Man card at risk

Okotok · #1 07-01-2018, 08:53 AM

My daughter and her friends found a magpie chick on the road. She insists on raising it and it's doing very well so far but it is a few weeks away from having enough feathers to fly. Calls to a rehabilitation place led her to believe it wouldn't last very long there. She's researched others who have raised them and released them. I roll my eyes but it is a pretty interesting little thing.

CaberTosser · #2 07-01-2018, 09:20 AM

Geese, what a dilemma! At my place that would be like a McCoy living with a Hatfield

The things we do for our kids

omega50 · #3 07-01-2018, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Okotok

My daughter and her friends found a magpie chick on the road. She insists on raising it and it's doing very well so far but it is a few weeks away from having enough feathers to fly. Calls to a rehabilitation place led her to believe it wouldn't last very long there. She's researched others who have raised them and released them. I roll my eyes but it is a pretty interesting little thing.

Judging from the photo-An accidental drip of tasty gravy on the magpie's noggin should resolve your dilemma.

Fisher1 · #4 07-01-2018, 09:30 AM

My brother and I got baby magpies when we were kids. Trained them to ride on the handlebars of our bikes. They also liked to sit on our shoulders when we walked around. They were a lot of fun. They hung around when they grew up but became more wild as time went on.

Okotok · #5 07-01-2018, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by omega50

Judging from the photo-An accidental drip of tasty gravy on the magpie's noggin should resolve your dilemma.

Ha! That's what I was thinking. My Yorkshire Terrier would have it for lunch in a second, but the Newf is a pretty gentle boy.

vcmm · #6 07-01-2018, 11:53 AM

It flew out the front door honey.

But they do make fun pets.

Western · #7 07-01-2018, 10:04 PM

I had a pet magpie when I was a kid. Smart birds! We fed it cat food and graham crackers. Eventually spent more and more time in the trees than on our shoulders and come the fall it flew off with a few wild cousins. Doubt it made it through the winter but I like to pretend otherwise.

Red Bullets · #8 07-01-2018, 11:09 PM

Tell your daughter to teach the magpie to say some choice internet phrases and then post on youtube. Overnight sensation maybe.

I remember in the 60's we went to Al Oeming's game farm east of Edmonton with school and there was a magpie flying around saying swear words. Teachers were upset. Us kids had a good laugh.

kingrat · #9 07-02-2018, 02:18 AM

No such thing as a man card when it comes to dads and little girls. They're only little for a very short time, enjoy your new pet lol.

Tigger72 · #10 07-02-2018, 05:40 AM

Keep it raise it till it can fly .... while you're waiting for that ...teach it to eat ( pick up its own food..... ) I did this with a robin and I had to drive it 10 Km up the road from my house because it kept flying back to my house!!! Theres nothing wrong with your man card .... its actually called parenting right.....!!

mattthegorby · #11 07-02-2018, 07:11 AM

Your man card doesn't get any stronger than the days you suck it up and play Barbies or raise a little bird with your girls. We only get one shot at this, enjoy!!!!!

bloopbloob · #12 07-02-2018, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingrat

No such thing as a man card when it comes to dads and little girls. They're only little for a very short time, enjoy your new pet lol.

Yup! I've had my nails painted, and hair done, multiple times. Wouldn't trade it for anything.

bobtodrick · #13 07-02-2018, 07:39 AM

I've always had a love/hate relationship with magpies. On the one hand I watched one day a few years back when the decimated a nest of songbirds in my backyard...at the same time I marvel at their intelligence...they are considered one of the smartest of all animals https://earthfireinstitute.org/story...ce-of-magpies/
And as Kingrat say...ain't no such thing as a man card when it involves your kids (sons or daughters)...enjoy every minute of it...they grow up all to fast.

Okotok · #14 07-19-2018, 12:05 PM

The chick was about a week old when my daughter took him in. He's flying short distances now so should be ready to leave soon! Anyway, my dog is tolerant of it except when it pulls his hair.
https://youtu.be/J2urFPZ1vQE

buckbrush · #15 07-19-2018, 12:35 PM

Kind of neat. Hope the rehab is a success.

