In this issue

Parrot News – Please send us your news stories; News from Loro Parque – Calabash for parrots. Cucurbitaceae enrichment for our parrots; Increasing Knowledge of the Most Endangered Parrots – by Rosemary Low; Non-stick Dangers – Pamela Howell highlights this potentially lethal issue; Complete Psittacine by Eb Cravens – Subtle Secrets for Feeding Psittacines, and Getting them to Eat; GSE and its uses – by Leslie Moran; Happy Birthday Max; Coronavirus threat to PNG’s animal rescue centre – Port Moresby is the capital of Papua New Guinea and is home to its unique animal rescue centre, including the rare Pesquet’s Parrot, that is now facing the threat of the Covid-19 pandemic, and could be shut down; “Polly Want a Sprout?” Much more than a book on sprouting – by Leslie Moran; Landmark event for Philippine Cockatoo – by David Waugh, Correspondent, Loro Parque Fundación; Christmas Offers – your chance to buy a gift subscription, or a selection of CDs or DVDs at three for the price of two (while stocks last); Your parrot queries answered – our panel of experts is available to answer all your queries on companion or breeding parrots; Letters; DVDs and Back Issues for sale – a selection of mostly parrot related DVDs and many back issues of this magazine, all with delivery included in the price; Avian Vets – our worldwide listing of those vets with a special interest in parrots. If you would like your surgery included in a future edition of this magazine, please contact us; Parrots Helpline – if you have a parrot problem, whether it be health, diet, or whatever, you can contact any of the advisors listed here; and lots more…

Parrot language issue

Puerto Rico’s endangered parrots are facing a new threat to their survival – their strange squawks. In a phenomenon never seen before, Puerto Rican parrots bred in captivity, with a view to being released into the wild, were communicating with a different dialect to the wild populations.

2 mins

Regent parrots thriving in SA wetland

Passion drips from Tim Field’s every word when he speaks about eastern Regent Parrots. The wetland manager at Banrock Station in South Australia is, it’s fair to say, smitten with these striking birds. “September and October is Regent Parrot survey time,” Tim says, “So we’re up well before dawn to make sure we’re at the wetland’s to track the fly-in, fly-out breeding population.”

1 min

Landmark event for Philippine Cockatoo

Exciting news has recently arrived of a landmark event in the Philippine Cockatoo Conservation Program (PCCP), the long-term endeavour to bring about the recovery of this ‘Critically Endangered’ species endemic to the Philippines. For the first time ever, a Philippine Cockatoo rescued from the wild, and subsequently released back to its original site, has been recorded to breed and produce a healthy hatchling. Such rescue and release to augment the wild population is just one of a raft of conservation measures conducted by the PCCP and supported by the Loro Parque Fundación over many years.

4 mins

Increasing Knowledge of the Most Endangered Parrots

Fifty years ago our knowledge of the status of parrots in the wild was limited. Few parrot species were known to be in danger of extinction and these were mainly Amazona parrots which were confined to small islands. At that time very few species had been studied in the wild.

9 mins

Coronavirus threat to PNG's animal rescue centre

Port Moresby is the capital of Papua New Guinea and is home to its unique animal rescue centre that is now facing the threat of the Covid-19 pandemic, and could be shut down. Papua New Guinea is the most populous nation in Melanesia and faces a potentially devastating wave of Covid-19 infections.

4 mins

Cucurbitaceae enrichment for our parrots

The group of cucurbitaceae is the one that includes cucumbers and pumpkins. Climbing or creeping plants that usually cover large areas to produce fruits that usually accumulate a lot of water. In nature, these plants defend themselves with a very bitter substance called cucurbitacin.

1 min

Rare macaw refuge destroyed

A rare bird sanctuary in Brazil, which is home to 15 per cent of the world’s population of Hyacinth and Lear’s Macaws, has been destroyed by fires, and there are now fears for the survival of these blue macaws. “It is very sad to see decades of my family’s work, years taking care and preserving nature, for this to happen,” said Ana Maria Barreto, owner of the São Francisco do Perigara, a cattle ranch and bird sanctuary of more than 61,000 acres in Mato Grosso state.

2 mins

The value of animals

Children at a nursery and day care facility were delighted to receive a visit from some very special guests. Learning Land in Workington has a range of animals drop by, as part of an educational encounter paid for by the Co-op. The store has been working with animal specialists, Pet Encounter Cumbria, based in Workington, to deliver therapeutic and educational visits to children and the elderly.

1 min

Complete Psittacine Subtle Secrets for Feeding Psittacines – and Getting them to Eat

I have been daily feeding psittacines for 40 years now and there have been times in the past when I felt that was all I did each day – pets, breeders, babies, the birds at the shoppe in Santa Fe. The good news is this has taught me a whole lot about how to do it. And across all species groups, there are some really good guidelines for what to feed, when to feed, and how to make sure your parrots are actually consuming what you are giving them.

4 mins

Calabash for parrots

Different types of calabash has grown this year very well within our organic crops and a big advantage for our parrots that are relishing every moment during this season.

1 min

Reproduction in controlled spaces

Getting birds to reproduce in controlled spaces is a process that requires dedication, a lot of attention, resources and, above all, knowledge. Only in this way can good results be obtained.

