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I'm going to put some bird related articles on this page,
if you would like to submit an article just send it in an email
with your name and i will post it here, any bird related article
at all. new articles will be placed on top of this page therefore
i shall start a new page shortly.
What good is bird pooh ?
First what good is bird poop? Birds are masters at disguising
illness. Budgies are notorious for keeling over out of the clear
blue. Why? Parrots are "Prey" birds. Nature implanted
the thought "lookout for animals that want to make me dinner."
Everything from a parasitic bird called the Horsfield's hawk-cuckoo
lays an egg in the nest of another bird species, such as the bushrobin
to one mammal that may be an effective predator of parrots is
the False Vampire Bat (Vampyrum spectrum). This is the largest
bat in the New World with a wingspan of nearly 3 ft. It flies
by night and locates birds as they sleep. It then carries its
prey back to its roost where it feeds
An adult Green-winged Macaw has been seen captured by a Brown
Capuchin Monkey as the macaw waited in the trees above a clay
lick in Peru. It is much more common for parrots to fall prey
to raptorial birds like an Ornate Hawk-Eagle (a bird with a 4
ft. + wingspan). As a group, the falcons are effective predators
of many birds and among the world's best fliers. The Peregrine
Falcon is the world's fastest bird and can reach speeds of 200
mph in a dive. This bird is likely a threat to parrots wherever
it occurs.
"Safety in numbers," a defensive weapon natures implants
in birds is their ability to disguise illness. The beak is an
individual defensive weapon. But in nature Illness means weakness
to a predator. Birds of an individual species all look the same.
You can't feel their beak like you can a dog's nose. Forget about
a rectal thermometer. (Rapid changes in weight are another indicator)
But looking at poop may enable you to diagnose illness in a bird
(that's a whole article in itself) who is not displaying any noticeable
symptoms of illness.
Bird poop is also a medium to cultivate nature. Think about it.
You're driving through the country and some folks are fishing
at a small lake in the middle of nowhere. What are they fishing
for? If there are fish, where did they come from? In many cases,
bird poop! Birds are scavengers. People tell us our cockatiel
will only eat THIS!. I say go to Australia and you'll find cockatiels
(and certain Cockatoos) are the pigeons of that continent. Birds
will eat fish, dead or alive. some of those fish may be pregnant.
The birds will eat the fish and the eggs, fly to another small
area of water and poop out the fish eggs while looking for more
food. Those fish eggs may become someone's dinner when they grow
up. So the next time you kneel down to clean the poop around your
bird's cage, think about all the good it can do-do.
Mitch Rezman
Clipping Your Birds Wings
Pets Articles | June 8, 2005
Clipping a pet birds wings is a common grooming procedure and
is necessary for training as well as for your pets safety. You
might feel like you are being mean to the bird, but the fact is
that it does not hurt the bird and can help to keep him from flying
out of an open window or door and becoming lost. Most pet birds
would not be able to survive in the wild, especially if your climate
is not one that is natural for the bird.
You can clip your birds wings yourself at home, but it is best
if you take him into the vet or pet shop and ask if they can show
you the proper way to do it before trying it yourself!
Do not try to clip your birds wing until he is very tame and
used to you holding him, otherwise the procedure will be very
traumatic for you both. You need to make sure that your bird trusts
you enough to hold him and open up his wings. Until your relationship
has reached this stage, it is best to have this done by a professional.
Once your have your birds trust and are ready to clip the wings
yourself, take your bird out of the cage and hold him for a while.
You may need 2 people for this as it can be kind of awkward with
only 2 hands. Spread the birds wing out and hold it out with one
hand, have your scissors ready with the other hand.
You want to cut only the longest feathers – the one on
the very bottom layer. Cut halfway up from the bottom of the wing
in a line that is parallel to the wing. Some people leave the
very last feather intact so when the birds wings are folded in,
you can’t really tell that they are clipped.