Stinky Coyote · #16 07-19-2018, 01:16 PM

corvids are so smart, raised several when i was young, raw hamburger meat balled up, little push behind the tongue and good to go, they all left eventually, one could say his name...charlie (charwee)

Okotok · #17 07-19-2018, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stinky Coyote

corvids are so smart, raised several when i was young, raw hamburger meat balled up, little push behind the tongue and good to go, they all left eventually, one could say his name...charlie (charwee)

Yeah, he's been eating raw dog food and mealworms using chopsticks at first. Now he feeds himself and chases down bugs outside as well. Quite the personality.

muzzy · #18 07-19-2018, 02:14 PM

I raised a crow from a few days old until 2 yrs Fed it Ceasars dog food at start. Had two small dogs that were all over it from day one and it bonded with them. Im sure it thought it was a dog. It would follow them around chase them fight them and sit on their backs. It would sit on my arm and watch TV for hours. Finally after 2 years figured I would let it go. It hung around yard for whole fall and picked up another crow. Every spring now two crows show up in the yard and hang around for a few weeks. One I can approach; the other takes off. Cant say for sure thats him but it certainly is approachable. Was a fun pet

^v^Tinda wolf^v^ · #19 07-19-2018, 07:32 PM

I’ve heard if you snip their tongue some where they can talk. Noisy as all heck but very intelligent.

RandyBoBandy · #20 07-19-2018, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bloopbloob

Yup! I've had my nails painted, and hair done, multiple times. Wouldn't trade it for anything.

YEP !! X50

Jack Hardin · #21 07-19-2018, 09:12 PM

Magpies can spot a firearm at 100 yards. A very wary and smart bird. To quote an Ian Tyson song, "The west ain't ever going to die as long as you can fly, magpie."

Arachnodisiac · #22 07-22-2018, 08:19 AM

We have a magpie and a crow and we love them so much! She will need to teach it to be afraid of cats. They are amazing creatures.

Our crow barks like a dog when people come and go, and she says "hello". She also has a name for the dog she seems to have made up all on her own.

If she needs to rehome the magpie, let me know.

P.S.
There is no man card, and being empathetic and nurturing is absolutely part and package with being human, regardless of your dangly bits.

Okotok · #23 07-22-2018, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arachnodisiac

We have a magpie and a crow and we love them so much! She will need to teach it to be afraid of cats. They are amazing creatures.

Our crow barks like a dog when people come and go, and she says "hello". She also has a name for the dog she seems to have made up all on her own.

If she needs to rehome the magpie, let me know.

P.S.
There is no man card, and being empathetic and nurturing is absolutely part and package with being human, regardless of your dangly bits.

It's not going to be long now. He flies pretty good but still sticks around and knows when it's time for bed in his cage (dog kennel with a perch and bowl nest. He's very good at spotting and eating bugs. If you live in Calgary and truly want to adopt him, let me know. Otherwise, he'll be taking his chance with nature very soon.

Arachnodisiac · #24 07-22-2018, 10:02 AM

Honestly, I think we have our hands full. See if you can play some alarm calls with a cat nearby. That will be her biggest threat, I suspect. Is she is not familiar with your yard, maybe you could bring her out, and then set up a feeding station for her in a tree or on a fence as she may be a lifelong visitor.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Okotok

It's not going to be long now. He flies pretty good but still sticks around and knows when it's time for bed in his cage (dog kennel with a perch and bowl nest. He's very good at spotting and eating bugs. If you live in Calgary and truly want to adopt him, let me know. Otherwise, he'll be taking his chance with nature very soon.

Okotok · #25 07-22-2018, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arachnodisiac

Honestly, I think we have our hands full. See if you can play some alarm calls with a cat nearby. That will be her biggest threat, I suspect. Is she is not familiar with your yard, maybe you could bring her out, and then set up a feeding station for her in a tree or on a fence as she may be a lifelong visitor.

No problem. He flies around the yard from tree to fence etc. No cats around here that I've seen out anyway. We will set up a feeding station and see how it goes. He flies pretty well but is still sticking around. any tips on how to teach alarm calls assuming we can find someone with a cat? Thanks

Arachnodisiac · #26 07-24-2018, 12:23 PM

Just google/Youtube "magpie alarm call". Cats are by far the biggest threat to her, followed by cars. If you could manage a cat exposure, that would be awesome! Can you video it and post it? Would love to see.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Okotok

No problem. He flies around the yard from tree to fence etc. No cats around here that I've seen out anyway. We will set up a feeding station and see how it goes. He flies pretty well but is still sticking around. any tips on how to teach alarm calls assuming we can find someone with a cat? Thanks

Okotok · #27 07-24-2018, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arachnodisiac

Just google/Youtube "magpie alarm call". Cats are by far the biggest threat to her, followed by cars. If you could manage a cat exposure, that would be awesome! Can you video it and post it? Would love to see.

Thanks. If we can arrange it, we'll try to video. I hear you on the cats thing. They are estimated to kill between 100 and 350 million birds in Canada alone every year. http://catsandbirds.ca/research/esti....0rqcYeHF.dpbs