Saved!
Mango was found as a hatch-ling where she had been flung or fallen under a Mango tree, which is how she got her name. There were no signs of her parents – a hatch-ling bird should always be left alone until it becomes clear that it has been abandoned. No doubt she would have perished where she lay, had it not been for human intervention. Baby birds require round the clock care to survive this critical stage of life. She survived on hand feedings every few hours of softened Mynah pellets.
Fledgling
Raised by a relative with constant feeding, she fledged and learned not to fear people – and just about everything else. She also learned to fly, a delight to watch. She would fly to whomever she trusted, and to the sound of food being prepared.
We were fortunate enough to be able to take her and continue raising her at this young age. Mango made friends with our Golden Retriever, Lucky. These two have a special relationship, like soul mates they seek each other out. Lucky is a great dog, and fortunately does not retaliate for some of Mango’s attacks. He has even been bitten in the nose! Yet they still play play together and have developed a unique friendship.
How do we know She’s a Girl?
There are only two ways to determine most birds sex: they either lay eggs yielding the obvious answer, or perform a DNA test. Mango’s personality had evolved displaying a strong bond with Dad, but frequently attacked Mom. A theory developed that the was probably female. We had some early health issues caused by diet, and while at the vet decided to drop the $50 for a DNA test. Sure enough, Mango is a girl. She appears to believe that she’s the Alpha female in the house, and acts the part!
What Did She Say?
Mango developed into a highly intelligent and inquisitive bird. Fascinated by things bright and shiny, she will run off with paper clips or other small objects that strike her fancy. We have to be careful not to leave small sharp objects laying around, as she will make off with them. One day at about a year old, Mango was being scolded for getting into something with the familiar word “Hey!”, which was often used for our other pets when misbehaving. Without skipping a beat, she turned and looked up at us, and in Dad’s voice, said loud and clear “Hey!” . We suddenly realized that we didn’t just have a talking Mynah bird, but a Mynah bird that talks back!
She now says many words and phrases, including:
- Hey!
- Hello
- Bye-bye
- Up
- Mangobird and Mangobirdie
- Nice sharp beak!
- Want some?
- Mango mash
- Doggy Doggy Doggy!
- Lots of nonsensical words and phrases
She also laughs and has different laughter styles and voices. Laughter is sometimes spontaneous, and at other times it’s a reaction to our laughter or something on the TV. Her vocabulary has changed over time and includes many nonsensical phrases, sound effects, and whistles/clicks. She mimics dog squeaky toy sounds, does a great R2D2 imitation, and a perfect imitation of our whistle-call for Lucky. Dad had to change his whistle-call for Lucky, because Mango would tease him by whistling and calling him to a door where there was no one to let him back in the house. We have since added a doggy door.
Bird Intelligence
Ever wonder why an animal with such a small brain can talk and appear to be as intelligent as mammals with much larger brains? Birds have a very high brain neuron density. Their brains are also structured similarly to primates. Many birds use tools and display qualities of self-awareness. Parrots, Crows, African Greys, and Mynahs are some of the most intelligent bird species. Mango learns quickly and can be obedient at times. We were easily able to train her to return to he cage on command, which she does willingly, on most occasions.
Mango’s Language Skills
Mynah’s are highly intelligent birds, ranking similarly to African Grey’s with their speech capabilities. Although some of what she vocalizes is gibberish and sound effects, it has become clear to us that she understands the relationship between words, objects, and actions. It took about 3 weeks to teach her to say “bye bye”. We didn’t realize that she would soon associate that phrase with actions such as putting shoes on, gathering at the door, and actually leaving the house. Soon she began saying “bye bye” whenever we leave, which is so fun. “Want some” is another example. We had asked her that question to offer her a treat. Soon she began saying it to us when SHE wants a treat. We never know what she’ll say next, or which voice she will use.
To Clip Or Not To Clip
We made the decision early on to “clip” Mango’s wings. There is a lot of misunderstanding of this term. “Clipping” merely refers to trimming the outside edge of a birds flight feathers. This is to prevent panic flight, and all to common end result of a lost bird. Check the pet forums on your area for the number of lost birds – many of which could have been prevented if the wings had been clipped.
Helicoptering?
Mango grew up with her clipped wings, and developed her own capabilities with short wing feathers. We refer to this as “helicoptering”, where she will leap up , roughly about a foot off the ground, then flap her wings at two to three times a normal bird’s rate. By helicoptering, she can reach just about anything in the house, as her upwards reach is roughly three or more feet. Mango can control her short flights perfectly and land where ever she wants. She can even gain elevation if she really wants. We had a power outage once, and Mango was startled by a flashlight in the dark. She leaped up and flew up two steps and several more feet off the ground, then landed perfectly in Dad’s outstretched hands.
Living With Mynah Birds
Mynah’s are challenging, but rewarding pets. Mango can be moody and will viciously attack Mom for no apparent reason, and sometimes laugh afterwards and say “Nice sharp beak!”. We have no idea where she got that phrase from. At other times, she seeks out our company wherever we are in the house, sometimes takes naps with us, and even an occasional shower when she’s in the mood.
One of my favorite Mango stories happened a few years ago. Our relative, the one who actually found Mango, was visiting. He wanted to know more about her and asked what she likes to play with. We informed “Uncle” that Mango loves bling – anything shiny or bright. Without saying anything, Uncle took off his wedding ring and waved it in front of Mango: not smart! Before we could say a word, Mango jumped up, ripped the ring from his fingers, and in a flash was ten feet away thrashing Uncle’s ring on the carpet under the sofa! Game on! It took a bit of coaxing, but Mango did reluctantly let us have the ring back.
Mango can be a handful, and is very messy. We keep tissues around the house to clean up after her, but this is a small price to pay for her unique companionship.
So what’s it like living with a Mynah? Here are some short answers we’ve provided to describe Mango to curious people:
- A miniature Velociraptor
- More curious than a cat
- Alpha female of the house
- A pooping machine
In short, every day is an adventure with her. She can be predictable at times, and not so much at others. One thing for sure, we enjoy every day we have with her. She has changed our lives for the better! She’s live entertainment every day!