Living With A Green-Winged Macaw, Make It A Sunflower Summer

Issue 101 - June 2006

The Complete Psittacine – What Does My Parrot Want? EB Cravens explains what causes some difficult behavioural characteristics – A friend who owns one of my baby amazon parrots called me recently to ask several questions about the bird’s changing behaviour patterns. It seems that Kalia, a chick from the last summer, was beginning to get more demanding in her personality. She was expressing stronger will in her wants and dislikes, even to the point in nipping to communicate or get her way. The keeper has never owned a Psittacine as large and precocious as a Yellow-fronted Amazon. She and I had an extended conversation about what the pet was going through. Living with a Green-winged Macaw – How Rosie arrived in Theresa Woodward’s life – and took it over completely . Why is Bio-Security Important? By Neil Forbes – Of late we have been inundated with fears and concerns about avian influenza. That apart, it does no harm to re-focus on the most important infectious diseases which can affect our parrots. It is only by appreciating what these diseases are, how birds become infected, how the infection is spread, how it can be diagnosed in a healthy looking bird etc., that we can attempt to minimise the risk of our birds suffering from them. Listed below are the relevant major infectious diseases…. Palms and Pesquet’s in Papua New Guinea – the realisation of a long-held dream for Craig Symes of the Research Centre for African Parrot Conservation at the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal in South Africa. Ecuador Ecoadventure – John Geary goes in search of that elusive parrot photo. As we approached the landing that would allow us to penetrate the jungle shore of the Rio Napo, two parrots winged their way overhead, en route to the same clay lick to which we were headed, the same spot from where we could hear hundreds of other squawking parrots congregating as part of their morning routine. I hoped this journey would help me realize an ambition I’d failed to realize the previous week, when I’d paddled down the Rio Shiripuno, through Ecuador’s Amazon rainforest. Green Conures in North America – A threat to the local ecology or a welcome addition to the landscape? Bob Alison does some research. Parrots in Focus by Cyril Laubscher - Hahn’s Macaw (Ara n. nobilis) or Red-shouldered Macaw as it is known in some ornithological literature - is the smallest of the macaws. Only 30 cm (12 inches) and weighing 130-160 grams (4 –5 ozs), this macaw is smaller than a number of Aratinga conures. It is a real lightweight compared to a Hyacinth Macaw at 100 cm (39 + inches) long and weighing around 2 kgs (4 ½ lb). Yet Hahn’s Macaws are charming, have tremendous appeal, are easier to accommodate, and make excellent pets. They also make good aviary birds. The following information should prove helpful when looking to breed or keep this miniature macaw. Having a Splashing Time! – Parrots need to keep their plumage in peak condition and consequently spend many hours preening says Jane Grimshaw. Regular bathing plays an important role in the formation of new feathers and is an exercise your bird can learn to enjoy. To Breed or Not to Breed - Advice from EB Cravens on coping with your pet parrot’s puberty. The Tucuman Amazon – Pauline James outlines efforts being made to preserve one of the most endangered species of parrot in the wild. Keeping a mixed parakeet aviary – David Knights on how his introduction to parrot keeping turned into the happiest of experiences.

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