That Bird Blog – Bird Care and History for Pet Birds

Although we are fortunate to have available a wide variety of commercial finch and canary diets, choosing one can be a difficult task.  Once a decision is made as to the basic type – seed or pellet – we must then consider the ingredients, which vary from brand to brand.  Today I’ll examine some well-known foods and a few often-neglected dietary supplements.

Basic Guidelines

It’s important to remember that finch species vary in their nutritional needs.  While many will thrive on the basic diets described below, to achieve optimal health and color the addition of insects, sprouts, fruit, greens and other supplementary foods will be necessary.  Depending upon the species, some of these foods can also be used to bring birds into breeding condition.  Please post your questions concerning diets for specific finches below, and I’ll provide some suggestions. Read More »

A pair of highly endangered Forest Red-Tailed Black Cockatoos, Calyptorhynchus banksii naso, has hatched a chick in an artificial nest box located in Perth, Australia.  The box was erected as part of a conservation effort launched by the Western Australian Museum and Murdoch University.  The nesting is significant because it represents both the first time this species has accepted an artificial nest and the first known breeding in an urban setting.

Unique Threats and Considerations

The Forest Red-Tailed Black Cockatoo faces “typical” problems such as habitat loss, but is also plagued by several unique threats and an unusual breeding biology…all of which complicated the formation of a recovery plan.

Black Cockatoos have very specific nest-site requirements, and once a suitable nesting hollow is located a pair generally uses it for many years.  Over the past several decades, Black Cockatoos in natural habitats have come under pressure from burgeoning populations of feral honeybees and of other cockatoo species, including Galahs and Corellas.  These aggressive insects and birds take over Black Cockatoo nests and severely impact the species’ ability to reproduce. Read More »

The American Goldfinch, Carduelis tristis, is one of North America’s most colorful and beloved birds.  They are, however, protected by law and may not be kept as pets.  However, the closely-related European Goldfinch, C. Carduelis, has long been bred in captivity and has even been crossed with canaries in order to improve their singing abilities. This colorful little acrobat may be legally kept in the USA and is a great choice for folks looking to expand their collections.

Description

The European Goldfinch is similar in size to its American cousin – 5 inches long and stoutly built.  Its head is marked with alternating bands of red, white and black and the wings are banded in brilliant yellow.  These wing bands are most evident in flight, and their sudden appearance usually elicits a gasp of pleasant surprise when seen for the first time.

The red feathers on the male’s face extend to the end of or just beyond the eye; on females the red feathers end at about mid-eye; the sexes are otherwise similar. Read More »

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.  When the staff at the Australian Museum in Sydney began receiving calls about entire flocks of talking cockatoos, galahs and corellas, they suspected pranksters, or that alcohol was involved.  But, oddly enough, the reports turned out to be genuine. It seems that an odd phenomenon is taking shape in Sydney and other Australian cities…wild parrots are talking to one another – and to people!

Mimics by Design

Cockatoos and other parrots are social birds, and have complicated systems of communication that we are only just beginning to understand. For example, ornithologists recently learned that some species provide their chicks with “names” that are then learned and used by other flock members (please see article below). The ability to learn from one another, and from people, is behind Australia’s latest unique bird story. Read More »

I once heard the male Australian King Parrot, Alisterus scapularis, described as “riotously colorful” and have since come to agree with that sentiment.  The females’ subtle but beautiful plumage stands in sharp contrast to that of the males’…so much so that the sexes may easily be taken for different species.  The Australian King Parrot’s extreme sexual dimorphism and startling colors have led many to compare it to the Eclectus Parrot.  Although a bit smaller than its magnificent cousin, the Australian King Parrot is in my opinion no less beautiful, and usually makes a wonderful pet as well.

Description

The fire-red to scarlet head and back of the Male Australian King Parrot contrasts dramatically with the dark green wings and back. Females sport pale lime green feathers in place of the males’ red, and their under-parts are a unique shade of pinkish-orange.

Two subspecies and two related species – Green-Winged King Parrot and the Amboina King Parrot – have been described. Read More »