From the parrot's beak: 10/3 edition
- Endangered Species Act endangers parrots says the American Federation of Aviculture, regarding the addition of green (Buffon's) and military macaws to the list. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife ruling begins 11/2/15. ESA species cannot be moved across state lines in commerce without a permit. AFA argues that this is a roadblock to domestic breeding which will "serve to decrease genetic diversity of these birds in the US."
- Good PR for PR parrot recovery effort: "It's an egg tsunami. We have been too successful at breeding them. We are bursting at the seams with birds," jokingly complains Ricardo Valentin of the José L. Vivaldi Memorial Aviary. Contrary to the usual drumbeat of bad news for wild parrots, the aviary is assisting a remarkable comeback for the Puerto Rican parrot, once considered one of the 10 most critically endangered birds. The aviary bred birds will eventually released in the wild. And for the first time in decades, wild pairs are nesting without the aid of nest boxes. On a recent visit to the field, “I took a photograph of 48 parrots,” says Valentin, an aviculturist with the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources. “That is the largest group of Puerto Rican parrots ever photographed.”
- Tubular dude: A white bellied caique hopping around like a wind up toy with a paper towel (who needs a twenty dollar toy?) is now officially on Youtube's most popular video list. Over 10 million have viewed the original clip. Here is a new extended version, featuring electronic dance music. Paper Towel Bird dancing to EDM - YouTube
- Parrotrivia: Budgies bumped off by an arsenic laced cuttlebone were part of a plot foiled by Fry of "Futurama", the animated sci-fi comedy. A murderer had planned to kill a wealthy woman and then the beneficiaries of her will, her parakeet flock.
- Psittacine cinema: Seriously, how'd you think this was going to turn out? This Cockatoo Happily Destroyed a Cup Tower, And He'd Do It ... -- Parrot does James Brown https://youtu.be/pPruq3zyPwk -- Hand rearing guide. https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=891892844228976 -- How to wash your Cockatoo - Imgur
- Squawktoberfest: Bringing your parrot to Oktoberfest activities involving alcohol and the attendant judgement impaired patrons may not be the best idea, but you can still enjoy such parrot themed bars as the Red Parrot in Hull, Massachusetts or the Green Parrot in Newtown, PA. Live entertainment could be the Spanish garage punk surf band called The Parrots, or Hate Beak which includes an African grey parrot as singer. There was a resident parrot at London’s Charles Lamb Pub, previously the Prince Albert, about whom T.S. Eliot based a poem, according to his wife Valerie. "I’ll never forget it. From basement to garret, Ah, a very nice House. But it was the parret– The parret, the parret named Billy M’Caw That brought all those folk to the bar." Apparently, T.S. wasn't too big on spelling.
- Pollytics '16: Retired parrot trainer Nancy Chambers, a consultant to Dr. Irene Pepperberg, has endorsed Hillary Clinton.
- Quote o' the week: (as accompanying meme of mother parakeet feeding chick) Vomit. It gives you wings.
- Hot dates: 10/3-4: Seattle Parrot Expo Featuring Dr.Irene Pepperberg and Avian Ambassador Sid Price. FREE. Tukwila Community Ctr. 12424 42nd S. Ave., Seattle, WA -- Animal Behavior, Training & Health Seminar with Lara Joseph at the Animal Behavior Center. Speakers, vendors, training, and networking. Ohio --10/3: Long Island Parrot Society 30th anniversary Expo 2015 - Featured speakers Concetta Ferragamo's workshop on the importance of cage set up; Rick Jordan speaks on Will There be Pet Birds in the Future? and So-You Want A Pet Parrot. A Common Sense Look at How to Choose and Keep a Parrot. Freeport Recreation Center, 130 Merrick Road, Freeport, Long Island, NY - 9-5 -- 10/6: Hartford Pet Expo. XL Center, 1 Civic Plaza, Hartford CT 10-6. -- The Wisdom of Wild Parrots w Frank Rutowski DVM. 10-12, Grace Presbyterian Church 7434 Bath St. Springfield, VA -- 10/4: A Parrot's Point of View class. 1-3 AniMall, Cary Towne Center Mall, 1105 Walnut St. Ste. 103 Cary, NC (satisfies Phoenix Landing adoption requirement.) -- 10/9-12: 12th Annual Parrot Palooza - Bird Paradise, 551 E. Rt. 130 South, Burlington, NJ - Fri 9-9, Sat 9-9, Sun 9-5, Mon 9-9 -- 10/10-11 New England Cockatiel Breeders and exhibitors fall show 2 Cockatiel & 2 Parrot Shows on Sat. Dinner Saturday Night 2 Cockatiel & 2 Parrot Shows on Sun. 8-5. Am Legion 662 West Shore Rd. Warwick, RI -- Suncoast Canary & Finch Club Annual Bird Show - Charlotte County Event & Conference Center, 75 Taylor St., Punta Gorda, FL - Sat 1-6 pm, Sun 8-4 - -10/10: International Canary and Finch Society 21st Annual Show - Pvt. Leonard Post, Jr. VFW #6251, 2450 Walden Ave., Cheektowaga, NY - 9-3 -- Rhode Island Budgerigar Society 60th Annual Show - Howard Rogers Post #25, McCallum Ave., Pawtucket, - 1-4 --Clicker Training in 6 Easy Steps class. 10-12 Anne Arundel Animal Control Facility, 411 Maxwell Frye Rd. Millersville, MD -- 10/11: Catskill Exotic Bird Club 23rd Annual Pet Bird Show - Liberty Firehouse, 256 Sprague Ave., Liberty, NY - 10-4 -- Avian Health and Medicine class. Parrot University.
- Found: African grey parrot. Bergen County, NJ. Currently at Bergen County Animal Shelter (201) 229-4600.