This should be a quick and painless procedure. After you have
clipped his wing, your bird will still be able to fly, but not
for any distance. When he does fly, he will most likely, have
a downward motion to the flight, so if he starts off at a high
spot, he’ll able to fly to a lower spot with no problem.
Make sure that there are no other animals in the house that could
hurt him if he lands on the table or floor as he may not be able
to fly away from them to protect himself.
Lee Dobbins
That Annoying Canary Allergy
Canary allergy is no different from your usual bird allergy. It
is brought about by the retaliation or defensive reaction of your
body’s immune system to allergens from birds or Canaries
that gets through the system through feather dust or dander and
through droppings or fecal matter.
Melissa was very excited because that Tuesday afternoon she was
going to the zoo. She is very fond of animals, especially birds.
She doesn’t tire looking, talking and playing around her
favorite bird in that zoo—the canary. Canary is a small
finch or kind of tiny bird that is a native to the Canary Islands.
Canary birds have a yellow to greenish color and has long been
bred by people and bird collectors around the globe as cage birds.
Back to Melissa, happiness with Canary birds must not be a thing
for her because after an hour, a strong discomfort was beginning
to ruin her mood. She started coughing and itching until she could
no longer take it. Later, the physician who attended to her concluded
that she has, yes, you have guessed it right, Canary allergy.
What is Canary allergy?
Canary allergy is no different from your usual bird allergy.
It is brought about by the retaliation or defensive reaction of
your body’s immune system to allergens from birds or Canaries
that gets through the system through feather dust or dander and
through droppings or fecal matter. Because Canary birds are cage
birds that could not freely fly, expect that its feathers are
very much loaded with these irritating dusts that may cause allergic
reactions. Exposure to Canary birds’ dusts and allergens
will bring about bird allergy symptoms within minutes, hours,
or at very rare occasions days, which make diagnosing harder unless
the patient volunteers the information.
Symptoms of Canary allergy
Like bird allergy, Canary allergy is also characterized by simple
allergic reactions or symptoms including postnasal drip, stuffy
nose, hives, coughing, itchy eyes, sneezing, watery or teary eyes
and sore throat. Canary bird allergies may not be that fatal but
the onset of its symptoms will surely cause a great discomfort
to the patient. Failure to address or address severe attacks or
symptoms can also lead to serious complications which can be fatal
or deadly if untreated or unattended. In very sensitive individuals,
Canary allergy is also accompanied by fever and chills.
Treatment for Canary Allergy
Canary allergy is a chronic attack that can cease by its own
even if you do not take in any medication. Most often, the simple
treatment recommended to people exhibiting canary allergy symptoms
is to make that person get farther or away from Canary birds around.
It is a practical treatment because constant and continuous exposure
to the bird that causes the allergy will surely keep the onset
of the allergic reaction. Doctors also prescribe little doses
of antihistamines (drugs that treat simple allergies), decongestants
(drugs that unblocks breathing areas or treat swollen nasal areas)
and corticosteroids ( anti-inflammatory drugs).
Avoiding Canary allergy
Hygiene of course, is the most basic and effective measure to
counter potential Canary allergy attacks. Always wash your hands
even if you are not eating. Clean the surroundings and make sure
there are no Canary bird feathers or droppings around especially
if you have those birds at home. If you are allergic to Canary
birds, just like if you have allergies to other substances, be
sure to always keep your room well-ventilated by opening windows
or turning on air conditioners to an optimal temperature. If you
have Canary birds at home and there is no way you will be disposing
them, there are measures that could help you avoid the onset of
Canary allergy. First, make sure the Canaries’ cage is clean
and tidy. Do not overcrowd the cage because that will cause the
Canaries to fight and play around often, spreading their feathers
around. Make sure that area in the house where the Canary birds’
cage is placed is properly ventilated. Buy an air purification
system to make sure the air you breathe around your house is free
from any allergen that may trigger another Canary allergy attack.
