Norfolk Parakeet (Cyanoramphus cookii)

The Norfolk Parakeet (Cyanoramphus cookii), is also known as the Tasman Parakeet, the Norfolk Island Green parrot, or the Norfolk Island Red-crowned Parakeet. It is endemic to Norfolk Island in the Pacific ocean, situated just under 900 miles from Australia from where Norfolk is governed.

The Holistic Parrot

Those of us who keep parrots may have recognised some of the commonalities between avian viral and bacterial infections and Covid-19 (Coronavirus). One glaring similarity that jumped out for me is the fact that an individual can be a carrier without showing any symptoms. This is why it is so essential for the health of our existing parrot collections to quarantine every new bird for a set time period, and receive a clean bill of health from your avian veterinarian, before introducing them into the rest of your flock. Many of the avian pathogens go through a cycle and into dormancy where standard disease testing cannot detect them, but they can still be shed in the feather dander and faeces contaminating food, water and the environment.

Natural light and good health

In this final Part 5 of his light series, John Courteney-Smith explains how full-spectrum+UV-B light plays a vital part in achieving good health and, perhaps, offers a solution to feather plucking

Maintaining the breeding system

While a virus has paralysed the world of human beings, nature has maintained its usual progress, although with the absence of various contaminations, acoustics, gas emissions and many others that, in our day by day work, we do not become affected. A pause that definitely will be recorded in some way, even in the physical memory of the earth.

Consequences of too much food

If there is one act that many of us parrot keepers are guilty of with our birds, it is the daily overfeeding of the flock. It is not an easy habit to avoid considering how important nutrition is to the health and longevity of psittacines. The rationale often is, “Give birds lots of food and they will pick out what they need and never go hungry, hence I am doing the right thing.”

Is Your Parrot Happy?

Our pet companions are very special to us and it is therefore important that we care for them in the best way possible. Their surroundings, a proper diet, adequate and sufficient housing, stimulation and the opportunity to fly are major considerations that must be borne in mind if your parrot is to be happy.

Greys and Timnehs continue to dwindle

Frequently included with the most traded of all bird species listed under CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) are the African Grey Parrot (Psittacus erithacus), and the now separately recognised (from 2010) Timneh Parrot (P. timneh).

What is light and why is it so important?

In this fourth part of John Courteney-Smith’s series on light, he explains the importance of choosing the correct UV lamp in order to provide the correct amount of natural UV light depending on individual requirements

Complete Psittacine

Parrot Environments are Evolving

Chillies a passion for parrots

Ever had that burning feeling when your parrot pecks you affectionately on the cheek?

Your feathered friends' feet

Louise Caddy, Head of Parrots at Paradise Park (home of the World Parrot Trust) gives some tips and advice on how to provide the best foot care for your birds. She suggests ways you can help prevent foot problems, increase enrichment and have a healthy bird.

Cuttlefish bone is not enough!

Most bird owners know the importance of calcium in the diets of our birds. It is absolutely necessary for laying females, pairs rearing young and species such as Grey Parrots, which are susceptible to seizures, leading to death, without this vital element. Unfortunately, many deaths, including egg-binding, can be attributed to a calcium deficiency.

Wing Clipping

Yes or No?

Spix's going home!

The ICMBio together with ACTP are bringing back the Spix’s Macaw to fly wild in the skies over Brazil once again

Orange-fronted parakeets

Orange-fronted parakeets (Eupsittula canicularis) are colourful social Neotropical psittacids that are distributed from northern Mexico to Costa Rica. They regularly occur in flocks of up to 50 individuals that forage conspicuously in scattered or patchy trees along roads or forest edges bordering savannas. I have encountered them routinely in the Tarcoles River – Carara (Putarenas) region of Costa Rica. They are the most abundant psittacids on the Pacific Slope of Central America.

Consistency and Dependability V Routine

In the wild, most parrot species have flock traditions that they have been following for thousands of years.

Conserving Cuba's psittacines

Known for salsa dance music, mojitos, classic cars and much more, in April of 2019 the city of Havana in Cuba boasted an even better attraction.

Complete Psittacine

The Future for the Pet Industry

Breeding season under way

News from Loro Parque

A Change In A Favoured Person

Over the years I have often received calls from disappointed people asking for help when their parrot suddenly doesn’t seem to like them anymore and has transferred affection to someone else.

Lovely Lories at Loro Parque

As a complete enthusiast of lories and lorikeets, Rosemary Low tells us about some of her favourites and how enchanting these highly colourful psittacines are

Grey-breasted Parakeets – how nest boxes saved the day

In 2007 the Brazilian NGO, Aquasis, conducted museum research and exhaustive field expeditions in its historically reported distribution in north-east Brazil.

Adventures of Spike

In this, the second part of Sally Blanchard’s “Adventures of Spike”, she concludes with some more accounts of the times they enjoyed together

News from Loro Parque

Winter feeding at Loro Parque Fundación

Complete Psittacine - Psittacine Breeding Tips Volume VI

Eb Cravens continues his series of articles on breeding tips, which is something hopefully most hobby aviculturists can fi le away and use at their facility.

Fifty Greys at the Kiwa Centre... a report from the World Parrot Trust

We would like to announce the arrival of 50 African Grey parrots at our Kiwa Centre in the UK.

What Is Light And Why Is It So Important?

In this second part of John Courteney-Smith’s article on light, he considers UV lamps, health, wellbeing and reproduction

XCARET a theme park par excellence

I was lucky enough to be invited as guest speaker on the ‘Parrot Lovers Cruise’ early in November 2019.

The Holistic Parrot

Broccoli, the ideal functional food

Mealy Amazon

(Amazona farinosa guatemalae)