That Bird Blog

Introducing Estrildid Finches – the Waxbills, Munias, Nuns and Grass Finches

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Among the130+ species of the family Estrildidae we find popular cage birds and highly endangered species. Some, such as the gorgeously colored Gouldian Finch, are both - at once rare in the wild yet abundant in the pet trade. Waxbills and their relatives are often the first finches aviculturists obtain after having [...]

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Introducing Estrildid Finches – the Waxbills, Munias, Nuns and Grass Finches

Parrot Bonding – Will my Budgie be a More Responsive Pet if Kept Alone?

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. I’m often questioned on the pros and cons of keeping Budgerigars (parakeets) and other parrots singly as opposed to in pairs or groups. Most folks are aware that parrots housed alone tend to form strong bonds to their owners, more so than birds that have others of their own kind to [...]

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Parrot Bonding – Will my Budgie be a More Responsive Pet if Kept Alone?

Top 6 Bird Care, Conservation and Natural History Websites

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Aviculturists are fortunate in having available a great many bird interest groups….following are several that I’ve found to be particularly worthwhile. Note: the websites are listed alphabetically, not in order of preference. The Avicultural Society of America I first began reading the ASA’s wonderful journal, The Avicultural Bulletin, while working at the Bronx [...]

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Top 6 Bird Care, Conservation and Natural History Websites

Bird Breeding – Why Do Good Parents Sometimes Attack Their Chicks?

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Parrots that pair up well, mate, hatch eggs and feed their chicks are every bird-breeders dream. However, some such birds present us with a frustrating situation - just as the chicks begin to grow feathers, one or both of the otherwise doting parents begin to pluck at their chicks’ feathers. Bleeding [...]

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Bird Breeding – Why Do Good Parents Sometimes Attack Their Chicks?

The English Budgerigar – Calmer and Quieter than its American Cousin?

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Recently, a bird owner confided to me that, although pets were prohibited in her tiny Manhattan apartment, she was able to keep an English budgerigar because it was very quiet and also a good deal less active than the American budgies which she had kept. Thinking back, I realized that English [...]

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The English Budgerigar – Calmer and Quieter than its American Cousin?

Avian Nutritional Considerations: Finches, Toucans and Other Birds

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Today we’ll take a look at some of the finer points (as opposed to the basics) involved in feeding canaries, doves, budgerigars, toucans and related birds. Please see Part I and Part II of this article for information on African Gray and Amazon Parrots, Mynas and Macaws. Finches The perception of finches as [...]

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Avian Nutritional Considerations: Finches, Toucans and Other Birds

Eclectus Parrots in the Wild and Captivity – Part 2

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. In Part I of this article we discussed eclectus parrot (Eclectus roratus) behavior in the wild and captivity. Today I would like to focus on one of the more unusual facets Eclectus Parrot natural history – how a unique reproductive strategy has fostered a degree of sexual dimorphism (difference in [...]

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Eclectus Parrots in the Wild and Captivity – Part 2

Foraging Toys and Treats – Keeping Pet Birds Active and Interested

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Wild birds spend the vast majority of most days occupied with gathering food. In captivity, where all their nutritional needs are usually met in a matter of minutes, boredom and a general decline in vitality are constant concerns. While well-recognized in parrots, these same considerations apply to canaries and other finches, [...]

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Foraging Toys and Treats – Keeping Pet Birds Active and Interested

Eclectus Parrots in the Wild and Captivity – Part 1

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. One day, while working in Bronx Zoo’s eclectus parrot (Eclectus roratus) exhibit, a visitor asked me what sort of food additives I used to keep the bird’s colors so brilliant and silky. Another, upon viewing a pair of eclectus preening, inquired how I had managed to get the two different species [...]

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Eclectus Parrots in the Wild and Captivity – Part 1

Finches – Sampling the Incredible Diversity of Species Available

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Finch enthusiasts are in the enviable position of being able to easily obtain a wide range of interesting, colorful and unusual species. Among no other group of cage birds do we find such a variety of captive-bred specimens. Although some are quite delicate, even those relatively new to the hobby can [...]

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Finches – Sampling the Incredible Diversity of Species Available