From the parrot’s beak: 5/12

Why fly when you can have a human schlep you around in a carrier? – Photo by George Sommers

UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES: Forget visiting or even viewing videos or photos of birds up for adoption through The Oasis Sanctuary of Arizona until further notice. The 1966 Animal Welfare Act was amended in 2020 to include birds. Fundraising via events, tours and even online forums is considered “exhibiting” and is forbidden without a Class C license under new guidelines – even for a nonprofit shelter. The licensing process is lengthy and described by the sanctuary as “formidable”. They’ve already been forced to cancel a May onsite event and has to put on hold all tours; visits and event. This impacts fundraising. .And that’s not all – they are prohibited from sharing photos and videos of their birds through social media, letters etc. Instead, any images shared will be – guess what – AI generated. To contact Oasis, email Lori_Bell@cox.net or call (602) 819-6140. .

WHO YA GONNA CALL: Feather picking:: ugly and heart breaking and often resulting from naturally sociable parrots being kept alone. But video chats could be the answer. Researchers from. Northeastern University, MIT and University of Glasgow trained 18 parrots and their humans to use touchscreen tablets and smartphones. The birds were taught to associate video calls with a bell, eventually ringing it on their own to connect with other birds. The birds were shown on screen photographs of different birds in the study. The parrot clicks with its tongue on its preferred chatting chum. Once presented, the parrots would hop towards the screen, let out loud squawks, and bob their heads. Some phone friends would “sing” in unison and some learned new skills, like foraging from observing others. In almost all cases, the caretakers claim the calls improved their birds’ well-being. Jennifer Cunha’s cockatoo Ellie and an African grey named Cookie, continue to call feathered friends nearly a year later. Unlike other creatures tested, parrots are particularly well suited for the video chats due to their high cognitive ability, impressive vision and flexible tongues. Parrots in the study appeared less interested in pre-recorded video calls of other birds.  “We’re not saying you can make them [the parrots] as happy as they would be in the wild,” Northeastern assistant professor Rébecca Kleinberger said. “We’re trying to serve those who are already [in captivity].” – From https://www.popsci.com/environment/parrots-facebook-messenger/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3wZ1qXyeAzulMj7wdikSALxZ_VkzkFOIP2dv2

New arrivals at MAARS. – From Facebook

YOU DON’T HAVE TO LIVE LIKE A REFUGEE necessarily, even if you were rescued from the defunct Mayaguez Zoo in Puerto Rico. Thirteen canary wing parakeets found a new home 32,000 miles away at Midwest Avian Adoption & Rescue Services, Inc. (MAARS) in St. Paul, MN. Six of them were born in the zoo’s detention center where animals awaiting rescue were moved. According to a MAARS FB post, “These juvenile canary-winged parakeets have a mob mentality. These little monsters almost seem to think and move as a single, coordinated unit! They’re so curious, fearlessly investigating everything, including the photographers!” Puerto Rico’s only zoo, the Mayaguez, closed to the public on 1/28/24 after over the course of a decade, the U.S. Department of Agriculture cited it two dozen times for substandard conditions and animal mistreatment. The last straw was the widespread devastation caused by hurricanes Irma and Maria.

PARROTRIVIA: The “Big Bang”‘s Raj and Sheldon share an office but in an escalating feud, Raj brings a blue and white parakeet in to prank bird phobic Sheldon.

SNEAK PREVIEW: Normally, I hate to talk about fall events when summer is still several weeks away, but Seattle Parrot Expo in September will feature a full day workshop with Cassie Malina of Awesome Animal Solutions along with “an awesome Featured Speaker cast.” But wait, there’s more. The focus of Parrots of The World Aviary this year is South America including mascot bird, the green wing macaw.

DISEASE SHUTS DOWN SHELTER’: In December ’23, two parrots were surrendered to the Center for Avian Adoption, Rescue, and Education – Parrot Shelter in North Dakota. The female seemed fine but the male’s feathers looked rough. The male had been treated for a fungal infection by a veterinarian and the owner believed the female was overpreening the male, according to the surrender form. Shelter staff separated the pair and they had the male’s blood tested. Turns out that on that eve of Christmas Eve they were unknowingly delivered an unwelcome surprise – the male was diagnosed with Avian Circovirus Disease (ACVD), a contagious and potentially fatal parrot disease, also known as Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease (PBFD), After consulting with a veterinarian, CAARE made the difficult decision to shut down indefinitely and the parrots quarantined. There will be no visitors other than a volunteer cleaning crew, and no incoming nor outgoing parrots. Testing will be undertaken on the resident parrots along with extensive facility cleaning, followed by use of F10 SV disinfectant known to kill the virus. Once testing, cleaning and disinfecting has been accomplished multiple times, environmental testing will be undertaken in order to determine which areas of the shelter may have been affected by the virus, if any. They will also check on any parrots who may have been on-site during the timeline, and the board will be reaching out directly to those whose parrots may have been exposed. Testing will be offered to those parrots. The CAARE avian warehouse store was closed Wednesday, May 8th and Saturday, May 11th, in order to conduct testing, cleaning and disinfecting. Pending testing results, they hope to re-open the store while the shelter remains closed to the public. It is strongly suggested that anyone purchasing a parrot from breeders or stores in the immediate area proceed with caution. 

GOING FOR THE GOLD: Bird clubs have come and gone, but some; including Northeast Avicultural Society and South Bay Bird Society are hitting their 50th anniversary this year. This is no coincidence. The granddaddy of bird clubs, America Federation of Aviculture began in 1974 in response to the panic driven and needless mass euthanization of domestic birds because of an outbreak of Newcastle disease. — “We had 31 people join together in the reminiscing about some of the club’s previous events, past presidents and more. Everyone went all out on bringing outstanding food dishes to share at our pot luck dinner!!!  Our cake was a beautiful design with parrots on it. It was great to see so many people who love birds all come together and be able to visit with one another,” says Gala Burkholder, South Bay Bird Society Communications Director of their anniversary event..

NOT EGGS-ACTLY: “Fresh Fertile Parrot eggs babies parrots available, contact me if interested.” If you DID contact them, you just might have been swindled. One prominent aviculturist fumes, “WHOA…NO ONE SELLS PARROT EGGS!! This outfit is clearly a scammer outfit…NO ONE…because parrot eggs are quite fragile…not like poultry eggs. What fool would sell an egg for a few hundred dollars when you could raise the baby parrot and sell it for thousands of dollars??? Nope. No one!!!!”

FROM THE POPE: Adoption fee free parakeets were available last Sunday at Pope Memorial Humane Society NH in Dover to celebrate their new hours, PMHS-CV also waived the adoption fee for rabbits and guinea pigs last Sunday. Contrary to popular belief, shelters are not all dogs and cats. Their just announced new hours are Sunday and Wed.-Fri. from 12-4 p.m. and Saturday from 12-6 p.m. Learn more about their adoptable animals at popememorialcvhhs.org/adopt/

HOT DATES: 5/10: Avian Vet Insider: 5/11: Rolling Meadows Bird Fair & Sale Rolling Meadows, IL — 5/17: The Grey Way: Moving – Applying Behavior Techniques to Prepare Your Birds with  Lisa Bono, CPBC  3 p.m. EDT  –  Lafeber Zoom webinar  –  POSTPONED — A Look Back at the Phoenix Landing Wellness Retreat, Part 2 with Lisa Bono, CPBC  3 p.m. EDT  Lafeber Zoom webinar — 5/18-19: Southeast Exotic Bird Fair Lawrenceville, GA — 5/18:Beaks: The Good, Bad, and the Ugly with Bianca , DVM, ABVP (Avian)  1 p.m. EDT    Phoenix Landing Zoom webinar — 5/25: MASS. CaGE BIRD ASSOCIATION 49th ANNUAL SHOW AND MART: 9-5; Charlton Grange Hall, 10 Main St., Charlton, MA.

From the parrot’s beak: 4/28

Quaker parrots have been getting some bad press lately. But is it fake news? See story below. – Photo by George Sommers

FAKE NEWS?: Non-native quakers and conures are “directly responsible for decimating the population of some of the most famous and loved birds of the USA,” including the eastern blue bird, red headed woodpecker and purple martin,” according to an apparent search engine description. “This is not proof. It is just someone’s opinion at best.It is also contradictory, I have looked into it. There are some problems in Europe with ringnecks, killing other birds and bats. There are no problems with them in the US killing native birds or bats,” argues a well known bird behaviorist. “Research should show that European starlings and house sparrows are direct competitors with native birds for nesting holes, and have been seen many times attacking and killing nesting bluebirds, woodpeckers, etc. They kill adults, chicks, and break and remove eggs. In contrast, monk parakeets build their own messy nests, leaving native birds alone,” adds a state parrot club president. — “Why Quaker Parrots are Illegal?” asks”Avian Whispers”, a blog about wild parrots. California is the only state where they are illegal. There are restrictions in Colorado and New Jersey. The article additionally claims they outcompete native species and are agricultural pests. This disregards that they’ve mostly colonized urban areas – already populated by such foreign invaders as pigeons, starlings and house sparrows. And rather than stripping Farmer Brown’s cornfield to the ground, the quakers prefer city dining including bird feeders and non-native garden fruit. According to one parrot behaviorist, “Sorry but this article is again just one person’s opinion and many parts of it are wrong. There is a tremendous amount of repetition in the article without any scientific proof to back it. There are some reputable sources that do not back up their claims, but they already have a reputation for accuracy. Even so they make mistakes too. This person is not a well-known and respected member of the avian community.” One credible point is that their huge nests are often built on, and become a potential fire hazard, on electrical wires. causing potential fire hazard. After all, election season also means a lot of fake, or at least misleading news.,

THEY’RE BAAAAACK: it’s been a while,. likely years; since Massachusetts has hosted any major bird events but plans are afoot for a Bird Show & Mart on May 25 in Charlton (it’s west of “Woostah”, aka Worcester). See further details about the Massachusetts Cage Bird Association Show/Mart in upcoming issues.

