That Bird Blog – Bird Care and History for Pet Birds

Zebra and Society Finches are often recommended to those new to finch keeping, and with good reason.  However, in my opinion, the attractive little African Silverbill or African Warbling Finch, Lonchura cantans, deserves consideration as well.  In addition to being a hardy captive, it is also a prolific breeder that hybridizes readily with several other species – ideal qualities if one wishes to experiment with the creation of new finch color phases.

Description

The African Silverbill may seem “plain” to some, but its varied shades of brown, tan, buff, fawn and black both blend and contrast, lending this 4 inch-long mite a unique beauty.  The sexes are alike, but only males produce the pleasant, warbling song.

Chocolate, fawn, cinnamon, white and other mutations have been produced, often influenced by related species with which the African Silverbill has been crossed. Read More »

Vulture welfare tends not to arouse much concern, even from bird enthusiasts.  However, several species are now at the center of a growing extinction crisis in south Asia. The story illustrates just how complicated things can become when the needs of livestock, people and wildlife collide, and why we must look below the surface when we consider the conservation of any bird or other animal.

A Double-Edged Sword

Diclofenac, a drug used to treat both people and livestock, is at the heart of the troubles afflicting India’s vultures.  Dead cattle and water buffalos, many of which have been medicated with Diclofenac, are a major source of food for at least 3 species of Indian vultures.

Diclofenac is fatal to vultures when consumed, and has been identified as the major reason behind the steep decline in their numbers in India.  In the 1980’s, the White Rumped Vulture was considered to be the world’s most abundant large bird of prey.  It has now declined by a staggering 99.9%!  Populations of Indian and Slender-Billed Vultures are now at 3% of their 1990 levels. Read More »

In the wild, the pair-bond between mated parrots often lasts a lifetime.  Captive pairs, however, face unique “relationship challenges” that often complicate the mating process.  Owners may find it difficult to find two birds that get along, and even long-established pairs may suddenly begin to fight.

Mate Choice

Parrot breeding is rarely as simple as putting 2 birds of the opposite sex together…both males and females can be quite choosy when it comes to selecting a mate.  Coloration, behavior, vigor and a host of factors that we do not fully understand all come into play, with the ultimate goal being the production healthy offspring.  The process has evolved over millions of years, and works fine in natural situations, where the birds can choose from numerous potential mates.

Captives face an entirely different situation.  Even in large breeding groups, they are limited to a fraction of the potential mates that would be available in the wild.  Being naturally social, many parrots “give in” and accept whatever mate, or same sex friend, presents itself; parrots that live alone often transfer their need for companionship to human owners.  Read More »

Also known as the Bronze-Winged Pionus, Pionus chalcopterus, this delightful little bird has been somewhat ignored by US parrot keepers until recently.  However, it has many fine pet qualities and boasts a beautiful “color scheme” that is not common among its relatives.

Description

The 11-inch-long Bronze-Wing’s beauty lies not in bright, “screaming” plumage but rather in a subtle blend of colors.  It may at first appear somewhat dull, but closer inspection will reveal that the body plumage is dark purple to navy blue, and overlain with a bronze tint…quite attractive and ever-changing with light levels.  The pink eye ring and pink-edged head feathers add to its unique appearance, and red coverlets decorate the tail. Read More »

If you observe wild birds, you’ve no doubt marveled at their ability to fly through dense brush without touching a single branch.  In NYC, I’ve twice been surprised to see pigeons flying at full speed through amazingly tight spaces when pursued by Red-Tailed Hawks.  Bats utilize echolocation to perform similar feats, but with few exceptions (i.e. the Oilbird, please see below), birds lack this adaptation.  So how do they do it?  According to a recent study (Current Biology, Oct., 2011) at Australia’s Vision Center and the University of Queensland, some species rely upon vision alone.

“See-Compare-Adjust Course”

Researchers worked with Budgerigars (Parakeets) that had been trained to fly an indoor course that allowed for careful monitoring.  They were able to show that the birds used their vision to sense and compare the speed at which they passed background images, and then adjusted their flight path accordingly.  Read More »