That Bird Blog – Bird Care and History for Pet Birds

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 »

Even where it is common, the Cedar Waxwing, Bombycilla cedrorum, always elicits excitement among birders.  Widely considered to be one of the USA’s most beautiful birds, captives tame readily and have achieved some popularity among European hobbyists.  Those I’ve kept have provided many fond memories and interesting observations.

Description

This 6-inch-long bird has a unique look that can be described as “sleek, silky and shiny”.  It is clad in muted shades of brown, gray and lemon-yellow, and sports a jaunty crest, bold black eye mask and striking scarlet-red wing tips. 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 »

Finch keepers with a bit of room and some experience would do well to consider the gorgeous and plucky Cuban Finch, Tiaris canora.  They can be challenging, but most agree that their gorgeous colors and vibrant spirits make efforts spent on their care worthwhile.

Although not commonly seen in pet stores in the USA, Cuban Finches are well established in private collections.  The related Yellow-Faced Grassquit or Olive Finch, T. olivacea, is sometimes available from the breeders specializing in Cuban Finches. Read More »

Toucans and their relatives are among the most recognizable of all birds, and highly desired as pets.  Captives can be most engaging, but few private bird keepers have room for the large, better-known species such as the Toco Toucan.  The smaller Aracaris and Toucanets, however, are more easily accommodated.  Today I’d like to continue with my overview of this delightful group of birds by introducing the Spot-Billed Toucanet, Selenidera malirostris (please see below for articles on the care of other species).

Natural History

Spot-Billed Toucanets are native to southeastern Brazil and adjacent portions of Argentina and Paraguay, where they favor primary rainforest.  In common with the 37-40 related toucan species, they mainly forage in pairs or family groups, and generally stay to the mid or upper levels of the forest (ground feeding has been observed, however).  Read More »