Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Toucan bills are perhaps the best known of all bird appendages. Comprising 40% or more of the toucan’s total surface area, these long, colorful structures were thought to serve primarily as fruit gathering tools and, perhaps, to attract mates. However, research involving the toco toucan (Ramphastos toco), which sports the largest [...]

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. With a total population numbering 295 birds, only 60 of which live in the wild, the Puerto Rican Amazon (Amazona vittata) holds the unenviable title of one of the world’s 10 most endangered birds. A subspecies, A. v. gracilipes, once found on neighboring Culebra, Mona and Vieques Islands, is now extinct.
US [...]

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.  The minute (4.5 inch) common waxbill, Estrilida astrilid, possesses a rare combination of subtle and conspicuous beauty.  Overall, it is quietly colored, being clad above in muted brown with darker bars and with cream breast feathers just barely washed with pink.  In stark contrast, the beak and eye band are a [...]

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.  The bonds formed between mated pairs of parrots are among the strongest known in the animal kingdom.  In most species, paired parrots spend a great deal of time in actual physical contact with their mate, and cooperate in nest-building, rearing the young, defending their territory and all other daily activities.  When [...]

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Attention to breeding birds in public and private collections, along with increased legal protection, has helped a great many species to recover from earlier population crashes. In some instances, rescue efforts represent the only hope for a species, as none survive in the wild. However, upon reviewing species status reports recently, [...]

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Please see Part I of this article for information concerning hill mynas and African gray parrots. Today we’ll continue our overview of nutritional considerations particular to specific groups of birds.
Amazon Parrots (Genus Amazona)
Obesity
Amazons gain weight easily, and seem prone to obesity. This is in part due to their fondness for sunflower [...]

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.  Researchers at Auckland and Oxford Universities have recently (August, 2009) published reports that may establish the New Caledonian crow, Corvus moneduloides, as the world’s most intelligent non-human animal.  Related to the familiar North American crow and raven (very bright birds in their own right…please see photo), New Caledonian crows have exhibited [...]

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Most cockatoos sport white plumage, but some of the most magnificent, typified by those in the genus Calyptorhynchus, are actually jet black in color.  Although not commonly seen in captivity in the USA, they are considered highly desirable pets in their native Australia, with the red-tailed cockatoo being especially popular.
In addition [...]

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.  The term “bumblefoot” is often applied to a variety of un-related ailments.  In actuality, however, it is a very specific medical condition that strikes the underside (or plantar surface) of the foot.
Causes
A number of factors, including poor nutrition and trauma, may contribute to the development of bumblefoot.  However, inappropriate perches or, [...]

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.  Hummingbirds have provided some of my most memorable bird-watching and bird-keeping experiences.  While most birders are aware that they can be lured to special feeders, it is less well-known that there is also great interest in keeping hummingbirds in captivity.
Hummingbirds in Zoos
When I began working with hummingbirds in zoos, I was [...]