The one thing that defines a bird is the fact that if it has feathers is indeed a bird. Caring for these feathers, sometimes up to 25,000 of them on one bird is a pretty big job. But it’s an important one as those feathers have a variety of essential duties that the bird relies on for survival. In order to keep the feather clean, “zipped” and orderly, a bid has to preen her feathers. Birds perform this behavior as often as needed and this sometimes occurs several times a day depending on the amount of activity the bird is engaged in. But what is a bird actually doing when it is preening? Preening is simply grooming the feathers. What the bird is doing when it is preening is picking out any dust or dirt particles off her plumage, looking for any parasites that might be on the loose somewhere and lining each feather up so this it is perfectly aligned to the feather next to it. This optimizes the several purposes of the feathers. You will often see some birds reach back to their tails and pick at the base or rub their faces near the base of the tail. READ FULL ARTICLE HERE
A private reserve has been created in western Queensland to nurture back to health a recently discovered population of Australia’s rarest and most mysterious bird – the night parrot. READ ARTICLE HERE
A great website I found with lots of great Info.
Visit the full website at the link below.
Lots of great info about Parrotlets https://lafeber.com/
The Pacific parrotlet has become one of the more popular small birds in the country, and is the most common of the various parrotlet species. They are referred to as “pocket parrots” — because of their small size, and they might very well sit in your shirt pocket as well! They have the personality of a “large bird in a small bird’s body,” and are often compared to Amazon parrots, a family of parrots said to be their close cousins. Indeed, they do resemble the Amazons, with short, stout bodies and a somewhat blunt tail. The male is green with a blue streak behind the eye and blue on the rump and wing-coverts. Females lack the blue coloring, and may or may not have a faint blue streak behind the eye.
Native Region / Natural Habitat
Pacific parrotlets are native to Mexico and Central and South America
Personality & Behavior
Parrotlets in general are feisty, affectionate and willful. If someone wants a great companion they should keep only one bird, because a pair of parrotlets will probably bond closely to each other to the exclusion of the owner. However, parrotlets are dimorphic and easy to pair up, and they do enjoy each other’s company. They can also be kept peaceably in groups in large aviaries, but it’s best to keep them separate from other species. They will quibble and fight over object and territory, so keep that in mind.
Males and females make equally good companions depending on the individual. Companionability has much less to do with gender than it does with handling and socialization. Hand-fed parrotlets are very friendly, especially if the guardian takes the time to keep handling the bird. If left alone for too long, a single parrotlet can lose some of its companionability. The Pacific, in particular, does not understand that it is a tiny bird, and has little trouble challenging other animals and humans.
The mutations are said to be more easy going than the nominate color (green), but they are also said to be less hardy. This may be a result of inbreeding. Because of the small size, the parrotlet may seem like a great companion for children, but kids would probably be better off with a budgie or something in the neophema family. The parrotlet can be temperamental and feisty, and its bite packs a wallop.
Speech & Sounds
Pacific Parrotlets are not noisy birds, making them great for people living in apartments. They will repeat words and simple phrases, but are not known to be the finest talkers of the parrotlet family. These birds can learn to mimic, but they aren’t the best talkers of the parrot family. Some individuals can learn quite a few words, however. They aren’t noisy, so neighbors won’t be disturbed.
Care & Feeding
Parrotlets might be small but that doesn’t mean that a small cage will do. A spacious wide cage with 1/4 inch bar spacing is ideal. These are active birds that need their play space and plenty of toys to keep them busy. Parrot kabobs and other shreddable toys are parrotlet favorites, and they also like swings and boings.
Parrotlets should have a pellet-based diet supplemented with fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as some seed. They also need a calcium source, such as cuttlebone. You might have to dice up their fruit so they can sink their tiny beaks into it.
