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Monthly Archives: November 2010

Migrating Parrots – Two Long-Distance Travelers from Australia

November 30, 2010 0 29 Views

Swift ParrotHello, Frank Indiviglio here.  Right now, as autumn progresses in the north and spring arrives in the south, billions of birds embark on epic migrations that take them to breeding and wintering grounds.  The journeys of many species, such as the pole-to-pole trip of the Arctic Tern, are well-known to bird enthusiasts.  We don’t often think of parrots as migrants, yet many do undertake very impressive seasonal trips.  Today I’ll highlight 2 little-known migratory rarities, the Swift Parrot (Lathamus discolor) and the Orange-Bellied Grass Parakeet (Neophema chrysogaster).

Perilous Travels

The journeys of Australia’s only migratory parrots do not approach in length those of many other birds, but they are fraught with danger for other reasons.  Both species are rare, and rely upon disappearing habitats and very unique foods; like all migrants, protection is needed at both their Australian winter and Tasmanian summer ranges, and along their migration routes.  Read More »

Bald Parrot Among New Species Discovered in the Amazon Basin

November 26, 2010 2 Comments 107 Views

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.  Animals unknown to science, including sizable mammals, come to light every day (in fact, 1 every 3 days for the past decade in the Amazon Basin alone!).  But parrots, being loud, colorful and active by day, have a hard time remaining undetected, even in remote habitats.  Brazil’s Bald or Orange-Headed Parrot (Pyrilia aurantiocephala), however, despite being glimpsed in the past, was only recognized as a distinct species in 2002.

Incredible Species Diversity

The World Wildlife Fund recently announced that over 1,200 new species have been discovered since 1999 in the area of South America drained by the Amazon River, popularly known as the Amazon Basin.  The region is a hotbed of diversity (new insects are so numerous that they were excluded from the report, and more fish species have been found in the Amazon than in the entire Atlantic Ocean!), but birds accounted for only 16 of the new discoveries.  However, among these was a real shocker – a noisy blue and aquamarine parrot with a featherless, orange head. Read More »

The Dark Side of Parrot Rescuers and Rescue Groups

November 23, 2010 3 Comments 130 Views

Caged ParrotsHello, Frank Indiviglio here.  The very qualities that make parrots such desirable pets – intelligence, sociability, long lives and high activity levels – can also make it quite difficult to provide them with proper care.  During my years with the Bronx Zoo, I was astounded by both the numbers of people looking to find homes for their “problem parrots”, and by those seeking to adopt unwanted pets.  Parrot rescues have sprung up all over the world in response to this situation, but not all are what they appear to be.

Hoarders – Drowning in Birds

“Animal Hoarding” has become a trendy term lately, but there is nothing new about this sad phenomenon.  Over several decades, in the course of assisting the NYC Police Department and other agencies responding to animal emergency calls, I have run across people who jammed their houses full of unsustainable numbers of turtles, rabbits, lizards and even caiman (South American crocodilians) – as well as the more commonly-kept dogs, parrots and cats.  To the person, most were good-hearted and well-meaning, but for some reason (please see article below) they became enmeshed in unrealistic efforts to save too many creatures.  Read More »

The Jacarina Finch – a Blue-Black Beauty for the Small Bird Enthusiast

November 18, 2010 0 517 Views

Blue-black Grassquit MaleHello, Frank Indiviglio here.  Finches and softbills may be found in every color imaginable, but birds with black plumage are very scarce in the trade.  One exception is the aptly named Blue-Black Grassquit or Jacarina Finch (Volatinia jacarina).  Not a finch at all, this gorgeous little bird sports deep blue-black feathers that are highlighted with purple – always striking, but especially so when housed with brightly-colored species.

Natural History

The Jacarina Finch is actually classified as a Tanager (Family Thraupidae) and is more closely related to the brilliant Brazilian Tanager (please see photo) than to any of the common pet trade finches.  It is, however, finch-like in its behavior and captive needs, and gets along well with most species. Read More »

Conservation Update – Mexico Bans the Capture and Export of Wild Parrots

November 16, 2010 0 42 Views

Yellow Crowned ParrotHello, Frank Indiviglio here. Parrot conservation took an important step forward this month (October, 2010) as Mexico’s president signed into law a bill prohibiting the capture and export of wild parrots of any species.

The Parrot Trade in Mexico

The president’s action was sparked in a large part by the results of a long-term study (please see below) of Mexico’s parrots and the effect of the trade on their continued existence.  The study, undertaken by groups based in Mexico and the USA (Teyeliz, A.C. and Defenders of Wildlife) provided dramatic evidence that the collection of wild parrots directly contributes to the decline of many species, and will likely lead some to extinction.  Some of the facts to emerge were shocking – for example, of the 78,000 parrots believed taken from the wild in Mexico annually, 50-60,000 perish before reaching a buyer!  Read More »

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