Bird Blog
Funny Ring Neck Parrot Talking to a Rabbit
1 Comment | Posted by Jon Perry in Funniest Parrot Videos, Parrot Talking Videos
A parrot talking to a stuffed animal, too funny!
Groucho is an Amazon Parrot with incredible parrot talking skills, not only does he talk, but he can sing!
Einstein shows off his parrot talking skills for us all on TV! I have actually worked with Einstein in person back when I was volunteering at the Knoxville Zoo. The trainer told me that Einstein is actually a girl. She is a Congo African Grey parrot who is spoiled as can be, in fact they nick named her Diva.
As long as she keeps up her amazing parrot talking skills I don’t think anyone will complain.
This Eclectus has some parrot talking skills. My favorite part is when he says “Praise the Lord”. The poor little guy has been indoctrinated against his will! ha ha.
blue and gold macaw
Experience level: advanced
Lifespan: approximately 50-60 years
Size: approximately 30″-35″ in length
Voice Volume: Extremely Loud
Price Range: $1,000 to $2,000
Parrot Talking Ability: Good
Blue and Gold Macaws (also called blue and yellow macaws) are what many people think of when they hear the word “parrot”. These South American Creatures are well known for their amazing coloration and parrot talking ability. Their large size makes them all the more impressive. Macaws tend to form very strong bonds with their owners and are prized companions to those who have successfully bonded with their birds. As you will read below, they can also be aggressive.
Blue and Gold Macaws in the wild
These birds have a huge range from Panama and the lowlands of South America to SE Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay. They live in wooded areas, usually near water, including edge of lowland humid forest, gallery forest in savanna, savanna with scattered trees and palms, swamp forest and palm swamp. Sometimes forages in open country.
They feed in the top of forest canopies and usually stay in pairs but are sometimes found in flocks of up to 25 birds.
Sound Levels
Macaws are one group of parrots that are big on what is called “flock calling”. In other words, they scream really loud in order to find their friends. This is wonderful for them when living in the jungle but it’s horrible for you and your neighbors when they live inside your house. This is a natural characteristic of macaws and is as much a part of them as their beautiful feathers. With careful training you can get a macaw to do this less often then he normally would but you can never kill this instinct all together. These high sound levels make them inappropriate pets for apartment dwellers.
Blue and Gold Macaw Aggression
Bite marks from a blue and Gold Macaw
Most young Blue and Gold Macaws are extremely friendly if they have been exposed to people since being hatched, but many people report a change in nature at about age 2 or 3. This is usually because the bird has become sexually mature. Even a well cared for macaw will likely become aggressive during mating season (spring time).
Sometimes a bird will develop a mating bond with one person or other bird and be aggressive towards all others, other times the bird will simply become territorial and aggressive to all people. Many people who get bitten during this time will develop a phobia of their bird, stop interacting with the animal, and thus make things worse. It’s important to understand that if you get a large parrot like a Macaw, you will most likely have to suffer a painful bite or two at some time during your relationship.
Bolivian Blue and Gold Macaw
Bolivian B&Gs are simply the birds who’s ancestors were originally caught in Bolivia when it was still legal to sell wild caught birds in the United States. These birds tend to have more vibrant colors than other blue and gold Macaws and they generally sell for a higher price in the pet trade. The difference in color is slight but is reasonably noticeable when two parrots are standing side by side.
Blue and Gold Parrot Talking Ability
The parrot talking skills of this bird are pretty good. Most macaws will pick up a handful of words even without proper training. They don’t tend to be able to compete with African Greys, Eclectus, or Budgie Parakeets though in terms of vocabulary.
Basic Care
Longevity:
60 yrs
Housing:
An outdoor aviary is ideal for parrots; natural sunlight is essential for their plumage (feathers) and overall health. This can be supplemented with full-spectrum lighting indoors if your climate does not allow for your cage to be outside.
Parrots do best when put in a “high traffic” area in the home where they will get daily interaction.
Because parrots in captivity are more likely to become obese – a flight cage is highly encouraged as a means to properly exercise and stay as healthy as possible while living in captivity.
As with all animals, the larger the cage/habitat, the better. Bar spacing should be no less than 1 inch apart and the proper gauge should be 10g/12g.
Enrichment:
Large macaw toys, chewables (fir branches, pine cones, bird-safe wood), large perches, swings, ladders; regular bathing.
