Archive for September, 2009
Parrot Emergencies – Steps to Take When a Parrot Bites and Hangs On
Sep 11th
Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Even the smallest lovebird can deliver a painful bite, and larger parrots are capable of inflicting serious injuries. If a parrot bites and holds on, you must respond appropriately in order to limit the bite’s severity.
Do Not Pull Away
In a lifetime of working with animals, I’ve actually been bitten by more snakes than parrots, but the principals are the same. One’s first reaction – to pull away – must be stifled. Instead, push the bitten hand (as an example) towards the parrot’s head. This will relieve pressure on your hand and may force the bird to relinquish its grip. Pulling away will add to the trauma of the bite…I learned this when a concave-casqued hornbill broke my finger; pulling away from an anaconda left me with a souvenir – a tooth that remains buried in my wrist to this day!
Balance
You can also try to disturb the bird’s balance, forcing it to focus on that and to release you. This is best accomplished by tilting the hand or object upon which the parrot is perched (note: do not tilt your hand if the parrot is biting the hand upon which it sits).
Tools
When working closely with birds likely to latch onto me, I always carry an easily accessible object to force into an offending bill. Credit cards, butter knives and spoons will all serve well, depending upon the size of your attacker.
Additional Tactics
Putting the parrot on the floor and/or covering its head with a towel may also cause it to withdraw. A sudden loud noise can also be useful in distracting and startling an aggressive bird.
You might try smacking your hand on something, stomping your foot or turning on a radio if within reach.
In all cases, direct eye contact with the bird should be sought…this does not always work, but excellent results are sometimes forthcoming.
Medical Concerns
Be sure to seek medical advice after being bitten by any animal. Even the smallest of wounds can leave one open to dangerous infections. Do not assume that because your parrot is kept indoors there is no risk of infection – call your doctor!
Further Reading
Parrot screaming can be as dangerous to one’s mental health as biting is to physical health! For further information, please see my article Help! – My Parrot Won’t Stop Screaming.
Please write in with your questions and comments. Thanks, until next time, Frank Indiviglio.
Image referenced from Wikipedia and originally posted by snowmanradio.
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Loading ...The Golden Pheasant – a Gorgeous yet Hardy Aviary Bird
Sep 9th
Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. As a small boy leafing through books on exotic birds from faraway lands, I recall being awe-stuck by a bird that, to me, symbolized all that was wild, foreign, beautiful and unknown – the golden pheasant (Chrysolphus pictus). The long-tailed males, which display gold, deep red, rust, blue, tan, orange, green, scarlet, yellow and chestnut feathers, are among the most richly-colored of all birds.
Beautiful and Tough
I was indeed amazed to learn, years later, that these central China natives are among the most commonly kept of all pheasants, and were quite reasonably priced.
Furthermore, although brilliant plumage had always signaled “delicate” to my inexperienced mind, golden pheasants are amazingly tough birds. Evolved to endure frigid winters in mountainous habitats, an open-sided shelter easily saw them through New York winters. In fact, hot summers prove more of a threat.
Natural History
Golden and the closely related Lady Amherst’s pheasants (C. amherstiae) are also called ruffed pheasants, due to the brilliant cape that encircles the nape. Courting males raise the ruff and leap about the hens, first on one side, then the other. Some populations appear to be monogamous, but most observers report that males mate with 6-8 hens in the wild.
Golden pheasants are native to the highlands of central and northwestern China, where their range overlaps with that of a familiar US transplant, the ring-necked pheasant. Shy and wary, it is said that the males’ striking colors are visible over great distances on clear days.
Captive History and Care
Goldens may be the earliest pheasants to have been taken into captivity, and have been well known in East Asian aviculture for centuries. They were brought to North America in the mid 1700’s, and were reportedly kept by George Washington.
Experienced aviculturists often recommend golden pheasants as excellent starter species. They adjust well to modestly sized outdoor aviaries and invariably become exceedingly tame. A trio that I kept was as confiding as chickens, even while nesting. Although usually kept in pairs, a trio or male and 3 hens is preferable, as males often drive a single hen incessantly and interfere with rearing the chicks.
Golden pheasants have been hybridized with cheer, silver, Reeve’s, Caucus and green pheasants, and even with domestic hens! Only golden/Lady Amherst crosses are consistently fertile, however.
If you are considering an outdoor aviary, I can think of no better bird to start with than this spectacular beauty. I’ll cover their care in detail in the future. Until then, please write in with your questions and comments. Thanks, Frank Indiviglio.
Further Reading
You can read more about golden pheasants in the wild at http://www.gamebird.com/pheasantgolden2.html.
Image referenced from Wikipedia and first posted by Magnus Manske.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Popular and Rare Lories and Lorikeets as Pets
Sep 7th
Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Lories (parrot subfamily Lorinae) have long attracted aviculturists, yet there are many factors that weigh against their choice as pets. Noisy and aggressive towards other birds, all species feed on nectar and fruit, which, along with watery feces, they fling about their cages…keeping their living quarters clean is quite a chore.
Why then do so many people continue to put great efforts into their care? Simply put, they are the most gorgeously colored and acrobatic of all birds, and quickly become affectionate, playful companions. Fortunately, the availability of specially formulated lory food has greatly simplified their care.
Red or Moluccan Lory, Eos bornea bornea
This was the first lory I worked with, back as a boy helping out in a pet store (I say “helping out” because I was not paid, other than by being allowed to take sick animals home!). Without any real training, our red lory climbed down from his store-front perch each evening and walked to the back of the shop and into his cage. As soon as we began to close up for the night, off he went!
This responsiveness, along with “screaming” scarlet plumage, has rendered the red lory quite popular with parrot enthusiasts. It reaches 12 inches in length, and breeds fairly well, especially if exposed to temperatures of 90-93 F for a time. Like all their relatives, red lories do best in outdoor aviaries or large cages.
