That Bird Blog – Bird Care and History for Pet Birds

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. Read More »

This is the first in a new series of what I’ll call “Myth-Buster Articles”, which will focus on beliefs or practices that have aroused debate among bird keepers.  After reviewing the available research and my own and other’s experiences, I will attempt to sort fact from fiction.  Today I’ll compare the “pet value” of hand-reared, parent-reared and “co-parented” parrots.

General Considerations

“Hand-reared” refers to chicks that are pulled from the nest soon after hatching and fed by hand until fledged.  Such birds have long been considered to be the gold standard in parrot pet.  However, behavioral problems that are sometimes exhibited by hand-reared individuals have led some to question the value of this technique. Read More »

A ThatBirdBlog reader in Bangkok, Thailand recently contacted me concerning the hand-rearing of Zebra Dove nestling whose parents had been attacked by a crow.  The incident reminded me that spring is on the way, and with it will come a number of calls concerning young pigeons and doves (or “squabs”), that have fallen from their nests or have otherwise become orphaned.  Those who keep pigeons and doves as pets, or who “fly” them as a hobby, are also sometimes called upon to raise abandoned nestlings.

Crop Milk

Pigeons and doves depart radically from other birds when it comes to rearing their chicks.  Rather than providing them with insects or fruit, breeding adults produce a semi-solid nestling food known as pigeon milk or crop milk.  While not related to mammalian milk, there certainly are some parallels.

The “milk” is secreted from the lining of the crop, which is a food storage organ located at the end of the esophagus (base of the throat) of most birds.  It is higher in protein (38%) and fat (58%) than both cow and human milk, and allows for very rapid growth.  Crop milk also contains several vitamins and minerals, and is produced by both males and females. Read More »

Spring is an exciting time for those of us who keep birds as pets and observe them outdoors.  In the past I’ve written articles dealing with special concerns and opportunities that arrive with the spring…I’d like to summarize them here, and add a few new thoughts. Read More »

As spring slowly makes its way across the Northern Hemisphere, aviculturists’ thoughts turn to nests and nestlings.  Many birds, even those from tropical habitats, respond to the coming of spring by becoming increasingly active, hungry and interested in the opposite sex.  While we often attribute this to longer days and warmer weather, this is only part of the story – the birds are more interested in the glut of new, nutritious food items that accompanies warm or rainy weather in nearly all habitats. Read More »