Parrotlets should have a pellet-based diet supplemented with fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as some seed. They also need a calcium source, such as cuttlebone. diced fresh fruits and vegetables are also important for these birds. Some parrotlet-friendly fruits and vegetables are corn, bananas, oranges, carrots, pears, apples, peas, celery, pomegranates, green beans and kiwi. Allow tiny portions of nuts and seeds — but never more often than one serving per day. Dietary supplementation for calcium is also crucial. Cuttlebones, which are cuttlefish shells, are suitable for these purposes.
Health & Common Conditions
A parrotlet’s curiosity, combined with its small size, can make it accident prone and being stepped on can pose a real hazard.
Get a Pacific Parrotlet
The Pacific parrotlet (Forpus coelestis) is one of two parrotlet species commonly available as pets — the other being the green-rumped parrotlet (orpus passerinus) — either from pet stores, avian-specialty store or from bird breeders.
In all parrotlet species, the nominate color is varying shades of green and some species, like the Pacific, come in a variety of mutations, such as blue, yellow, lutino, fallow, darker green, pastel, Isabel (cinnamon), albino, and white. The parrotlet is dimorphic, meaning that there’s a visible difference between the sexes, making it easy to choose pairs among mature birds.
Birds are capable of extraordinary behavioral feats, from solving complex puzzles to tool making. There may be good reason for that. A new study shows that, pound for pound, birds pack more neurons into their small brains than mammals, including primates.
Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, this study is the first to systematically measure the number of neurons in the brains of more than a dozen bird species, from tiny zebra finches to the six-foot-tall emu. By doing so, neuroscientist Suzana Herculano-Houzel and her team at Vanderbilt University discovered that avian brains contain more neurons per square inch than mammalian brains.
This means that birds pack more brain power per pound than mammals, offering an explanation for their remarkable cognitive talents. What’s more, the study shows that evolution has found more than one way to build a complex brain.
Scientists have long wondered how birds—with their teeny-tiny brains—are capable of exhibiting many complex behaviors, some of which were thought to the be exclusive domain of larger primates. Birds can manufacture tools, cache food, plan for the future, pass the mirror test, use insight to solve problems, and understand cause-and-effect. They’ve also been observed to hide food in front of other birds, and then relocate that food when the other birds aren’t looking. This suggests that birds have a “theory of mind,” which means they’re capable of inferring what other birds are thinking. Very few animals can do that.
Most recently I have seen a renewed interest in this topic. Is it better to give my bird seeds or pellets? A while back I found a great article written by one of the most experienced Parrotlet breeders in the USA. I posted the article to my Parrotlet Information Page as a (LuckyFeathers White Paper Article) I have decided to also share it here. It takes a few minuets to read it in full, However it is worth your time. Please post your thoughts after reading -- Do you use seeds or pellets? What is your experience with both? "LuckyFeathers" - White Paper Article "Seeds or Pellets?" By - Sandee L. Molenda "I have had to discuss this issue and that includes my chapters in books, magazine articles I’ve written, web-pages I’ve published, seminars I’ve given, countless phone and in person conversations and hundreds of emails, I would be almost as rich as the pellet manufacturers. However, because there is so much misinformation and misunderstandings about this subject, I am happy to answer the question again. I am going to go into the history and basic understanding of parrot nutrition and the invention of pellets and you can make your own decision about it. There are over 350 different species of parrots and over 9,000 species of birds. The only concrete information we have on bird nutrition is for poultry not companion birds. In fact, in hook bills, the only species we know anything about as far as nutritional requirements are lysine in cockatiels. These studies were done by Dr. Tom Roudybush (one of the few vets who is also an avian nutritionist) back in the 1980s. No other studies have been done. This is because if you can find an university doing research on companion birds its for diseases not nutrition. Even then, any honest vet will tell you that disease diagnosis and treatment is more of an art than a science. Nutrition studies are done by commercial food manufacturers, i.e., the pellet distributors. To say they have a conflict of interest when it comes to bias in this area is a gross understatement. That would be like having tobacco companies fund cancer research. I have bred birds for