A European Wasp eating Lorikeet wet food.

Generally speaking bugs aren’t a major issue for birds. Birds are largely protected by their feathers, which make it significantly less likely for them to be stung or bitten by a bug. There are some exceptions to this though. I’ve written before about my encounters with a parasitic fly – the Hippoboscidae Fly. Another exception would be mosquitoes that might be carrying diseases (especially if you keep a species of bird with exposed facial skin ...

Bluethroated macaw

This season seems to be handing out more than the average share of hormones to our companion birds. Oddly, I am hearing reports of rotten behavior from bird owners all over the world – even in places where it is autumn and not spring. I wish someone would do some research to explain why this sometimes happens.

Why are there some seasons so much worse than others on such a universal scale? Is there an unusual atmospheric condition that is triggering hormones that we don’t recognize? And while researchers are ...

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Enjoying the warmth of the heated section of the aviary on a cold winter day

There is a big difference between parrot rescues and parrot sanctuaries. Parrot rescues are faced with a daunting challenge. Their goal is to take in unwanted, sometimes very ill and emotionally unsettled parrots and make them right again so they are adoptable. In most cases, rescue birds are transient. If all goes to plan, they eventually find a home, leaving an open cage for another unwanted bird. I have unlimited respect for those who are able ...

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Greenwing macaw

As usual, there are a lot of conflicting opinions bouncing around in the avian community. One that has been troubling me for a while is with relation to carbohydrates in the parrot diet. One person or site will say: “Down with carbohydrates! They turn to sugar in the blood stream! They are bad for birds!” Someone else will brag about the “healthy bowlful of grains” their bird had for breakfast.

Both are right, yet both are wrong at the same time. Yes. Carbs do turn increase blood sugar levels. But ...

Isn't it sweet how he lies his head on my shoulder? A deceptive picture - he's looking straight down my top to check out what bra I'm wearing...

“I’m sorry I’m late for class, but my parrot broke my bra,” I said to my lecturer as I slipped into a laboratory class 10 mins late. Naturally, this happened when the entire class was listening to the lecturer so suddenly hundreds of students were staring at my chest, trying to see through my top for ...

Q: I have 2 cockatiels who mean the world to me and my husband. We are doing some renovation on our home and we were wondering if this could be dangerous for the birds.

-Chloe J., Paramus, NJ

A: I am glad you thought to ask this question beforehand because some of the procedures and supplies used in common renovation can be harmful to birds.

The main concern is air quality – that always presents the biggest danger to birds during remodeling. A bird’s respiratory system is remarkably efficient and dynamic, ...