That Bird Blog – Bird Care and History for Pet Birds

Cockatoos are often considered to be the most intelligent, playful and trainable of all parrots.  But most new parrot-keepers believe that all cockatoos are large, noisy and very expensive, and tend to pass them by.  While this applies to many of the world’s 40+ species, one group – the Corellas – averages only 12-15 inches in length; among the cockatoos, only the Cockatiel is smaller.  Corellas possess all the wonderful traits of their larger relatives, and few of the drawbacks.  In fact, the Goffin’s Cockatoo or Tanimbar Corella may just be the best cockatoo pet for most people.

Corella Overview

Despite their small size, Corellas demand a great deal of attention and space, and cannot be relegated to life in a cage.  Successful owners usually find that they become more like dogs than birds in their interactions with people.  Well-habituated cockatoos of all kinds love physical play and touching, often to an amazing degree.  They also tend to be unsurpassed when it comes to learning tricks.  Read More »

In a recent article, I suggested some techniques that can be used to keep your birds cool and safe during hot weather (please see article below).  Today I’d like to take a look at recognizing and dealing with heat stress and heat stoke.

Note: the attached photos depict some North American birds that are well-adapted to desert habitats – the Roadrunner, Gila Woodpecker and Elf Owl.

Dangerous Places and Temperatures

Wild birds and pets kept in large outdoor aviaries rarely experience heat-related problems, no matter how high temperatures climb (of course there are limits – don’t try keeping your pet penguin outdoors in Las Vegas!). Read More »

In the early 1980’s I had the good fortune to work with the critically endangered Northern Bald Ibis, Geronticus eremita.  Also known as the Waldrapp, the group I cared for at the Bronx Zoo provided a unique opportunity to refine breeding techniques and observe complex social behavior.  Today Bald Ibis are secure in captivity, but their future in the wild remains uncertain. Read More »

Many people concerned with the conservation of wild birds focus their efforts on the tropics.  The plight of tropical parrots has, with good reason, long monopolized the attentions of conservationists and concerned citizens alike, and birds of all kinds reach their greatest diversity south of the equator.  I suppose the fact that ornithologists often prefer to do their research in warm places doesn’t hurt either!  However, a recent report has revealed that shocking numbers of protected songbirds, storks, eagles, vultures and other birds are being trapped, shot, poisoned and otherwise killed in at least 38 European countries. Read More »

The huge, stunningly-colored Blue and Gold (or Blue and Yellow) Macaw, Ara ararauna, is one of the most recognizable of all birds…size, color, intelligence (and voice!) make it impossible to ignore.  While it has long been bred in captivity, the natural history of this spectacular parrot is less-well known.  Please read on to learn about its life in the wild and the threats to its continued existence.

Range

The Blue and Gold has the largest natural range of any macaw.  It is found from Eastern Panama east across most of Northern South America and south through Bolivia to Paraguay and Eastern Brazil.  Despite this, it is declining or extinct in some areas…Trinidad’s macaws disappeared in the 1960’s, but a new population has been re-introduced. Read More »