That Bird Blog – Bird Care and History for Pet Birds

Although revised airport security procedures have cut down on animal smuggling, wildlife criminals continue to circumvent the law in other ways.  Much as is done with “dirty money”, wild-caught parrots are now being “laundered” and sold as captive bred. A recent TRAFFIC study revealed that, in the past decade, over 54,000 parrots, lories, cockatoos and other birds have been illegally yet openly exported from the Solomon Islands. The audacity of those involved is shocking…for example, 76 Birds of Paradise of 7 species were claimed to have been bred in a single year (I’ve worked with these birds in zoos, and know the difficulties involved – few institutions have been successful). Add to this the ongoing parrot smuggling problems in Africa (please see below) and it’s easy to see why many pet trade species are in dire need of help.

Native Solomon Island Parrots

The Solomon Islands, located east of Papua New Guinea, are home to a host of unique species, many of which are found nowhere else on earth.  According to TRAFFIC’S report (see text below), the mostly wild-caught birds exported in the past decade included 18,444 Yellow-Bibbed Lories, 15,994 Solomon Cockatoos, 8,000+ Eclectus Parrots, and 10,000+ Cardinal and Rainbow Lorries.

Many Solomon Island endemics are poorly studied, and their needs are difficult to meet even in well-funded zoos.  Bird trapping seriously depletes wild populations, especially where, as on the Solomons, re-colonization is not possible. A further consideration is that wild-caught parrots invariably make poor pets. In all likelihood, the 50,000+ exported birds are faring miserably in captivity.  Read More »

Recent advances in parrot husbandry and captive breeding may have had an unintended effect.  Lower prices and a larger selection of available species may be contributing to a problem of epic proportions – hundreds of thousands of abandoned parrots, macaws and cockatoos, many of which will never find a permanent home.  While parrot ownership has soared a staggering 147% over the past 20 years, from 11.6 million pets in 1990 to 60 million in 2010, our ability to provide for them has not kept pace.

Desirable but Demanding

The very qualities that draw people to parrots – intelligence, sociability and long lives – also render them as unsuitable pets for the average person.  Many live as long as their owners, who often find it difficult to provide for their pets, financially and otherwise, as time goes on.  According to a study by Best Friends Animal Society, it is not unusual for an elderly parrot to have 7-11 owners over the course of its life.

Parrots are likely the USA’s third most popular pet, yet many people do not realize that, unlike dogs and cats, they are not domesticated animals.  As wild animals, parrots have very different needs than domestic creatures.  Few people are able to provide the space, social situation and emotional environment needed by these active, “complicated” birds.  I have observed many species in the wild, and, despite years of study and zoo experience, was surprised by how much of their time was spent on the move and in direct contact with others.  The noise they produced was deafening…even on wide-open grasslands. Read More »

Finally, conservationists and bird enthusiasts have some promising news regarding the fate of wild parrots.  Mexico’s recently imposed ban on collecting and exporting wild parrots (please see article below) appears to be having its intended effect.  Confiscations are at an all-time low, the public is cooperating, and birds in neighboring Guatemala may be benefitting as well.

A Bad Year for Smugglers

Despite increased attention to parrot smuggling, last year (2010) saw only 568 parrots confiscated in Mexico…less than any time in the past decade, and down 1/3 from 2009.  As Mexico has long been an outlet for birds illegally trapped in neighboring Guatemala, it is believed that the ban is having a positive effect there as well. Read More »

I’ve been writing quite a bit about the trade in wild-caught African Gray Parrots in recent weeks.  In stark contrast to most countries inhabited by parrots, several African nations still allow the capture and sale of wild birds.  In others, lax enforcement renders existing laws useless.  There has, however, been a recent spate of confiscations in Africa, but not all have turned out well….in one instance, government officials of the Democratic Republic of Congo actually returned hundreds of illegally collected parrots to poachers (please see article below)!   Today I’ll highlight some good that may have come from a particularly sad situation. Read More »

A wide array of habitat types and climatic conditions allow an incredible assortment of creatures to thrive in Columbia.  In fact, this South American country is home to more bird species – 1,750 at last count – than anywhere else on earth.

Wildlife and Birds Galore

Columbian takes up a mere 0.08% of the earth’s surface, but its wildlife accounts for 10-15% of the world’s animal species, and 19% of all known birds live there.

Included in this number are 15% of the world’s parrots – 54 species in all.  The parrot diversity is staggering, and the country’s popularity as a bird-watching destination is growing.  Within this avian paradise one can see 6 types of Macaw, 6 Amazons and such prizes as White-Eyed and Santa Marta Parakeets, Spectacled Parrotlets and Black-Headed Parrots. Read More »