BUSTER – The African Grey Child

"Buster, The Boss"

Hi! My Name is Buster…

My blog shows I am smart and funny. Sometimes I am the silly bird!

Experts say I my learning capacity equals that of a five-year old child and my emotional development that of a two-year old child. Everything is my way or “the highway.” The word “no” means nothing to me.  One African gray in England named Alex showed his examiners during testing showed we are the smartest of all birds.

I love to make fun of my mommy and daddy by calling them “stinky” or “big mommy” (drives her crazy for some reason), “big buddy”, or “dirty.” The more the reaction I get, the better I like it!

Since I have nothing better to do all day, I listen and observe the interesting goings on around here. Cool stuff. Like when Big Buddy plays poker on the computer and screws up. He laughs when I say “That’s stupid!” and I love the reaction. When that happens I store it in my brain marked “Definitely Great!” Then I watch for the situation to happen again so I can get another laugh. I am so clever!

"Big Mommy and Big Buddy"

Note from Big Mommy: Buster’s exceptional humor entertains us daily, often surprising us with his observations. His humor zeroes in on us as he takes himself seriously. His blog also explains how to live with parrots and enhance their development. Buster  shares  bird cartoons, jokes and videos and encourages readers to share their bird  stories and comments for everyone’s enjoyment.

Many people believe the African Gray merely “parrots” words, phrases,sentences and sounds. They disbelieve references to these birds carrying on a conversation or making an observation and then commenting appropriately or making up their own meaningful sentences. These disbelievers haven’t lived with an African Gray. Even some who have their

"This Little Piggy"

own African Gray proudly announce the number of words their parrot can say…not stories of appropriate responses to many situations.

Many other birds, including parakeets, Quaker parrots, yellow nape parrots and more, do “parrot” and have impressive word counts. I once had a Quaker parrot named Barney who could recite the whole “This Little Piggy” rhyme including the “wee, wee all the way home”. I used to marvel how the small bird with it’s corresponding small brain could do this!

My African Gray parrot, Buster, observes situations and people and then comments on the situation. For example, we sat out on our front porch one summer day and Buster was in his outside cage. A neighbor, dressed in a swimming suit with a towel thrown over his shoulder obviously going to the pool, walked up to Buster’s cage and said “Hi, Buster!” Buster looked at the man from top to bottom. The he said clearly, “Goin’ for a little swim?” The man, speechless, turned and continued on his way to the pool. Since he hasn’t seen this man again in the same dress, he has NOT ever said it again, even when he is just jabbering whatever comes into his mind.

"Goin' For A Swim"

He is not friendly to visitors, especially the cleaning ladies and their vacuum. My husband rescued him the last time the cleaning ladies were vacuuming around his cage because he was screaming in fear like a small child. When the cleaning ladies stepped out the front door to leave, Buster said “Thank you!” The boss cleaning lady came back in to collect her check and turned around to step out the door, Buster, again, said “Thank you!” The ladies laughed knowing Buster was glad to get rid of them.

Now, Buster does imitate phones, smoke and car alarms, answering machines, microwave and timer beeps and a large assortment of sounds accurately fooling us in many ways. He also likes to whistle since African Grays don’t squawk like other parrots.

Buster, an African Gray parrot, joined our family about twenty years ago. He is perhaps the funniest being AND the most frustrating being in the world! There is no compromise with Buster…it is ALL his way!

This blog reveals his antics and how to cope with a bird who is exactly like a two-year old child! This blog also express lots of information about raising birds, how to enhance their development, making sure they stay healthy and many other aspects.

Sharing videos the hilarious antics of special birds and giving readers a chance to include their bird stories for everyone to enjoy means you won’t want to miss a single day. You never know who posted a funny story or video since you last visited!

At one time we published “The Spotlight” whose readership included lots of senior citizens and their families. The section they enjoyed most was Buster’s column which they sent to friends and family all over the world! One man even cut out every column and displayed them on the wall over his workbench and showed them proudly to everyone!

I am so excited to write this blog and am looking forward to your comments and contributions!

Fun Buster Links:

Buster Antics

Buster Videos

Other Bird Videos

Bird Jokes and Cartoons