Dear Parrots magazine,
Breeding budgies
When I was younger and living at home with my parents we always had a budgie in a cage like many people did way back in the old days, but now I am married and have a family, the thought of budgerigars is still well ingrained in my mind. It is quite interesting that when I took my young son and daughter to a garden centre a couple of years ago, they went straight to where the budgies were. I did think this was quite interesting, but they seem to have the same interest as I did when I was at their age.
Read more: Letters: Breeding budgies
Dear Parrots magazine,
The best for our birds
I think it is safe to say that we all want is to give the best food to our birds, as they are in a captive environment and cannot choose and select as they would in the wild. This makes it so important that we feed good nutritious food and where possible, food that encourages them to forage, which is a natural instinct they have.
Read more: Letters: The best for our birds
Dear Parrots magazine,
What a mess!
I read in the January issue the article by Eb Cravens about how messy parrots can be, well, how that resonates with me! We bought an African Grey 14 years ago and although love him to pieces, he does make an amazing mess like all companion parrots do. Whatever I put in his cage, he will pick at it and tear it to pieces, weather toys, wooden perches, or cardboard boxes and anything else he can get his beak into. But as we all know, this is what parrots do and I agree, it’s like having a five-year-old toddler for the rest of your life, but I wouldn’t be without him for all the money in the world.
Read more: Letters: What a mess!
Dear Parrots magazine,
Review your security
Over the years I have read a lot about security with all the gizmos and gadgets that are available, but I suppose like many keepers, think what I have in place is adequate. However, I was wrong, as recently there was an attack on one of my aviaries in which I have a pair of Yellow-fronted Amazons. Although I have metal clasps with padlocks securing the doors, the attackers clearly used a crowbar and attempted to prise a door open. Luckily, I have two Jack Russells who set off the alarm as they were aware of something going on and then barking to wake me up about two o’clock in the morning. I looked out of my bedroom window and could see two figures at the aviary, and as only one of my two auto floodlights turned on, they continued to break in. The one that didn’t turn on was the one that would have better illuminated these burglars, which is why I suppose they continued. Unfortunately, by the time I and my two dogs got to the aviary, these two had gone, but luckily, my Amazons were no worse off by the commotion.
Read more: Letters: Review your security
Dear Parrots magazine,
Correction
I would like to make a correction to my Letter in Postbag about Spix’s Macaw in the December issue (323). I stated that the Sao Paulo Zoo has never previously exhibited this species. David Waugh knows better! He told me:
Read more: Letters: Correction
Dear Parrots magazine,
Spix’s Macaw
I would like to comment on the letter about Spix’s Macaws in the November issue. The writer said that she had never been clear why it became extinct in the wild. This is surprising considering the large volume of information on the subject. Examples are the detailed accounts in Threatened Birds of the Americas (by Nigel Collar, L. P. Gonzaga and others) and Chapter 29 in my book Parrot Conservation. In a nutshell, the Spix’s Macaw became extinct due to the combined pressures of habitat destruction and illegal trapping. These factors have brought many parrot species close to extinction. The Spix’s Macaw is more vulnerable because its range is small and it is a habitat specialist.
Read more: Letters: Spix’s Macaw
