Barbets – Stunning, Unique Aviary Birds for Experienced Keepers
Mar 21st
Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Barbets combine gorgeous coloration and a unique body plan. Related to woodpeckers and toucans, barbets somehow bring both to mind. I’ve always enjoyed working with them, although a “barbet incident” gave me quite a scare early-on in my career…
“Frank, your barbet is on my fence.”
Some 3 decades ago, while still a novice bird keeper at the Bronx Zoo, I was working in a huge, densely-planted exhibit that housed a pair of Fire-Tufted Barbets (Psilopogon pyrolophus) and other Asian birds. My supervisor rushed in to say that one of my barbets was perched on a fence outside the zoo director’s kitchen window (he lived on the grounds). The director, an internationally-known ornithologist, was rumored to question the curators more closely about the death of “little brown birds” than giraffes. Unlike most exhibits, that housing the barbets did not have a double door, and I had often worried about escapes. So, I thought, there goes my dream job…. More >
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Loading ...How Pink Pigeons Saved me from Life as a Lawyer
Mar 6th
Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. First, I should explain the odd title. I grew up near the Bronx Zoo and dreamed of a career there since early childhood. Early on, however, responsibilities made it impossible for me to consider zoo work, a notoriously low-paying field. By the early 1980’s, however, things changed and I was volunteering at the Bronx Zoo and doing everything else I could think of to break into the field. But I was a lawyer at the time, and, despite years of experience with well-known animal importers and bird breeders, the zoo’s management did not believe I seriously intended to abandon such a lucrative profession. Then the Pink Pigeons came to the rescue…
“Thanks, Pigeons”
After a year of failed attempts, I managed to land an interview for a position as bird keeper. As the curator and I walked and talked, I caught sight of a group of unusual birds, and stepped closer. I thought they might be Pink Pigeons, Nesoenas mayeri. I was shocked, as there were but 12 individuals left in the wild at the time, and captive breeding efforts had only just begun. More >
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Parrot Conservation in India – Poaching Threatens most Native Species
Mar 1st
Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Parrot conservation news is usually dominated by stories covering large, popular species, such as African Greys, Black Palm Cockatoos and Amazons. While interest in these threatened birds is commendable, I also find it useful to focus my reading and writing on less well-known parrots and parrot habitats; for example, please see this article on Echo Parrot Conservation. Today I’d like to address parrot conservation concerns in India.
India’s Parrots and Parakeets
India is home to 12 parrot species, but, overshadowed by the needs of country’s tigers, rhinos and elephants, they have a hard time competing for public attention and funds. Adding to the problem, perhaps, is the popularity of the Indian Ring-Necked Parakeet, a hardy species that has established feral populations in such unlikely places as NYC. The fact that all of India’s wildlife is protected by law furthers the false sense of security. More >
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...The Moluccan (Salmon-Crested) Cockatoo – Captive Care and Conservation
Feb 14th
Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. It’s not easy to stand-out among such spectacular birds as the cockatoos, but the Moluccan Cockatoo (Cacatua moluccensis) does so admirably. In size, color, trainability, and many other ways, it is in a class by itself. This adds to the species’ allure, but there is a downside…wild populations are plummeting, and their needs, as pets, are beyond the capabilities of many owners.
Description
At 20 inches in length, the Moluccan is the largest of the white-colored cockatoos. Females often exceed males in size, and are also distinguished by their brown, as opposed to black, eyes.
The white body feathers, infused with pink, are often described as having a “peach-colored hue”. Even by cockatoo standards, the head crest is magnificent, being very long and colored deep-pink to orange-red. More >
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...The African Pygmy Goose – Keeping the World’s Smallest Waterfowl
Feb 6th
Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Ducks and geese have many endearing qualities, but few private keepers have the space and flowing water required by most species. Although not common in captivity, the diminutive African Pygmy Goose, Nettapus auritus, is an ideal alternative to its larger relatives. Those I’ve cared for have been delightful, and quite hardy once established. The Indian Pygmy Goose, N. coromandelianus, offers another option; I’ll cover its care in the future.
Natural History
Averaging 12 inches in length, the African Pygmy Goose is the smallest of the world’s waterfowl. Technically a “perching duck”, its common name is derived from the stubby, goose-like bill. Others which share its un-duck-like habit of nesting in trees include the strikingly-marked Mandarin and Wood Ducks (please see the article below).
African Pygmy Geese are widespread in Sub-Saharan Africa andMadagascar. They reside in swamps, marshes, flooded savannas, sluggish rivers and similar densely-vegetated habitats (please see photo). Shy and secretive, they do not frequent open water, and fly into thick brush when disturbed. More >
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