The Unique Skill Set of the Small Bird Owner

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Cockatiel

 

Before we talk about owners, I think it’s important to talk about their birds first: I do not believe in so-called beginner parrots, or graduating from one species to the next in order of size. This is because I believe that all parrots are made equal. The number of grams they weigh does not define them as ‘beginner,’ ‘intermediate’ or ‘advanced’ – in essence, buying a budgie will only ever teach you how to work with budgies.

My parrotlet is an aggressive, somewhat bipolar fellow ...

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Glossary of Bird Names

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A Congo African Grey – CAG.

 

While abbreviating names can be much faster to write or type, sometimes it can get confusing even for people who are used to doing it! That’s why I’ve compiled a glossary of the most common abbreviations of bird names.

Cockatoos are the easiest, although they sound more confusing at first. Quite simply, the ‘too’ of cockatoo is abbreviated into numerical form, 2. Then the first letter refers to the actual species or sub-species. Note that cockatoos are also often ...

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The First Sign Of Hormones In A Young Macaw

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Fid my Blue and Gold Macaw. He can open the fridge door, climb down the door shelves and steal any bottles that have screw top lids. He’s not worried about drinking the contents but all lids are HIS.

 

You know you’re in really serious trouble when you walk into your bird room and all of the birds stop what they’re doing and look at you in that way they do when they want to see if your head is going to explode? There is ...

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How Long Does It Take To Recover From Feather Damage?

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Rosebreasted Cockatoo/Galah. This is Merlin, taken in Oct 2009. I had found him 2 months earlier, in shock and bleeding in a pet store due to a bad wing clip. I bought him and drove the shop crazy by reporting them and plying them with subsequent vet bills. (The shop couldn’t hit Merlin over the head with a brick to hide the evidence if I brought him home, could they?)

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When Your Avian Vet Takes A Day Off…

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My Blue and Gold Macaw, Fid.

 

I just had my hair dyed yesterday. I got rid of all of my grey roots. I had finally found a colour that I liked and my hair was still at that stage where it looked like I’d been to a human hairdresser rather than to a lorikeet frizzathon. I had chocolate in the house and no one needed me to do anything. I had no assignments due and I had at least 10 minutes to myself. Only ...

 

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