almost 30 years and witnessed both the advent of pellets and the certification of vets with regard to avian medicine. It doesn’t mean I know more than vets but it certainly does give me both the opportunity for empirical (not anecdotal) data as well as remember why pellets were invented in the first place. Very simply it was for commercial use in making the feeding of caged birds the same as feeding dogs and cats. Of course, this is impossible since, again there are more than 350 species of parrots and only 1 species of dogs and cats. Pellet manufacturers felt that the correct feeding of birds – a diet made up primarily of whole foods (including seeds) but also fruit, vegetables, sprouts, whole grains and legumes was ‘too much work’ by bird owners. They decided if they could make a diet you can simply pour in a bowl they would deal with the usual problem with seed diets, which is the lack of vitamin A and in some species such as Amazons and cockatoos, the high fat content that often leads to fatty liver syndrome. Btw, when most parrotlets are diagnosed with fatty liver syndrome it is usually related to toxins and over vitaminization or medication not diet. So the invention of pellets was really for the convenience of the owners and breeders and, of course, to open up the market so feed companies could make a lot of money. Nothing wrong with that but if you think they were doing something altruistic to help make birds healthy that is incorrect. One thing a lot of people do not realize is that pellets are made from seed, and it is almost always corn. Corn is one of the least nutritious grains on the planet and it is mostly made up of sugar. I myself do not eat corn for that reason. Moreover, in birds, it is not a natural food. But it is cheap and plentiful. There is one pellet, ironically the one promoted by vets, that is not made from corn. It is made from sunflower seeds. The same dreaded sunflower seeds that vets claim has too much fat when it is in whole form but apparently its ok when it has been processed into a pellet – or perhaps that has more to do with the monetary incentive that vets get for selling that pellet. In any event, when you are told to feed pellets instead of seed, you are still feeding seed. Highly processed, artificially colored, flavored, often full of preservatives and vitaminized seed. We know with humans that processed foods are not recommended for top nutrition. This is true for just about all animals and it certainly must be true for birds. Birds have better eyesight than humans, they have a sense of smell, have a sensitive tongue for feeling textures and can taste food. I know I wouldn’t like living on something like “Ensure” even thought it is ‘nutritionally complete’ and I’m sure our birds wouldn’t like it either. More importantly, you will not convince me that drinking a highly processed, overly vitaminized, artificially flavored and colored food like Ensure is better for me than say a bowl of fresh salad made with lots of leafy greens, vegetables and lean protein. It also is more interesting and tastes better which adds to my enjoyment and well-being. I would say my birds would feel the same. On another interesting note, since I know almost all the owners of feed companies personally, the honest ones have told me “Sandee, if you are feeding fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains, cooked legumes, sprouted seed, supplements such as bee pollen and calcium in addition to whole seeds, we can’t make a pellet that nutritious. We make pellets for people who either can’t or won’t take the time to feed their birds whole fresh foods.” As for the issues with mutations, I have dozens of necropsy reports and had countless (off the record of course) conversations with vets, biologists and researchers and they have documented the problems with color mutations and the kidney problems. These have been given to me in confidence so I will not share them nor will I give the names of the vets who have entrusted to me their opinions. My feeling is that it really doesn’t matter. The fact is I have yet to have anyone convince me that feeding highly processed artificially flavored, colored and preserved seed is a better diet than feeding one rich in fresh whole foods including seeds, irregardless of the uric acid problems in mutations. I know I don’t eat that way and I’m not going to feed my birds that way. After all, there are no pellet trees in the wild. I hope you understand I’m not trying to tell you how to feed your bird. Only you can make that decision. However, you should have all the facts available so you can make appropriate decision for you and your bird. You asked my opinion and the reasons therefore and I hope this meets your expectations. Best of luck to you and your bird." "Sandee L. Molenda, C.A.S." #Parrotlet #Parrotlets #Parrotletsforsale #Parrot #Parrots
Some good information about parrotlet splayed legs. Also see my Parrotlet information sectionfor photos showing you how to treat splayed legs in little birds.
