That Bird Blog – Bird Care and History for Pet Birds

It’s very difficult to choose “bests” among parrots, because both bird and owner personalities and past experiences are so important.  Parrots are very complex creatures, and within every species we find an incredible range of individual traits.  With that in mind, today I’d like to highlight some parrots that, in general, are good choices for those new to parrot keeping and without the space needed for large species.  I’ve chosen 5 that are often passed over by those without much experience, but which deserve a closer look.  Please check the articles linked below or write in for more detailed information on their care. Read More »

Owls are great favorites of mine, and I’ve had the good fortune to work with and observe many species in both captivity and the wild (please see articles below).  One of my most memorable wild owl experiences occurred, surprisingly, in the Bronx, when I was but 6 years old.  A huge Snowy Owl perched on the roof of my home for 4 hours, awing me as had nothing else.  I quickly learned that Snowy Owls travel south from their Arctic haunts when their primary prey (a small rodent known as the Lemming) is in short supply.  Now biologists are finding that the close ties between Lemmings and Snowy Owls may provide important information concerning climate change. Read More »

Wild finches of almost every species consume beetles, spiders, caterpillars and other invertebrates throughout the year, and in large quantities both before and during the breeding season.  While those we keep as pets may thrive on seed-based diets, providing them with a variety of insects will improve their health and encourage breeding.  A reader’s note concerning his success with Bronze-Winged Mannikins and the onset of the spring breeding season here in the Northern Hemisphere have sparked me to take another look at this important topic. Read More »

Hot on the heels of an Egyptian Cobra that recently escaped its Bronx Zoo enclosure, a Peahen has now (May 10, 2011) gone one better and is hiding out somewhere in the neighborhood near the zoo.  The zoo’s Peafowl range freely on its grounds, and can fly, but in all my years working at there none “decided” to leave.  This, and some newly discovered information on Peafowl mating behavior, sparked today’s article. Read More »

Have you ever been met by blank stares when trying to convince “non-bird” people that your pet has a unique personality?  You might be believed if you’re referring to a parrot, but a canary or other finch…not likely.  However, a recent (April, 2011) study has confirmed that Greenfinches, Carduelis chloris, do indeed exhibit widely-varying personalities.  My experience, and that of countless other bird-keepers, convinces me that this is true for other species as well.

Behavioral Responses

By measuring stress levels in the blood of Greenfinches, researchers at the University of York (UK) established that differences in behavior were directly correlated to distinct personality types.  Read More »