#parotts

Conure

In general, conure parrots are group of small to large-sized parrots. They are natives of the Central and South America and sometimes they are called parakeets although they are really two different entities. However, the term Conure has already existed far long before parakeet did. The term really meant cone-tailed. Among all the parrots, they are the ones that adapts to changes in the weather and diet the most.

Before going to the advantages and disadvantages of Conure Parrots as pets, lets look at some useful facts first.

1 - Size

These birds size is determined by measuring the length from the tips of the beak and tail. Usually, their average size is about 11.8 inches (30 cm). On the average, their weight is about 2.2 lbs or equivalent to 1 kg. When you measure their tails' length, they are usually as long as their bodies.

Tingo helps with computer - Photo  by    Makuahine Pa’i Ki’i  (cc)

They are active birds and so they will usually need larger cage so that they will be able to exercise even when inside. The necessary spacing for the cages should be 1/2 to 7/8 for them to be able to climb with no worries of escape or caught in between.

2 - Life Span

They usually have a life span of around 35 years or more. This depends on how well you take care of them.

Advantages as Pets

One of the advantages of these birds as pets is their majestically colorful plumage, which is really pleasing to the eye. They are full of affection and can really accommodate just about anyone in the family. They breed well and can produce great offspring. They are easy to handle because of their uncomplicated nature especially their diet, which consists mainly of organic pellets, fruits and vegetables and seeds. They are highly intelligent and are capable of learning tricks.

Disadvantages as Pets

Since they are highly social birds, attention and regular social interaction are needed. They are considered best only for people who have time to spend at home for their supervision, training and exercise. The latter two are essential so that you can keep your bird from boredom otherwise, the birds will develop bad habits. They need a lot of activities but to counter this, you can give them toys as well as let them out of the cage every once in a while.

As long as you have the patience and persistence to put up with them, they could make excellent pets for you.

Quaker Parrot

Have you ever had much to do with a Quaker parrot? They are an engaging parrot and love being around lots of people. Traditionally Quaker parrots are bright green on top with a white to grey face and chest feathers. They are about mid-range in size, growing in length to about 12 inches.

A Great Talking Bird.

The Quaker parrot may be the answer for you if you are looking for a talking bird. It learns quite easily and the parrot does bond well with its owner. In fact he loves to be involved with people on a regular basis. When teaching a parrot to talk it is best if the teaching is done by just one member of the family but I am sure you will find the bird making sounds or words that other members of the family use as well.

Photo by Fifth World Art (CC)

Family Parrot.

One feature of the Quaker parrot is that it is gentle and very affectionate which makes it a wonderful pet for a younger member of the family. This is not true of some of the larger parrots like macaws and cockatoos that can be quite aggressive when upset.

Colors of the Quaker Parrot.

As mentioned they tend to be known as the green and white parrot, but over the years there has been a lot of breeding in captivity so more color combinations are appearing and with different shadings so you could be forgiven for being confused about their colorings.

Play Toys.

The Quaker parrot is an active parrot and when there are no family members around he will like to keep amused with toys. Something like a climbing gym with bells and mirrors will keep him happy for hours. There are lots of toys on the market, but just make sure they are safe before giving them to the bird.

Keeping a Quaker parrot.

You can see why these parrots would be so popular as a family pet and there is one other feature that also makes them so sought after. They can adapt very well to different climatic conditions which is a bonus as most parrots only like the warmer weather. This is a very big plus for a pet parrot, but unfortunately it does come with its drawbacks.

In some states in the US it is actually illegal to keep the Quaker parrot as a pet. Due to the fact that it can adapt so well, feral Quaker parrots have caused major problems in the agricultural industry and some states have ruled them illegal. In fact, if this parrot is found in these states, it will be euthanized. So if you are considering having one of these parrots as a pet, do check out the local laws before purchasing. The problem does tend to exist more in the southern states.

Interestingly enough the Quaker parrot is also known by other names because of its color. You may have heard him called the ‘Green’ parrot or the ‘Monk’ parrot.

By Kaye Dennan Kaye Dennan is a parrot expert from way back. When becoming a parrot parent it is best find out as much as you can and you can sign up to my ’10 Secrets to Caring for a Pet Parrot’ FREE mini-course and get more information on keeping a happy healthy pet parrot at http://petparrotsecrets.com

Article Source: EzineArticles

Eclectus Parrot

The Eclectus parrot is an Asiatic parrot type that is widely bred in Europe and the United States. This bird, which is endemic in New Guinea, is ideal for people who are looking for their first parrot pet because it can adapt well in a cage and can be easy to care for in comparison to other parrot species. But before you go to your nearest pet store to buy this type of bird, you might want to know the unique characteristics of an Eclectus parrot. Here they are.

