# Scared of magpies!



## Kay (Aug 11, 2011)

I live in quite a "green" area, lots of trees, and unfortunately for Hardie lots of magpies. I posted a few days ago about how she freaked out and worried me. She did the same today but I noticed it was when a magpie was calling in the car park outside. So I calmly put her back in her cage.

So she's back in her cage starting to eat when the magpie calls again, and she does the whole skinny cockatiel thing - crest as high as it will go! 

We have huuuuge bay windows. I'm talking like 10 feet tall. And our lounge is right above the car park, so I sometimes have the net curtains shut or sometimes open. I'm wondering if because today she could see outside and heard it she freaked out? How can I teach her that magpies aren't a threat?

I feel sorry for her because she's going to have to get used to it - seems to be magpie central round here!

I'm 99.9% sure she didnt see a magpie by the way


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## This'll Do (Jun 24, 2011)

Perhaps she felt less secure since she could see the huge outdoors? Birds are afraid of things that could come from above. If the top of her cage is not covered, you could try that. Put a towel or folded sheet on the top of her cage so that's one less area she has to keep an eye out for predators. With repeated exposure, Hardie will realize that it's just noise and no evil magpie is going to swoop down to carry her off. 
As you say, she's going to have to get used to it. Maybe a good idea to keep the curtains partially closed for now when you're not around so she'll feel safer. When you're there, she will notice that you are not scared, and that will help her learn not to be frightened. You are her flock, and she will be very attuned to your reactions. If you act like, _*yawn* magpies again_, then she will adopt that attitude herself.


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

When birds fly past mine and i always point and say birdie to them and they look
They do go all skinny birds and lucky is the only one who will hide behind the cage and cling on the bars


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## Kay (Aug 11, 2011)

Sorry I thought I'd replied to this! 

Thanks for all your advice . However she's now at the stage where she won't come out her cage unless the living room curtains are shut. She'll listen for the magpies calling and constantly look upward and out of the window, although she can't see anything because of the net curtains. Every time she hears a magpie the crest is straight up.

I shut the curtains today and she came straight out and wasn't bothered by the magpies calling.

Any ideas?


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Could try and take her to the window with her so she knows there is nothing to be scared of


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## Kay (Aug 11, 2011)

Thanks for the advice again, I'll persevere with that  .

We sat in front of the TV tonight and there was a documentary on, was it Blue Planet? Anyway god we had it all tonight, eagles catching kittiwakes, ravens catching poor auklets.. Hardie never stopped eating her seed. A magpie 20 feet away though?


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

I find them documentarys interesting but its very rare i watch them
i normally watch animal planet, animal cops mostly. Any birds on tv my lucky calls for them lol 
I seen 3 magpies today coming back from shopping


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