YOU DON’T SAY: Or do you? If you’d like speak at the American Federation of Aviculture’s 50th annual conference, 9/4-7 in Costa Mesa, CA., proposals should be submitted in the form of an abstract of two hundred (200) words or less, accompanied by a brief biographical sketch of one hundred (100) words or less, identifying your experience with the topic to be presented and contact information. And (duh) it should be bird related. If there is more than one author, please indicate if one or both will present. Submission forms with complete instructions are available: Click to download a submission form

WHERE THERE’S SMOKE: “I started joining bird clubs in 1982. I practically had to hold my breath at some MCBA [Mass. Cage Bird Society] meetings because of the tobacco smoke. Koff, koff!! Worse, when I went to the first October show, then the biggest and oldest cage bird show in the Northeast,  attendees and the 900 birds or so were equally subjected to clouds of cigarette smoke, especially in the cafeteria space! Those of us who are sensitive to smoke managed to gradually reduce, then eliminate indoor smoking, thank goodness,” says Denise Cabral, MCBA president. It’s common knowledge that smoke is potentially harmful and fatal for birds with their delicate lungs. Back in the day along with the tobacco, for some common sense went up in smoke.

BANS OR BAND: Bird Medicine and Surgery, a full service veterinary office in Missouri, recently posted about a parakeet that came in with her foot swollen, partially due to the constricting effects of a leg band on already swollen tissue. She also had a strand of human hair that appeared to be the initial culprit for her injury. The post then cited this as a reason that leg bands should be removed.. “WHO is the vet recommending all bands be removed? Because in some states bands are required. Instead of saying NO to bands, why isn’t this vet stating that bands should be of the RIGHT SIZE for the species! We use bands on all our birds. Bands have enabled lost and stolen birds to be returned to their owners,” argues a prominent expert on avian legal matters. Other responses to a Facebook post were a mixed bag; with some in support of bands, others mentioning incidents with bands getting caught up in toys etc, and still others recommending microchipping as an alternative – but that, too, has issues.

MILLIONAIRE MAKES GOOD BY PARROTS: An anonymous donor has given a record $21m to conservationists to buy a 350,000 hectare cattle station that will be turned into parkland to save ‘one of the world’s rarest birds’ .The philanthropic move was said to be the single largest donation for land protection in Australia, and comes as the critically endangered night parrot was estimated at less than 250 individuals left in southwest Queensland and the Pilbara. The anonymous gift was brokered by the Nature Conservancy which partnered with Queensland’s Miles Government to ensure Vergemont Station becomes protected habitat – also helping the vulnerable yellow-footed rock-wallaby and highly restricted Opalton grasswren. – From Donor gifts $21m to buy cattle station for endangered parrot – realestate.com.au

CONSCIENTOUS OBJECTIONS: We bird owners knew it all along. “The New York Declaration on Animal Consciousness” was signed last week at New York University by nearly 40 prominent animal cognition researchers – including Dr. Irene Pepperberg. Far more animals than previously thought likely have consciousness, top scientists say — birds; of course, but also fish, lobsters and octopus – even insects.. The declaration says there is “strong scientific support” that birds and mammals have conscious experience, and a “realistic possibility” of consciousness for all vertebrates as well as many creatures without backbones. It marks a pivotal moment, as research on animal cognition collides with debates over how various species ought to be treated. There is no standard definition for animal sentience or consciousness, but generally the terms denote an ability to have subjective experiences: to sense and map the outside world and for feelings like joy or pain. In some cases, it can mean animals possess a level of self-awareness. Pepperberg is renowned for her work with Alex the African grey; offering convincing evidence that Alex understood much of what he was talking about. Pepperberg and Alex were recently honored with a play based on their training sessions. – More at https://www.nbcnews.com/…/animal-consciousness...

EARLY SIGNS OF PBFD IN COCKATOOS in cockatoos include the loss of powder down. When you touch a healthy cockatoo your hands and clothes should be covered in white powder. If you’re not getting white power on you and if it is not covering everything in your house, get your bird tested. In species that do not have powder down, you won’t notice any change until the bird begins losing feathers. The quills will look deformed and stumped. Deformed and stumped feathers can occur because of injury to a developing feather. So, there is no need to panic if you see one. Just be vigilant. If you go any place with birds wash up and change clothes when you get home. The reemergence of this disease should be taken seriously, so that it does not become a widespread tragic personal loss and a loss to the bird community as a whole. – From International Celebration of Birds.

MAILBAG: Hold the onions – and the burger for that matter. Contrary to views expressed by some regarding the consumption of meat by parrots: “In the crop studies of New World parrots that have been going on for many years there is never any animal protein . In fact there is a famous photo of two beautiful scarlet macaw outside of their nest cavity (sorry for poor quality of reproduced image) ..and then the second photo showing inside their nest cavity …showing literally thousands of beetles and larvae at the lower part of the cavity …living off the leftovers from the chicks food and excrement .  The parents only had to reach down a few inches to eat the bugs but crop studies always show they don’t touch animal protein,” writes .Angela Rosaria Cancilla, CPBC, IAATE, IAABC. The photos were taken by Dr. Donald Brightsmith in Tambopata where Cancilla did volunteer field study. — Jan Odessky Squiciarino Jones likely read the teaser but not the story, commenting, “Meet not meat.” The story was about the consumption of meat by parrots. and the title was a play on words.

CANCEL CULTURE: If you missed South Bay Bird Society’s Earth Day booth at Wilderness Park’s Earth Day celebration last week in Redondo Beach, CA , you weren’t alone. The booth had to be canceled. To make a long story short, an SBBS event organizer recommends against using an office chair with wheels as a stepladder. Plans are still on for SBBS representation at Whale of a Day om 4/23, which itself had to be postponed due to rain.. See HOT DATES.

HOT DATES: 4/26: BIRDS ARE DINOSAURS: Join Robin Sullivan at 7 p.m. EST for an exciting chat about birds and their relatives, the dinosaurs with returning guest, Daniel Sigmon live on The Leather Elves Facebook page — A Look Back at the Phoenix Landing Wellness Retreat with Lisa Bono, CPBC  3 p.m. EDT Lafeber Zoom webinar — 4/27: Greater Kansas City Avicultural Society Spring Bird & Pet Fair  Independence, MO —Southeast Exotic Bird Fair  Dover, FL — WHALE OF A DAY: Public invited to greet nearby migrating Pacific grey whales and participate in multiple events..South Bay Bird Society plans to be on hand with an information booth and some parrots. This event was postponed from 4/7. .10-4 Port Vicente Interpretive Center, 31501 Palos Verdes Drive West in Rancho Palos Verde. CA — DAFFY BIRD SALE: Connecticut Parrot Society holds a fundraiser at the Daffodil Tag Sale, Deals to be had for humans and parrots. 9-2, Hubbard Park, 999 W. Main St., Meriden, CT Rain or shine. www.connecticutparrotsociety.org — Greater Kansas City Avicultural Society Spring Bird & Pet Fair  Independence, MO — Alamo Exhibition Bird Club Bird Expo Garden Ridge, TX — Southeast Exotic Bird Fair  Dover, FL — 4/28: Joliet Bird Fair and Sale Joliet, IL — 4/30: MASSACUSETTS LOBBY DAY FOR ANIMALS: 10:00 a.m. Great Hall, Massachusetts State House, 24 Beacon St, Boston, MA — 5/4: OHPA Bird Fair Medina, OH — 5/3: Ask the Vet with Tom Tully, DVM, DABVP (Avian Practice), DECZM (Avian)  3 p.m. EDT  Lafeber Zoom webinar — 5/5: Apopka/Orlando Bird Expo Apopka, FL — Exotic Bird Meet and Greet and Macaw Free Flight Experience  1-3 p.m. PDT Escondido, CA  at Avian Behavior International  $157 — SPRING CAGE SALE: Long Island Parrot Society of New York, Inc. has lots of new and gently used shapes and sizes to suit most birds, from small to large. Carriers and play gyms, too. Great prices.Make an offer. Cash, checks & credit cards accepted. 10-2. StorQuest Self Storage, 2021 Lakeland Avenue, Ronkonkoma NY. Call (631) 957-1100 upon arrival for gate code Rain date, Sun., 5/19 If it’s iffy on Sunday, please check Friends of Long Island Parrot Society Facebook page for updates, or call (631) 957-1100. — 5/9: All About Screech Owls with Jim Wright 7 p.m. EDT  –  The Real Macaw Parrot Club Zoom webinar — Understanding Parrot Body Language in Behavior and Training with Debbie Foster 7 p.m. EDT  –  Connecticut Parrot Society Zoom 4/26: BIRDS ARE DINOSAURS

FOUND: Budgie, blue/white male. Centereach, NY. Contact Long Island Budgie Rescue. — LOST: Conure, ‘Jorah’ West Islip, NY (631) 745-3959.

From the parrot’s beak: 4/21

The beautiful nectar eating rainbow lorikeet is also a carnivore. – See feature story below. Photo by George Sommers

From Facebook

GUNS, ALCOHOL AND BIRDS: Not a good mix, according to Ziggy’s Bird Haven. Personnel at the Inverness, FL parrot sanctuary were unpleasantly surprised to learn of plans to convert a neighboring bowling alley to a combination liquor bar/restaurant and gun range. “The parrots under our care have exquisitely sensitive lungs, and the potential impacts of a gun range on their health are deeply troubling. Furthermore, Sportsman’s Bowling Alley has long served as a focal point for family fun and community gatherings, and its loss would be profoundly felt,” reads a statement directed at the local community. There are additional concerns about gun shot noise stressing out the birds, and others have expressed dismay in general over the combination of alcohol and guns. Ziggy’s is asking community members to sign a petition against the proposal, as well as making phone calls to the number on the sign (see photo) to express opposition.

