Wild galah flock at Hughenden in Outback Qld. A community who have seen both flood and fire in the past.

Arguably Australia’s most famous poem, “My Country” by Dorothea Mackellar still accurately describes Australia more than a hundred years after it was first penned. It also helps capture why when Australia has a natural disaster like a bushfire, there is nothing half-hearted about that disaster.  Australia is a sunburnt country and this summer is proving no exception.

The Australian landscape and climate favours certain types ...

Blue and gold macaw

As parrot owners, we spend a great deal of effort fretting over important details: Did our bird eat enough good foods this week? Is there enough to do in the cage? We spend a lot of time contemplating cage placement and safety issues. We budget our time to allow for cleaning.

It is all important. These are common standards in any home that is occupied by a bird. However, in my experience, and this is particularly true of cockatoos, it is the seemingly minor details in their keep ...

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Military macaw

Birds are very messy creatures who manage to track their meals throughout every square inch of their cage. Many can throw their food with the distance and accuracy that would qualify them for a Cy Young award. That means that we find ourselves cleaning A LOT, and sometimes in strange places.

Hopefully, everyone understands the importance of a clean environment for their bird. Where there is leftover food and fecal matter, there is bacteria and yeast which can inundate a bird and make him very ill. Cleaning thoroughly, and often, ...

Photo of violet necked lories by ProFauna Indonesia

Many countries permit the harvesting of their native parrots for the pet trade, a huge industry worldwide. However, most impose a legal limit that is meant to prevent over-trapping to avoid a decrease in the numbers in wild population. By “impose” I mean write into law – most governments do little to actually enforce those laws.

In actuality, wild parrot populations are dropping dramatically. Of course, it can’t all be blamed on trapping. Deforestation has had a devastating effect on wild parrot species. But ...

Galah/Rosebreasted Cockatoo eating Eucalyptus Flowers

At the start of each year, I tend to reflect on the past. This year I’m asking the question: If you could go back in time to when you got your first bird, what is the one thing that you would tell yourself or wish that you’d known?

I used to think the answer to that would be “Birds don’t just eat seed” because I look back on the birds I had as a ...

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