Calcium is essential for bone formation, muscle contraction, proper functioning of the nervous system and egg shell formation.Phosphorus is also essential for bone formation, metabolism of carbohydrates and fat, and calcium transport in egg formation. The diet provided to keep a bird healthy must contain adequate calcium and phosphorus and they must be present in … Read more
(This concludes this article. Part I of this article is at https://birdsnways.com/raising-good-pets/) Flight Training I consider this to be the most important thing in raising confident babies and the single biggest factor in avoiding the clinging, feather-plucking, self-mutilating, neurotic Cockatoo or naked, fearful African Grey or biting, screaming Amazon. Our baby birds fly through weaning. … Read more
Do birds need grit? This is not only a common question of concern to bird owners, but a source of disagreement as well. Understanding what grit is, its purpose, and the possible problems which may result from its use, can help us in deciding whether or not to offer it to our birds. Most of … Read more
We have all wondered which foods contain the most nutrition for our birds. Many of us also want to know what nutritional differences exist if foods are served raw, fresh, cooked, sprouted, dry roasted or oil roasted. This is the second in a series of articles which will address these questions. The first article covered seed … Read more
Megabacteria, as the name implies, are very large rod shaped organisms. Although initially considered to be a type of bacteria, newly emerging evidence suggests it is really a fungus. Megabacteria have been identified in many species of birds among which include budgies, finches, canaries, lovebirds, cockatiels, rosellas, cockatoos, mynahs, certain parrot species and waterfowl. It … Read more
Wild parrots spend their lives in the greenery of the rain forest canopy. Not only do they use green trees and plants for camouflage and bathing, their colorful, lofty home contains a huge variety of edible green plants. Greenery provides leaves, buds, sprouts, shoots, blossoms, and stems, as well as nuts, seeds, fruits and berries. … Read more
There are a number of diseases and disorders which can affect birds skin and feathers. Some may be inherited, while others, such as parasites, can be contracted. Knowing which are serious and what to do if they occur can greatly improve a bird’s comfort and even save its life. Some of the more common skin … Read more
The moon was a sliver of platinum against a midnight sky and long shadows were cast on the ground from the shining orb. After an early dinner, the little Moluccan Cockatoo heard the sound of popping popcorn coming from the kitchen and he smelled the rich smell of its delicious aroma. Being closest to the … Read more
As an exotic bird trainer, I use different tools to help keep training easy and fun for the birds and myself. One of the most basic tools is “the target” which is an object we teach the bird to touch. Once he learns to touch it, we then use the target to lead or direct … Read more
Song is used by passerines (songbirds) to attract mates and to maintain breeding territories in the spring and early summer, however, many songbirds also sing in the autumn. If these birds aren’t breeding in the autumn, then why are they singing? There are at least three physiological mechanisms that apparently underlie autumnal singing in temperate-zone … Read more