BLUE HAWAIIAN: A rare mutant blue Patagonian conure was photographed on a volcanic cliff in Hawaii. The blue mutation is not known to exist elsewhere, even in domestic Patagonians. This mutation arose due to inbreeding within the small naturalized flock it belongs to. The South American conures, like other foreign exotics, have colonized Hawaii. Some, notably the mongoose, have led to the sharp decline and even extinction of many native species. – From Mutations and Hybrids

Debbie Goodrich and Jesse. – From Facebook

PSITTACINEMA: The competition was stiff, what with racing roaches, an acrobatic dog and a car driving cat, but the roller skating macaw was up to the challenge of “Stupid Pet Tricks”; a spin off of a popular segment of the “Late Night with David Letterman Show” now hosted by comedienne Sarah Silverman. Jesse, the 23 year old female blue & gold macaw, strutted her stuff on the show accompanied by owner Debbie Goodrich. Jesse also talks and plays basketball. Goodrich has an actual specialized light up disco rink but for the show, Jesse simply skated across the stage. And although the audience “ate up” Goodrich’s talk about conservation, including the Bird Endowment, that was cut in favor of photos from Goodrich’s wedding, which included Jesse’s “sister”, a scarlet macaw flying in with the wedding ring. Birds being birds, Jesse had no qualms about pooping on camera, which Silverman felt compelled to sniff. That’s show biz. Anyway, here’s Jesse the roller skating macaw on “Stupid Pet Tricks”. https://www.tbs.com/shows/stupid-pet-tricks/season-1/episode-10/late-night-memories?fbclid=IwAR2Hdtm5Mlvd2KTWyEs5EtboUM_MiooAOBKjlb4UWn9EqTVfUcamt4Rd7w4.

HISTORY OF AFRICAN GREYS: Their popularity as pets may lead to their ultimate downfall. Prior to 1455, European exposure to parrots from other continents was limited. The first Portuguese ship to transport enslaved people from sub-Saharan Africa set sail in 1455 also carrying approximately 150 parrots. In the post-colonial period, as traditional economic prospects waned for people living in the forests of west and central Africa, the parrot trade became an attractive alternative, which over time contributed to drastic declines in the grey parrot population. “Parrots were a raw material that fascinated Europeans,” says Nancy Jacobs, history professor at Brown University, RI; and author of “The Global Grey Parrot”. The book, scheduled for publication in 2026, traces their history from the 15th century to the present. And although trade in wild African greys was banned in 2016, it continues. Jacobs also mentions some of the drawbacks of parrots as pets: feather plucking, screaming and aggression but acknowledges ““It is endangered in Africa, but as a cage bird kept all over the world, it will not go extinct.” – More in: https://www.brown.edu/news/2024-02-29/grey-parrots?fbclid=IwAR3BTTv1l7LTh4JaCL82DhpBqJd3Sh5iKgoa5PggU5DgOAeNoOgCQquUCS8

YO, PAULIE: April 18 was the 26th anniversary of John Roberts’ “Paulie” Paulie the conure goes on several adventures after being separated from his little girl owner. Years later – let’s just say there’s a happy ending. Cheech Marin has a memorable role. Stan Winston and his team at Stan Winston Studio designed and created the animatronic bird puppet double for the movie.

FEATHER FACTS: Parrots molt their wing feathers in pairs, with each side losing the same feather within a few days of each other, ensuring balance in flight. – Feathers pierce through the skin covered in a keratin coating, which protects the new feather during its growth stage. Within the sheath there is a blood supply feeding the new feather with protein and minerals for a healthy and strong new feather. Once the feather has finished growing the bird will crumble the sheath away, revealing the feather. – The tiny facial feathers on a macaw’s face are unique to each bird, similar to a finger print. – Parrots and most bird species use their beautiful colors and appearance to attract a mate. The health of a bird’s feather helps a mate decide if that bird will produce healthy, viable babies to ensure the survival of their species. – From World Parrot Trust · 

Who wears it better? – From Facebook

MY HOW THEY’VE GROWN: They being the wild yellow-naped Amazon chicks bein monitored at Bosque Escondido. The older ones are nearing fledgling age after spending around 65 days in the nest. This critically endangered parrot species faces threats from habitat loss and nest poaching. But thanks to the incredible efforts and protection provided by Rescate Wildlife Rescue Center-zoave, the population in Pilas de Canjel, Nicoya Peninsula, is thriving. –From The Macaw Society at Rescate Wildlife Rescue Center- zoave.

MEAT THE PARROTS: By George Sommers When man bites dog it’s news. How about a parrot chowing down on a cheeseburger? The occasional picture on Facebook of a macaw gnawing on a chicken drumstick seems ironically amusing to some. A debate rages over whether parrots should be offered meat as part of their diet, or a treat – or at all. But are parrots naturally carnivorous, or at least omnivorous? As they say, “It’s complicated.”
It’s no coincidence that owls, hawks and eagles have curved beaks -similar to those of parrots. In fact, the raptors and the psittacines split off from a common ancestor around the same time on opposite sides of the family tree.
Clue #2.: New Zealand’s kea parrots naturally eat insects and carrion but have developed a taste for lamb chops and will actually attack and tear off bits of sheep flesh which, of course; did not sit well with shepherds, so the government put a bounty on their heads which led perilously close to their extinction. Antipodese parrots, also from New Zealand, will eat other birds.
Gang gang cockatoos will hunt and eat mice. Cockatoos have gall bladders which make high protein items like meat easier to digest. Some ‘toos will eat flies and cockroaches which unfortunately can lead to potentially fatal sarcosystis.
Tony Silva, whose interesting career spans from accused macaw black marketer to Loro Parque curator to respected parrot authority, says wild parrots eating meat is not uncommon. He has seen South American parrots picking at drying cow hides.
Amazon parrots, he notes, will eat tetras (familiar to home aquarium keepers) and other fish from drying pools. My own Goffin’s enjoyed pieces of tilapia – maybe she thought she was an osprey!
Birdwatchers in Queensland, Australia were startled to observe rainbow lorikeets eating meat left at feeders for kookaburras, magpies and currawongs. The colorful loris are normally vegetarians that feed primarily on nectar.
Now for the bad news. Years ago, Dr. Greg Rich DVM demonstrated at some bird conventions how an amazon seemed to have an extra bone – but in reality had swallowed a chicken bone which became stuck in the crop. Another bird had internal bleeding from a broken bone. Feeding meat to naturally vegetarian birds can subject them to gout, fatty liver disease and atherosclerosis. Macaws, in particular, may be prone to D3 toxicity as well. Sadly, many pet birds that are fed meat succumb to heart disease and atherosclerosis.
But wait, there’s more. Meat is high in D3 which stimulates sexual behavior. More than one owner of a large macaw or cockatoo has received a nasty bite from a horny bird. And studies have shown problems with stunted growth and even fatalities among chicks.
Where’s the beef? The somewhat generalized bottom line is that some wild parrots may eat some form of meat sometimes and the protein is helpful for flying. Usually meat is not needed for pet birds that have little need for flying and it can be detrimental.This feature story was originally intended for the “Pet Gazette”, which ceased publication after their March ’24 issue

THE BLUES: In 2018, shortly after her death, Armonía named the Laney Rickman Reserve in Bolivia in tribute to her dedicated efforts “Saving the Blues”. This vitally important piece of land, comprised of former cattle ranches, protects 6,000 acres of primary breeding grounds for the blue-throated macaw in the wild. Over 150 years of land use has cleared almost all the older-growth trees, reducing suitable nest areas. To remedy this lack of nesting sites, Laney started the Nido Adoptivo supplemental nest box project with partner Armonía in 2006. To date, an incredible 128 blue-throated macaw chicks, including a record 15 chicks last year, have fledged from Nido Adoptivo nest boxes! This number of successful fledges is truly significant – approximately 25% of the wild population, and trending upward! The total number of fledges by year steepens around 2017 – 2018 coinciding with when the reserve became protected and, for the first time, a second-generation chick fledged. The project took 12 years for the first 64 chicks to fledge, yet only 6 years for the next 64 fledges, demonstrating the success of the project and holds promise for future population growth of this critically endangered bird. Now you can donate and be entered to win some great prizes. See The Bird Endowment for more info. If you would prefer to donate directly, visit: https://form.jotform.com/212524599347161or by check, mail to: Bird Endowment 1707 1/2 Post Oak Blvd. #194 Houston, Texas 77056.

MAILBAG: Jeff Delfrate writes: “Love the guys smoking standing next to the birds  I smoke and nope! Down wind and several feet away maybe? Situational awareness, pretty simple but it sure does elude people.” EDITOR’S RESPONSE: Jeff is referring to last issue’s “cover” pic of a man smoking while unloading a cage of birds to bring to an expo. Jeff is correct and the photo was in no way meant to encourage smoking around birds.

HOT DATES: 4/17-20: Spring Chirp  Weslaco, TX * —4/18-21: Galveston FeatherFest Birding & Nature Photography Festival  Galveston, TX * — 4/19: BUILDING A BETTER BIRD TOY: Ever wondered what goes into designing bird enrichment? Join Robin Sullivan at 7 p.m. EST on The Leather Elves FB page for a discussion of how to create toys that your birds will love.– 4/20,21: Nashville Exotic Pet Expo  Nashville, TN — 4/20: BOGART THAT JOINT: And don’t smoke it anywhere near your birds, for whom smoke can be fatal — 4/21: Southeast Exotic Bird Fair  Kissimmee, FL — 4/27: Greater Kansas City Avicultural Society Spring Bird & Pet Fair  Independence, MO —Southeast Exotic Bird Fair    Dover, FL — WHALE OF A DAY: Public invited to greet nearby migrating Pacific grey whales and participate in multiple events.. South Bay Bird Society will be on hand with an information booth and some parrots. This event was postponed from 4/7. .10-4 Port Vicente Interpretive Center, 31501 Palos Verdes Drive West in Rancho Palos Verde. CA —4/28: Joliet Bird Fair and Sale Joliet, IL — 5/4: OHPA Bird Fair Medina, OH — 5/5: Apopka/Orlando Bird Expo Apopka, FL 

• *The beak” doesn’t normally include wild bird events, except when there is a good possibility of seeing naturalized or wild parrots involved.

