upworthy

parrots

Pets

Women's pet cockatiel loudly singing 'September' by Earth, Wind & Fire has people rolling

Kiki remembers the 21st night of September ALL. THE. TIME.

Photo credit: Canva

Cockatiels have impressive musical abilities.

“Do you remember…the 21st night of September?” has been one of the most iconic song openings for decades, as the R&B hit by Earth, Wind and Fire perpetually serves as a catchy favorite for dance clubs, movie scenes and TikTok clips alike. However, "September" has also gained wild popularity among an unlikely group—pet cockatiels.

One cockatiel in particular has taken a shining to the song to the point of obsession, much to the combined delight and chagrin of his owner. You see, Kiki doesn’t just like listening to the song, he sings and dances to it. Loudly. Over and over. At uncomfortable hours of the morning.

september, earth wind and fire, dancing, music, R&B Earth Wind And Fire GIF by Death Wish Coffee Giphy

Kiki’s owner has shared multiple examples of her pet bird reveling in his favorite song, and it’s hilarious every time.

Watch:

@kiki.tiel

Send help plz wheres the off button on parrot #fyp #foryou #bird #cockatiel #parrotsoftiktok #birdsoftiktok

But Kiki doesn't even need anyone else around in order to sing his favorite song. Here he is singing and dancing all by himself when his owner left the room and left her camera running to see what he would do.

@kiki.tiel

Partying without me :( #cockatielsoftiktok #birds #fyp #for you

As cute and hilarious as this is, it surely gets old after a while, right? It's one thing to watch in a video—it's got to be entirely another to hear it all the time at home.

It's also not just a Kiki quirk. Apparently, "September" is a "thing" among cockatiels. Other cockatiels have been known to love it and sing it, though not quite as well as Kiki does.

september, earth wind and fire, dancing, music, R&B September 21 GIF by Earth, Wind & Fire Giphy

Someone on Reddit asked why so many cockatiels love the song—one person even said it was basically the cockatiel national anthem at this point. No one knows exactly why, but this explanation by Reddit user nattiecakes is as good an explanation as any:

"Yeah, cockatiels genuinely like the song in a way they don’t universally take to many other songs. My cockatiel is 17 and early in life basically seemed to max out his harddrive space learning a little bit of La Cucaracha, The Flintstones theme, the phrase 'pretty bird,' and this horrible alarm clock sound that is similar to the hungry baby cockatiel sound. We thought we could not get him to learn anything else because they do have some limits.

Then 'September' came. Every cockatiel loved it. We decided to see if our cockatiel loved it.

pet bird, cockatiel, parrot, dancing bird, pets Many cockatiels love to dance. Giphy

I sh*t y’all not, within a DAY he whistled the first three notes, which is really all that matters. He hasn’t been able to learn more, but he loves it.

Now our African grey whistles it to him constantly. He used to reliably whistle La Cucaracha to our cockatiel when our cockatiel would get angry and upset, and our cockatiel would start singing instead and forget he’d been upset. But almost immediately our grey switched to using 'September' 90% of the time. Like, it’s so plain even to our grey that 'September' is the song to unlock a cockatiel’s better nature. I think the grey likes it a lot too, but he has many other songs he likes better.

As for why cockatiels like this song so much… all I can guess is it really resonates with their cheery vibe. I think the inside of a cockatiel’s mind is usually like a disco."

It's pretty clear that Kiki's love for "September" is unstoppable. His owner even recorded him singing it in slow motion, which is really wild to watch:


@kiki.tiel

#onthisday

Rock on, Kiki. Just maybe not so early in the morning.

You can follow @kiki.tiel on Tiktok for more Tiki musical serenades.

This article originally appeared last year.

From Your Site Articles
birds
PetsJoy
Pets

Man raises parrots from birth and they have the cutest bedtime routine

It's probably safe to say that they're pretty imprinted on him.

Photo by Harley Lin on Unsplash
a person holding two birds in their hands

Parrots are unique animals with their bright colors and ability to mimic what people say. In fact, their impression of people is so accurate that if you're not looking at them while they make the noise, you just might think an actual person is talking. Usually, when people come into contact with a parrot, they're adults living in some sort of aviary or in a cage at someone's house.

Johan Devenier, a South African man, has been raising six blue and gold macaws since birth and it's certainly a sight to see. The parrot dad has a TikTok page where he shares his journey of raising his feathered babies...and a fox. It's certainly the place to go if you need a little sunshine added to your day.

In a video compilation posted to Reddit, viewers get to watch as Devenier raises the birds and starts them on a bedtime routine. And yes, the routine is as cute as it sounds. The only thing that could make it any cuter is if they were wearing tiny bird pajamas, but alas, I don't think there's a huge market for parrot PJs.

