#15 Parrotlet Chicks Learn Their Calls From Mom and Dad (Text Post)

I wanted to share the below article with everyone. It is very interesting stuff.
I ran across this article a few weeks ago on ScienceMag.org.


By: Virginia Morell

Watch the video here

Parrot communication in the wild from Karl Berg on Vimeo.

Parrots are talkative birds, with impressive, humanlike linguistic abilities. Also like us, male and female parrots are lifelong vocal learners. Because of these similarities, researchers have long wondered whether parrot chicks learn their first calls or if these sounds are innate. For the first time, scientists have succeeded in studying the calls of parrot chicks in the wild. They find that the birds do learn their first calls—and from their parents, much as human infants do. The findings suggest that parrots may be better than songbirds as models for studying how humans acquire speech.

Like other parrot species, green-rumped parrotlets (Forpus passerinus), a parakeet-sized species that lives in South America, make what scientists term a signature contact call, a sound that functions much like a name. The birds use it to find and recognize mates and identify their chicks. Other studies have shown that wild parrots often imitate one another's contact calls—rather like someone calling out the name of a friend. "One study of another species of captive parrotlets suggested that individual birds are assigned names by their family members," says ornithologist Karl Berg of Cornell University.

But he wanted to know whether the birds do this in the wild, too, and why. Captive studies cannot, by themselves, explain what function such behaviors serve in nature or how they evolved. But studying parrots in the wild is "extremely difficult" because they generally nest in hollows high in trees, says behavioral ecologist Timothy Wright of New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, an expert on wild parrots.

To get around this problem, Berg and his colleagues worked with a wild population of green-rumped parrotlets in Venezuela that has been studied since 1987. The parrotlets nest in hollows in fence posts, and scientists set out 106 artificial nesting boxes, which the parrotlets readily moved into. The boxes allowed the researchers to access the birds, eggs, and chicks and to record audio and video in the nests. For 24 years, the researchers have tracked thousands of parrotlet pairs and chicks, so they know the birds' family trees.

Berg and colleagues swapped clutches of eggs between 12 unrelated pairs of parrotlets. When the chicks hatched, they were raised by foster parents. Serving as a control were chicks in eight other nests that lived with their biological parents. If the chicks' contact calls are innate, they should resemble those of the biological parents rather than those of the foster parents.

The team recorded and analyzed the calls made by the biological and foster parents and by the nestlings. The analysis, reported online today in the Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B, shows that the chicks learn their calls from the parents that raised them; calls are not inherited. "The parents—both mom and dad—provide a template," which the nestlings change slightly so that each chick ends up with a unique call, Berg says.

Later, when the chicks leave their nests, their parents use the contact calls to find their youngsters because they must be fed for another 21 days. Fledged chicks roost in large groups, so the parents need some means of identifying their own offspring, Berg explains.

The study is "an exciting first step in unraveling why parrots match each others' calls in the wild," Wright says. "It's a very cool study," adds Ofer Tchernichovski, a biopsychologist at Hunter College in New York City. The work "raises the possibility that parrots may be acquiring their calls in a way that's different from other species and might even be similar to some aspects of speech learning in human infants."

Republished From:
http://news.sciencemag.org/2011/07/parrotlet-chicks-learn-their-calls-mom-and-dad

Watch the video here -  http://vimeo.com/9117349

#14 Apple Cider Vinegar for Birds (Text Post)

I am always being asked about ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar) and its uses with birds.

I use Apple Cider Vinegar in my birds drinking water. I have done lots of research and read many different studies and articles written about the health benefits of ACV. I didn't just wake up and decide to start doing it - I actually spent a large amount of time researching and reading studies. Most of the research I read said to use one half cup of ACV per each gallon of water. I decided on 5 tablespoons per gallon ( a very low dose amount ). For the first week I added 2 tablespoons to each gallon of water so that the birds could get used to it. After the first week I started using 5 table spoons per gallon and have continued now for over 3 years. Every 3rd week I give the birds only vita water and then start them back on the ACV again on the 4th week. I really did notice the benefits. My birds colors were brighter, they laid more fertile eggs and I have had almost zero illness. One of the really good things I liked about ACV is that it allows the birds body to absorb more calcium from their everyday regular food. I have had no slow crop issues with my babies and zero crop issues with the adults. I also raise cockatiels from time to time and they are very well known to have crop issues as babies. Sour crop or slow crop is very common. Adding ACV to the handfeeding formula has 100% stopped all slow or sour crop issues. This is my personal experience and I did a lot of research, However - I am no doctor and everyone should do their own research before starting an ACV treatment. On my different website information pages I list different uses for ACV and some links to other websites that will give you more information. Most of the research was done on chickens in the beginning as farmers started using it to prevent illness.  Since I have started using ACV even more research has been done and more information is not available on the internet to back up all the claims. I will be updating my website with this information soon. I do suggest that anyone who would like to use ACV do some internet searches and read all the information before starting. * Note that it is very important that the ACV you use has the MOTHER included in the bottle. Visit my website www.LuckyFeathers.com