Caring for a Bird With Splayed Legs Most birds have no trouble flying, climbing around their cages or perching on their favorite swings. But every now and then a bird is born with splayed legs. The bird may be unable to stand up straight, walk, perch or move around easily. You may find that the legs lean more to the sides than underneath the body, and this is referred to as splayed legs (sometimes called spraddle legs).
Causes There are several causes of splayed legs in birds. The mother could have sat on the baby too heavily or too long, and the force and pressure caused the legs to bend and grow outward instead of underneath the body. Birds need sunlight to produce vitamins, and baby birds kept in nestboxes in dark corners may suffer from a vitamin deficiency that affects their growth.
There are bird foods that supplement this vitamin need, but not all provide enough nutrition. A lack of nutrition or supplements is another reason attributed to splayed legs. In addition to diet, not enough or incorrect bedding in the nestbox can add a risk of the legs being splayed. In fact, veterinarian Ron Hines, DMV, PhD, argues that this is far more likely to be the cause than a vitamin deficiency.
Genetics can also be a factor. This is most commonly seen with inbreeding; unless corrected, it can continue with future offspring. Other times a parent bird might notice the baby is different and refuse to care for it or place more emphasis on the other babies.
Prevention If you do not have a bird with splayed legs, you can start working on prevention in young birds now. The feed should have a good amount of calcium and protein; check the feed you normally buy to make sure it is sufficient for the growth of the birds.
If you provide vitamin D3 as a supplement, check the amount and frequency you provide it so make it is enough for healthy growth. You can also ground up Tums and sprinkle it over their food if other forms are not available.
Treatment Babies and younger birds respond best to treatment since they are still growing. Older or fully developed birds may not be able to be treated, but you can consult with your avian veterinarian to determine what course of action (if any) can still be taken.
If you can determine that the weight of the parents on the baby is causing the legs to be pushed outward, add more bedding to address this problem. Is the nesting container too slippery to be grasped by the young bird? Fix this. Are the birds getting enough sunlight? Consider relocating the cage or providing a lamp that produces sunlight properties. Diet is also very important for growth; double-check that your feed and supplements are sufficient if you can’t find any other reason for the condition.
There are several creative ways to treat splayed legs:
•Pipe cleaners can be bent in a figure-8 shape around the bird’s legs to bring them closer together. •Placing the bird’s legs in a small cup so they are straight underneath him can help straighten the legs. •Use vet tape (tape or bandages that stick to themselves) to wrap around the legs and bring them closer together. •Sticks or straight objects attached to the legs to straighten them can also be used, but be careful that the materials do not scratch the baby’s legs. •Sponges can be used with holes cut out for the legs at the desired angle. This solution can provide a soft and safe alternative to correcting the bird’s legs. Unused makeup sponges can be cut to fit for this purpose.
Birds with splayed legs that can still move around, eat and be active can live normal and healthy lives. They may need additional or special perches, their nails clipped more regularly and extra care given to the pressure points caused on their body in different areas. These pets can still lead a happy life, so check with your veterinarian before you start any treatment. The younger the bird the better, so don’t delay treatment.
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Found this adorable video the other day on a share site.
Click the link below to watch it on YouTube.com
JoJo the Indian Ringneck Parrot and Buddy the Quaker Parrot have a little thing going on. Jojo loves to flirt and ask for kisses and Buddy preens and loves all the attention. What a cute pair!
A great and interesting video I found on YouTube.
I have knew for a long time now that these wonderful little parrotlets have a language of their own and that the parents call them by name. This video is great!!
Biologist Karl Berg asks the question, "How do parrots learn their names?" Are they genetically encoded or are the learned from their parents? In this video, Producer Marc Dantzker delves into Karl's work and explains how this simple question is shedding light on one of nature's most complex communication systems.
Some cool social media posts I ran across this week -
Check them out!
******************************************************************** #1 (on Twitter)
BY: Parrot Of The Day @ParrotOfTheDay
@DrVictoriaJames The parrotlets are so cute! This is Forpus coelestis, the
Pacific parrotlet, from Peru. Note by:
@Lucky_Feathers
A beautiful photo. Check this twitter feed out for new photos each day.
