Funny, he doesn't look like a Cardinal.
August 3, 2013 8:18 AM Subscribe
A famously chatty parakeet named Disco recently added another human trick to his repertoire: Quoting Monty Python.
Disco the Parakeet previously on Metafilter.
Disco the Parakeet previously on Metafilter.
It's pining for the fjords!
posted by 445supermag at 8:36 AM on August 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by 445supermag at 8:36 AM on August 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
Awww!
When I was a kid we had a bright blue keet named George, who had been hand-raised by a cousin. He was incredibly people-oriented. He liked to stick his head in his waterdish and talk because he could better hear the echo. He said two things: "GEORGE!!!!" and "Pretty bird!"
He also tended to get really randy around women with nailpolish on their fingers. Strange little bird.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 8:46 AM on August 3, 2013
When I was a kid we had a bright blue keet named George, who had been hand-raised by a cousin. He was incredibly people-oriented. He liked to stick his head in his waterdish and talk because he could better hear the echo. He said two things: "GEORGE!!!!" and "Pretty bird!"
He also tended to get really randy around women with nailpolish on their fingers. Strange little bird.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 8:46 AM on August 3, 2013
Disco suddenly stops getting invited to parties.
posted by dudekiller at 9:03 AM on August 3, 2013 [9 favorites]
posted by dudekiller at 9:03 AM on August 3, 2013 [9 favorites]
Interesting how he splices together words rather than just fragments of sound, as if he can tell that the sounds he's repeating are made up of discreet parts. He might not understand any of what he says but he seems to be parsing the structure of the sound, not just playing it back.
posted by BinaryApe at 9:17 AM on August 3, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by BinaryApe at 9:17 AM on August 3, 2013 [2 favorites]
That's a bleedin' budgie. Parakeet indeed. Americans. Cuh!
posted by Decani at 9:42 AM on August 3, 2013
posted by Decani at 9:42 AM on August 3, 2013
Wow, they have really worked with that budgie, who has way more innate talent than my deceased budgies Pot Pie, Kiev, Cordon Bleu, and Tetrazzini ever did.
And I love their choice of material. A college friend of mine had a parrot named Frankie who loved to sing, "I left my heaaaaaaaart in San FRANK-ciscooooooooo."
posted by FelliniBlank at 9:47 AM on August 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
And I love their choice of material. A college friend of mine had a parrot named Frankie who loved to sing, "I left my heaaaaaaaart in San FRANK-ciscooooooooo."
posted by FelliniBlank at 9:47 AM on August 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
My aunt had a parakeet that used to say "Birds don't talk!" in a magnificently incredulous tone.
posted by Erasmouse at 9:57 AM on August 3, 2013 [11 favorites]
posted by Erasmouse at 9:57 AM on August 3, 2013 [11 favorites]
oooh I love that little guy
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 10:40 AM on August 3, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 10:40 AM on August 3, 2013 [2 favorites]
Just been reading about how Alex the parrot would taunt his trainers by not quite getting his lesson right (or being unexpectedly quiet) but overnight he was recorded practicing over and over and over until he could do it to his satisfaction. I heartily recommend this book.
(Teaching Disco to call the cat over seems kinda cruel. It would be like me singing "HEY, AXE MURDERER! OVER HERE!" over and over again.)
posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord at 11:21 AM on August 3, 2013 [2 favorites]
(Teaching Disco to call the cat over seems kinda cruel. It would be like me singing "HEY, AXE MURDERER! OVER HERE!" over and over again.)
posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord at 11:21 AM on August 3, 2013 [2 favorites]
zippity ay!
Nobody expects cheeseburger.
So true.
I loves Disco. Makes me want a parakeet. But I know there's nobody like Disco. : (
posted by BlueHorse at 11:28 AM on August 3, 2013 [3 favorites]
Nobody expects cheeseburger.
So true.
I loves Disco. Makes me want a parakeet. But I know there's nobody like Disco. : (
posted by BlueHorse at 11:28 AM on August 3, 2013 [3 favorites]
I like it, I like it, yes I do!
posted by flyingsquirrel at 11:57 AM on August 3, 2013
posted by flyingsquirrel at 11:57 AM on August 3, 2013
"Interesting how he splices together words rather than just fragments of sound, as if he can tell that the sounds he's repeating are made up of discreet parts. He might not understand any of what he says but he seems to be parsing the structure of the sound, not just playing it back."