Red lories are limited in distribution to Saparura and Amboina Islands, west of New Guinea. They favor mangrove forests, but will feed in parks and farms if dense tree cover is available nearby. Relatives that also appear in the pet trade include the blue-streaked and black-winged lories.
Black-Capped Lory, Lorius lory lory
A quiet (for a parrot!) voice, hardy constitution and friendly nature suit this 12 inch lory well to captivity. Its plumage is better seen than described – the black crown contrasting spectacularly with the blue body and green wings.
Black-capped lories do best in an outdoor aviary at temperatures above 50 F. They tame readily, but will attack and kill other birds, including parrots much larger than themselves. Pairs sleep in a nesting box even when not breeding.
Black-capped lories inhabit Vogelkop, Batanta and nearby Papuan islands that lie northwest of New Guinea. The closely related chattering and purple-napped lories are also bred in captivity.
Tahitian Blue Lory, Vini peruviana
Despite having been bred in captivity since 1936, this tiny (6-7 inch) indigo and white lory is still found only in a few private collections and zoos. It is likely gone from its native Tahiti, courtesy of introduced rats, and now dwells only on the neighboring Cook and Society Islands.
In the mid 1970’s, a small group of confiscated Tahitian lories found their way into the Bronx Zoo and came under my care. Despite being well-bonded, the pair I kept quarreled frequently, but teamed up to harass the much larger Palawan peacock pheasants that shared their exhibit whenever the mood struck them.
Tahitians have smaller bills than most lories, and specialize on nectar and soft fruits. Mine did well on a “shake” of yogurt, honey, hummingbird nectar, papaya and blueberries, along with other fruits and insects. Like all lories, they squeeze insects to extract their softer parts, and discard the hard exoskeletons.
Further Reading
To read more about lory husbandry and natural history, please see my articles Aggression in Lories and Lorikeets and Lories and Lorikeets.
Please write in with your questions and comments. Thanks, until next time, Frank Indiviglio.
Red Lory image referenced from Wikipedia and originally posted by Stephen.
Black Capped Lory image referenced from Wikipedia and originally posted by Doug Janson.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Some Male Birds Improve Their Songs When Faced With Competition
Sep 4th
Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. People who breed canaries, shama thrushes and other noted songsters often comment that housing males within hearing distance of one another improves the quality of their songs. This theory has now been validated by researchers studying song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) at the University of Miami.
Typical and Improved Songs
It seems that male song sparrows stick to their “usual” repertoire under normal circumstances – i.e. when calling to announce the ownership of their territory. However, when challenged by intruding males, song sparrows dramatically improve the quality of their songs, selecting note ranges and song speeds that are difficult to perform.
Whether this is to convince a female or male (or both) of the singer’s vigor has not yet been established, but clearly the birds are physically changing their songs in response to a hostile situation. This finding contradicts the long-held assumption that, once acquired, male birds’ song patterns are largely static.
Practical Applications
The song sparrow findings may eventually shed light on the acquisition of language in people, as similar brain pathways seem involved. Those of you who keep groups of canaries, green singing finches or other songbirds may wish to experiment a bit as well, to see if some competition spurs your pets to new musical heights.
Thoughts on the Song Sparrow
As for myself, the first time I hear a song sparrow call (whether the song is “improved” or not!) each late winter is a thrill, assuring me that warmer days are not far off. In years past, I heard these little fellows only near salt marshes, but am happy to report that they have now expanded into suburban yards and city parks in and near NYC.
Further Reading
You can hear a song sparrow’s call and read related field observations at
http://www.sitkanature.org/wordpress/2007/03/15/singing-song-sparrow/.
Please also see my article The Role of Learning and Instinct in Bird Song for more information on this and related topics.
Please write in with your questions and comments. Thanks, until next time, Frank Indiviglio.
Image referenced from Wikipedia and originally posted by Factumquintus
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Bird Health Notes – Bacterial and Viral Sinus Infections (Sinusitis)
Sep 2nd
Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Pet birds of all kinds sneeze on occasion, and such is not always cause for alarm. However, sneezing can also be the first sign of a sinus infection, and so should signal us to pay extra attention. When accompanied by nasal or eye discharge, or red, swollen eyes, immediate action is necessary.
Bird Sinus Structure and Disease
As in people, bird sinuses are arranged in a complicated network of moist, narrow channels that are perfect breeding grounds for bacteria and viruses. A lack of certain vitamins and minerals, especially Vitamin A, may also pre-dispose birds to sinusitis. As anyone who has had such an infection can attest, bacteria spread rapidly throughout these passageways – when such happens to birds, it can mean a progression from mild to life-threatening illness in short order.
Symptoms
Birds inflicted with sinusitis may appear well at first, occasionally sneezing but otherwise behaving normally. Once the condition progresses, however, nasal and eye discharges will become evident, and the afflicted bird will become lethargic and reluctant to feed.
The bacteria-generated accumulation of hard, waxy material in the sinus cavities behind the eyes will cause the eyes to run, redden and swell. Sick birds will often rub their eyes on perches in an attempt to relieve the pressure, sometimes causing additional trauma in the process.
Treatment
Early treatment is of utmost importance where sinusitis is concerned. The chance of successfully combating the invading virus or bacterium decreases rapidly as populations build and the bird’s immune system weakens. Veterinary attention is a must…please write in if you need a referral to an experienced avian veterinarian.
Further Reading
You can read about sinusitis from a veterinarian’s perspective at http://www.vetafarm.com/pages/Sinusitis-in-birds-.html.
Please write in with your questions and comments. Thanks, until next time, Frank Indiviglio.
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