Q – I have a blue and gold macaw which comes from the rainforest in South America. Since it is very humid there, how much should I raise the humidity in my bird room?

– Norman H., Missoula, MO

A – This is a great question and the answer is surprisingly simple. It goes hand in hand with a very commonly asked question: “how warm should I keep my bird room?”

These questions arise based ...

Charlie the galah. His previous owner took him to the vet to get his darkened nostrils checked out but no cause was found. We now know that Charlie’s liver was causing vomiting that was mild enough not to be noticed. A discharge from his nostrils were a part of that.

I’ve found myself in the worst place to be when it comes to developing a healthy relationship with a bird. My Galah, Charlie, came to me from a decent home but had a rescue ...

Wild Galah, springtime, Melbourne, Australia.

Spring has sprung here in the Southern Hemisphere. In most bird homes, this means an influx of hormones and seasonal behaviours  but surprisingly that’s not a problem I seem to be having this season with my own pet flock. Instead, spring seems to be making itself felt in the wildlife rescue part of my life. Gale force winds and bird’s nests don’t tend to get along! We’ve had our share of them with the change in season.

Last year, ...

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The newest member of my flock – Charlie (Galah/Rosebreasted Cockatoo)

As I type this, the newest member of my flock, Charlie the galah is with his avian vet and I’m not sure that he’s coming home. I’m sitting next to my mobile phone waiting for news. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve checked to see if my phone is working. I know I charged it but maybe it has gone flat super fast? Nope. It’s working. It’s also too soon for the ...

Two of my birds bathing under a sprinkler. (For those who are concerned about water conservation: I use tank water.)

One of my flock’s favourite ways to bathe is outside under a sprinkler. I set the sprinkler up on top of their aviaries and let the water fall down on them just like rain would. Everyone except for my macaw happily screams and shouts and plays under it. My eclectus gets as close to the sprinkler as possible as he prefers to ...

The earring my Blue and Gold Macaw stole.

After reading that heading, anyone familiar with my flock will immediately know that my Blue and Gold Macaw named Fid, has been at it again. If there is a way for him to get into trouble – he’ll find it. This week he added the title “Jewel thief” to his resume.

Fid loves goldfish.

It was one of those awfully ...