That Bird Blog – Bird Care and History for Pet Birds

The American Goldfinch, Carduelis tristis, is one of North America’s most colorful and beloved birds.  They are, however, protected by law and may not be kept as pets.  However, the closely-related European Goldfinch, C. Carduelis, has long been bred in captivity and has even been crossed with canaries in order to improve their singing abilities. This colorful little acrobat may be legally kept in the USA and is a great choice for folks looking to expand their collections.

Description

The European Goldfinch is similar in size to its American cousin – 5 inches long and stoutly built.  Its head is marked with alternating bands of red, white and black and the wings are banded in brilliant yellow.  These wing bands are most evident in flight, and their sudden appearance usually elicits a gasp of pleasant surprise when seen for the first time.

The red feathers on the male’s face extend to the end of or just beyond the eye; on females the red feathers end at about mid-eye; the sexes are otherwise similar. Read More »

The Zebra Waxbill, Amadava subflava (also known as the Gold or Orange-Breasted Waxbill), is one of the tiniest of all African birds available to aviculturists.  With their bright yellow bellies and brilliant red rumps, the males are a sight to behold.  A mere 3 to 3.5 inches in length, they are a delight to keep and breed, and quite hardy as well.

Natural History

The Zebra Finch is found throughout much of sub-SaharanAfrica.  It favors grasslands and lightly-wooded savannas (please see photo), but has adapted to farms and village outskirts as well.  Grass-seeds and insects comprise the bulk of its diet.

A larger and more colorful subspecies, Clarke’s Waxbill, Amadava subflava clarkii, occupies the southern portion of the range.  Unfortunately, it is not common in private or public collections. Read More »

The US Fish and Wildlife Service has taken action on a proposal originally filed by Friends of Animals in 2008.  Three of the affected species are popular in the pet trade – the Umbrella or White Cockatoo (Cacatua alba), the Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo (C. sulphurea) and the Red-Vented or Philippine Cockatoo (C. haematuropygia).  The Crimson Shining Parrot (Prosopeia splendens) was denied Endangered Species Act (ESA) protection.

ESA Protection Denied for 8 Parrot Species

The original application filed by Friends of Animals sought ESA protection for 8 additional species, including the Military, Scarlet, Blue-Headed, Great Green and Hyacinth Macaws, the Yellow-Billed and Red-Crowned Parrots and the Grey-Cheeked Parakeet.  Of these, only the 3 cockatoos listed above and the Crimson Shining Parrot were selected by the US Fish and Wildlife Service as warranting further consideration. 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 »