Note: This article may be freely reproduced as long as the AUTHOR'S
resource box at the bottom of this article is included and and
all links must be Active/Linkable with no syntax changes.
Charlene J. Nuble
What are birds
Birds are warm-blooded, bipedal egg-laying vertebrates that are
characterized primarily by their physical features of feathers,
forelimbs modified as wings, and hollow bones. Birds range largley
in size from tiny hummingbirds all the way up to the huge Ostrich.
Depending on how you look at it, and what your viewpoints are
there are approximately ten thousand different species of living
birds. Note the living. there are several others that have become
extinct throughout human history. This mass in numbers makes birds
the most diverse class of terrestrial vertebrates.
Birds are at the majority of times a very differentiated class,
with some feeding on nectar, plants, seeds, insects, rodents,
fish, carrion, or other birds. Most birds are diurnal, which means
that they are active during the day. Some wild birds, such as
owls and nightjars, are nocturnal or crepuscular which means that
they are active during the night. Several birds will migrate long
distances to take advantage of optimal habitats. With that aside
there are others that will spend almost all their time at sea.
Some birds have the ability to stay up in the air for days at
a time, even sleeping while in the air.
All birds have similar characterists: - Bony beak with no teeth
- Laying of hard-shelled eggs for reproduction - high metabolic
rate - Light and strong skeletonMost birds also share the common
trait of flight however there are sevaral species of flightless
birds, that exist mostly on islands. These are birds that once
used to have the ability, but do to adaption have lsost it. A
famous flightless bird is the kiwi which exists in New Zealand.
Ryan Fyfe
Tips and Guide to Keeping Pet Birds Safety at Home
Article reveals that birds are some of the most fragile types
of animals. This can be hard to believe considering that some
birds can outlive their owners. Explain things a bird owner should
know to ensure that their bird are safe at home.
Many of us have heard stories about birds outlasting their owners.
This is a surprise to many, considering the delicate appearance
of most species of birds. Birds, especially canaries, were used
by miners to test the quality of the air deep in the mines. When
the air reaches relatively unhealthy levels, the canaries are
affected adversely and succumb to the fatal effects. This gives
miners ample warning before the air became fatal for humans. This
shows the keen perception of birds.
Just like birds found in the wild, pet birds are susceptible
to unhealthy odors as well. Many household items, Teflon pans,
aerosol sprays and even furniture polish, can be lethal to birds.
One of the best practices when dealing with substances that may
give off pungent odors is to use it in airy areas far away from
your birds.
Pet birds have a natural inclination to chomp and it can be a
major issue. Lead poisoning can be caused when a bird chews on
soldered joints found on welded items. Also, birds do have a penchant
to chew on potted plants. Despite popular sentiments, poinsettia
plants are not deadly. It is important to remember that if you
are unsure if a plant is toxic or not, it is best to err on the
side of caution and move the plant away from the bird. A small
pot of innocuous parsley can be helpful to the bird to overcome
the desire of nibbling on houseplants as it is a safe substitute.
Feeding your birds fresh food is usually good for them; however,
food like coffee, chocolate and avocado are fatal for birds and
they should never be given such foods.
During festive seasons, many families tend to bring trees into
their homes. Many might think that a bird's natural habitat is
a tree and have the belief that their birds will have an affinity
for perching on it. While the birds may in fact enjoy such an
activity, many pine trees are toxic to birds, especially if they
have been treated with any type of preservatives. In addition,
ornaments and electric lights can pose a safety hazard to your
birds.
There are a number of precautionary issues to see to if your
bird does not have had its wings clipped. Firstly, all glass doors
and windows should be shielded one way or another. A good bet
is achieved by blinds, shades or curtains. Placing safety decals
on windows and glass is another option, besides curtains or blinds,
to alert the bird that the glass is there and help avoid serious
or fatal accidents. You should treat other large reflective surfaces
and mirrors in a similar manner when your pet bird is released
from its cage.
