My Budgie and the Soi Dog Who Waits for Her

Chanel is a six-year-old budgie with a bright yellow head, and every morning she sings from the balcony rail while I water the plants. Down at the soi gate there is a brown street dog who sleeps beside the parked motorbikes. Lately he wakes up whenever she starts chirping, so I started calling him Brownie.

Some practical tips from me: keep the cage out of direct afternoon sun, bring her in when the rain comes sideways, and wipe the perch every few days. Budgies get bored easily, so a small mirror or a bell keeps them busy.

Please don't hand-feed strays if you have small birds at home, since fleas and mites can travel. Chanel and Brownie only talk through the railing, and that suits us both.