The video clip starts off with the birds looking small and pink with light peach fuzz covering their featherless bodies as he kisses at the air above them. Before you know it, the birds are much bigger and starting to get a bit of color on their wings. They lay in bed awaiting kisses on their beaks. In each clip, the birds are bigger and brighter, but it's the same cute routine—kisses on beaks before he tucks them into bed.

Devenier appears to enjoy loving on his macaw babies and they seem to love him right back. They tolerate all of his affection and wait patiently for their bedtime story after being tucked in.

The entire video is ridiculously cute. Check it out below.

This article originally appeared in March.

From Your Site Articles
parrots
PetsJoy
Joy

Our favorite photos from National Geographic's stunning 2024 'Pictures of the Year' issue

National Geographic never disappoints.

Photo by Jasper Doest.

Romanian sheepherder Constantin Dăncilă.

National Geographic released its Pictures of the Year issue, highlighting the 20 best images Nat Geo photographers took in 2024. This year's shots were narrowed down from over 2.3 million photos, 300,000 more than in 2023. They're an eye-opening and thought-provoking glimse into the animal kingdom, various cultures and scientific innovation.

“A compendium of the best recent work from National Geographic’s photographers in the field, Pictures of the Year is an annual highlight of our editorial calendar. This year’s selection is timeless and timely,” said Nathan Lump, Editor-in-Chief of National Geographic. “Our 2024 photos are visually captivating, to be sure, but they also bring to life the urgent challenges facing us as well as the ingenuity that’s been sparked in meeting them – from an effort to save rhinos to advances in green technology to adaptations in animal behavior. We hope that these images will stop audiences in their tracks and inspire them to learn more.”

Here are some of our favorite photos. Visit National Geographic to see all 20 of 2024's Pictures of the Year.

via National Geographic Magazine Cover, Dec. 2024


1. "A Boom with a View" (Antigua, Guatemala) by Peter Fisher

Fuego Volcano has been erupting continually since 2002. A one-day hike up its dormant twin, Acatenango and across a valley rewards adventurers with a view from Fuego's ridgeline. Eruptions can occur multiple times a day.

fuego volcano, nat geo, guatemalaFuego Volcano has been erupting since 2002. Photograph by Peter Fisher


2. Dining at Dusk (Concan, Texas) by Babak Tafreshi

Frio Bat Cave in southern Texas is the spring and summer home of approximately 10 million Mexican free-tailed bats. Most nights around sunset, bats fly out in a coordinated stream to feed primarily on moths. “You think maybe it’ll finish in 10 minutes,” Babak Tafreshi says, but their takeoff “continues for two hours.”

nat geo, year in pictures, texasFrio Bat Cave in southern Texas.Photograph by Babak Tafreshi


3. A Hope for Rhinos (Nanyuki, Kenya) by Ami Vitale

A scientist holds the 70-day-old fetus of a rhino conceived through in vitro fertilization

rhinos, rhino fetus, nat geo.A scientist holds a rhino fetus.Photograph by Ami Vitale


4. Tiny Breakthrough (Konstanz, Germany) by Ingo Arndt

Ingo Arndt worked with the University of Konstanz to build a nest to observe the breeding behavior of wood ants, typically hidden in forest mounds. Arndt watched female colony workers clean eggs, larvae spin cocoons and hatchlings, like this one, open cocoons with their mandibles before workers helped cut them out.


wood ants, nat geo, pictures of the yearA wood ant hatchling.Photograph by Ingo Arndt


5. Shepherding Change (Coceneşti, Romania) by Jasper Doest

Intimately familiar with the land his family has worked for a century, Constantin Dăncilă, in a traditional sheepskin coat, has seen significant changes in the environment, prompting him to adapt his farming practices. With less snow in winter to supply streams, grass in the valley has become scarce, so he drives his flock higher into the alpine meadows.


romania, sheeperherders, nat geoA Romanian sheepherder.Phoyogreaph by Jasper Doest


6. Taking the Plunge (Atka Bay, Antarctica) by Bertie Gregory

A young emperor penguin jumps off a 50-foot cliff for its first swim. The species normally breeds on low-lying sea ice, but some colonies have been found on higher and more permanent ice shelves, behavior likely to become increasingly common with climate change. Left by their parents a month earlier, the chicks must fend for themselves and find food by hunting in the sea.

emperor penguin, climate change, nat geoA young emperor penguin in Anarctica takes the plunge.Photograph by Bertie Gregory.


