That Bird Blog – Bird Care and History for Pet Birds

First, I should explain the odd title.  I grew up near the Bronx Zoo and dreamed of a career there since early childhood.  Early on, however, responsibilities made it impossible for me to consider zoo work, a notoriously low-paying field.  By the early 1980’s, however, things changed and I was volunteering at the Bronx Zoo and doing everything else I could think of to break into the field.  But I was a lawyer at the time, and, despite years of experience with well-known animal importers and bird breeders, the zoo’s management did not believe I seriously intended to abandon such a lucrative profession.  Then the Pink Pigeons came to the rescue…

“Thanks, Pigeons”

After a year of failed attempts, I managed to land an interview for a position as bird keeper.  As the curator and I walked and talked, I caught sight of a group of unusual birds, and stepped closer.  I thought they might be Pink Pigeons, Nesoenas mayeri.  I was shocked, as there were but 12 individuals left in the wild at the time, and captive breeding efforts had only just begun. Read More »

Pterosaurs (incorrectly labeled “Pterodactyls” by old-timers such as I) flew the skies during the Mesozoic Era, some 220-65 million years ago. The huge head crests sported by many have baffled scientists since the first specimen was found in 1784 (please see drawing). However, a recently discovered fossil hints that sexual dimorphism may be involved, and has allowed researchers to determine the sex of fossilized Pterosaurs for the first time.

Technically, Pterosaurs are flying reptiles, not birds. Yet they possess many bird-like qualities, so I thought that bird enthusiasts might be interested in this latest finding concerning their lives. In any event, taxonomy is constantly blurring the lines between various groups (for example, birds are now considered to be “modern dinosaurs”, and closely related to crocodilians), so perhaps Pterosaur classification may change in the future… Read More »

Parrots are reputed to live to great ages – over 100 years if some reports are to be believed.  Less well-known are the incredible longevities racked up by some very small pet and wild birds.  I’ve kept a casual tally of the ages attained by many of the species I cared for at the Bronx Zoo, and recently reviewed some published studies on this subject.

100-Year-Old Parrots?

A recent review of zoo collections, published in the International Zoo Yearbook (please see below), did not uncover any 100 year-old parrots.  The most celebrated parrot in this category, a macaw named Charlie, is reputed to be 104 years old.  Said to have been owned by Winston Churchill, Charlie now lives in Surrey, England, where he passes his time by screaming anti-Nazi sentiments.  Unfortunately his history, and connection to his renowned former owner, could not be traced. Read More »

The animated movie Rio tells the story of the last 2 “Blue Macaws” on earth, and their adventurous efforts to save their species from extinction.  The touching yet realistic conservation story has captivated adults and children alike, and the movie posted ticket sales of $40,000,000 on its first weekend…a record for this year.  Many fans may not realize that a real endangered species – the Spix’s Macaw, Cyanopsitta spixii, and a real individual bird – Presely, inspired director Carlos Saldanba to create the movie. Read More »

One of the USA’s most hotly-debated conservation questions seems finally to have been answered.  For years, ornithologists have considered the huge Ivory-Billed Woodpecker, Campephilus principalis, to be extinct, but many well-respected biologists continued to report sightings.  Down to an estimated 30 birds by the 1930’s, none had been observed for decades despite intensive searches and rewards, including one of $50,000 posted by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.  Recent video and acoustic recordings (Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, please see below), however, seem to establish that this magnificent bird is still with us. Read More »