From the parrot’s beak: 4/14

Spring and thoughts turn to – bird fairs. Here, some birdy booty is being unloaded in preparation for last week’s Birds Of A Feather Expo in New Hampshire. – Photo by George Sommers,

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST: Another day, another newspaper closes shop. This time, it is the Massachusetts based “Pet Gazette”. which distributed 10,000 copies monthly, in addition to an online edition and for which “beak” editor George Sommers (me) contributed feature articles on parrots and aquarium fish. March ’24 was the final edition. I started working for “PG” under publisher Josh Cutler, who later became a MA state representative and currently serving in the MA Gov. Maura Healey administration. The torch was passed to John Harvey, former publisher/editor of “Cape Cod” magazine and 4 weekly newspapers. See later in this column a slightly revised “Parrot Sniffers Anonymous” article, originally intended for the April “Pet Gazette”.

4/20 NOT FOR BIRDS: “It is absolutely 100% safe. I am an avid aviculturist with over 11 years of experience. I have rescued, fostered, and owned almost every bird you can imagine. I have PTSD and smoke marijuana everyday, with my birds beside me. My pineapple conure often steals buds from me and I actually have a tattoo of her holding a marijuana flower on my arm. (I have a sleeve of all 7 of my babies) Hemp seeds are found in bird foods/ seed mixes and most vertebrates have an endocannabinoid system which produce cannabinoids naturally when the animal feels stress of some kind. I have sat through lectures on this. I am a Zoology major, with a focus in Avian Science. I have also worked, and studied, as a vet tech. I would not steer you wrong, birds are my life. 110% positive! They’ve eaten the flowers, the stems, the seeds, and been near the smoke. And I would NEVER allow someone to smoke a cigarette even in the same house with them,” reads a recent Facebook post. The “devil’s lettuce” is becoming legal in more and more states and more socially acceptable, but most experts warn that any kind of smoke can be hazardous to birds. In the interests of better being safe than sorry, stoners should keep their stash, including gummies, spiked cookies and brownies; out of bird reach as well.

Falconer Rita Tulloh and Scarlett O”Hara the red tail hawk at last week’s B.O.A.F. Expo. – Photo taken by Ray Schwartz, B.O..A.F. VP & Marketing Director

ON WITH THE SHOW: Last weekend’s 24th annual Birds Of A Feather Spring Expo carried on despite a couple of inches of snow on the ground from a surprise April snow fall. Dozens of vendors were present; some selling completely out; along with hundreds of visitors. And, of course, there were birds – lovebirds, baby conures, an Amazon, cockatiels, budgies, etc. Special guests included Jasmine Raymond of RAAM Mobile Veterinary Care, who did double duty as free wing and nail trimmer as well as a presentation on the benefits of microchipping pet birds. Also on hand were Rita Tulloh and “Scarlett O’Hara” the red tail hawk for a talk about falconry, the sport of hunting with raptors. And never mind Easter baskets -the event also featured a silent auction with several baskets stuffed with all manner of bird related goodies. No worries if you missed it, B.O.A.F.’s 35th annual Fall Exotic Bird Show and Mart returns 10/26/24.

BUYER BEWARE: The Bird Expo held at New York Bird Supply (see HOT DATES) was criticized for a past event held during a bird flu outbreak . “Nobody at this expo was watching who was coming in so nobody even wiped their shoes before entering,” claims an anonymous emailer with an extensive background in bird care. Crowded cages and some aspects of the physical set up were also targeted.

KEEP ‘EM ROLLING: Kudos to Debbie Goodrich and Jessie, her roller skating macaw; for a successful and educational performance on “Stupid Pet Tricks”.; a revival of a segment of the “Late Night with David Letterman” show, now a full time program in its own right hosted by comedienne Sarah Silverman.

THE PARROT SNIFFERS:The following article was originally intended for the “Pet Gazette”, which recently ceased publication.

     A figure bent over a table snorts up a white talc like powdery substance. If there’s a cockatoo involved, don't grab a straw or call the cops.     
      Parrot sniffing may seem odd, but it’s perfectly legal and no gag. Nor is it a tiny subset. Parrot Sniffers R Us, with some 6.8 thousand members, is one of at least two Facebook pages dedicated to the esoteric habit.
     Why would anyone snort their bird? “It’s medicinal. It’s like the joy of kissing the warm fur of a dog or cat but magnified. My blue crown conure purrs contentedly like a cat when I sniff her,” explains one respondent to a recent online survey. “I could identify any parrot by smell alone. It’s amazing how different they all are,” says one woman.  “My coworkers used to blindfold me and have me sniff feathers. I was always 100% accurate at guessing the species the feather belonged to on smell alone.” Yet another says, “If I could bottle the smell of a hormonal amazon, I’d be a millionaire.”
     Some reported scents could come straight from a movie theater snack bar. “My bare eye smells like popcorn when he's excited,” says Adrianne Mock, an expert on parrot related legal matters, and a 2 year old Senegal has that hot buttered aroma as well. Or if you’d prefer, a bare eyed cockatoo smells like peanuts and an African grey Timneh also smells “nutty” – or how about some moluccan cotton candy? And you can wash it all down with the fruit punch scent of a greenwing macaw.
     Food is a common denominator: Froot Loops or candy factory for macaws, clover honey for a peach front, sesame seeds for an African grey, citrus fruits for caiques, maple syrup for a green cheek and fruit salad for an amazon. 
     Some scent comparisons are downright odd. An African grey smells like a hamster.” (A hamster sniffer, too?) “My favorite Yankee candle smell is a clutch of 12 week old blue and gold macaws,” says Kashmir Csaky, International Celebration of Birds FB page administrator. They’re really reaching for new candle scents! One African grey smells like a (presumably human) baby, and still another grey smells specifically like baby’s breath. Grandma’s perfume rated a mention as did “heaven” and “love”.     
      On the other hand, “When I stick my nose to my moluccan it looks like I've snorted booger sugar,” says a respondent. And, caution: “My budgies have a subtle sweet smell, but it has a price: one sniff = one bitten nose.”  A green cheek conure smells like seagrass mats, a galah “smells disgusting” and one moluccan ‘too smells like “bad breath”.
     Some open ended answers included the sweet smell of lorikeets, musky odors of eclectus and amazons (a little more than eclectus); earthy and powdery.
     Not everyone is with the program. Tom Marshall, author of “Why Parrots? Why Aviculture?”, says, “My caiques don’t emit any smells but they exude warmth.” And a woman calling herself Janine Bird says, “They smell like bird. “

FREEBIES: If it’s free, it’s for me – and it can be for you, too. Albertus Van Tonder’s April FREE standard magazine is ready to download. This edition comes with an offer of 3 free eBooks to choose from. Monthly subscribers receive 1 a month over 3 months. Supporting advertisers on the website make future standard editions possible.

Pdf bird magazine Vol8 No4

WHALE DAY HARPOONED for now. Due to potentially inclement weather, the event has been postponed until April 27. South Bay Bird Society is encouraging members to step forward and their parrots to step up to (wo)man the information table they still plan on setting up.

HOT DATES: 4/12-14: Beyond Words – Dr. Irene Pepperberg and Alex play   Final days. Cambridge, MA —  Acadiana Bird Fair & Sale Lafayette.LA — Keystone State Avian Society – Triple NCS Shows – Class C Chambersburg, PA — 4/13: THE BIRD EXPO: at New York Bird Supply. “The most highly anticipated event of the season”, as they modestly describe themselves. 8:30-5 ET. 3501 Rombouts Ave.Bronx, NY— Rolling Meadows Bird Fair & Sale  Rolling Meadows, IL — Bird Walk Celebrating Earth Day with Rev. Dr. LoraKim Joyner from One Earth Conservation 9 a.m. CDT  –  Des Moines, IA — 4/14: Mid-American Exotic Bird Society Annual Bird Fair  Hilliard, OH — 4/15-5/15: The 28th Great Texas Birding Classic state of TX. Keep an eye out for parrots! — 4/15: ANOTHER FUN HOUR OF MUSIC: with Roberta Fabiano, sponsored by Long Island Parrot Society Watch and listen on Frog Hollow Music FB page. 5-6 p.m. ET — 4/16 :UNSCHEDULED FLIGHTS: Imagine knowing your parrot will fly back to you if they fly away. Justice Bellar CPBT-KA has developed a technique that is effective and compassionate in training parrots to come when called. In addition, field researcher Grace Innemee will share info about flight and recall with wild parrots. $35 (US) for non-Parrot Club members. REGISTER HERE! FREE for PK Members! They’ll e-mail a Zoom link before the workshop begins. Replays will be available to members. —4/17-20: Spring Chirp  Weslaco, TX * —4/18-21: Galveston FeatherFest Birding & Nature Photography Festival  Galveston, TX*

• “The beak” doesn’t normally include wild bird events, except when there is a good possibility of seeing naturalized or wild parrots involved.

From the parrot’s beak: 4/7

Eclipse ’24: WTH? I thought dark comes later in spring. –Photo by George Sommers

THE BILL, PLEASE: Are thick billed parrots, once denizens of pine forests in Arizona and New Mexico; and occasionally in Texas and perhaps Utah due for a comeback? Like the extinct Carolina parakeet, thick bills can tolerate snow and cold temperatures. Thick bills still hang on in old Mexico, although considered endangered. Logging, deforestation and just plain being shot caused their extirpation in the United States. One model for reintroduction could be a program in Brazil where captive bred Spix macaws have been released in the hopes of restoring the species, which had become extinct in the wild. Early indications are that that program is meeting with some success. However, attempts at thick bill reintroduction have flopped. Warning signs may have been overlooked. “Remember the USFW agent who ‘proved’ reintroduction doesn’t work! He took thickbills housed in small cages with clipped wings, had the wings imped with new feathers, put them in a constructed flight in the woods for a few weeks, then released them during fall migration of hawks. He planned failure. So his example should be studied and not duplicated of course!” points out Tom Marshall, author of “Why Parrots? Why Aviculture?”

