That Bird Blog – Bird Care and History for Pet Birds

The monk parrot, however, offers those of us living in the northeastern USA a chance to glimpse parrot life in the “wild”, as the species has been established here since the early 1970’s – the result of accidental and intentional releases. One explanation of this raucous bird’s ability to survive our harsh winters is found in its biology – as it ranges into southern Argentina, the monk parrot came to us well-equipped to survive the cold. Also, it is a communal nester, and the only parrot to build a nest outside of tree cavities. The huge, thick-walled stick nest, added to over many years, buffers the wind and allows the birds to huddle together, and thus to retain warmth. So solidly constructed are these nests that other birds, including the stoutly-build 5 foot-tall jabiru stork, often nest atop them.

I cared for 2 groups of monk parrots at the Bronx Zoo, both housed in outdoor exhibits. Free-living monk parrots attached their nests, through the exhibit wire, to the captive’s structures, and communicated with them constantly (among the most vocal of parrots, monks have a least a dozen different calls that elicit different responses among others). In one case the captive birds’ nest was quite low – about 10 feet off the ground – due to the nature of the exhibit. The free-living parrots nested higher up in a tree, directly above it, and spent a good deal of time on the roof of the cage, in animated chatter with their confined relatives (plotting an escape?).

A section of the nest I examined after it was dislodged by a storm was constructed of thick, thorn-covered branches (this, per the literature, is typical) and had 2 chambers – the smaller for a nesting pair, the larger most likely for non-breeders. The entrance holes were oriented downwards, in keeping with what I have read in other’s accounts. A mammalian or avian predator would definitely have had a hard time entering the nest, and in any event the many eyes present would likely serve as a deterrent as well.

Information concerning monk parrots as pets is available at:
http://www.ozquaker.net/index.php?i=4&mg=c&aid=c4

Over 80% of the world’s parrot species have some degree of red coloration, the intensity of which is only rarely found among other bird families. While most birds acquire their red coloration through carotenoids (naturally occurring compounds) ingested along with food, researchers at Arizona State University have shown that parrots utilize a previously unknown system.

Parrots manufacture red pigment internally. This pigment, a suite of 5 molecules, is found in all red-colored parrots, but, as far as we know, nowhere else on earth. Also unusual is the fact that the pigment seems to be synthesized at the site of each growing feather, and that it has anti-oxidant properties as well. This finding has very important implications for ornithologists, as it points to a very unique evolutionary history among parrots and their relatives (of course, parrot owners have long known how different parrots are from other birds!).

Once again, studies of a species’ natural history have given pet owners important insights as well. Pigment production is a drain on the parrot’s metabolism, and a vitally important process given its anti-oxidant properties. It is, therefore, vital that pet owners provide their parrots with a nutritious diet and proper care.

Click here to view the first part of this article.

Nesting
Most parrots lay their eggs within holes in trees, using little if any nesting material.

Lovebirds build true nests. Females wedge dried grasses and other nesting material into the feathers of their rumps for transport to the nest site.

Monk parrots build huge, communal stick nests. Escaped pets have established large colonies in NYC. At the Bronx Zoo I cared for a group that built a nest in their outdoor exhibit – their calls attracted free-living monk parrots, which added sticks to the exhibit roof, eventually forming an extension to the nest within the exhibit.

Golden-shouldered parrots (Australia) evacuate nests within terrestrial termite mounds, while New Guinea’s buff-faced pygmy parrot does the same in arboreal termite nests. It is assumed that the insects confer a degree of protection to nesting birds, although why they do not attack the parrots is unknown. The eggs may also benefit from the stable temperatures maintained within the mounds.

The Patagonian conure burrows into riverbanks and cliffs to a depth of 10 feet or more when nesting. Those I kept at the Bronx Zoo would not breed until provided with artificial burrows.

Ground parrots (Australia) nest in depressions below grass clumps.

Peach-faced lovebirds (East Africa) nest colonially – often commandeering the intricately woven nests of weaver finches after driving out the rightful owners.

The rock parrot is surely the oddest of all when it comes to egg-laying. Its nests have only been found below rocks, just above the high tide mark along the South Australian coast.

Breeding and Courtship
Most parrots form monogamous pair bonds that may last a lifetime. New Zealand’s kakapo and kea, however, are polygamous.

The nocturnal kakapos are the only parrots to display in leks – females choose mates from groups of males which gather in one place to compete with loud, booming calls. In contrast to other parrots, male kakapos provide no care to the young.

Courting parrots utilize a behavior known as the “eye blaze”, in which the brightly colored iris expands in size.

Male and female parrots are often indistinguishable from one another. Male Australian king parrots, however, are scarlet in color while the females are bright green. Male and female eclectus parrots differ so much in appearance that they were long thought to be separate species – males are emerald green with scarlet flanks and under-wings, while females are crimson red with violet-blue bellies.

Conservation
The IUCN Red Data Book lists 18 species of parrot as extinct, 32 as endangered, 17 as critically endangered and 82 as either vulnerable or threatened.

The spix macaw is likely extinct in the wild (although it survives in captivity) and the glaucous macaw has only been sighted twice in the 20th century. The flightless kakapo, threatened by introduced rats, cats and stoats, likely numbers less than 100 in its native New Zealand.

An article examining the relationship between natural and pet parrot behavior is posted at:http://www.realmacaw.com/pages/parrbehav.html