Futher Reading
Cool Blue and Gold Macaw Videos
Dino the Blue and Gold Macaw Opens a Beer (Never let you parrot drink alcohol by the way)
Dino does some tricks
Screaming Macaw
Budgie Parakeet
Experience level: beginner
Lifespan: approximately 8-20 years
Size: approximately 7″-7.5″ in length
Voice Volume: Quite
Price Range: $10 to $60
Parrot Talking Ability: Excellent
The budgie parakeet (the ‘Budgerigar’ or simply the ‘Parakeet’) is the most popular pet parrot in the world. They were discovered by Europeans in Australia back in the mid-1800s and their fame spread fast!
Wild budgies are extremely nomadic and live in flocks which can contain over 100 strong if food is plentiful. They are usually found throughout the drier parts of Australia and have survived for the last five million years in the harsh inland conditions of that continent.
Parakeet color variations and domestication
People started breeding budgie parakeets in captivity as early as 1850 which makes them some of the first parrots to be successfully bred and fully domesticated. Their natural coloring is mostly green and yellow but breeders have been able to produce a wide variety of colors today. Blue budgies simply lack yellow pigment, yellow budgies lack the blue coloration, and white budgies obviously lack all coloration.
Captive birds can sometimes survive in feral groups if released into the wild. They once had a decent strong hold in Florida. This of course should never be done intentionally because the introduction of a foreign species can cause havoc on a local ecosystem.
Budgie Parrot Talking Ability
All budgies can learn to mimic human speech if they spend a lot of one on one time with people. Budgies are considered one of the best talking parrots on the market. Males tend to be the better talking parrots and their skills put them up against the African Grey Parrot, the Amazon parrot, the Eclectus Parrot and the Ring-necked Parakeet.
A budgerigar named Puck holds the world record for the largest vocabulary of any bird, at 1,728 words. Puck, a male budgerigar owned by American Camille Jordan, died in 1994, with the record first appearing in the 1995 edition of Guinness World Records.
It’s important to note that many budgies are quite talkers unlike African Greys or Amazon Parrots that can be heard clearly. See the talking budgie videos below to learn how they sound.
Taming a budgie
Budgie Parakeets
Many people think that budgies are hands off birds that should stay in their cages. This myth is due to the way budgies are usually raised and sold. Many pet stores keep them in large groups and most breeders do not handle the young. These birds never get the chance to socialize with humans and tend to be frightened of them. To cure an old bird of this may be tricky but it’s possible if you buy your birds one at a time. Work with the bird every day by feeding treats by hand until you gain the bird’s trust. Once your bird comes to you and lets you handle him, you can add another budgie if you would like.
Budgies tend to be the best talkers when they are only allowed to socialize with humans and are kept away from other birds. Keep in mind that if you decide to go that route, you will need to spend at least 4 hours a day with your bird to give him the minimal social stimulation he needs.
Budgies are often over looked
Budgies have a reputation of being a ‘throw away pet’ or a ‘beginner bird’ for kids. This is, of course, a horrible way to think about any living creature, let alone a creature that is so intelligent, beautiful, and loving as a budgie. These are among the best pets a person could ever have.
Basic Care Info
Housing:
Not less than 76cm (30 in) long.
Enrichment:
Bathing; foot toys, destructible (non-toxic) toys, non-destructible (non-toxic plastic) toys, food-finder toys, preening toys, different texture and size hanging perch toys, fir branches, push-and-pull toys (sliding up and down), vegetable tanned leather toys.
Nest Box Size:
8″ x 6″ x 6″ (20.3cm x 15cm x 15cm) or 6″ x 6′ x 6″ (15cm x 15cm x 15cm) vertical box.
Clutch Size:
4 to 8
Incubation Time:
18 days
Fledging Age:
30 days
Further Reading
Cool Budgie Parakeet Videos
Budgie Parrot Talking Skills
How to Set up a cool Budgie Parakeet Cage
How to tell when your parakeet is sick
When you see a little budgie parakeet on sale for $15 you might think to your self “Hey I can afford that even on my college kid budget!”
It’s important to remember, however, that there is a lot more to keeping a pet then what you might think. Our calculations show that the average budgie ends up costing between $300- $500 a year to keep fed and happy.
The costs involved in parrot keeping range greatly depending on what kind of parrot, or parrots, you decide to get. Below we will give you list of items you’ll need for your parrot and a basic price breakdown for those items. You’ll see the price of the item if buying for a little Budgie Parakeet, and then the price if buying for a large Macaw. The price differences involved are mainly due to the size of the bird.
The Parrot itself
Parrots range in price depending on species, age, whether or not it is tame and, of course, good old supply and demand.
