Saving Mexico’s Wild Scarlet Macaws

I was asked nicely by a friend if I would join her as representatives of our Bird Club to the American Federation of Aviculturists (AFA). I agreed and I am so very happy that I did. The organization puts out a beautiful glossy magazine, The Watchbird, and have just added a newsprint newsletter, Conservation News. And the main topic of the newsletter is the title of this post, above.

Birds of Myth, Sacred Birds, and Birds of Fiction

Birds have always fascinated me, which goes a long way to explain why I share my life with so many. But certainly other people, current or through history, have felt the same way. Native Americans revered the eagle, both golden and bald, and only the best warriors could wear the bird’s feathers. So who else loved birds?

Getting Away from Birds

I don’t mean going to a room in the house where there are no birds. I can do that. And even in lock down, I can go for a walk in the local park. Although if Maynard is having a particularly cranky morning, he’ll scream so much we can hear him a block away. I’m referring to not having so many birds to care for.

Looking for Maynard’s Off Button

Maynard is my first Amazon parrot. He’s very different from the African Grays who want to have a conversation most of the time. He’s different from the cockatiels who arrange choral songs to present. And he’s different from the doves who sound off at certain times of the day in a sort of “All’s Well!” call.

Fall in Love with Indian Ringneck Parakeets

This is one of the easiest things to do. Ringnecks love people if they have been hand raised. These birds, sometimes called parrots, sometimes called parakeets, are funny and when they get attached to their people, they want to be with you all the time. They are super popular on YouTube,playing peekaboo, talking to stuffed bunnies, and in general being adorable.