Standing water can also be a hazard. The bird can meet its untimely
end in a toilet bowl or full kitchen sink in a few seconds. If
a bird is released from its cage, cooking with an uncovered pot
is especially ill-advised.
Finally, always be mindful of the whereabouts of your bird even
if its wings are clipped. Even a bird with clipped wings can soar
for a considerable distance if there is an upward breeze. It is
easy to forget that your bird is perched on your shoulder when
your doorbell suddenly rings and you rush to answer it but you
must remember never to carry your bird to an open door regardless
of whether or not its wings are clipped.
Moses Wright
Why cockatiel is the best pet bird for the beginner.
Pets Articles | May 6, 2005
Cockatiel bird have been kept and breed successfully in many
countries all around the world. Cockatiel bird can be considered
as the most widely kept parrot other than parakeet or budgie (budgerigar).
Lots of research or expert of cockatiel emerge and many keeper
have lots and lots of knowledge of cockatiel bird and their care.
I prepared this topic especially for newcomer birds enthusiast
who still unable to make the decision about what species of parrot
that they would like to buy. Well, there are lots and lots of
parrot out there in the market. Some is very good for petting
but some may not. However, for many people who haven’t own
any pet parrot or any pet birds, many will feel that parrot will
be the same, with good personality, very friendly, good talker,
a cuddle creature and a good friend when we are lonely. However,
in fact it is not. Some parrot may be very nippy (bite) and rude,
some parrot will tend to attached to only one person (and rude
to other people), some parrot may not talk at all, while some
other species may not give permission to anyone to cuddle them.
Okay, now we may go the some of the reason why in my opinion,
cockatiel is one of the best pet bird for the beginner. Having
said this, I didn’t mean that beginner should only keep
cockatiel or cockatiel is the only choices – the pet bird
enthusiast actually have other option, lots of them but that is
only if they are willing to learn more about the species that
they choose or interested in.
Price
Price can become major obstacle for the pet bird or pet parrot
enthusiast to own their dream bird. Since price of a parrot can
range from few buck up until ten of thousand dollar, price is
sometime a critical in deciding which parrot that the new comer
should choose.
In Malaysia and I believed it happen to many other countries
all around the world, price of a cockatiel is not expensive. Price
may be different based on the colour mutation of the cockatiel
and whether the cockatiel is handfed or parent fed. Normally parent
fed cockatiel is cheaper than handfed cockatiel. This is because
for handfed cockatiel, the breeder have to spent more time, effort
and cost to feed the baby, while for parent fed cockatiel, the
breeder didn’t have to put extra effort to the bird and
definitely they will have lower cost.
If we compared price of a pet cockatiel ( a good, healthy handfed
baby cockatiel which can make good pet) with other species with
similar quality (healthy and handfed baby birds) of the bigger
parrot , the price is totally different. For the beginner, I think
the price of a pet cockatiel is reasonable (even it is not the
cheapest).
Noise level
Personally I think all parrot will make some noise. Some of them
will have rough squak while some other may have melodies whistling.
However, for the normal rule the bigger the parrot it is more
likely that they able (able but not necessary they will do) to
make higher level of noice. I highlight this topic up because
I understand that not everyone have the priviledge to own a very
big house (and area) which will able to prevent the noice from
their parrot to disturb their neigbhour.
In many occasion, new comer in pet bird or pet parrot keeping
fall in love with their dreamed parrot in the first sight or from
their reading. They may heard or read about the parrot ability
from books or from internet or they may have some friend who have
this species of parrot and the parrot able to ‘speak’
(mimic) or perform some trick. However, many fail to realise that
different people will have different level of tolerance towards
noice level. For some people, they are okay with the noise that
their parrot have (in the morning, afternoon and evening and sometimes
all day until middle of the night). We also should consider this
with the people live around us a.k.a our neigbhour.