- Price for a Budgie Parakeet: $20-$50
- Price for a Macaw: $1,000 – $10,000 depending on the species
The Parrot Cage
When it comes to cages, bigger is better. Parrots are not gold fish, you cant just set up an enclosure for them in the living room and expect them to be happy little house ornaments. Natural selection has developed your parrot’s body and mind over millions of years to be fit for life in the wide open wilderness. That said, even your bird can be happy with a cage as long as he gets plenty of stimulation and play time out of the cage to get good exercise.
Some people will dedicate an entire room of the house to their bird in order to give him more freedom, others build large aviaries that allow their birds the freedom to fly freely inside their cage. Unfortunately most Americans who live in apartments can’t do this sort of thing so a good cage will have to do. Learn more about parrot cage selection here
- Cage price for a Budgie Parakeet: $35 – $100
- Cage Price for a large Macaw: $450 – over $1,000
Cage Lining
Just use newspaper. Most black newspaper inks are soy based and cant hurt your bird. Some people claim that colored inks can be harmful so I recommend you stay away from that.
You can also use paper towels if you don’t get the paper but I don’t recommend going out and buying any pet bedding. Its a waist of money in my opinion.
Parrot Food
Your bird will eat a lot of food for how small he or she is, and you’ll quickly notice that most of the food it “eats” ends up being ground to powder and falling wastefully on the floor. Your bird should be eating a combonation of bird pellets, fresh fruits and vegetables, and nuts. You will want to make sure and give your bird a variety of foods and treats to stay good and healthy.
Diet varies from species to species so make sure you know what your bird is supposed to be eating. You can learn more about parrot food here.
- Monthly food bill for a small Budgie Parakeet: $10 – $20
- Monthly food bill for a large Macaw: $30 – $60
Parrot Toys
Your bird needs things to do while he’s sitting in his cage and waiting for you to play with him. Wild birds spend 4 to 8 hours a day foraging for food. The average parrot spends his foraging time flying around in search of things to eat, chewing things to pieces to see whats edible, and fighting over the good stuff with his buddies. As a result, parrots are naturally curious, playful, and monstrously destructive. Your parrot needs toys that he can rip to shreds.
Toys should be frequently replaced as they become tattered and when your parrot grows board of playing with the same old thing over and over again. Learn more about parrot toys here.
- Monthly toy bill for a small Budgie Parakeet: $10 – $20
- Monthly toy bill for a large Macaw: $20 – $40
Cleaning Supplies
Parrots make constant messes. You’ll need the following basic items to keep your self sain:
- Dust pan with brush: $8
- Reusable rags cleaning up messes: $5
- Carpet Cleaner for spills and poos: $5
Some people use paper towels instead of reusable rags but that’s simply a waist of paper and the money spent will add up fast. These guys are that messy!
You may also want a hand held vacuum if you have a lot of carpet in your house. Read more about keeping your parrot clean here.
Parrot Veterinary Exams
In order to prevent health problems, you should see an avian certified veterinarian once a year for a routine checkup. I know that sounds silly to most of us who don’t even seen a doctor for our selves once a year but avian health is tricky to monitor on your own.
If you ever notice your bird acting strange, you should see a vet right away. Once a bird starts showing signs of illness, death can often follow very quickly if not treated.
Typical vet exam for any kind of parrot: $50-$75
Typical vet exam if the bird is sick and needs testing or medication: $200-$500
Sound Proofing
If you have a large parrot in your house like a Macaw, or a small loud parrot like a Sun Conure, you may want to think about sound proofing the rooms they will be staying in. That can be spendy but will make life much more enjoyable, especially if you have neighbors or roommates who don’t love your bird as much as you do.
Total Costs for owning a small parrot:
- Initial costs totaled together: $73 – $168
- Annual recurring costs: $315 – $555
Total Costs for owning a large parrot:
- Initial costs totaled together: $1,468 – $11,010
- Annual costs: $650 – $1,275
Article by JULIE ZICKEFOOSE
Listen to the article here
Perhaps you’ve seen a colorful, talking bird in a pet shop and thought, “I’ve always wanted a parrot!” Before you take the plunge, here’s a note of caution.
As I write, the emerald-green head of a macaw emerges from under my desk. He has crawled up my leg from a favorite perch on my foot. He’s been doing this for 21 years, and I expect him to be sitting on me, giving creaky calls and showering me with feather dandruff, for at least the next 21. He’s the relationship I can’t get out of.