Eclectus Parrot - Photo   by    Kurayba  (cc)

One of the things that set this parrot type apart from other birds under the same species is the huge difference in the appearance of males and females. An adult male Eclectus parrot generally has a bright green plumage with some tints of deep blue on its wings and tails and a patch of crimson on its side. The upper bill of the male Eclectus is coral with a bright yellow tip, while the lower part of its bill is black. The eyes of this small parrot, which can grow to as large as 14 inches, are brown. The female Eclectus, on the other hand, has bright red plumage. You will notice that the back, base of the tail, and the wings of the female are deep red. Moreover, you will also find a purplish blue band on the body and tips of the auxiliary wings. Lastly, the mandibles of the female are black.

The temperament of this Asiatic parrot type is quite calm and peaceful when it is inside the cage. In fact, many parrot owners say that the Eclectus is one of the quietest of all parrot breeds. Even when this parrot is dispirited and lonely, you will not hear it complain or make irritating cries. However, make sure that it does not become too lively or agitated so that you won't hear its infamous "Crrah" sound that some people say can be ear piercing.

Another reason why an Eclectus parrot type is good for beginners is that it can easily adapt to its new owners and even crave for their attention and pleasure. Once you have hand-tamed this bird, you can already teach it with tricks and pet it on the head and wings. In fact, you can even expect to hear it mimic a few words. Feeding an Eclectus is simple. Aside from giving it fruits and nuts, you also need to provide it with fresh vegetables regularly.

By Gideon Williams Gideon Williams is an expert on different parrot types. Article Source: EzineArticles

Caique Parrot

Caique - Strange name for a parrot isn't it. The correct pronunciation of Caique is: "ky-eek" or "kah-eek." Yes, this word also means a sailing vessel and darned if we know what that has to do with birds (not to be confused with Kayak). They are intelligent, curious, stubborn, affectionate, fearless and devoted. They are sometimes referred to as "clowns" because of their amusing antics. There aren't many parrots that have the same personality with the exception of the Lorikeets/Lories.

Caique Parrot - Photo  by       paTTrick

A Caique may not be the bird for you if you are looking for an excellent talker. Many do learn to talk but they tend to speak in a low almost whispering voice, but; do learn to use words properly, Like-Good Morning, How are you, etc. They do learn to whistle tunes quite well. They are not verbally interactive like Quakers or African Greys, for example.

These little birds (either the Black Capped or White Bellied Caique) are just little playing machines. They love to lie on their backs and play with wiffle balls or other foot toys. They are agile and interactive. They love to be loved and are not noted to be screamers, squawkers or nervous birds. Once introduced to bathing or showering, they absolutely adore it. They will splash and cavort in a glass cake pan or perform their acrobatics while on a birdie shower perch. Showering time can be a great bonding experience for your Caique. Take them in the shower with you. All you need is a good shower perch. Make sure the water isn't too hot and have fun. They love drying off time, just as well. Wrapping them in a fluffy towel before letting them preen is the highlight of their day.

Caiques sleep in tree cavities in the wild, and while our pets are several generations from the wild, that need is still there. Provide them with a Birdie Bungalow or a roosting box to sleep in and they will be happy campers. Because these little acrobats love to climb, their cage should be one with more horizontal than vertical bars. The spacing should be no more than 3/4 inch and the cage no less than 24x24x24. They need to move around and enjoy lots of very well supervised out of cage time. A tree made of manzanita or java wood with lots of branches is ideal for them. They benefit from lots of hanging toys and swings to play on.

By Kimberly Santor  -  http://www.birdcagesgalore.com   -    http://www.yourparrotcage.com  Article Source: EzineArticles

Talking Parrots

Introduction

Having talking parrots as pets goes way back to at least the time of Ancient Greeks. By the time of the Roman Empire it was even more common and courses were given to teach people how to get their birds to mimic human speech. The material covered in this article is much more effective than those courses of ancient times and the training myths of ancient times have been omitted. One of the craziest myths was that the parrot should be placed in a completely dark room during training.

As the following joke suggests, having a talking bird is one of the reasons that people purchase parrots.

One day a man went to an auction. While there, he bid on an exotic parrot. He really wanted this bird, so he got caught up in the bidding. He kept on bidding, but kept getting outbid, so he bid higher and higher and higher. Finally, after he bid way more than he intended, he won the bid - the fine bird was finally his!

