tweezers... but aren't all moms sentimental when their babies don't "need" them as much? :)

PS- Birdie also loves Blueberries, Green Beans, Corn, Spinach, Lettuce... whatever we eat, I let Birdie try.. well all the healthy stuff that is !