I bought this parrot in 1986, the first time my biological clock rang. I needed something young and helpless to care for, but living hand-to-mouth as a field biologist, a baby wasn’t in the cards. It was one of the moments in my life when a crystal ball might have been helpful; to look forward 21 years and see myself still fixing a hot breakfast every morning for a bird; to see that sweet cooing baby parrot morph into a crotchety tyrant, not averse to sinking his powerful beak into flesh to make a point.
And yet, Charlie speaks a few words; he has a flair for slapstick. In the company of people, he listens to the conversation and laughs loudly at precisely the right moment. He waddles around the house, toenails clicking on linoleum, looking for a nice closet where he can hole up. On cold days, he dives down the front of my sweater and rides like a joey in its mother’s pouch, muttering and cackling in the friendly warmth. The bare skin on his cheeks is soft and warm. He likes to be hugged.
A captive parrot selects the only mate it can find (in this case, Charlie’s picked me), but I just refuse to follow the plan he’s laid out for me. I share my affections with another of my species, even when Charles punctures my skin to prevent this perceived infidelity. I won’t eat the breakfast he regurgitates for me, no matter how tenderly proffered. Occasional furtive copulations with my sock-clad foot net him nothing but a temporary release. He points out and protects his chosen nest site, a grotto under the sink, with cracked squawks and sudden rushes at passersby. But I can’t succumb to his will, crawl under the sink and lay the two round white eggs that Charlie believes I must have in me; that he so longs to incubate and protect. He crouches in the half-darkness, looking up at me with a Don King wig of feathers over crazed golden eyes. Come on in, baby. You know you’re ovulating.
Every once in awhile, I look down on myself, a middle-aged woman with a middle-aged parrot dropping dandruff and worse on her shoulder. Sometimes, after he has perforated my finger or lip in a fit of pique, it occurs to me that I might just surrender Charles to a parrot rescue group. Just as quickly, I discard the idea, since people are constantly calling me to rescue their birds. Who am I to dump this slightly mad bundle of idiosyncrasies and multicolored feathers onto anyone else? We have a history together, forged in stone on that fateful December day in 1986 when I gathered a baby macaw in my arms and said “I do.”
Parrots can be delightful. But they are raunchy, awful pets. I’ll probably be an old, old lady before I figure out what has kept me and Charlie together all these years. And I’m sure Charlie, that tatty old rotter, will be sitting on my shoulder when I do. Maybe it’s love. But it feels a little more like marriage.
Commentator Julie Zickefoose loves birds of all species, but the intelligence and sociability of parrots makes them rank among her favorites. She is the author of Letters from Eden.
The following comes from wikipedia, very interesting article:
See the whole thing here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parrot#Evolution_and_systematics
Parrot Pet Trade
The popularity of parrots as pets has led to a thriving — and often illegal — trade in the birds, and some species are now threatened with extinction. A combination of trapping of wild birds and damage to parrot habitats makes survival difficult or even impossible for some species of parrot. Importation of wild caught parrots into the US and Europe is illegal.
The trade continues unabated in some countries. A report published in January 2007 presents a clear picture of the wild-caught parrot trade in Mexico, stating: “The majority of parrots captured in Mexico stay in the country for the domestic trade. A small percentage of this capture, 4% to 14%, is smuggled into the USA.”[45] In the early 1980s an American college student who worked his way through school smuggling parrots across the Rio Grande put his contraband Mexican birds in a cage on an inflatable raft and floated with them across the international river to the U.S. side where a partner would be waiting.[46]
The scale of the problem can be seen in the Tony Silva case of 1996, in which a parrot expert and former director at Tenerife‘s Loro Parque (Europe’s largest parrot park) was jailed in the United States for 82 months and fined $100,000 for smuggling Hyacinth Macaws.[47] (Such birds command a very high price). The case led to calls for greater protection and control over trade in the birds. Different nations have different methods of handling internal and international trade. Australia has banned the export of its native birds since 1960. The United States protects its only native parrot through its Endangered Species Act, and protects other nations’ birds through its Wild Bird Conservation Act. Following years of campaigning by hundreds of NGOs and outbreaks of avian flu, in July 2007, the European Union halted the importation of all wild birds with a permanent ban on their import. Prior to an earlier temporary ban started in late October 2005, the EU was importing approximately two million live birds a year, about 90% of the international market: hundreds of thousands of these were parrots. There are no national laws protecting feral parrot populations in the USA. Mexico has a licensing system for capturing and selling native birds (though the laws are not well enforced).
What can you do for pet parrot trade?
Only buy captive bred parrots to make sure that you do not contribute further to the extinction of parrots around the world. FeatherMe fully supports these laws that have been established.
