That Bird Blog – Bird Care and History for Pet Birds

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 »

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 »

Parrots are known to be very intelligent, but a recent study of Kea Parrot (Nestor notabilis) learning abilities surprised even well-experienced ornithologists.  The study differed from most in that it required the birds not only to learn new tasks but to build upon that knowledge and to discard learned behaviors once they were no longer useful.  As you’ll see, the Keas definitely lived up to their Latin species name – notabilis – with quite “notable” results! Read More »

The Kiwi, New Zealand’s national bird, is the ultimate avian oddball.  Kiwis are round in shape, lack visible wings and have spiky, hair-like feathers; unlike other birds, their nostrils are located at the ends of their long, slender bills, and they have a well-developed sense of smell.  Apparently, however, such distinguishing features were not enough to suit Manukura, a Kiwi that hatched in May, 2011 at the Pulcaha Nature Reserve…he is all white, as well!  Manukura, whose name, means “Of Chiefly Status” in a local indigenous language, is a Northern Brown Kiwi, Apteryx mantelli, one of 5 Kiwi species found on New Zealand. Read More »

Owls are great favorites of mine, and I’ve had the good fortune to work with and observe many species in both captivity and the wild (please see articles below).  One of my most memorable wild owl experiences occurred, surprisingly, in the Bronx, when I was but 6 years old.  A huge Snowy Owl perched on the roof of my home for 4 hours, awing me as had nothing else.  I quickly learned that Snowy Owls travel south from their Arctic haunts when their primary prey (a small rodent known as the Lemming) is in short supply.  Now biologists are finding that the close ties between Lemmings and Snowy Owls may provide important information concerning climate change. Read More »