#13 Competition Between Bird Breeders (Text Post)

Over the last couple of decades I pretty much kept to myself as a breeder. I was just not aware of the fierce competition and rivalry for supremacy between bird breeders. I have seen this strong competition before when my exwife was in the dog show business, but it never came to mind that it was also so strong between bird breeders until I set up a facebook account about 18 months ago. As I started viewing the different posts and joining the different bird groups (the ones that allowed me to join)  it was really a shock to see how other breeders strike down the competition and work against each other. Many of them believe they are experts and have no problem letting everyone else know it. I never really thought of another breeder as competition and have worked over the years to help many breeders and new comers to the fancy of bird breeding. I am sure many of the breeders would say if asked that it is not competition at all, and that may be true. I think the underlying issue is jealousy. As soon as I notice a breeder that starts to pick up in popularity and is showcasing beautiful birds, the attacks start and the comments back and forth start flying. I never take part in any of this and because I don't take part I believe that is why I have never been attacked or shunned like so many others I have seen, but for some reason today it was on my mind so I decided to post about it. There are good breeders that follow good ethics and I know we also have some bad breeders. But I would assume that most of the people who raise birds have a love for it - or they would not have got into the business in the first place. It really is not something that anyone I know does for the money. The cost of having an aviary and keeping lots of birds is something that will always exceed the money you may make from selling the babies. Or at lest in my case it does. My advice to customers is to look around, talk to different breeders and ask lots of questions. If you get a good feeling after talking to the breeder chances are you have found a person who loves what they do. Raising baby birds has been one of the most rewarding things I have done in my life so far and it should be that way for everyone who does it. Do it well, have fun, and try your best to be really good at it!

#12 Pacific Parrotlet Color Mutations (Text Post)

I have been working on a parrotlet color mutation page for some time now. Getting information from all over the internet and trying to pull it all together onto one page. Lots of people have helped with setting it up - thank you - Right now it is just part of my aviary site LuckyFeathers.com but soon I will upload it to its own domain http://www.ParrotletMutations.com 


The Parrotlet color mutations I list are only to be used as a guideline to help you and are subject to different breeders and standards. Because we now have over 50 different actual visual shades and colors of Parrotlets and no regulatory association making the color standards, I have decided to use the color mutations I have posted in my aviary alone so that I can have a regular standard to follow for now. As time progresses different colors and mutations will come into play and will be added to the list.

You can visit the parrotlet mutation page at the below links for now.
http://www.luckyfeathers.com/parrotlet_mutations.htm
http://www.nicebirdies.com/parrotlet_mutations.htm
OR  http://www.ParrotletMutations.com 

#11 A HOLIDAY REQUEST TO MY CUSTOMERS (Text Post)

A HOLIDAY REQUEST TO MY CUSTOMERS -
Or anyone thinking about buying a bird as a Christmas gift regardless of where you purchase it from.

My little babies are looking for "Forever Homes" Each baby is very special to me.
PLEASE - No Spontaneous Christmas Buying. Please take the time to think about your purchase.
Talk it over with your family before you proceed.
These babies will fall in love with you after only a few days.
It is heart breaking and very hard on them to be passed around to different owners. Please try to give them "forever homes" Be 100% sure that the person you are buying the bird for really wants a bird and will give it the life it deserves. It's really important. If you do buy a bird as a gift for someone, I suggest also buying a book that will teach the person how to care for the bird. Another suggestion is to pre pay for a pet wellness visit with the local bird vet. Many (Vet) doctors offices offer gift cards. Lots of things to think about before buying someone a bird as a gift. Thanks - Sean

#10 Why does my Parrotlet bite me? (Text Post)

The Question:  Why does my Parrotlet bite me, why is it not tame anymore and what can I do?

This section is for the single Parrotlet that was handfed as a baby and was very tame, and now all of the sudden is starting to bite you. If this does not describe your bird then the answer below will not apply.


