Trying to point out how undeniably smart they are has had one person ask me how that could be so if most birds wont fetch or do stupid performance tricks like dogs. Few will believe me that a parrot can be trained just as easily if not easier.
What gets me is times when my little green-cheeked conure "Timmy" does what I never even thought to train him. (Like when he discovered that by dropping small objects off my desk and looking at them sideways, he could make me 'fetch' them with a pitiful, sad chirp. let me tell you how that got annoying quickly)
You might discount the fetching thing as showing any brainpower or love, but his actions this morning have to stem from some affection.
I'm not exactly sure how long he's been doing it, but when I have him on my shoulder Timmy often touches his beak to my face and makes a funny little 'click' noise. As it doesn't hurt or seem to serve any actual purpose, I've always just kind of ignored it.
I do often look over and and kiss his beak with a play 'smack' noise when I first sit down to my computer; today he 'clicked' his beak back against my lips so quickly, it left no doubt in my mind that he is really kissing me back. (Yeah, I'll take that over a dog kiss any day!)
As I was trying to get him in front of my camera for that pic up top he kept wanting to shimmy down the front of my shirt or halfway down/up my arm where he could sit still and make a vibratey-purry noise.
Don't try to that a bird wont get sweet and cuddly.