Cockatiel will create some noise or whistling sound every now
and then especially in the morning and late afternoon. However,
if only one individual cockatiel is kept, the noise level that
they able to create is not much and still at minimal level compared
to other bigger parrot. Cockatiel also didn’t have high
pitch sound like lovebirds. They also normally not always ‘sing’
like budgie do. Generally one can keep cockatiel in all type of
house – whether it is an apartment, a single house, a link
house (terrace house) or a bungalow.
Talking abilities
Generally many parrot will able to mimic. This is not happen to
every individual birds but lots of them do. The main different
among one species and other is clearity of their voice. Normally
big parrot will be easier to train to talk and will have clearer
voice. Among the best talker known at this time is African Grey
Parrot, Eclectus parrot and Amazon parrot. Cockatoos and macaw
family also talk but they are not rank in the top talker bird.
In small parrot category, cockatiel is one of the parrot that
have the ability to talk (mimic). Many will learn how to say ‘hello’
and some other phrase which will depend on the training given
by the owner. Based on my reading, the species of parrot that
hold the records of most vocabulary ( english word) is budgies!
strange right ? I believed that many people will think it should
be from big parrot family.
I have raised many baby cockatiel and most of them have gone
to other good house. There are one individual who currently own
by one of my friend which able to mimic ‘hello’. This
particular cockatiel name ‘Cupid’, and is less than
a year when he mimic that word. If the cockatiel is a handfed
baby, they are friendly and more trainable. They are more likely
to mimic if the owner spend proper time with them everyday.
Good personality
Human have kept parrot since long time. However, in early stage
most of the parrot is from wild caught. Only few that is captive
breed. Later, aviculturist is growing and more parrot are produce
in captivity. I believed now some of the species that we keep
today is totally from captive breed stock and not from wild cought
anymore. However, most of the parrot is still exotic and their
personality is either still similar to their cousin in the wild
or they are still not domesticated. I believed that there are
many parrot out there in the market that didn’t have good
personality or friendly behaviour.
As far as my experience with my cockatiel, which I believed is
more than 100 individual bird (many of them have been sent to
good home), I think cockatiel have good, calm and friendly personality.
Cockatiel rarely bullies other birds even from smaller species.
(provided that they are house in good home and good environment).
They normally not charge to people to bite.
Cockatiel also not very moody whereby if the cockatiel is tame,
it will be tame. I mean it will not act like a ‘good boy’
in front of you and bite you if you didn’t look at them!
Yes, some parrot do this… when you look at them they may
stay still but once you didn’t look they come and bite you
and they bite hard! Having said this, if the cockatiel is not
tame, they will still bite us if we try to catch him.
Cockatiel rarely have mean personality. Most of the cockatiel
is friendly, (but some individual is more friendly than other).
Handfed cockatiel will still become a tame pet birds even after
few year we put them in breeding stock. However, it must be given
some time to be used to us again.
Small and compact in size.
Many people likely to be attracted to large bird or parrot. Obvoiusly
because they are big and look so elegance. But while these species
of parrot look very elegance, they also need lot of space to live
happily. For some species of parrot, ten of feets of avairy is
their minimum requirement for them to able to perform a healthy
lifesyle. Therefore, in many cases many people will prefer to
keep smaller species which similair behaviour or pet quality.
Cockatiel didn’t need a very big cage to live happily.
A cage of about 3 feet is somehow can make the birds flip their
wings and stay healthy. Their cage also didn’t have to be
very strong as they are not so destructive. When they are outside
their cage, they are also didn’t create any damage to the
furniture.
To conclude, there are lots of pets parrot in the market. However,
for the beginner I still recommend smaller species of parrot or
birds. In these smaller species, definitely cockatiel bird is
one of the best option that they should consider. For more information
about pet cockatiel, please visit www.pet-cockatiel.com
Tanin from Malaysia
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