The Answer:  both male and females

 This is such a hard question to answer because like people each Parrotlet has its very own personality and you can not treat each one of them the same way. We sometimes forget that these birds are NOT domesticated animals. They are not tame and friendly by nature. It takes work and a lot of  time and patience. There is no simple answer to the biting question, so I have put together a page that if read totally will give you an understanding of the answer and maybe even the solution. Parrotlets that are handfed as babies are generally not scared of anything. This of course depends greatly on the personality of each bird, but from my experience a handfed baby that grows up around people will not be scared of much. This can be dangerous for the bird. They have the personality of a large Amazon Parrot and because they are so small they are not aware of the dangers that come with this strong-headed personality. Please keep an eye out for dangers, it is your responsibility to keep the Parrotlet safe and away from other animals that may cause harm. The Parrotlet generally shows you that he is not scared when he is in his cage and feels secure. You may notice that he goes into attack mode when a stranger comes close to the cage or another bird is close by or even a strange dog or cat is in the room.

The biting stage normally starts between 6 months to a year old. Parrotlets love people too much. The biting does not mean that the parrotlet  does not love you anymore. He/she loves you so much it has chosen you for its mate. It is believed by many bird experts that the parrotlet becomes frustrated that it cannot drive you to the nest and the two of you are not setting up housekeeping. The parrotlet will bite you to drive you away from a potential suitor (your human mate, child, acquaintance or other pet). The male parrotlet also bites the female in the wild trying to wear her down. The Parrotlet is trying to drive you to the safety of his or her nest. He may bite other people to communicate that you already have a partner. The bird may become territorial when you hold him/her and bite any one that intrudes your space. Although these bites can be extremely painful, they are in fact love bites and almost never will they break the skin. If they are painful I suggest using one sheet of a paper towel to kind of hold/cuddle the bird with. Let him bite on the paper towel if need be.
Limits must be set early. The male parrotlet or aggressive female parrotlet in this biting stage, does not belong on your shoulder. Hold the bird on your finger at low chest or waist level. I believe that Parrotlets should also be stick or perch trained as well as hand trained so you can always handle them even when they are in the biting stage. Do not engage in rough play with the bird as that will bring out its natural aggression. Discourage nibbling on your body, or fingers. A jiggle of your finger and a firm "No" is all that you need for young Parrotlets. You must be consistent with this for it to work. At this stage do not give up on the bird. Please continue to hold and play with it during this stage process even if it is biting you. Start using a perch in place of your finger to hold him or her. If you stop working with the bird at this point it will revert back to being un-tame. This would be the worst mistake a bird owner could make. Remember that these little guys can live 15 to 30 years and how un-happy of a life it would have if it became un-tame and could no longer be held, pet or loved because it had lost its tameness. This is a natural stage for the parrotlet and it will only last about 8 to 12 weeks. Your parrotlet may come into this same biting stage each year as it matures and enters breeding season.


 Just a few of the different stages:
 As a general rule each Parrotlet goes through different stages and at least one biting stage each year. The first stage starts as soon as the baby is pulled from the nest box.

Stage #1
The baby will not eat after being pulled away from his parents. This stage only lasts about 3 days. The breeder must be experienced and know how to force the baby to eat at this stage. After a day or two the baby will take the food with no fight.
Stage #2
The baby knows that you are the mommy, He no longer fights you to feed, he runs to you when he sees you and demands that you feed him

Stage #3
The baby is around 6 weeks old. He is hungry but not starving because you have started to give him seed mix. He is curious to explore the world and it is hard to get him to eat. At this stage you will feel that you are back to stage #1 and you will have to be firm and force the baby
( without hurting him ) to take the food. At this stage it is very important for the baby to eat the formula even if you notice him eating the seed mix. The reason is because he needs water and the nutrition from the formula until he is totally on a seed diet around 8 weeks of age.

Stage #4
The baby is very loving and tame, however it was just purchased by its new owner and arrived at his new home for the first time. Now the baby is going to be scared and stressed for a few days up to a week. It is important at this time to not force the baby to play or be held. Let him get used to his new home. Let him learn where is food and water are kept. Remember he has only knew one person in his life up to this point. It will take him a few days to get used to everything. After 3 days to a week you should then start taking him out, holding him and playing with him. I believe that this stage (#4) is the very most important stage. During the handfeeding stages the baby is of course learning and becoming tame, However he is so interested in getting the food that nothing else around him really matters. He don't pay to much attention to anything except getting his food. At stage 4 the baby is weaned and no longer interested in just getting his food. Now he is interested in everything and anyone around him. This is when the real bonding takes place. Many times my customers believe they are missing important bonding time with the babies because they did not get to do the Handfeeding ( the breeder does that ) I believe this to not be true. Right after the baby is weaned and no longer interested in only getting his food is the real bonding time. That is why I like for my customers to get the baby within 6 to 10 days after the weaning process ( when possible ) so that the real bonding can begin.