LIVE AND LET DIE: The sad side of nest monitoring is nest predation, notes The Macaw Society at Reserva Nacional Tambopata – Sernanp. A recent post from the group includes a photo of several large blue feathers scattered around a nest site. Fortunately, predation of wild scarlet macaw chicks in Tambopata is low, just 9 % of all chick deaths.Unfortunately this season, two nests were lost to predation, with two chicks that were near fledgling age. They are not sure what got them, but it is a stark reminder of the jungle’s unforgiving nature. Research suggests that a combination of nest characteristics (small entrance, deep cavities, isolated tree location) and high nest attendance by parents are key to preventing depredation of chicks.

PSITTACINEMA:

ECLIPSE AND PARROTS: There goes the sun and here comes the solar eclipse, which will be total in parts of 15 states; on April 8. People living in areas with total or near totality who own birds will see bigger changes in their pets than dog or cat owners. “Birds are almost like having a child with bedtimes,” says Dr.Emmy Budas, veterinarian at Buttonwood Park Zoo in New Bedford, Massachusetts. And darkness in midafternoon may seem like bedtime. It’s 93% in this neck of the woods, so I guess my budgies will be 93% bedded down, but I won’t know for sure since I’ll be at a public eclipse viewing wearing my goofy glasses. – Read More: Massachusetts Veterinarian Shares How Eclipse Will Affect Animals | https://fun107.com/massachusetts-solar-eclipse-animals-pets/?fbclid=IwAR0ihgQ1nB_qEihI9XsoDkuHfoADdmSBJrvp7GK0QT68uft4Apv0fx5ifFE&utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral

THE CELEBRI-TOO: A blizzard of videos starring Snowball the cockatoo and subsequent studies convinced scientists that humans aren’t the only species that move rhythmically to music – i.e.dance. The ‘too, who boogies to Stevie Nicks, the Backstreet Boys and others, has been featured on TV, in magazines and at least one book. Now Snowball is in a Japanese documentary on music that will be aired worldwide in Japanese and English. It’s produced by NHK Global Media. Also, he’ll be in an upcoming textbook that will also be available digitally worldwide. This is one bird who more than earns his keep in toys, food and treats, with hopefully a little extra for trainer Irena Schulz

SO YOU WANT TO BE A ROCK AND ROLL STAR: The Rockstar Rescue Tour 2024 featuring The Leather Elves is not an updated Woodstock but a collaboration with Bird Gardens of Naples aiming to provide quality enrichment and food to rescues and sanctuaries from Maine to Florida while promoting a love of aviculture. The plan is to depart Robin Sullivan’s base in Maine mid-July and wind the way down to southwestern Florida. Stops include participating rescues and pop up events, with daily reports. Participants include Rhode Island Parrot Rescue, Lonely Grey Rescue, Nana & Papa’s Nest Parrot Rescue, Cape Fear Parrot Sanctuary, Majestic Wings Rescue, Straw Hat Parrots, Feathered Friends Forever Ziggy’s Haven, A Helping Wing Parrot Rescue and Bird Gardens of Naples. To donate to your favorite, click this link, choose your package and choose the intended rescue from the drop down list. https://theleatherelves.ecwid.com/Be-A-Rockstar-c58989282

WHEN WHALE MEETS PARROT: South Bay Bird Society of California will join in the annual festivities with a table set up and members’ parrots on hand to help welcome migrating grey whales. The march of the Leviathans is viewable from land. More info in HOT DATES. — The club skips its April meeting but will celebrate its 50th anniversary at its May 6 meeting.

DEEP IN THE HEART OF: Texan bird lovers have several upcoming opportunities to photograph wild parrots, compete in a bird count contest or simply observe them with the help of experts. See HOT DATES.

MOVING EXPERIENCE: Rhode Island Parrot Rescue is asking for help as they relocate to their new, larger digs. https://www.401gives.org/organizations/rhode-island-parrot-rescue?mc_cid=35eaf963f8&mc_eid=UNIQID

MAILBAG: “I hate telling you this. The information about how birds talk is not 100% correct. Birds vocalize with the use of the syrinx a box at the base of the trachea. There are two lip like structures on either side of the syrinx. Each fleshy lip like structure has a tube that extend from the syrinx into one of the lungs. Using this muscular organ and by controlling the trachea birds vocalize. They can produce two distinctly different sounds using each lip like structure and regulating the air separately from each lung. Songbirds are famous for this ability. Parrots are capable of it. However, I have only heard one parrot that did this. He’s a cockatiel who repeatedly passed out from not breathing while vocalizing. They can vocalize for long periods of time, if they so desire, by breathing through one lung while vocalizing through the other, then switching to the other lung to breathe. Birds do have a larynx. However, its primary purpose is to prevent aspiration,” says Kashmir Csaky, International Celebration of Birds FB page administrator; updating information from Parrot Trust Scotland from last week’s issue.

HOT DATES: ONGOING — 4/7: “WILD PARROTS OF TELEGRAPH HILL” Coast to coast showings of the remastered documentary film listed here: upcoming-2023-24-screenings/?  —3/14-4/14: Beyond Words – Dr. Irene Pepperberg and Alex play   Cambridge, MA — 4/5: PLANTING FROM THE AVIARY: Despite the surprise spring storm dumping a nearly foot of snow in her state of Maine, Robin Sullivan talks gardening for birds with Jason Crean in this week’s live presentation on The Leather Elves page at 7 p.m.ET —4/6,7: Phoenix Landing Wellness Retreat Asheville, NC  many speakers $169 — 4/6: Peninsula Caged Bird Society Spring Bird Mart  Newport News, VA — Birds of a Feather Annual Expo and Mart  Plaistow, NH — 4/7: Lake City Bird Expo Lake City, FL — OHPA Bird Fair New location. Pittsburgh Bird Fair 10-4 Butler Vagabonds building in Butler PA. $5 /adults; kids 12 and under/ FREE. Feathered Friends, toys, food, perches, playgyms, education, cages and more. Free Parking. Free Behavior consultations and more. — Lengthening Cosmo’s Life with Michele Baker  2 p.m. Hoosier Feathered Friends Zoom webinar. — 4/7: Lake City Bird Expo Lake City, FL — OHPA Bird Fair  Lyndora, PA — 4/8: SOLAR ECLIPSE: Will your bird think it’s birdie bedtime? — 4/13-14: Acadiana Bird Fair & Sale Lafayette.LA — Keystone State Avian Society – Triple NCS Shows – Class C Chambersburg, PA — 4/13: THE BIRD EXPO: at New York Bird Supply. “The most highly anticipated event of the season”, as they modestly describe themselves. 8:30-5 ET. 3501 Rombouts Ave.Bronx, NY — WHALES ‘N’ PARROTS mingle, sort of, at Whale of a Day: celebrate and witness the migration of Pacific grey wheels. South Bay Bird Society will have an informational table along with some of their parrot friends. 10-4 Port Vicente Interpretive Center, 31501 Palos Verdes Drive West in Rancho Palos Verdes., CA — Rolling Meadows Bird Fair & Sale  Rolling Meadows, IL — 4/14: Mid-American Exotic Bird Society Annual Bird Fair  Hilliard, OH — 4/15-5/15: The 28th Great Texas Birding Classic .state of TX. Keep an eye out for parrots! — 4/17-20:  Spring Chirp  Weslaco, TX

From the parrot’s beak: Easter/April Fools mash up

Ehhhh, Happy Easter, Doc! – Photo by George Sommers

AMAZING AMAZONS: Once in a while the conservationists win one. Reintroduced yellow shouldered amazons, or ‘Lora’, are flourishing in their natural habitat in Parke Nacional Arikok, according to Fundacion Parke Nacional Aruba. They’re embracing their wild instincts, adapting to munch on cactus (ouch) and other native plants. They are exploring within and beyond the park, displaying confidence in their natural instincts. As they settle into their wild lifestyle, they’re becoming less dependent on human presence and feeding. They’re more alert to danger, communicating a soft prrrrrrr that signifies vigilance against potential predators, freezing and remaining motionless like statues. With their evolved behaviors, they’ve abandoned chicken-like feeding habits (eating when on the ground), now favoring natural foraging behaviors.

WE DON’T NEED NO STINKING VOCAL CORDS: Parrots don’t have vocal cords like humans. Instead of pushing air over vocal cords to create sound, parrots and many other species of birds including corvids and starlings can mimic sounds by using the muscles in their throat to direct airflow over the trachea (or windpipe) in an organ called the syrinx. They make different sounds by changing the depth and shape of the trachea. – From Parrot Trust Scotland

EGG-XACTLY: Best let the parrots enjoy looking at those colorful Easter eggs with their ultraviolet vision, but not eating them. According to some veterinarians, parrots’ digestive systems are not built for eggs, or meat; which can lead to a build up of plaque and potentially fatal diseases. It is a hot topic on social media sites lately as some like offering eggs as a “treat’ or it’s thought the protein is good for them. However, any beneficial aspects from eggs and meat can be had from other foods.

SPEAKING OF EGGS: The Macaw Society at Rescate Wildlife Rescue Center- zoave team has found the first scarlet macaw eggs in a natural nest for this season! The breeding season in Costa Rica is less synchronized than in Peru, so eggs can be laid from at least Jan to March. This is the second natural nest with activity in the area, and they are hoping to find chicks soon. Congratulations to the Rescate Wildlife Rescue Center- zoave for their hard work preserving these beautiful macaws. #macaws#parrots#nesting#breedingseason#rescatewildlifecenter#themacawsociety

CONGRATULATIONS TO: Carolina Avian Research And Education; now a USDA licensed facility.