As he was paying for the parrot, he said to the Auctioneer, "I sure hope this parrot can talk. I would hate to have paid this much for it, only to find out that he can't talk!" "Don't worry", said the Auctioneer, "He can talk. Who do you think kept bidding against you?"

Are you talking to me - Photo   by      jinterwas

If you're interested in having a talking bird, this introductory article is for you. This article will cover which birds are good "talkers" and will cover some techniques for encouraging your bird to be a "talker". Whether parrots mimic or communicate using human speech has been fodder for debate for a long time. The Alex Studies by Dr. Pepperberg goes into great detail regarding this subject. Alex is a Congo African Grey Parrot that Dr. Pepperberg studied extensively. Some consider her studies, 

training techniques, and discoveries the foundation of modern avian cognitive understanding. If you are interested in the cognitive abilities of parrots and their "speech" capabilities, I recommend that you read her book. Though technical at times, I'm sure that you will find it a fascinating book. If you ever find yourself looking at your parrot and wondering what it is thinking or how much it understands then check out the links at the end of this article to her book.

Mimicking, Speaking, or Communicating

Let's start with some ground rules for this article and a quick disclaimer. The terms used in this article may not be universally accepted. The terms that I use in this article are defined just to delineate the different categories of "Talking". The word "Talking" has several meanings and depending on your level of technicality it also has several different implications. In my opinion, there are three basic categories of "talking". The first and lowest level is "Mimicking". This is simply the echoing of a word. In this case the parrot doesn't associate the word with any object or action. A common example is when a parrot vocalizes "pretty bird". Unless it's a really vain parrot or there's another pretty bird in the area then the parrot in this case is just vocalizing something that it has heard. The term "talking" in this article usually refers to mimicking but may also refer to "Speaking" or "Communicating" as defined below.

The second category of "talking" is "Speaking". For the purposes of this article it means interacting appropriately to human speech. An example would be the parrot responding with its name when it is prompted with the question "What is your name?" At first glance this appears to be communication and it may be but it doesn't prove communication. The parrot may have simply been conditioned to respond with its name when it hears this question. The parrot's responsive behavior suggests a higher level of "speech" beyond simply mimicking. Since it is responding appropriately and not just mimicking, it is referred to as "speaking" in this article. This is much harder to teach than mimicking. One technique to teach "speaking" is to form the question using a boring tone and then provide the response in a more interesting tone. For example you may say "How are you doing today?" in a quiet calm tone then say "SUPER DUPER HOW ARE YOU?" in a louder more interesting tone. The parrot is more likely to begin saying "SUPER DUPER HOW ARE YOU?" in response to your question "How are you doing today"" just because it is more appealing. This is at least "mimicking" and may be "speaking" depending on who you ask.

The third category is "Communicating". In this case, the parrot actually has an understanding of its vocalizations. This is sometimes referred to as cognitive speech. An example of this would be to show the parrot a red key that it has never seen before and ask the parrot "What color is this?" If the parrot responds with "red" then it is communicating. There is a subtle difference between "Speaking" and "Communicating". For example, if the parrot is conditioned to say "red" when you show it a particular red key then it doesn't necessarily have an understanding of red. It may just be conditioned to respond with "red" when it sees that particular object. Whereas, "communication" uses an unknown object so the parrots could not have been conditioned to respond with a particular word when presented with the object. As mentioned before, The Alex Studies by Dr. Pepperberg is an excellent source of information on this topic. You can find a link at the end of this article to her book.

What Birds Talk?

So what birds talk? As the buyer in the above joke correctly suggests, not all parrots talk. This is true of different species and different birds within a species. For example, African Grey Parrots are known to be excellent talkers but that doesn't mean that all African Grey Parrots will talk. Hopefully your only reason for purchasing a parrot is not because it can talk. Parrots have so much more to offer than talking and you would be cheating yourself and your parrot if that is your only reason for getting a parrot. Talking should be considered a bonus and not a requirement. However, if "talking" is important, the only way to make sure that you are getting a parrot that will talk is to purchase a parrot that already talks. Having said that, there are certain species that are known to be more inclined to be good talkers. Here is a list of some parrot most likely to "talk" with the better known groups in parenthesis.