Stage #5
The baby is secure in his new home. He is now reaching the age of about 6 months and starting to mature. This age can also come late and is not always marked at the 6 month period. Some babies do not reach this mature age that we are talking about here until they are 10 to 12 months old. However in most cases it will come around the 6 month area.  At this point the bird will start to see you as his mate. It is very important to follow the steps that I talked about above. If he continues to bite you and if it hurts - start using a perch to hold him on. Also this is a good stage to use the birdie play pens that I talk about on this page.



So what do you do?
What I do when my parrotlets go into the biting state or what a lot of people call the Terrible Twos is continue to work with them daily. Remember that each bird has its very own personality and you have to be the judge as to what your little bird can handle because you don't want to put to much stress on them. Keeping that in mind I always force them (if needed) out of the cage even if I have to catch them using a paper towel (no gloves), I move them to another part of the house where they can not see the cage. Otherwise they will not stop trying to get back to it. With the birds wings clipped I sit down on the floor with it and put him on my finger, He jumps off, I put him back on. ( you can also try using a perch in place of your finger) I do this over and over again for sometimes a strong 10 minuets until he gives up and remains on my hand. I also use millet treats holding them in one hand and letting him have the opportunity to have some each time he is on my finger. If I have a male or female that just no matter what will not give in, I cuddle them in my hand placed up against my chest as I continue to stroke his back with my fingers and talk to them with a sweet voice for 5 or 10 minuets and sometimes even walk about the house doing this. Normally they don't bite hard - However some of them do - In that case I use a paper towel to hold the bird (cuddling him) up against my chest with his head allowed to stick out of the paper towel and allow him to just bite the paper towel until he gives up (no gloves). All the time offering him millet treats and talking to him in a sweet voice.  Remember as I stated above you have to be the judge of your own birds personality and stress level. Doing this the way I have described above has worked for me 100% of the time. I have never had a bird that did not calm down and get over this biting stage by doing this. I sometimes have success in as little as one day, and on some birds I have to repeat this process for 2 or 3 days. Parrotlets are have very strong personalities and can be very strong headed, You must teach them that no matter how you hold them you are not going to hurt them and no matter how much he bites the paper towel (or your finger) you are not going to give up.

Not all birds need this kind of training, Many times with parrotlets they simply outgrow this biting state and things go back to normal in a couple of weeks. But you do take a chance of the bird learning that all he has to do is run or nip you on the finger and he can get his way. That is something you don't want him to learn.

If your little guy was handfed as a baby this will work, it may take longer for each bird depending on the personality and how much it was socialized as a baby.

Do NOT -  Just leave the bird in the cage and hope he will just some day get over it and run over and jump on your finger. It is very rare that will happen. If you stick your finger or hand in the cage and he runs away and you give up and let him continue to run away. You will loose your birds tameness completely.

Be very gentle when holding the bird, Do not squeeze him, talk sweet to him, offer him treats, cuddle him using a paper towel if needed (no gloves) and your little bird will tame back down in no time at all in most cases.

#9 Beware of Holiday Cooking and Birds (Text Post)

Holiday Cooking and Birds -- Beware of Reynolds oven cooking bags!!! Reports are out that they put off fumes that can kill your birds. I have done a couple of Google searches about this and I also now believe these bags are very harmful to birds. Remember that birds have a very delicate Respiratory System. So much so that coal miners used to take birds down into the coal mines to alert them of danger and fumes in the air. If the bird dies or gets very sick the miners knew to get out of the mine. Do your own research about this online, But take caution when using these oven bags. Our little babies can not be replaced and what a horrible holiday experience something like this would cause. PLEASE SHARE THIS AND MAYBE SAVE A BIRDS LIFE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.

#8 Parrotlet Breeding - Start to Finish (Audio Post) Coming Soon

Currently I am working on an educational audio post about breeding Parrotlets. I will post it here once I get it finished. I will be covering everything from picking out breeders to handfeeding the babies.

#7 Bird Talk Magazine - Top 10 Quieter Birds (Text Post)

Over the many years I have been breeding birds I have done a few magazine interviews, wrote a few articles and done several presentations at bird clubs, pet stores and different associations. My birds are my passion in life aside from my family of course. Most recently I was interviewed for an article in Bird Talk about quiet birds (Parrotlets). I received my copy of the Bird Talk 2015 Annual Magazine today. I want to thank Ifsha Buttitta for writing this article and for interviewing me last fall. Her article covers the Top 10 Quieter Birds. In the magazine she covers several different kinds of birds (10) and has interviewed several experts in the bird breeding community. It is a very interesting educational article and I am thankful to have had my experience included. Everyone make sure to pick up your copy soon. Visit http://www.birdchannel.com/ for more info and to order your copy. Each magazine is full of great information and good reading. Every pet bird owner and breeder should be getting a copy of Bird Talk each year. I always look forward to getting my copy.  - Thanks, Sean Ira