KEEP OUT, EASTER BUNNY: The Easter Bunny might want to forego deliveries to the mountainous region of New Zealand, for there lurks the bad boy of birds, the kea. Like it’s not enough that keas will steal food, eat or destroy anything human related and even make like feathered gremlins and move traffic cones around, disrupting traffic.They also (shades of Elmer Fudd) attack and eat rabbit flesh. They will even attack sheep and for that reason there was a bounty on their heads for many years.Apparently they ignore their doctors’ advice about parrots not eating meat.

PSITTACINEMA:

….And celebrating Easter with parrots: https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=PARROTS+EASTER&mid=E34795C0384F21232E1

Duster. – From Facebook

OBIT: Duster, the famous umbrella cockatoo, passed away peacefully at his retirement home with his human mom & dad (Jennie, Florida Parrot Rescue Vice President & and her husband Owen) last week; a bit short of his 100th birthday of June 1, 1925. He was wild caught in Australia, then transferred to California taking up residency at Sea World, training and educating people about his species. Eventually he moved to the sunshine state of Florida where he took up residence in Weeki Wachee and was the star of the bird show in the 1970’s riding his birdie bicycle and roller skating. Weeki Wachee became Silver Springs and in 2012 they downsized to a nature park so in early 2013 the park relinquished Duster to Florida Parrot Rescue

HOT DATES: ONGOING — 4/7: “WILD PARROTS OF TELEGRAPH HILL” Coast to coast showings of the remastered documentary film listed here: upcoming-2023-24-screenings/?  —3/14-4/14: Beyond Words – Dr. Irene Pepperberg and Alex play   Cambridge, MA — 3/20-31: Birding Tours of Cuba in 2024 with BirdsCaribbean  — 3/30: Kansas Cage Bird Expo and Sale Lawrence, KS —  Conroe Exotic Bird Expo Conroe, TX — 3/31: St. Augustine Bird Expo St. Augustine, FL — Sunrise Celebration Bird Walk with Rev. Dr. LoraKim Joyner from One Earth Conservation  6:30 a.m. CDT  Des Moines, IA — EASTER — 4/1: APRIL FOOLS: No tricks now. — FUN MUSIC HOUR with Roberta Fabiano sponsored by Long Island Parrot Society. Live on Frog Hollow Music Facebook page. 5-6 p.m. ET —4/6,7: Phoenix Landing Wellness Retreat Asheville, NC  many speakers $169 — 4/6: Peninsula Caged Bird Society Spring Bird Mart  Newport News, VA — Birds of a Feather Annual Expo and Mart  Plaistow, NH — 4/7: Lake City Bird Expo Lake City, FL — OHPA Bird Fair New location. Pittsburgh Bird Fair 10-4 Butler Vagabonds building in Butler PA. $5 /adults; kids 12 and under/ FREE. Feathered Friends, toys, food, perches, playgyms, education, cages and more. Free Parking. Free Behavior consultations and more. — Lengthening Cosmo’s Life with Michele Baker  2 p.m. Hoosier Feathered Friends Zoom webinar. — 4/8: SOLAR ECLIPSE: Will your bird think it’s birdie bedtime?

From the parrot’s beak: 3/24

Tell me more – I’m listening! – Photo by George Sommers

THE CASE OF THE DEFECTIVE BEAK: A fully feathered but flight challenged male eclectus parrot somehow stumbled his way into the lives of Larry and Carol. The bird had no band, made no sound, and had no distinguishing behaviors or markings – the only clue to its origins was a slight defect on one side of the beak. Larry and Carol scoured “Lost and Found” pages and contacted local pet shops, avian vets, police departments and rescues – but nothing checked out. Bird owners themselves; they reached out to their network of bird owning friends who in turn spread the word. And spread it did – some 50 people claimed possession or attempted to talk them into giving them the parrot outright. The beak defect was deliberately not mentioned. To bolster their cases, people sent pictures of empty cages, stock photos of parrots, receipts for nail clipping and “some of the saddest stories you’ve ever heard,” explains Larry, “Screening through all of this had us up until about 2 a.m. It was a very stressful experience.” They narrowed the suspects to two, but the bird did not respond to the names or other words/tricks/behaviors that they described. But – a breakthrough. A recorded phone message came with a picture of an eclectus perched on a young boy and other photos clearly showed the beak defect. The caller said the parrot’s name was Pickle. “I brought my phone in to show it to Carol (who was playing with the bird) and immediately, the bird got excited and began repeating “Pickle, Pickle, Peeeee-ckle !” Elementary! Larry called the man who explained he just moved to the area with his children. Pickles escaped on a bitter cold and rainy right. The man had laid the groundwork for his children, warning that their pet might not be found alive due to the cold or the abundance of feral cats in the area. He apologized to Larry for not having documentation – his ex might have all of that, but that there was no way he get it from her. Larry stopped him and said “Don’t worry about any of that. Pickle has already provided all the proof we need… come get your bird!”. Pickle and owner reunited 3 1/2 days after he was lost. He’s not only back home with his family, but Carol is now Pickle’s official babysitter when the owner has to leave town. – From a post on Parrot Poop

ENCOURAGING SIGNS FOR SPIX REINTRO: This past weekend Association for the Conservation of Threatened Parrots e.V.  field staff on the ground in Brazil were monitoring some promising nest activity and got some footage of a wild pair of Spix’s macaws with 3 newly hatched chicks in the nest.

DORITOS SAVE THE DAY: A catalina macaw managed to elude attacking hawks and also, unfortunately; firefighters who couldn’t quite reach the escapee 40 feet high in a tree in Lewisville, TX. A reporter from the local CBS affiliate was summoned to cover the story – and unexpectedly became part of it. Meanwhile, the macaw relocated to a slightly lower tree with a long horizontal branch. The reporter, who keeps a stash of snack food in her car, grabbed some Doritos. Although the catalina’s owner doesn’t feed his bird junk food, s/he was enticed from the tree and into the owner’ arms by an offering of the salty (yeah, we know it’s bad for them) treat. – From CBS News

THE ENVELOPE, PLEASE: The wait for the real Easter Bunny is almost as eagerly anticipated as the annual naming of the Cadbury Egg Easter “bunny”. The winner between two finalists winnowed down from a field of 32 will be announced on 3/25. Unfortunately, Royal the hyacinth macaw; the only avian entry, failed to make the cut. Oh well, those “eggs” were always too sickly sweet for me anyway

ST. PAT’S RECAP: Brazil meets Ireland by way of New Zealand. A New Zealand band’s uniforms, drums, etc. were emblazoned with a logo of a macaw during the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Auckland.

MANY HAPPY RETURNS: “32 macaw (2nd egg chicks, ‘insurance’…younger and weaker and usually not noticed ) were hand raised tagged and successfully reintroduced in the wild in between 1992 and 1995, we named them chicos. So many of them yes still come ( with their wild mates )and are regular visitors of the lodge, and in certain occasions they also come to the spot at the claylick to visit the photographers there,” reports Angela Rosaria Cancilla from the Tamopata Reseach Center. The scarlet and greenwing macaws often come back to visit (with their wild mates keeping a watchful distance ) but not the b&g’s who stay in the palm swamp area (not far from lodge). “We don’t know why.” The photo is of Cancilla at the Tambopata Research Center lodge in 2004 with then 10 year old (wild) ‘Tequila,’

MOVIN’ ON UP: Evlyns’ Exotic BIRD Rescue & Adoptions is moving across the Susquehanna River from Plymouth to Naticoke. PA. The new building, which just passed inspection, is more spacious. than the former quarters and a grand opening is planned. The rescue was the dreamchild of 10 year old Evlyn Lyons, now thirteen, although we suspect her mother Linda Uren had more of a hand in it then she generally acknowledges.

MATCH GAME: Foster Parrots’ March Matching Fund Drive has passed the midway point but still must raise more than $30,000 to reach their fundraising goal. To donate, go to https://fosterparrotsandthenewenglandexoticwildlifesanctuary-bloom.kindful.com

Did the urban macaws of Caracas relocate on their own from the jungle or are they pet trade refugees? See one opinion below in MAILBAG. – Photo from Facebook

MAILBAG: “I see no reason that wild birds did not discovered food in the city and did not start flocking there, just like birds come to our feeders,” says International Celebration of Birds Administrator Kashmir Csaky; at odds with the views of others that say most of the blue & gold macaws in Caracas are pet trade refugees. Touching on some other issues, she continues, “Chlamydia pneumoniae is often mistaken for chlamydia psittaci. At one time the only test available was not sensitive enough to differentiate between the two diseases. That has changed, but I have no idea how available the more sensitive is at this time. There was a psittacosis outbreak in the Birmingham Zoo lorikeet exhibit in 2015 that was very virulent. During that time 44,000 people pass through the exhibit. Some of the people got sick including some employees. Not one had chlamydia psittaci. They tested positive for chlamydia pneumoniae. The birds did not have chlamydia pneumoniae.There have already been euthanasia cases in VA that are disturbing. A vet in VA reported a man for being four days overdue in euthanizing his dog, in the vet’s opinion. The man was charged and convicted of animal torture. He appealed the decision and won. But he went through extreme stress and financial loss in the process of defending himself at a time when he needed to morn and heal. A woman’s dog was hit by a car. Her vet attempted to save the dog and recommended a wheelchair. The dog’s recovery was slow and not going as well as they had hoped. People from a rescue talked her into taking the dog to their miracle worker vet, who happen to be the same vet who reported the above man for animal torture. He immediately euthanized her dog and turned her in for animal torture. She was also convicted. But, she did not have the money or the energy to appeal. There is more. This happened because in VA the Attorney General Animal Law Unit. No other state has an animal law unit. However, the DOJ may begin enforcing the AWC rather than the USDA, who have people working for them that know a thing or two about animals.” — Adrianne Mock, Education Consultant at BirdSmart, also mentioned the euthanasia issue, “Very frustrating that people are not being allowed to do what’s best for THEIR animals. Being accused of animal cruelty for not euthanizing right away when a vet INSISTS on it is not new. It’s been happening for some time now.”

