Hey, here's a problem I haven't seen before. My 1 1/2 year old female is fairly good about not screeching (flocking call). We have worked lots with her to whistle to replace it and it has worked well.

PROBLEM is any time she hears running water she goes bezerko; it's a barrage of flocking calls back to back to back. Now think of when you use running water or sounds like running water. Kitchen, shower, washer, boyfriend standing in front of the toilet (you get the idea). Ok, so we can handle it but it would be nice to understand WHY...

Sometimes in the am she will do the flocking call, if she hears us get up to use the facilities... Like I said whistling stops the problem and then she will quietly talk to herself until we get her up (no cover unless it's obvious she's over tired).... Other times of the day (kitchen sink water) will trigger the screeching and it stops the MOMENT you shut off the water. It is VERY predictable. I can't be on the phone when my boyfriend is in the shower; she squawks almost the first 10-15 minutes until she tires herself out...

The only other noise she makes we dislike is her "fear sound" like a screeching growl? IF you have any object she doesn't recognize or dislikes (broom, mop, Weird looking box).. Or if the lawn guy bring over the weed wacker to use outside of the window she is near. Really, I understand she is just afraid and I don't expect to be able to change this behavior... Actually it isn't a bad thing, but we always know when the lawn guy is about to start in the yard, HA Ha!

Did she live elsewhere before she came to you? Maybe she associates the sound of water with a threat somehow and calls you so you'll answer and she'll know you're all right? Clyde always wants to play Simon Says when I'm in the bathtub, and I figure that's because he wants reassurance that I'm not in there drowning. Same reason my Lab comes in every few minutes and peers at me. "You okay, Mom?"

Have you brought him into the kitchen when you're running the water? Maybe he doesn't know what it is.
My birds do the same thing and once I bring them in the kitchen, they quiet down and love watching the water fall.
Perhaps yours would like a bath in the sink??

i have 2 budgies and 1 quaker and they ALL scream whenever water is running... when i'm doing dishes, taking a shower, washing my hands. it's just something i've learned to live with. as soon as the water is shut off they quiet down. i think they just want to make sure they can be heard over the running water... Heaven forbid if we can't hear them for a few minutes! sometimes i take cricket in the shower with me just so i can relax and not listen to him scream!

My friend got her at 5 wks and handfed her until 12wk (I worked with her that whole time). Then the friend decided to get a 6mo old Macaw; and I knew she didn't have time for the 3 dogs, 2 baby birds, her boyfriend, 3 year old girl and 4 year old boy and pharmacy school.. I took Taylor and have had her since. So no home where what is scary.

I don't usually go in to see her when she makes that horrible flocking call; I really don't want any reward associated with it. Once I can get her to whistle to me then I will see her... We don't have a lot of screeching compared to many of the people have talked to.

Thanks for your ideas!
Wendi

Water is just one of those sounds that makes birds get louder, I don't think you can really change that. We bring Casey with us to the shower each day and she chats away, I'm sure you can hear her all the way down the street! She loves the shower and if she can see someone walking down the hallway with a towel she runs back and forth on top of the cage trying to figure out how to get upstairs, lol, she lives for her daily showers.

Yea, I don't think you can change the sound they make when they are scared either, it's a natural reflex to warn their flock about danger. We call it the "alarm call of doom!" ... she makes the alarm call when someone is outside, which sends the dogs running to the window because they know she can see something she also makes it when you carry long objects near her cage (except for the broom, she accepts that)... she also makes it when someone is outside the window cutting the grass so we have to shut the curtains because she will panic and she also makes it when the vacuum is on. She'll make the alarm call of doom and then say 'okay, okay' because I always say 'it's okay'