3 mins

Mind-bendingly beautiful

Based in Sydney, Australia, science communicator, Bec Crew, has a love for weird and wonderful animals and describes the Eclectus Parrot, “With its intensely pigmented emerald and crimson plumage, the Eclectus Parrot is like a living gemstone.”

2 mins

The Swimming Kakapo

Once upon a time, very few people had heard of a Kakapo, “Whatever is that bird,” someone said. The Kakapo is ground dwelling and the largest parrot in weight, which can produce a unique booming sound that can travel considerable distances.

1 min

News from Loro Parque: Parrots enjoy the summer

At this time of year in the latitudes of the Canary Islands we are entering into the summer period.

2 mins

Crimson-fronted Parakeet

The Crimson-fronted Parakeet (Psittacara finschi), also known as Finsch’s Parakeet or Finsch’s Conure, is a large parakeet found primarily in Central America from Panama to Nicaragua. It is fairly common in deforested areas and agricultural parts of Costa Rica, especially Heredia, Alajuela, Guanacaste, and recently the Valle Central.

2 mins

Will Protected Areas Ensure The Future Of The Tucuman Amazon?

Across the backdrop of a fading orange sunset came wave after wave of clamouring Tucuman Amazons (Amazona tucumana), about 5,000 of them heading for the ‘El Fuerte’ roost where they would spend each night during the non-breeding season (May-September) of the Austral winter.

5 mins

Wild Diets – captive options

Wild parrots get their beaks into all sorts of foods and their tastes change from day-to-day, and season-to-season. During my graduate work in the early 1990’s, I had the privilege of studying large parrot communities in southeastern Peru near the now-famous clay licks along the Manu and Tambopata Rivers. My work specifically focused on what sorts of foods the 17 parrot species we observed (from parrotlets to Macaws) consumed in both dry and wet seasons. Having published those findings with my former advisor, Catherine Toft (see www.psittascene.org) it seemed an opportune time to explore how wild diets can inform our approach to feeding captive parrots. To add depth to the discussion we’ve called upon EB Cravens as well who has graciously offered his thoughts on this topic from his decades of successful natural parrot care. Eb will feature in Part II of this article in the next (September) issue of Parrots magazine.

5 mins

Parrot breeding Part II: Aviaries and nest sites

In my article in the last issue, I mentioned some of the factors to be considered when setting up breeding aviaries. Think carefully about the location being suitable for the species. When I was curator at Palmitos Park, Gran Canaria, in the breeding centre we had a lovely pair of the rare Purple-bellied Parrots (Triclaria malachitacea) – one of my favourite species.

5 mins

Climate Change And The Cape Parrot

Cape Parrots (Poicephalus robustus) used to be seen near Cape Town, but were last sighted there in 1726 and in the present-day, occupy a more restricted geographical distribution in South Africa, being reliant on fragments of misty Afromontane forest between 1,000 and 1,400m above sea level in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo provinces. Estimates of the current population size are between 1,1001,786 individuals, derived from an annual national census called the Cape Parrot Big Birding Day (CPBBD), a remarkable case of citizen science in action.

5 mins

Parrot breeding Some basic advice Part I

I am responding to a novice reader’s request in the May issue for advice on breeding – to avoid any ‘pitfalls’.

6 mins

Parrots and primates

Scientists in New Zealand have tested to see how accurately a particular species of parrot can predict future events, and found that, in many ways, that parrots are as proficient as the great apes.

1 min

The practically perfect parrot

I’m sure we all remember that famous part in Mary Poppins when the world’s favourite nanny suddenly pulls out (from a seemingly bottomless bag) a magical measuring tape and measures her two charges.

8 mins

Support from Johnston & Jeff

Premium bird food manufacturer, Johnston & Jeff, has flown to the aid of four parrot rescue and rehoming centres hit by the coronavirus.

2 mins

Watching our wonderful wildlife

I live in an area of the eastern suburbs of Melbourne where there are strict environmental controls over the clearing of native vegetation of eucalyptus and wattle trees. As a result, we are blessed with a large variety of native birds, including over 10 species in the parrot (Psittaciformes) family.

4 mins

New Black cockatoo discovered

The new subspecies of the Red-tailed Cockatoo, previously thought to be a part of the inland subspecies, was discovered by scientists.

1 min

Complete Psittacine

Individual Attentions for Baby Parrots

5 mins

News from Loro Parque

Conservation and breeding of parrots

3 mins

Back from the Brink

Decimated by poachers and smugglers, the guacamayaroja, or Scarlet Macaw (Ara Macao), is making a comeback in the Central American rainforest.

3 mins

Wild And Captive Blue-Throated Macaws

David Waugh, Correspondent, Loro Parque Fundación, describes how they are genetically distinct and the implications on their conservation

6 mins

Problems in adolescent parrots

This article by the late Liz Wilson provides an insight as how to deal with those adolescent parrots and some tips on implementing effective controls

9 mins

Read all stories from Parrots magazine

Parrots magazine Magazine Description:

Parrots magazine is exclusively about parrots and parakeets covering a wide range of topics including how they can become valued companions, behavioural issues, breeding, veterinary and healthcare, conservation, general husbandry and many other interesting aspects about these unique birds. Apart from information being interesting and appealing to readers, the magazine always encourages responsibility and education in order for owners to provide the best care for their birds. Information on shows, conventions and many other visitor attractions. Advertisements from a wide range of suppliers of feeds, accessories, ecotours, vet listing, ‘Lost and Found’ register, and other parrot related items