• Photo courtesy of Vinny Jon

HOT DATES: ONGOING — 4/7: “WILD PARROTS OF TELEGRAPH HILL” Coast to coast showings of the remastered documentary film listed here: upcoming-2023-24-screenings/?  —3/14-4 14: Beyond Words – Dr. Irene Pepperberg and Alex play   Cambridge, MA — 3/20-31: Birding Tours of Cuba in 2024 with BirdsCaribbean  — 3/20-22: Global Pet Expo  Orlando, FL  –  for retailers and other professionals, not open to general public — 3/22: OF PASSERINE-ING INTEREST: Jay Lebow of the Jy-viary joins Robin Sullivan on her weekly live video on The Lather Elves Facebook page at 7 p.m. —Ask the Vet with Dr. Tom Tully, DVM, DABVP (Avian Practice), DECZM (Avian)  –  3 p.m. EDT  –  Lafeber Zoom webinar —   3/23,24: Southeast Exotic Bird Fair  Lawrenceville, GA — 3/23: Michiana Bird Society Bird Fair   LaPorte, IN — 3/24: Joliet Bird Fair and Sale   Joliet, IL — 3/26: SUNNY DAYS:: Connecticut Parrot Club hosts Dr. LoraKim Joyner with her fascinating presentation about “One Earth Conservation” and how they are trying to save the wild sun parakeets/ sun conures in Guyana. This zoom meeting will be held 7 p.m. EDT. — 3/31: Sunrise Celebration Bird Walk with Rev. Dr. LoraKim Joyner from One Earth Conservation  6:30 a.m. CDT  Des Moines, IA — EASTER — 4/1: APRIL FOOLS: No tricks now. — 4/6,7: Phoenix Landing Wellness Retreat Asheville, NC  many speakers $169 — 4/6: Peninsula Caged Bird Society Spring Bird Mart  Newport News, VA — Birds of a Feather Annual Expo and Mart  Plaistow, NH — 4/7: Lake City Bird Expo Lake City, FL — OHPA Bird Fair Lyndora, PA 

LOST: Quaker parrot ‘Peekaboo’; female, green/grey. Kitchener area, Ontario, Canada. Call (519) 279 0527 or text (519) 577 7128.– FOUND: Parakeet (budgie) green/yellow, male. Contact the Boston Adoption Center (617) 522-5055 and reference Animal ID A440379. MSPCA is posting this pet with the hopes of reuniting him with his owner and are not taking adoption interest at this time. For information about adoptable animals follow on Facebook @mspcaangell , on Instagram @mspca.Angell and visit webpage https://www.mspca.org/adoption-search/?shelter=Bost — LOST Amazon ‘Kuko’; Hopewell Junction, Dutchess County, NY. Contact: (914) 354-1491 if seen/found. — FOUND: Parakeet (budgie) blue/white East Patchogue, NY (631-) 475-7239

From the parrot’s beak: 3/10

We’ve got you parrot news right here! – Photo by George Sommers

THE DEFIANT BORDER CROSSERS: Barbed wire barriers, border guards and deportations are no deterrent to one group of Mexican immigrants. Investigators at the Free Flying Los Angeles Parrot Project based in Occidental College’s Moore Laboratory of Zoology, aim to solve a puzzle: how red-crowned and lilac-crowned parrots established local urban breeding populations via the pet trade from Mexico, where both species are on the brink of extinction. A potential answer is that Southern California cities have only in the last 100 years provided these sister species with a resource untapped by native birds: the fruits and flowers of exotic trees used for landscaping, according to the team’s new report in the journal Diversity and Distributions. – Read more in https://www.yahoo.com/news/threatened-homeland-feral-mexican-parrots-110035617.html?soc_src=social-sh&soc_trk=fb&tsrc=fb

MOVIN’ ON UP: “Due to circumstances beyond BOAF’s control, the spring Expo and Mart has been moved to the Plaistow Fish and Game Club’s clubhouse,” says Raymond Schwartz, president of New Hampshire’s Birds Of A Feather club. It is a larger venue than the one the last few events have been held in. The April 6 event is FREE and features FREE nail/beak/wing trimming – BYOT (bring your own towel). There will also be a presentation on microchipping, and as a bonus; a special exhibition on falconry featuring a live red tail hawk named Scarlett O’Hara.. See upcoming “Beak”s for further details.

A DAY AT THE PET SHOW: Long Island Parrot Society members set up a display table and showed up in force with their ‘toos, ‘tiels, macaws and other feathered friends for the recent Long Island Pet Expo.

PSITTACINEMA: Cockatoo has laughing fit. https://youtu.be/m5A8WlbS1q0?si=6ExQ0aVTwLmsbCai Parrots dancing in the shower. https://youtube.com/shorts/rL2shCBJXeA

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY is March 8. Some of the big names of women involved in parrot conservation include Marcela Priscila Franco Ochoa, World Parrot Trust (WPT) Field Conservationist; Tamara Chirwa of WPT’s Lovebird Programs, Malawi; Noelia Volpe, WPT Yellow-naped Amazon Coordinator; the late Jean “African Queen” Pattison and the late Laney Rickman, blue throated macaw conservationist.

THE REAL MACAW: The Macaw Society at Reserva Nacional Tambopata – Sernanp.reports another successful nest monitoring expedition. Unearthed lots of surprises—both heartwarming and bittersweet. In total, 14 macaw chicks are almost ready to take flight from 10 of their nests. One even fledged during the Society’s time there, hitting the average fledgling age in Tambopata of 84 days. Kudos to an amazing team, including Antenor Hurtado Carmona, Juan Pedro Portaro, Luis Rengifo, and our outstanding volunteers Manuel Pinedo, Pilar Magnolia, Chiara Piano y Anai Poblete Special thanks to fearless leader Carlos Carlim Huamani Callata; also Harrison’s Bird Foods for supporting wild psittacine research and conservation.. – From #tambopara#parrots#macaw#nests#breedingseason#AmazonRainforest#harrisonsbiedfoods#themacawsociety

From Facebook

IDENTITY POLLY-TICS: Those of us of a certain age may remember the anti-pollution ad featuring an Indian with a tear in his eye. The Indian was played by an Italian American actor. No one kicked up a fuss then, but nowadays it’s become fashionable to criticize when an actor/actress plays in a role outside of their own ethnicity. Despite that, when the play “Beyond Words – Dr. Irene Pepperberg and Alex” has its spring run in Cambridge, MA, the part of Alex the African grey parrot will be played by a human as they go about portraying the Model/Rival technique and other methods used in the Pepperberg laboratory. So far no complaints about misrepresentation, but hey; that’s why they call it actin

OLDIES BUT GOODIES: Some reported longevity records: 114 y/o blue & gold macaw in England; 92 y/o green wing macaw, owned by “Pet and Exotics”, USA; 83 y/o Major Mitchell’s cockatoo, Brookfield Zoo, USA. A couple of caveats: many reports are anecdotal and difficult to verify. The average pet parrot, while likely to have a much longer lifespan than the average cat or dog, is unlikely to reach these age lengths. However, there is a good chance they may outlive their human caretakers, so it behooves the average parrot owner to make preparations in case their bird does outlive them.

HOT DATES: ONGOING — 4/7: “WILD PARROTS OF TELEGRAPH HILL” Coast to coast showings of the remastered documentary film listed here: upcoming-2023-24-screenings/? —  3/8-10: Greater Philadelphia Pet Expo Oaks, PA — 3/8: NATURALIZED PARROTS: Parrots in the wild “where they’re not supposed to be” is the subject of Dr. Donald Brightsmith as guest of Robin Sullivan on a live broadcast on The Leather Elves Facebook page; 7 p.m. ET — The Grey Way: Greys & Hormones Live Q&A with Lisa Bono, CPBC  3 p.m. EST  Lafeber Zoom webinar — 3/9: Rolling Meadows Bird Fair & Sale  Rolling Meadows, IL — Cen-Tex Bird Exhibitors NCS Shows Class B  Temple, TX — COSTA RICA IS A BIRD LOVER’S PARADISE according to pro photographer Randy Harwood. Harwood will be making his case at the South Bay bird Society’s club meeting; 7 p.m. 2515 Valley Dr., Hermosa Beach, CA — MEMORIAL SERVICE for aviculturist Jean Pattison aka “African queen”. 3 p.m. Lakeland Funeral Home, Memorial Gardens & Crematory; 2125 Bartow Rd., Lakeland, FL— 3/14-4 14: Beyond Words – Dr. Irene Pepperberg and Alex play   Cambridge, MA — 3/15-17: Super Pet Expo Chantilly, VA — 3/15: The Pressures of Being a Parrot – Hormones Made Me Do It! with Dr. Stephanie Lamb, DVM, DABVP (Avian Practice)   3 p.m. EDT Lafeber Zoom webinar — 3/16: Understanding Parrots, Taking Cues from Nature with Rosemary Low 1 p.m. EDT  Phoenix Landing Zoom webinar — 3/17: Treasure Coast Exotic Bird Club Annual Exotic Bird Expo  Fort Pierce, FL — ST. PATRICK’S DAY: Break out those green parrots — 3/20-31: Birding Tours of Cuba in 2024 with BirdsCaribbean  –  $4395 — 3/20-22: Global Pet Expo  Orlando, FL  –  for retailers and other professionals, not open to general public — 3/22: Ask the Vet with Dr. Tom Tully, DVM, DABVP (Avian Practice), DECZM (Avian)  –  3 p.m. EDT  –  Lafeber Zoom webinar

From the parrot’s beak: March 3

WHAT’S THE WORD: Impress your friends with your vocabulary of big parrot related words from a glossary in the March ’24 https://duxburypetgazette-ma.newsmemory.com/ – Photo and article by George Sommers

CHEESEBURGER IN PARROT-DISE: Do parrots eat meat? Well, yes and no… Parrots, after all; share a similar hook shaped beak like owls, eagles and hawks. In fact, the parrot family and the raptor family diverged from a common ancestor in separate branches of the evolutionary tree art roughly the same time. There are some parrot species that are omnivorous and some, like macaws; that are naturally strict vegetarians. Parrots fed but not accustomed to eating meat may develop problems including gout, fatty liver disease, atherosclerosis, D3 toxicity and protein poisoning. Best bet is to research the most appropriate foods for your species of parrot.