************************************** #2 (on Twitter)
BY: Parrot Of The Day @ParrotOfTheDay
Trailer for a crowd-funded documentary on the critically-endangered western
ground parrot
https://vimeo.com/110141850 Note by:
@Lucky_Feathers
Another post by @ParrotOfTheDay
- This looks like it is going to be a wonderful documentary - Check out the
link.
************************************** #3 (Vimeo Video) A cute Linnie being showed off in this quick
video. Linnies are on my list of - Best Birds In the World!
https://vimeo.com/135863991
************************************** #4 (Instagram) Check out Instagram for some of the best user
posted photos and videos of Parrotlets.
These are everyday people who post photos of their parrotlet family members.
We Love Our Birds!
https://instagram.com/explore/tags/parrotlets/
************************************** #5 (YouTube) 6 Month Old Parrotlet Does 11 Tricks in Under a
Minute !
https://youtu.be/u-ddHz9PTbM Note by:
@Lucky_Feathers
What a fun video to watch. Check out this little guy!
I will be featuring this video as my video of the week on my home page!!
The Best Little Birds In The World! It's True!
Everyone who owns a bird should keep a record of the birds weight. I can not stress how important this is. Birds are very good at covering up an illness. By the time you notice your little guy is sick - it can be to late. I recommend weighing your bird every week. Record the weight each time. If you notice your bird is losing weight or gaining weight you will can act quickly by seeking help from your avian vet or reducing the amount of fat you allow your bird to have in its everyday seed mix.
I POSTED THIS AS A QUICK REMINDER AND SUGGESTION TO MY CUSTOMERS AND
TO ALL BIRD OWNERS.
I WILL FOLLOW UP ON THIS POST AND INCLUDE SOME MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO RECORD THE WEIGHT WHERE TO BUY THE WEIGHT SCALE AND MORE WEIGHT ISSUES VERY SOON.
CONTACT ME IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS NOW OR
BEFORE I GET A CHANCE TO UPDATE THIS POST.
THE SOONER YOU START RECORDING THE WEIGHT THE BETTER FOR YOUR LITTLE BIRD!
CONTACT ME
THANKS GUYS FOR READING!!
SEAN IRA
AKA: LUCKY FEATHERS
Parrotlets get new classification at this year's National Exhibition CHECK OUT THIS GREAT ARTICLE DONE BY A BIRD MAGAZINE IN THE UK.
BELOW IS A DIRECT LINK.
Misconception No. 2:Parrots Aren't Messy Some people see a bird in a cage and assume the cage will contain any slight mess the bird might make — only to discover that the parrot routinely throws most of its food out of the cage or smears it on the wall and scatters toy bits and shredded paper. In the wild, parrots eat one bite out of about ten, dropping food to the ground to rot and enrich the soil. As far as the parrot is concerned, your floor needs a lot of rotting food and she’s doing you a favor.
Misconception No. 3: They Won’t Bite The Person Who Feeds Them A parrot can and will bite you for all sorts of parrot-centered reasons, though they usually will try to avoid biting when they can. The parrot might be bored with no toys or old, worn-out toys. The parrot may have warned you with her body language that she didn’t want to be petted, but you didn’t pay attention. He might be trying to take a nap and doesn’t want to come out, but you kept insisting.
Learn your parrot’s body language; in the wild things rarely escalate to biting because the parrots understand one another’s body language.
Misconception No. 4: Birds Don't Need Toys In their native habitat parrots spend about 40 percent of their time foraging for food. This usually involves a lot of chewing and gnawing, with occasional screaming for effect. Since you probably don’t have a stand of trees in your living room, good quality toys make an acceptable substitute for all that chewing. Parrots get bored easily, so you’ll need to rotate and replace toys frequently. Without any toys, you may soon have a screaming, biting, feather-plucking disaster on your hands.
