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AIBU?

To let my neighbours birds fly free tonight?

68 replies

Outnumbrd · 23/08/2016 09:48

So I am the new person in the street, and my new neighbours have produced, a few nights ago, 2 I think budgies or some other littles tweeting birds in a tiny cage and put them in the back yard. I can hear them chirping and all I can think is that they are looking at the sky and asking me to set them free. So I have a plan, to send one of DC's , probably the smallest one to open the cage tonight. Then if he gets caught I can pretend I know nothing of it.

OP posts:
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PotOfYoghurt · 23/08/2016 09:50

You're right, all budgies are perfectly equipped to survive in the wild. Predators? Bah! Shelter from the elements? Who needs it!

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Lonnysera · 23/08/2016 09:51
Shock
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Lonnysera · 23/08/2016 09:51

Is this a reverse?

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Ratley · 23/08/2016 09:52

I am going to assume this is lighthearted but just in case.
Captive bred birds would not survive in the wild unless they have been bred for release with little human interaction.
To purposely release them is a death sentence.

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scaryteacher · 23/08/2016 09:52

YABU, they might be in a smaller cage because a larger one is being cleaned. Don't meddle.

Your child could get done for trespass if caught, and you are encouraging that.

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acasualobserver · 23/08/2016 09:53

Their fish are also dreaming of the open seas. Where will it end?

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Birdsgottafly · 23/08/2016 09:53

. ""I can hear them chirping and all I can think is that they are looking at the sky and asking me to set them free.""

Perhaps have a chat with your GP?

They'd survive around a week, if that.

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AprilShowers16 · 23/08/2016 09:54

I agree that keeping birds in cages is cruel and unnatural so I understand your temptation. I'm not sure how well they'd survive though. Having said that we often see parakeets around our house descended from escaped ones so maybe it can be done with budgies too

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MadHattersWineParty · 23/08/2016 09:54

I put my budgies out for a bit in the shade during the day. They like it. If some fucker set them 'free' (ie to die, there'd be blood!

What on earth about a couple of birds tweeting in the day is so offensive?

Unless they're screaming cocktatiels Grin

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WannaBe · 23/08/2016 09:54

I'm guessing (hoping?) that this is meant to be light-hearted on the basis that you are irritated by the chirping of the birds outside.....? Unless you're one of those idiotic types who would set mink free in the countryside and such like......

If you think budgies are annoying you ought to come and live round here. We have wild parakeets and this is only Kent. Grin. Or if you lived next door to me you could contend with my African grey parrot. Grin.

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Lonnysera · 23/08/2016 09:56

Next door has baked a tremendous apple pie. I know this because she's just been telling me and I can smell it through the window. She plans to freeze it. AIU to break in and scoff it, this fulfilling its purpose?

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Italiangreyhound · 23/08/2016 09:57

Do you think these birds are being kept in too small a cage. Is it cruel? You could anonymously contact rspca.

I think others are right about their survival chances.

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MadHattersWineParty · 23/08/2016 09:58

RSPCA would probably laugh down the phone. Unless they're filming. Then they might come out.

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GerundTheBehemoth · 23/08/2016 10:01

I'm assuming and hoping light-hearted.

Ring-necked parakeets have done well in the wild in Britain - pure luck that our climate suits then and they can find suitable food and nest sites. (Though not so lucky for the native birds that they out-compete for nest-holes.) Over the years there will have been far more budgie escapees than ring-necked parakeet escapees because budgies are far more popular as pets, but feral budgies haven't ever become established in the wild here, because they don't survive very long.

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WannaBe · 23/08/2016 10:05

According to the RSPB site parakeets have always survived well in the wild if escaped but only actually started breeding in Kent in 1969.

Budgies are tiny though and would be very susceptible to predation.

Also one of the things which have been to the parakeet's advantage is that they flock. Some of the reasoning given for why they have managed to breed is because a large group of them escaped from a film set in the 60's and managed to survive in a group hence they managed to breed successfully.

We get loads of them round here. I have a parrot and he imitates them. Grin.

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ThePinkOcelot · 23/08/2016 10:07

Are you kidding?! They wouldn't survive 5 minutes in the wild!! They would be like sitting ducks for wild birds!
You wouldn't like living next door to me if you find a little tweeting irritating!! I have an African grey and an Indian ring neck whose screeching could pierce your eardrums!
We sometimes put them outside for fresh air in the summer. When we are in the house they aren't in their cages, they are out and about.

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GerundTheBehemoth · 23/08/2016 10:11

There are a few separate (and growing) populations of ring-necked parakeets though, so their success isn't all down to just one single big release. If a dozen of them all got out of a damaged aviary they would no doubt stick together.

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SomedayMyPrinceWillCome · 23/08/2016 10:11

My neighbours used to put their love birds (not a euphemism) in the garden every night. They would chirp really loudly from about 4.30am & wake us up without fail. Hated those bloody birds.

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SomedayMyPrinceWillCome · 23/08/2016 10:11

My neighbours used to put their love birds (not a euphemism) in the garden every night. They would chirp really loudly from about 4.30am & wake us up without fail. Hated those bloody birds.

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Thornrose · 23/08/2016 10:11

I was in Kent the other day, in a pub garden. I saw a beautiful bright green parrot like bird. I assumed it had "escaped" but now I realise it was a parakeet.

Thanks WannaBe you learn something new every day!

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SomedayMyPrinceWillCome · 23/08/2016 10:12

My neighbours used to put their love birds (not a euphemism) in the garden every night. They would chirp really loudly from about 4.30am & wake us up without fail. Hated those bloody birds.

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SomedayMyPrinceWillCome · 23/08/2016 10:12

Sorry

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GerundTheBehemoth · 23/08/2016 10:14

They are not everywhere in Kent but they're spreading. There is a population in Thanet and another in NW Kent. I see them every day in Sevenoaks but not sure I've seen one yet in Tunbridge Wells. London (pretty much all of London) is rammed with them. The ones in Hyde Park have become very tame and will come and eat from people's hand, which is a bit meta.

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DecaffCoffeeAndRollupsPlease · 23/08/2016 10:18

Birds in small cages is cruel, I hate seeing it.

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GerundTheBehemoth · 23/08/2016 10:18

Wild (well, feral) Ring-necked Parakeet in London, with some guy:

To let my neighbours birds fly free tonight?
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