The avian male reproductive tract is very unique and different from that of humans and mammals.Male birds have two functional bean-shaped testes located within the body, just above the kidneys. This is in contrast to many female birds in which the right ovary regresses, leaving just one functional left ovary. The testes grow in size … Read more
Birds have a population of bacteria known as ‘normal microbial flora’ which colonizes the skin and mucous membranes of the respiratory and gastrointestinal tract. These bacteria are not disease causing and are referred to as ‘nonpathogenic’.Bacteria may be classified as ‘gram-positive’ or ‘gram-negative’ based upon certain staining characterisitics. Gram-positive bacteria are the predominant normal inhabitants … Read more
As a rule injuries to wild birds happen in two ways, the most common being the impact of the bird with a window or some other immovable object. The second is a predator/prey situation usually involving a cat or dog. Some injuries are quite evident and others are impossible to determine by observation.The bird should … Read more
Have you ever seen a bird swinging away on a swing while emitting sounds of great pleasure? Or perhaps you’ve seen a bird hanging from a swing by one foot or doing somersaults around the perch while it moves to and fro? Swings are wonderful for birds. They are a source of enjoyment, body exercise … Read more
So you’ve decided to get a canary, perhaps as a result of reading my previous article, Canaries as Pets. I will assume that you’ve already decided that a canary is the right pet for you and you understand their basic nature and requirements. First, you need to decide how many birds you will get and what … Read more
Edible flowers delight the eye as well as the palate and are becoming quite popular with adventurous cooks. But people have used flowers as food for thousands of years-and so have parrots! A glance through the pages of Parrots of the World, alerts one to the huge variety of parrot species that feed on flowering … Read more
This is the second in a series of articles I have written on breeding Greys. The first article Breeding African Greys – Part I covered setting up, mating and breeding through the hatching of baby chicks. Part II addresses brooders, handfeeding and caring for the baby chicks. Additional articles on hatching, weaning, fledging and socializing babies will … Read more
This is the third in a series of articles on avian reproduction. The first two articles addressed The Incredible Female Bird Reproductive System and The Male Bird Reproductive System. This article discusses some of the factors which trigger and stimulate reproduction and as well as some of the resulting hormonal and reproductive system changes. Some birds, such as … Read more
Ever since my Avian Veterinarian, Dr. Rolfe, returned from a seminar, I’ve been on a personal mission. My goal is to find more information on an avian behavior referred to as “anting”. Very few people have ever heard of “anting” or may have seen it without being aware of what their birds were really doing. … Read more
Most parrot owners are well aware of the common hazards that endanger our parrots, such as overheated Teflon, forbidden foods, poisonous plants, toxic metals, and others. There are many lists of poisonous plants and many articles about the various hazards to be avoided.Two other means of frequent exposure to toxins that have not been covered … Read more