African Grey

Mynah (Greater hill)

Amazons (Yellow-naped, Yellow-fronted, Double Yellow-headed, Blue-headed)

Budgerigars

Macaws (Blue and Gold)

Cockatoos (Bare-eyed)

Cockatiels

As mentioned previously, not all birds in the list will talk and not all birds that talk are in this list. The order of the list is a good approximation from best talkers (African Grey) down to not-the-best talkers. This list isn't perfect and is just a basic guide with no guarantees. For example, there are some Cockatiels that talk better than some African Greys.

Three General Training Techniques

So you have a parrot that is capable of talking and you want to teach it to talk. This section will cover three basic techniques. These three techniques are Audio Recordings, Parent-Parrot teaching, and Modeling. The first two methods use useful for teaching your parrot to mimic. The second and third methods can be useful for teaching your parrot to "speak". And finally the third method is most useful for teaching your parrot to communicate.

Technique #1 - Audio Recordings

The first technique is Audio Recordings. This may be an Audio CD or tape that you purchase or create that is capable of looping over and over. You can purchase these on the Internet or create them yourself with your home computer. Most people use this method during long periods of time when the parrot is alone. But does this technique work? The jury is still out on this one. Some people with some parrots have had some success with this method while others have not had success with this method. It is certainly not the best method to use but in some cases it can be effective. This is probably the most common technique used to teach the classic Andy Griffin Theme Song. However, the same thing played over and over will quickly become very boring. Parrots just like people will eventually tune out the boring stuff in their environment. For this reason it is recommended that you keep the sessions short. Sessions should be about fifteen-minute sessions 2 or 3 times a day. This technique is useful to teach "mimicking" as defined earlier. This is a cheap and easy way to teach your parrot to mimic. As with most things in life that are cheap and easy don't be surprised if it doesn't work.

Technique #2 - Parent-Parrot Teaching

The second technique is Parent-Parrot teaching. This is where you talk to your parrot. This method is effective because it provides your parrot with a very important need. That need is to bond with its "flock" and to communicate with it's "flock". In most cases, you'll find that the more your talk and communicate with your parrot, the more it will respond and talk back. Most parrots are very social and thrive on this kind of attention. This method will never get boring to your parrot and can be fun for you and your parrot. If properly rewarded for talking, your bird will happily talk and talk and talk. You should talk to your parrot while feeding, cleaning, doing dishes, preparing meals, watching TV, walking through the house, etc, etc, etc. You can maximize this method by using your speech in context. If you're putting food in the bowl then tell your parrot that you're giving it food. If you're cleaning the cage then tell your parrot that you are cleaning the cage. This method is useful for teaching "mimicking" and "speaking" as defined earlier.

Phrases that indicate mimicking are phrases such as "want to peanut?" or "watcha doin?" In these cases it is just mimicking things that it has heard you vocalize. This method can also be used to teach communication as defined earlier. In this case you should use the same word is several different contexts. Examples would be "Do you want this peanut?", "Here's a peanut", "This is a good peanut", "is that peanut good?" Initially your parrot will mimic you and use the word out of context much like a child learning to speak. You can take the mimicking to the speaking level by simply correcting the parrot like you would a child. By doing this, you will eventually teach the parrot to use the word in context. For example it may begin to vocalize "this is a good peanut" when you give it a peanut. This technique can be used for teaching your parrot "mimicking" and "speaking" as defined earlier. This technique can also be used to a lesser degree to teach "speaking". The third and final technique (Modeling) is more effective for teaching "speaking" and "communication".

Technique #3 - Modeling

The third technique is "Modeling". This is the method that Dr. Pepperberg discusses in her book The Alex Studies. This method involves two trainers (usually two humans) and the parrot. Though not practical for most of us, it can be very effective if you have the means to use this technique. The parrot takes turns being the "trainee" with the other human. An example would be to have the Trainer human and the trainee human demonstrate what is required while the parrot watches. For example, the Trainer may ask the trainee "what color is this" while holding up an object. The trainee will respond with "blue" and the trainer will respond with "no, the color is red". The trainer will repeat the question and the trainee will respond with "red" and the trainer will reward the trainee for the correct answer. The reward may be verbal ("good girl") or the reward may be a treat. Then the parrot will assume the role of the trainee while the human trainee watches and the process repeated. This method has been shown to be very effective in teaching birds, other animals, and humans with learning disabilities. This modeling technique was used to teach Alex the Congo African Grey for Dr Pepperberg's studies. This method is effective at teaching "mimicking", "speaking", and "communication" as defined earlier.