7. A Forever Home (Benson, Arizona) by Christie Hemm Klok

Macaws are highly social birds that live an average of 40 to 60 years and often exhibit stressed behavior in captivity. This makes them challenging pets, so many end up in the Oasis Sanctuary, which provides permanent care for 800 parrots, including macaws. Here, Janet Trumbule, who runs the refuge, tries to coax them down with walnuts, a favorite food.

macaws, parrots, nat geoA bird santuary in ArizonaPhotograph by Christie Hemm Klok


For more on this story, visit NatGeo.com/Photos.

From Your Site Articles
national geographic
JoyCulture
Joy

Granny Lyft driver's super-specific, unintentionally funny list of rules is delightful

Like you wouldn't also be upset if someone taught your parrot to swear?

via Elvery Branes/Flickr and SHVETS production

Grandma is watching you in the backseat. Mind your manners.

The rideshare experience involves a leap of faith for both the passenger and the driver. The passenger trusts the driver to get them to their destination safely and comfortably. The driver trusts the passenger to be a decent human who won’t harm them or eat tuna fish in their car. (Rideshare drivers use their own vehicles, after all).

A grandmother who drives for Lyft has taken matters into her own hands and posted a list in her car that spells out what she will and won’t allow. Similar to a Taxi Passenger’s Bill of Rights, this is her own personal bill of rights.

A photo of her list went viral after user u/joyisnotdead posted it to Reddit. Commenters love the list for its sass while also debating its merits. The vast majority fiercely defend it. “Most of [this] is really just basic etiquette,” writes shannibearstar.

The list in question, which relies heavily on all caps and a healthy sprinkling of emojis, begins with a plea.

“First and foremost, my grands and greats ride in this vehicle! Be considerate of that! I have family and I’m raising a great that needs me! Be sure I get home safe to her! And my family! I don’t carry money or real jewels! If you carjack me < wreck it good! I want a new one!”

It's pretty understandable and relatable so far. She has responsibilities!

Granny's rules for the Lyft
byu/joyisnotdead infunny

Things begin to go lovably off the rails in the second rule.

“Do not touch or cuss around my parrot! I will put you out! I don’t teach your kids and I don’t teach your kids to cuss, don’t teach mine!”

Whoa whoa whoa, a parrot?

While it’s possible she is referring to her “grands” or “greats” as parrots since kids love to repeat what they hear, many commenters are taking her at her word. “Why does she have a parrot in an Uber? That does not seem like a good environment for a bird. Nor does it seem like a good environment for the passengers who want to go places and didn't order a bird sanctuary on wheels” writes Vendeta44.

Apparently, should you drive for Uber and want to bring your bird on board, it is allowed. According to Uber’s “Feedback about the driver or vehicle” section: “Since all drivers who use the Uber app are independent contractors, they are allowed to travel with a pet or service animal in their vehicle.”

Her next rule is pretty straightforward and colorful. “No smoking, vaping, smoking pot or snorting/smoking dope!> This isn’t your hookah room! Or trap house!”

Trap house? According to Dictionary.com, it’s “a place where illegal drugs are sold” and according to Urban Dictionary it was “originally used to describe a crack house in a shady neighborhood.” Interestingly, the “trap” in trap music takes the same root.

Okay, fine, no teaching her parrot any bad words, no vaping, but what if you just want to spend the time headed to your destination putting the finishing touches on your lewk? If you’re of a certain age you may remember an ad that appeared heavily in women’s magazines in the 1980s for a cordless butane-powered curling iron. In it, a woman was stepping out of a car, curling iron in hand, having just styled her magnificent coif on the go.

Grandma would NOT be okay with this.

“No spraying perfume, doing your hair and makeup. (I don’t want your hair all over the place and other customers don’t want to get into your hair all over them). Spraying hair spray or cologne> This isn’t your bathroom!” To be fair, perfume and cologne have immense staying power.

The next rule is one that you wish didn’t need to be said but according to the comments, does need to be said: “No sex or making out. This isn’t your hooker room/hotel room.”

Fair.

The last rule concerns a common activity that vexes rideshare drivers everywhere: Eating and drinking.

“No eating or drinking in my car! I provide water for your convenience! This isn’t your diner!”

Most of the commenters agreed with the spirit of the list while decrying the need to state things they feel should go without saying. This was especially true in the Lyft Drivers subreddit, where it was crossposted. “[…] It’s called common courtesy, but we apparently have to remind people it’s a thing,” writes Potatersauce.

The story is an excellent reminder that when we’re sharing space, our behavior impacts those around us, whether it be our kids, our drivers or their parrots.

From Your Site Articles
rideshare apps
JoyHumor
Trending Stories