That Bird Blog – Bird Care and History for Pet Birds

New Zealand’s endemic parrot, the Kea (Nestor notabilis), was nearly driven to extinction by ranchers who believed the bird was a threat to their sheep (please see below).  Hunting is now outlawed, but the Kea’s troubles are not over – a recent study has documented that stoats, possums and rats, all introduced from elsewhere, are eating chicks and attacking adults. Read More »

Last winter I wrote about the Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count (CBC), which is the world’s longest running volunteer wildlife survey.  Now in its 111^th year, this winter’s effort promises to be both enjoyable and of vital importance to birds throughout the Western Hemisphere.  Today I’d like to highlight last year’s amazing successes, and once again remind all how easy it is to participate.

A Record-Breaking Bird Count

Last year’s CBC ran from December 14, 2009 to January 5, 2010, and surpassed all previous ones on every level.  The turnout was incredible… 60,753 people counted nearly 56 million individual birds representing an astounding 2,319 species.  The species count shattered the previous year’s record by 200 species.

Observations were made in all 50 states, all Canadian provinces, Guam, Bermuda, Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and the Mariana and Virgin Islands.  Spearheaded by birders in Columbia, several Latin American countries joined in as well. Read More »

Right now, as autumn progresses in the north and spring arrives in the south, billions of birds embark on epic migrations that take them to breeding and wintering grounds.  The journeys of many species, such as the pole-to-pole trip of the Arctic Tern, are well-known to bird enthusiasts.  We don’t often think of parrots as migrants, yet many do undertake very impressive seasonal trips.  Today I’ll highlight 2 little-known migratory rarities, the Swift Parrot (Lathamus discolor) and the Orange-Bellied Grass Parakeet (Neophema chrysogaster).

Perilous Travels

The journeys of Australia’s only migratory parrots do not approach in length those of many other birds, but they are fraught with danger for other reasons.  Both species are rare, and rely upon disappearing habitats and very unique foods; like all migrants, protection is needed at both their Australian winter and Tasmanian summer ranges, and along their migration routes.  Read More »

A wide array of habitat types and climatic conditions allow an incredible assortment of creatures to thrive in Columbia.  In fact, this South American country is home to more bird species – 1,750 at last count – than anywhere else on earth.

Wildlife and Birds Galore

Columbian takes up a mere 0.08% of the earth’s surface, but its wildlife accounts for 10-15% of the world’s animal species, and 19% of all known birds live there.

Included in this number are 15% of the world’s parrots – 54 species in all.  The parrot diversity is staggering, and the country’s popularity as a bird-watching destination is growing.  Within this avian paradise one can see 6 types of Macaw, 6 Amazons and such prizes as White-Eyed and Santa Marta Parakeets, Spectacled Parrotlets and Black-Headed Parrots. Read More »

I first kept Red-Vented Bulbuls (Pycnonotus cafer) as “filler birds” to take up space in a huge, planted aviary I maintained at the Bronx Zoo.  However, their confident, inquisitive natures soon led to their being among the exhibit’s most popular inhabitants with visitors.  I find them to be among the most easily-kept of the softbills (a term applied to a loose collection of “non-typical” cage birds such as Bulbuls, Pekin Robins and others), and a great species with which to start when seeking to add variety to one’s collection.

Description and Range

Red-Vented Bulbuls inhabit a huge range that extends from India east to Vietnam and south to Java; they have also been introduced to Hawaii and many other places.  They inhabit open woodlands, scrub, farms, villages and cities, pairing off while breeding but otherwise going about in small groups. Read More »