As you may guess, the second technique is the most common technique used to teach pet parrots how to talk. This technique is more effective than using Audio Recordings and it only requires one "trainer" compared to the third technique. More importantly the second technique provides the perfect opportunity for the Parent to bond with the Parrot. This is a win-win technique because bonding is essential to the parrot's well being and it provides a means to teach the parrot to talk. The next section covers some miscellaneous Tips, Do's and Don'ts. Most directly apply to the second technique of Parent-Parrot teaching but also apply to the other techniques.

Tips, Do's, and Don'ts

Be patient.

Make your vocalizations interesting.

Have fun during talking training sessions.

Keep training sessions short (10-15 minutes)

Talk, Talk, Talk to you parrot.

Talk in context to your parrot.

Use diction, drama, and inflection to make your speech more interesting.

Phrase your talk from the parrot's perspective. "Give me a peanut" instead of "Do you want a peanut?"

Reward your parrot when it talks with treats, praise, and/or attention.

Start when your parrot is young (though not necessary).

Communicate while out of site to simulate contact calls.

Sing songs to your parrot.

Tell stories to your parrot.

Read stories to your parrot.

Repeat phrases at appropriate times. For example "I want water" when giving fresh water.

Start with words and work up to phrases.

Pronounce words clearly.

Don't say words that you don't want repeated.

Create verbal cues such as saying "Good Morning" in the morning.

Place the cage where your parrot hears family communication.

Don't teach whistling before teaching talking.

Use interesting sounding words.

For some reason words with "tt" seem to be favorites such as "pretty" or "kitty".

Use the word in different phrases "This is a peanut", "Do you want a peanut", "I like peanuts"

Don't put the parrot in a covered cage during training. This myth goes back to ancient Greek times.

Do speech training early in the morning and at dusk if possible when most parrots are very talkative.

Summary

If you've ever heard a parrot joke, most likely it involves a talking parrot. The parrot's ability to "talk" has captured our imagination for thousands of years. I'm sure that you will agree (if you own a parrot) that it's ability to talk is just one of the many characteristics that make parrots fascinating companions. A lot of people purchase a parrot for their ability to talk but eventually learn that with or without it's ability to talk, it is an awesome pet and companion.

Hopefully this introduction to teaching your parrot to talk has been useful. Check out some of the book links below if you're interested in learning more. "The Pleasure of Their Company" by Bonnie Munro Doane and The Alex Studies by Dr. Pepperberg are two good sources to start with. You will be amazed with the Dr. Pepperberg's successes and fascinated with her findings. Though technical at times and not necessarily a required reading for all parrot owners it is a fascinating book.

By David B Weber The Author is the creator of the InfoSuperFlyway.com. It's a webpage dedicated to Kibibi a Congo African Grey Parrot with parrot recordings, funny parrot videos, top ten lists, parrot jokes, clicker training info and a large database of parrot articles. Article Source: EzineArticles

Feather Plucking

Feather plucking is known to be a very nasty habit of the african grey parrot. They are notorious feather pluckers. It is said that the Timneh African Grey parrots are not as bad as the Congo African Grey Parrots when it comes to feather plucking. But this is not a proven fact.

First of all any parrot keeper should ask himself why do parrots pluck their feathers. There are many different reasons for this nasty habit. The African grey parrot is a parrot species that need quite much attention from his human owner. If this doesn't happens then the bird will probably get bored and this can result to feather plucking. But belive me that the this feather plucking problem is very complicated because it's very hard to resolve it. 

African Grey Parrot - Photo  by    Tambako the Jaguar (cc)

There were cases when the african greys plucked their feathers because of getting to much attention. So you just don't know exactly how to treat your bird. Dietary imbalances, or environmental problems may also take to feather plucking. Some environmental problems could be smocking very much in the room where the parrot is kept or keeping him in a space with dry air. Also is recommended for african grey parrots to get regular baths or to be exposed to some kind of moist air. The african grey parrots shouldn't encounter any frightening experiences because this can take to feather plucking.

If this nasty habit appears in you bird's daily activities than you should first see a veterinarian. He will probably try to find a physical explanation for the bird's problem. It's best to try to understand what the veterinarian explains and try to find some ways of resolving the problem. It is proven that the african grey parrot is the most intelligent species. His higher degree of intelligence, along with possible incorrect early socialization at the breeders and not understanding the bird’s intellectual needs when it becomes a companion parrot often leads to neurotic habits -- such as plucking.

Timnehs african grey parrots don't pluck their feathers as much as the congo african grey parrot. This could be because they were not as popular as the congo african parrot. Because of their duller coloration they weren't as licked as the congo.

In conclusion the feather plucking is a major problem for the african grey parrots because they are very difficult birds to take care of.