ONE FOR “RIPLEY’S BELEIVE IT OR NOT”: A video of a blue & gold macaw surfing on a mini board at Florida’s Cocoa Beach recently turned up on Facebook. This might be okay under closely supervised situations, but besides the potential dangers of unpredictable currents and waves, large dogs romping nearby and that ominous “Jaws” theme track we’re not sure of the effects of seawater soaking the bird.

Maluku farmer turns guardian of eastern Indonesia’s threatened parrots

PSITTACINEMA DOULE FEATURE: Parrot vocalist accompanies guitarist. https://youtube.com/shorts/pMCjGcAKq88?si=P8cwPCExa1-LafqK — Buster the ‘too talks up a storm.

READING MATERIAL: The new issue of “PARROTS” magazine is out with a travel report from Karen Robertson. Parrot lovers may especially enjoy the article about the Tresmaria Parrotlet with the rare open-field photos of the rare species on the Pacific Tresmaria Islands.

WOULD YOU BELEIVE: Someone tried to trade EBT food stamps for a live bird, per a Facebook post.

B(R)ANDED: Early editions of last week’s included some not quite accurate information on leg bands, due to a faulty source. The corrected information was subsequently. edited in. It’s still somewhat confusing but unlikely to have much impact on the average pet owner, but if desired, more comprehensive information can be found on the Organization of Professional Aviculutists FB page.

HOT DATES: ONGOING — 4/7: “WILD PARROTS OF TELEGRAPH HILL” Coast to coast showings of the remastered documentary film listed here: upcoming-2023-24-screenings/? — 3/1-3: Super Pet Expo  Edison, NJ — 3/1: AIR APPARENT: Daniel Sigmon joins Robin Sullivan for a discussion of avian respiratory systems 7 p.m. LIVE on The Leather Elves Facebook page. —Translating Parrot: Parrot Hormones – Just the Facts! with Pamela Clark, IAABC Certified Parrot Behavior Consultant & retired CVT 3 p.m. EST  Lafeber Zoom webinar — 3/2-3: Long Island Pet Expo  Brentwood, NY — 3/2: Bird Tour in Brooklyn Bridge Park with Heather C Wolf  Keep an eye out for those Brooklyn Quakers! 9-10:30 a.m. EST  –FREE Brooklyn, NY  – – 3/2,3: Long Island Pet Expo  Long Island Parrot Society will be represented  Brentwood, NY — 3/8-10: Greater Philadelphia Pet Expo Oaks, PA — 3/8: The Grey Way: Greys & Hormones Live Q&A with Lisa Bono, CPBC  3 p.m. EST  Lafeber Zoom webinar — 3/9: Rolling Meadows Bird Fair & Sale  Rolling Meadows, IL — Cen-Tex Bird Exhibitors NCS Shows Class B  Temple, TX — COSTA RICA IS A BIRD LOVER’S PARADISE according to pro photographer Randy Harwood. Harwood will be making his case at the South Bay bird Society’s club meeting; 7 p.m. 2515 Valley Dr., Hermosa Beach, CA — 3/14-4 14: Beyond Words – Dr. Irene Pepperberg and Alex play  – Cambridge, MA 

From the parrot’s beak: 2/25

Will the new USDA regs on captive birds impact the casual pet bird owner? Ehhhhh, could be…. – Photo by George Sommers

WHAT DO THE NEW USDA REGULATIONS MEAN TO ME?: They’re not winning any popularity awards among more advanced hobbyists but the new regs may have no to little impact on most casual pet owners. The so-called Animal Welfare Act only applies to the following entities: dealers and breeders of covered animals, research facilities, exhibitors, operators of auction sales and carriers/intermediate handlers. Individuals and entities that do not fall into these categories, such as bird owners who don’t breed or exhibit their pets for money, are not covered by the AWA and therefore, will not require a license under the new USDA regulations. In addition, the new regulations do not apply in the following circumstances: – From https://www.petage.com/aphis-usda-issue-new-regulations-affecting-pet-birds/ However, one legal expert explains, “If at any time you decide to sell your birds, you may need a permit. If you have pets and make any money off videos on social media, you may need a permit. Organization of Professional Aviculturists has hours of video where explaining the regulations and answer question on their FB page.” There is speculation that more breeders are going to go out of business allowing fewer breeders to control the market. There will be even less availability and overhead is going to be higher. This means higher prices and perhaps some species disappearing from the US except on the black market.” Exhibiting and showing your birds for money will also be impacted.” There is speculation that some breeders will go out of business, prices will go up and some species may become unavailable.

SPIX UPDATE: They WERE in Brazil – and then they weren’t; declared extinct. But now they’re back, thanks to a so far successful to attempt to reintroduce them to the wild. There are about 200 Spix’s in existence today, thought to be descendants of seven that were snatched from the wild and smuggled out of Brazil. The released birds came from a breeding program called the Association for the Conservation and Protection of Threatened Parrots in Germany founded by shady character turned bird breeder Martin Guth. When CITES came about, Spix’s was one of the first on the list. From then on, the birds could only be moved across international borders with a permit for specific purposes, such as scientific research, zoological exhibitions or conservation programs – and there are some loopholes. Guth originally purchased three Spix’s in Switzerland. There also six Spix’s in a signless, locked building in Antwerp, Belgium, and perhaps more elsewhere. For Brazilians, the Spix’s macaw remains both a source of national pride and also a symbol of CITES’s lack of power, according to Dener Giovanini, founder of the National Network for Combating Wild Animal Trafficking (RENCTAS), a Brazilian wildlife trafficking watchdog. He called for a halt of any future trades in Spix’s macaws and the return of the population to Brazilian control. “We must never forget that these species were originally taken illegally from Brazil,” Giovanini says. – From World Parrot Trust

EASTER BIRDIE: Cadbury is looking for this year’s Easter Bunny substitute. Thousands of dollars are at stake, so get those bird nominations in. Skeeter, a blue parrotlet with a more than passing resemblance to a blue Peep, was one of 10 finalists in 2012.

WHAT DO THOSE LEG BANDS MEAN?: Earlier editions contained some inaccurate material, due to faulty sources. Some experts weighted in with the correct, current information. Per one source: a round opened band is a quarantine band. If they are closed, they can only be put on babies. And another says: Wild caughts brought through US quarantine stations were OPEN, round bands. The notion that a “flat” band is a domestic breeder is incorrect: smaller birds may have “flat” bands, larger ones may have “round” bands. Birds imported through the US system have round, OPEN bands….and while you can no longer trace a lot from the number, you can find which station they came through if the numbers are still legible, as they often are. IF a bird is banded for some reason as an ADULT, it will have an open band, but this is unusual. No (or virtually no) imports since the Wild Bird Conservation Act of 1992.

PARROTRIVIA: A pretty accurately and detailed budgie appeared on “The Simpsons” recently. The bird got Homer to do his bidding, such as asking for a cracker. (Long story!)

THE PARROT AND THE GODDESS: A 690 AD sculpture depicts a parrot and a Bodhisattva associated with compassion. Guanyin is the East Asian representation of Avalokiteśvara (Sanskrit: अवलोकितेश्वर) and has been adopted by other Eastern religions, including Chinese Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism and Chinese folk religion. She was first given the appellation “Goddess of Mercy” or “Mercy Goddess”

HAPPY HATCHDAY 2/23 was the 8th birthday of Attenborough the kakapo, named in honor of Sir David Attenborough, the legendary British broadcaster, biologist, natural historian, author and conservationist. 2/23.

OBIT: Jeanne Pattison aka “the African Queen” whose contributions to the avian field are numerous passed away on 2/24.

HOT DATES: ONGOING — 4/7: “WILD PARROTS OF TELEGRAPH HILL” Coast to coast showings of the remastered documentary film listed here: upcoming-2023-24-screenings/? — 2/25: Joliet Bird Fair and Sale   Joliet, IL — 2/25: FUN MUSIC HOUR with Roberta Fabiano sponsored by Long Island Parrot Society. Live on Frog Hollow Music FB page. 5-6 p.m. ET — 2/27: Teach Your Bird to Exercise! with Justice Bellar, CPBT . Get that potato off that perch. 4 p.m. EST   Parrot Kindergarten Zoom webinar  $35 — 2/29: LEAP DAY — 3/1-3: Super Pet Expo  Edison, NJ — 3/2-3: Long Island Pet Expo  Brentwood, NY —3/1-3: Super Pet Expo  Edison, NJ — 3/1: Translating Parrot: Parrot Hormones – Just the Facts! with Pamela Clark, IAABC Certified Parrot Behavior Consultant & retired CVT 3 p.m. EST  Lafeber Zoom webinar — 3/2: Bird Tour in Brooklyn Bridge Park with Heather C Wolf  Keep an eye out for those Brooklyn Quakers! 9-10:30 a.m. EST  –FREE Brooklyn, NY  – – 3/2,3: Long Island Pet Expo  Long Island Parrot Society will be represented  Brentwood, NY