Misconception No. 5:Parrots Are Quiet A quiet parrot is either sick or dead. Live, healthy parrots chatter, tweet, squawk, scream, scratch, mumble and make all manner of noises. Should your bird detect a new sound in the driveway or the kitchen, he is likely to scream loud enough to let the neighbors know about it and notify the police. The call of a macaw in the rain forest can travel for five miles. Imagine that sound within five feet. An unhappy parrot will scream until you’re sure your ears are bleeding.
Misconception No. 6: All Parrots Talk It is said that all parrots can talk … if they want to. Some of them, however, do talk, and you’ll be amazed at how quickly you tire of hearing "Wanna a treat!” and "Bye bye!” You will never tire of hearing your parrot say, "I love you!” though.
Misconception No. 7: Birds Can Go To A Regular Veterinarian The cost of a routine annual well-bird exam at your avian veterinarian’s will make you weep. Basic veterinarian education includes chickens but not "exotics” like cockatiels or other parrots. This means an avian veterinarian must take extra (expensive) classes throughout their career to keep up with the latest research and findings. Lab work often has to be sent to Florida or some other distant place, at great cost.
Misconception No. 8: Parrot Care Isn’t Expensive Everything related to parrot care is expensive. Not just a little more expensive than for dogs or cats, but wildly more expensive. A good toy for a macaw can cost $60 or more and may last only two days. The fresh veggies and fruits parrots need are more expensive than that frozen generic stuff you eat (also see "Birds Can Go To A Regular Veterinarian" and "Parrots Don't Need Toys"). Organic, top-of-the-line pellets costs as much per pound as good steak. Expect a large, well-made cage to cost about as much as two house payments.
Misconception No. 9: Parrots Only Bond With One Person This is one of the silliest things I’ve ever heard in the parrot world, and believe me: I’ve heard some amazingly silly stuff. Parrots can and do form all sorts of relationships. They may love one member of the household beyond all reason today, only to decide three weeks on they love someone else more. Parrots bond with their parents, with their siblings, with their human slaves . . . er, owners, other birds and even other animals. And yes, sometimes with inanimate objects.
Misconception No. 10: A Baby Parrot Will Never Change Parrots are among the most resilient of animals. This comes from their excellent ability to adapt to changes in their environment. Humans come and go, other animals come and go, cages and houses change, foods change, toys change, the weather changes. That sweet big-eyed baby parrot in the pet store will grow and change into an adult parrot, complete with the onrush of hormones and desire for mating, and on into later life.
Misconception No. 11: It’s Just a Bird; I Can Always Get Another One You may be able to buy another parrot, but you can never truly replace one. Each parrot is an individual with its own unique personality. Your affection for one will never be the same as your affection for another one. Loving a parrot connects you to nature in the most profound way and changes you for the better.
A few beautiful Parrot Documentary films I ran across - You can watch them in full at the link below. Enjoy! Save this link as I will be adding more films as I find them..... Sean
Searching on YouTube I found these great training videos and wanted to share them here on my blog for everyone. A good training video for birds, Most of these training sessions will work well with Parrotlets, Cockatiels, Linnies and Lovebirds. Visit the YouTube Channel
A video found on YouTube showing the hand rearing of a baby bird including dealing with a compacted sour crop. This is a baby Galah - very close to the size of a Cockatiel. This procedure is the same for most birds of this size including English Budgies, Parrotlets, Linnies, Lovebirds and Cockatiels. I follow this same procedure except for the power feeding, I continue to feed the baby with the syringe until the baby is weaned. I do not tube feed (power feed) = using a tube to force food directly into the birds crop. Many experienced breeders do this, However I personally believe my babies turn out better if I spend the time feeding them slowly with only the syringe. If done correctly both ways are however safe.
Did you know that one out of every five Americans is a bird watcher? Andy Thompson of "Bird Watcher's Digest" shows Harry Smith how you can get your family watching birds with some basics. http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/bird-watching-basics/