Yeah. In his memory each "word" is stored separately, but then there's a higher layer where he remembers which words are linked together and what order he's supposed to say them in. That higher order skill seems to take conscious effort and practice to get right, whereas it's fairly simple to remember individual words.
posted by Kevin Street at 1:16 PM on August 3, 2013
Yeah. In his memory each "word" is stored separately, but then there's a higher layer where he remembers which words are linked together and what order he's supposed to say them in. That higher order skill seems to take conscious effort and practice to get right, whereas it's fairly simple to remember individual words.
posted by Kevin Street at 1:16 PM on August 3, 2013
I love Disco. Every so often, I think having a talking bird in the house would be neat, then I watch Disco's videos and realize that I like my peace and quiet way too much. On the internet, I can watch birds talk exactly as much as I like.
posted by GenjiandProust at 1:33 PM on August 3, 2013
posted by GenjiandProust at 1:33 PM on August 3, 2013
this is SO GREAT
posted by a birds at 2:28 PM on August 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by a birds at 2:28 PM on August 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
And I love their choice of material.
I dunno. I suspect "I can haz cheezeburger" and "Nobody puts baby in a corner" are also in Disco's repertoire, which is...less great.
I'd love to see him do it on cue after the music sting (as in the original episode)
posted by ShutterBun at 3:24 PM on August 3, 2013
I dunno. I suspect "I can haz cheezeburger" and "Nobody puts baby in a corner" are also in Disco's repertoire, which is...less great.
I'd love to see him do it on cue after the music sting (as in the original episode)
posted by ShutterBun at 3:24 PM on August 3, 2013
And while we're on the subject of talking birds, I'll just have to share this clip of a Myna (the undisputed master of impression) who was raised alongside a human infant.
The results are predictable and amazing.
posted by ShutterBun at 3:36 PM on August 3, 2013 [3 favorites]
The results are predictable and amazing.
posted by ShutterBun at 3:36 PM on August 3, 2013 [3 favorites]
Potsmokinghippieoverlord: As for calling the cat, they don't have one. I think they trained him to say for laughs.
posted by michellenoel at 4:25 PM on August 3, 2013
posted by michellenoel at 4:25 PM on August 3, 2013
I dunno. I suspect "I can haz cheezeburger" and "Nobody puts baby in a corner" are also in Disco's repertoire, which is...less great.
I believe Disco says, "Nobody puts baby bird in a corner," which is hilarious. As are "I am not a crook" and "Don't call me Shirley."
posted by FelliniBlank at 6:10 PM on August 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
I believe Disco says, "Nobody puts baby bird in a corner," which is hilarious. As are "I am not a crook" and "Don't call me Shirley."
posted by FelliniBlank at 6:10 PM on August 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
potsmokinghippieoverlord: (Teaching Disco to call the cat over seems kinda cruel. It would be like me singing "HEY, AXE MURDERER! OVER HERE!" over and over again.)
We have an african grey (oblig) and she learned how to call the dog over, using my mom's voice. So one day, I'm watching tv and talking to her and she starts calling the dog. "Aaaapril! April! Hey! C'mere! COME HERE! APRIL!" and sure enough, our cocker spaniel (oblig) comes ambling along and snurfling down on floor around the bird's cage for dropped leftovers. I watched as Bo walked out on to the cage door, waited until the dog was under her, took aim, and shit on the dog. And then, "Ahahaahahahaha!", she laughed about it.
This happened more than once, and then we started putting up a gate to the bird room.
posted by ApathyGirl at 9:04 PM on August 3, 2013 [11 favorites]
We have an african grey (oblig) and she learned how to call the dog over, using my mom's voice. So one day, I'm watching tv and talking to her and she starts calling the dog. "Aaaapril! April! Hey! C'mere! COME HERE! APRIL!" and sure enough, our cocker spaniel (oblig) comes ambling along and snurfling down on floor around the bird's cage for dropped leftovers. I watched as Bo walked out on to the cage door, waited until the dog was under her, took aim, and shit on the dog. And then, "Ahahaahahahaha!", she laughed about it.
This happened more than once, and then we started putting up a gate to the bird room.
posted by ApathyGirl at 9:04 PM on August 3, 2013 [11 favorites]
Disco in fact reels through "I am not a crook! My name is Disco, I'm a parakeet!"
I also like that they taught him "Disco-birdie in the hoooouuuse to night. Eat millet and have a good time."
posted by maryr at 8:08 AM on August 4, 2013 [1 favorite]
I also like that they taught him "Disco-birdie in the hoooouuuse to night. Eat millet and have a good time."
posted by maryr at 8:08 AM on August 4, 2013 [1 favorite]
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