That Bird Blog – Bird Care and History for Pet Birds

The Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao) is surely one of the most recognizable birds on the planet.  Images of this spectacular parrot adorn the brochures and T-shirts of travel agencies, zoos and aviaries worldwide.  Less well-known, however, is its natural habits and precarious existence in the wild.

Range

At 33.5 inches in length, and with a wingspan to match, this deep red (or scarlet!), yellow-shouldered bird is one of the world’s largest parrots.

Its huge range extends from Oaxaca in southern Mexico through Central America to Columbia, Peru, Bolivia and Brazil, and east to French Guiana.  Within this area, however, it is rare or absent from many locales, and may be extinct in El Salvador.  Feral populations thrive in Puerto Rico and Florida.
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As I write this from NYC it is not yet officially winter, but I’m looking out over waist-high snow drifts.  So I’m inspired to consider a special treat for the visitors to my bird feeders, and one which finches, softbills and other pets relish as well – mealworms.

The Importance of Insects

A bag of Freeze Dried Mealworms is a very useful item for both pet keepers and wild bird enthusiasts to have on hand.  Providing both calcium and much-needed protein, insects continue to figure in the diets of many birds even during the coldest months.  Although not visible to us, insects are always about – some species hibernate, while others pass the winter as eggs or pupae.  These are avidly sought by many typical feeder visitors, but especially Woodpeckers, Chickadees, Nuthatches, Blue Jays and Juncos.  Insects become especially important in late winter, when female birds need to increase their calcium stores in preparation for egg-laying.
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In Part 1 of this article we looked at a few nutrients that wild birds are hard-pressed to find in winter.  Today we’ll continue with some other ideas that might make life easier for your avian friends. Read More »

While any food provided to wild birds is beneficial, there are a few items that are very important to their health, especially in the winter, but which are often over-looked by well-meaning avian enthusiasts.

Grit

Pigeons, Doves and many other birds must swallow small stones, sand and similar materials (“grit”) in order to break down seed coats and other foods before digestion can take place.  Grit is often in short supply during the winter, being either covered with snow or frozen to the ground (in NYC, I’ve observed English sparrows on buildings, pecking at gravel within brick mortar).

You can help winter birds along by providing pet bird gravel, sand and oyster shell (available at garden supply shops) in snow-free locations.  It is best to keep grit separated from food, as it will be used slowly and may become contaminated with feces if it lies out too long.

Calcium

Calcium is especially important as winter turns to spring, since female birds utilize this mineral to produce egg shells.  However, insects, the main source of calcium for many species, are often scarce at this time of the year.  Our Wild Bird Mealworms will be most appreciated by nearly every bird that visits your feeder.  You can also supply calcium by mixing oyster shell and ground-up eggshells into your wild bird food.

Food and Shelter

Of course, food and shelter are important concerns year-round.  Please be sure to check out our extensive line of bird and wildlife foods, houses and feeders.

Next time we’ll cover a few additional winter-feeding essentials.

Further Reading

Winter is a great time to try your luck at hand-feeding wild birds.  Please see Hand Taming Wild Birds for more details.

Woodpeckers, chickadees and other acrobatic birds will put on quite a show if given the chance – please check out Feeding Woodpeckers and Other Avian Athletes for details.

Those whose “pigeon experience” is limited to feral rock doves are usually surprised to learn that these ubiquitous city-dwellers are members of a huge (300 + species) family that includes some of the world’s most unusual and sought-after aviary birds.  The Luzon Bleeding Heart Dove (Gallicolumba luzonica), Victoria Crowned Pigeon (Goura victoria) and Nicobar Pigeon (Caloenas nicobarica) are prime examples.  Let’s see why….

General Considerations

The pigeons described below consume a fruit-based diet quite unlike that given to the more commonly-kept ring doves.  The diet I provided those under my care contained a wide variety of fruits (varied seasonally), chopped greens, boiled rice, softbill diet, pigeon seed mix and insects.

In general, exotic pigeons need large aviaries, and are best housed outdoors in warm climates.  However, some of the smaller fruit doves (which I will cover in the future) can be kept indoors.

Victoria Crowned Pigeon, Goura victoria

My reaction upon first seeing this largest of the world’s pigeons was typical – pure awe!  Resembling more a colorful turkey than a pigeon, these magnificent birds stand over 24 inches high, and reach nearly 3 feet in length.  An improbable crest of long, lacey blue feathers crowns the head, giving them a most definite “royal” appearance.

Crowned Pigeons (there are 2 other species) make fairly hardy aviary birds.  They are quite steady and not at all shy (a fact that has contributed to their demise in the wild), and the pair I kept bred regularly.  I was even able to give them outdoor access on mild winter days.

Victoria Crowned Pigeons are found only in northern New Guinea and on some small offshore islands.  They are classified as “Vulnerable” by the IUCN and are listed on Appendix II of CITES but, fortunately, are well-established in private aviculture and zoos.

Luzon Bleeding Heart Dove, Gallicolumba luzonica

A confirmed ground dweller, this beautiful dove’s name is very fitting – the bright red blotch on its chest actually fades out along the edges, looking very much like a blood stain.  Especially when seen in a densely-planted aviary, the bird gives the appearance of having been gravely injured…more than one zoo visitor has excitedly reported the same to me over the years.

Bleeding Heart Doves are more readily available, and are easier to keep, that the other birds covered here.  They are shy but not nervous in temperament, and make fine pets if some time is put into taming them.

Their natural range is limited to southern Luzon and nearby islands in the Philippines.

Nicobar Pigeon, Caloenas nicobarica

The color of this bird’s plumage varies dramatically with changing light exposure – indeed, two people rarely provide the same description.  Various shades of green, blue, copper and rust, all somewhat “metallic”, come and go as the bird moves about, and the long feathers trailing from its head grant a most unusual profile.  This species, the only member of its genus, is not common in private collections, but well-worth searching for.

Nicobar Pigeons have an unusual distribution.  They range from Southeast Asia and southern India through Malaysia, but within that area usually occupy only small islands (including, of course, Indonesia’s Nicobar chain!).   Nowhere common, their habits have not been well-studied.

Further Reading

You can read more about the care of Victoria Crowned Pigeons here.

For a look at some smaller, more common doves, please see my article Ring Doves and the others referenced there.

Nicobar Pigeon image referenced from wikipedia and originally posted by Tom Friedel