Free as a Bird
By Theresaaiza
@Theresaaiza (10487)
Australia
September 8, 2016 6:56pm CST
I love taking my dog out for a walk especially in a park close to home. It's usually quiet and isolated so it allows me to off-leash my little bub. (Really not allowed, but hey....)
At least here in Victoria, OZ, I see a lot of parrots, and cockatoos just roaming and flying free. Coming from a country where illegal capturing of exotic birds are very rampant, I feel so happy to see them fly about, hop from tree to tree, no borders, no restrictions. Nothing pains me more than seeing birds in cages.
I was never particularly a bird lover, but I am just impressed at how Australia puts so much emphasis in protecting wildlife. Maybe not the best in the world, but so much better than most places I know.
And I'm sure my dog, on her off leash moments, feels just as free as a bird.
6 people like this
8 responses
@JudyEv (325818)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Sep 16
We have some very unique animals so it's good we're trying to protect them as much as possible.
@Theresaaiza (10487)
• Australia
9 Sep 16
My dog loves to chase the masked lapwing. It also has a very unique cry and after a while of bird watching and actually paying attention for the first time, I can actually tell which bird it is that's chirping nearby. I get so much thrill from being able to tell bird sounds now. 
One day that same bird (lapwing) came out of the bushes with two mini lapwings. Such a great feeling.
One day that same bird (lapwing) came out of the bushes with two mini lapwings. Such a great feeling.1 person likes this
@Theresaaiza (10487)
• Australia
10 Sep 16
@JudyEv I can't identify all of them but have come to master two or three types of birds and that already makes me proud of myself
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325818)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Sep 16
@Theresaaiza I find it hard to identify the different bird sounds. You can't learn them from a book. I probably need to find YouTube clips of the different sounds.
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
9 Sep 16
Oh dear I have never seen parrots, and cockatoos roaming freely here in our country, I see them only in the zoo so you are truly blessed to have the opportunity to see such wonderful wildlife roaming around you.
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
9 Sep 16
@Theresaaiza Oh yes, aren't birds meant to just be free and not caged!
@Theresaaiza (10487)
• Australia
9 Sep 16
@salonga I understand the ones that need to be protected because of dwindling population. I know some birds are well domesticated like some cockatoos, parrots, and owls. Those that probably cannot survive in the wild.
1 person likes this
@Theresaaiza (10487)
• Australia
9 Sep 16
We have the saddest, most stressed out, exotic birds. :(
1 person likes this
@epiffanie (11326)
• Australia
9 Sep 16
Yes, it would be nice to be free as a bird.. I think it might only be us humans amongs creatures that don't feel the genuine freedom animals enjoy..
@epiffanie (11326)
• Australia
10 Sep 16
@Theresaaiza Humans have very limited freedom because we need to abide by the laws or life will be chaotic ..
@Theresaaiza (10487)
• Australia
9 Sep 16
Sorry to make this bird discussion a dog discussion but yeah, it's not allowed. At least where I live. I guess policies differ whichever council you're in. I also don't trust my dog around bigger dogs because she gets aggressive. With smaller dogs she's just fantastic. I think she has that little dog syndrome I presume.
And she loves chasing the birds. Back to birds. 
And she loves chasing the birds. Back to birds. 1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
9 Sep 16
@Theresaaiza We don't have to stick to topic here - we can chat just as we would in real life, and if we go off at a tangent, who cares?
I had a big sloppy dog who wouldn't hurt a fly, and there are some places that I wouldn't have taken her without putting her on the lead, but it's not illegal. You can be fined if you don't pick up after your dog, though.
@Theresaaiza (10487)
• Australia
9 Sep 16
@jaboUK Oh of course, I was just being silly.
There must have been cases of untoward aggression by dogs in the past that's why they have become very strict about dog leash. And yes we ought to pick up after them. But the park I go to is actually littered with so much dog poo. Guess some owners aren't following the rules.
There must have been cases of untoward aggression by dogs in the past that's why they have become very strict about dog leash. And yes we ought to pick up after them. But the park I go to is actually littered with so much dog poo. Guess some owners aren't following the rules.1 person likes this
@shivamani10 (11038)
• Hyderabad, India
9 Sep 16
Yes. The other countries should learn from Australia how to protect the wildlife. It is their speciality.
@Theresaaiza (10487)
• Australia
9 Sep 16
I wish I can take this same idealism back to my home country but I am only one simple person.
@shivamani10 (11038)
• Hyderabad, India
9 Sep 16
@Theresaaiza what do you mean by 'only one simple person'? You can do it. Everything will be achieved by a simple person only.
@xuliwei830406 (94)
• Fujian, China
9 Sep 16
You are really happy, you can see so many birds.In China, basically in the city can't see any.If you want to see the bird, you will go to the zoo, or is that market.But the market is basically used to cull the birds.The environment of China is worse than several decades ago.I hope we will be able to improve the environment.
@Theresaaiza (10487)
• Australia
9 Sep 16
Hi David, not to humiliate China. I'm sure there's a lot of beautiful things in your country but I did hear a lot of sad stories about illegal animal trades in your country. I hope you start doing right by your wildlife in your own little ways. Start with yourself, start with your children and spread the word. We can all help out. If we stay away from using leather, or fur, or buying exotic pets we all contribute no matter how small scale it is.
Just recently I came across an article of animal key chains and that truly pissed me off. I hope that was just bad publicity.
