I always thought sun conures were one of the rats of the avian world. I mean, they're so common . . . aren't they?
I just learned yesterday that the sun conure is common in US aviculture, but upgraded to endangered status in 2008 in the wild.
Endangered Species List - Sun Conures: http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/142601/0
Estimated Wild Population
And the cape parrot is uncommon in US aviculture, but not considered endangered in the wild.
Endangered Species List - Cape Parrot: http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/142531/0
Estimated Wild Population
Makes me curious to search other species that we think of as "common" and how common they truly are in the wild.
Just soze y'all know - wild caught parrots have not been legally imported into the United States since 1992. So, don't feel bad about getting a sun conure! Cherish your little baby for the special creature it is. US captive breeding does not negatively impact the wild population. I feel privileged to be breeding the endangered sun conure.
Learn something new every day.
Showing posts with label alerts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label alerts. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Bird Tip - Join Me!
Learn more about birds. Join me in taking this course:
 Fundamentals of Aviculture is written for: pet bird owners, bird breeders, veterinarians and their staff, zoo employees, bird-related commercial establishments and everyone associated with birds. The course provides a foundation for the emerging science of aviculture.The Fundamentals of Aviculture, Level 1, must be completed before enrollment in Level 2. The Level 2 course, Intermediate Aviculture, is presented in 15 chapters covering conservation, avian genetics, color mutations, nesting, courtship, incubation, hand-rearing, basic microbiology, disease, emergency care, enrichment and much more. |
Visit the Fundamentals of Aviculture for more information. |
Status of the Organization:The American Federation of Aviculture, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) Not-For-Profit Corporation, established in 1974. Supporters:Development of Fundamentals of Aviculture is made possible by a grant from Pet Care Trust, and by funding and other support from the Schubot Exotic Bird Health Center, and the College of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A&M University. |
Enroll today to take Intermediate Aviculture at the introductory rate of $75. |
©2011 American Federation of Aviculture, Inc. All rights reserved. |
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Bird Thought - Hazards to Your Birds
Ok, so you see pictures here of my birds with dogs, cats, other animals, outside without restraints, etc. Are these all potential hazards? YES! Am I going to preach to you about them? NO! Why? Because there's plenty of information out there and YOU need to research and make an educated decision for yourself.
I have had my own unfortunate accidents through the years and have learned from them. The unfortunate and sad reality is that many of you will have accidents that also cause the lives of your beloved pets. Even with forethought and caution, accidents will happen.
Many years ago I knew someone who got a large rescue dog from the pound. They also had birds. They kept the birds in a separate locked room. One day while they were out of the house, the dog broke down the door and killed every single bird.
Do I let my birds wander freely with the dogs and cats? No! None of my animals are allowed to interact freely with each other, except for same species interaction (dog to dog, goat to goat, horse to horse, etc.). I'm lucky, my current two cats have lived with birds the last five years and have never harmed or made to harm any birds. Have I had cats in the past that caused harm? Yes! I used to have a cat that also lived well with my birds until I got button quail. Maybe it's how button quail move, I don't know. But she broke into their cage and ate them.
Do my birds go outside in carriers? Yes! I observe my environmental conditions before having them out without restraint. Are they clipped? Yes! Do I check wings every single time before taking any birds outside? Yes! Have I lost birds due to a gust of wind? Yes! In my early days of bird keeping there were no harnesses or flight suits or even the thought of putting birds into carriers. I knew not to bring my birds outside on gusty days. I still lost a cockatiel by underestimating how streamline they are and how little wind it takes to carry them away.
Those are just a few hazards. You need to observe your surroundings, learn, and decide for yourself!
I have had my own unfortunate accidents through the years and have learned from them. The unfortunate and sad reality is that many of you will have accidents that also cause the lives of your beloved pets. Even with forethought and caution, accidents will happen.
Many years ago I knew someone who got a large rescue dog from the pound. They also had birds. They kept the birds in a separate locked room. One day while they were out of the house, the dog broke down the door and killed every single bird.
Do I let my birds wander freely with the dogs and cats? No! None of my animals are allowed to interact freely with each other, except for same species interaction (dog to dog, goat to goat, horse to horse, etc.). I'm lucky, my current two cats have lived with birds the last five years and have never harmed or made to harm any birds. Have I had cats in the past that caused harm? Yes! I used to have a cat that also lived well with my birds until I got button quail. Maybe it's how button quail move, I don't know. But she broke into their cage and ate them.
Do my birds go outside in carriers? Yes! I observe my environmental conditions before having them out without restraint. Are they clipped? Yes! Do I check wings every single time before taking any birds outside? Yes! Have I lost birds due to a gust of wind? Yes! In my early days of bird keeping there were no harnesses or flight suits or even the thought of putting birds into carriers. I knew not to bring my birds outside on gusty days. I still lost a cockatiel by underestimating how streamline they are and how little wind it takes to carry them away.
Those are just a few hazards. You need to observe your surroundings, learn, and decide for yourself!
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