In later years, tests showed that in many areas this 'old wive's tale' was in fact very true - and more importantly, they showed why.

It seems our bodily waste-processing and digestive systems require the presence of beneficial bacteria and enzymes in order to perform their functions completely. These organisms thrive in the slightly acid environment created by adding a little apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to water - its presence encourages their activity, thus causing the bodily processes to be performed with maximum efficiency, which in turn promotes good health.

"I give my canary a salad of romaine, shredded carrots, apples, brocoli, etc. twice a day, and he loves it. My question is: do I need to make it fresh each time or can I make extra and store it in a plastic bag?"

My answer;

"Hello! Actually, once a day is plenty, for offering greens. The best thing is to feed the day's quotient of greens in the morning, and top up the seed and/or pellets (whichever you use) in the evening. Greens digest more quickly than seed, and if he fills up on greens in the evening, he will be hungry long before sunrise.

"Greens mixed with fruit will not keep very long, even under refrigeration - I wouldn't want to keep a mix like that for more than two days at most, depending on the temperature of the fridge. If you chop and mix just the veggies and greens, then add the fruit just before serving, you could keep it for as much as three or four days in a well-sealed bag, as long as it is not too wet.

"You are quite safe feeding unlimited quantities of greens, as long as there is no pesticides or fertilizer on them, but the same is not true for fruit - too much fruit can cause diarrhea, which can lead to other problems.

"I generally limit my canaries' fruit to a small slice of apple each once every week or so - but they get a large heap of chopped greens mixed with grated veggies daily."

Welcome to the Companion Birds e-zine

For bird people who care.

Hello! Welcome to the twentieth issue of Flock Talk! This ezine is about the joys and trials of keeping or breeding companion birds of all sorts. Please send comments, ideas, tips, tricks, or stories to Robirda

Bird Site Report

Parrots of the World.com

Many people have watched pet expert Marc Marrone on Martha Stewart's popular TV shows. His commercial website features accessible, easily-found basic information on a wide number of bird species, based on Marc and his partner's extensive experience and practice.

Canaries are a fairly recent addition, and are not afforded much room yet, but much of the more extensive finch information does apply to canaries, too. Marc introduced Martha to some tame canaries during her Christmas Special - she was so enchanted she wanted to learn more. The resulting show segment aired in early May 2001. Keep your eyes peeled - I expect there will be more to come!

Feature Article

        "Every so often someone must say: 'Now is the time to stop and see what we know. Without such pauses, epistemology - the process of knowing - is a bargain basement, shoppers jousting and shouting as they grab at a garment that fits and one that, momentarily, is in style'"

from The Tangled Wing, by Melvin Konner

by Wilhelm Kiesselbach
http://www.nd.edu./~kkiessel/

        Since I first became involved in keeping parrots and began sharing information with others on establishing proper environments and building bird-human relationships, I have assiduously stuck to the old tenet that permitting a pet parrot the 'highest perch' would be detrimental to its eventual behavior patterns, and, consequently, to the evolving relationship.

        For some reason all the available information of the time, whether from behavioral experts, published books, or articles, were emphatic about 'parrot domination behavior'. If allowed, it would negatively affect the relationship between caregiver and parrot, and so it must be curbed.

        Innocently, convinced of this 'truth' and in the absence of more concrete information I joined the crowd. However, in apparent defiance of this 'law of nature' I have always allowed my birds on my shoulder. At first it just seemed to make sense. As it turns out, all of us were wrong!

        It seems that many a behaviorist sometimes inadvertently deals with entirely human interpretations and conclusions and eagerly assumes something that could not be further from a parrot's mind. I find myself wondering what else we are wrong about!

        How this myth of 'parrot domination' was created, no one really knows - but there the theory was, and it made sense to many of us, in a human kind of way.

        I believe that it is most probable that we mistook aggressive behavior for the attempt to dominate - after all, there is no doubt that aggression is present - these pets of ours are still basically wild birds under their gloss of tameness and familiarity with humans, and individual territories, breeding sites, hormonal urges and apparently even flock loyalty may be an underlying cause of aggressive behaviour. Other reasons are surely fear, distrust or even outright dislike for a person or another parrot.

        The intricate and survival driven flock behavior patterns in the wild of these intelligent and sensitive birds is constantly being studied. New conclusions must be drawn consistent with the results of serious research by avian biologists.

        One thing these observers agree seems to be certain - there are no 'flock leaders' and there is no consistently dominant behavior by given members of parrot flocks.

        Unbiased observation of flock composition, life style and size has seen the 'domination behaviour' theory lose its validity. It simply does not make sense when related to observed actual flock pattern behaviour.

        There will, of course, always be the tendency to seek height observed in our pet birds, especially when a threat is perceived or to roost for the night. The reason is not for domination purposes, but rather for relative security.

        It appears that a flock of wild parrots operates as a single homogenous entity, each member dependent on the others for its survival. This is why body language plays such a vital role, and why our parrots are so naturally observant and intuitive in their reactions and responses.

        At a perceived threat from outside the flock, the temporary aggressive behavior patterns by individual flock members are transmitted and immediately recognized and respected as signs of warning by other flock members.

        We must get used to the idea that these intelligent and intuitive creatures cannot be compared to any other pet animal we are likely to encounter. Their reactions to stimuli are driven by instinct AND reasoning. Always remember, a parrot does nothing without a reason - even if that reason is often beyond our intuitive and empathic abilities to understand.

        The absence of inappropriate behavior induced by the need to dominate however, does not eliminate the many other potential misunderstandings which could exist - eliminating one set of misunderstandings does not eliminate the others. It may make it a little easier to understand how our feathered friends think - but it will not make our life with them any less complicated.

        It remains to be said that many a parrot caregiver has been bitten by 'Mr. Wonderful' while he was perching on their shoulder. The fact that the motivation for the bite was not actually dominance induced did not make it any less painful.

        The real problem with allowing a parrot on your shoulder is more one of control and warning. Body language is difficult to detect with only peripheral vision, and a bite can happen very quickly - so, at least until you know your bird very well and are willing to take a chance, the word is still, "Please, not on the shoulder".

        Furthermore, the old adage that the 'high perch' may lead to what we have always called domination behavior is still at least partly valid - especially if one substitutes the word 'aggression' for 'domination'.

        Now it makes perfect 'bird sense'. A typical parrot's thoughts might run something like this; "The higher I can sit, the more secure I feel, and consequently I have the emotional freedom to be aggressive."

        If a parrot lands on the floor for some reason or is taken into an unfamiliar room or situation, his first objective is to feel secure again. After all, he has his own priorities, and as a prey bird, the first one is safety. There are also other drives too, these generally have to do with mating, eating, allopreening or teaching a relative some flock manners.

        Once we have established relationships of trust with our birds, the feeling of being secure in our company develops of its own accord, and the high perch largely loses its importance and appeal to the bird.

        Now that he or she feels secure on all levels, this still does not eliminate the potential for isolated cases of aggressive behavior. This is why every bird owner needs to learn his or her bird's body language, so as to be aware when we are being told "Please leave me alone, I have a headache tonight!"

        There is one very important conclusion that can be drawn from the fact that there are no flock leaders in the wild. In actual fact there can be no flock leaders anywhere!

        Consequently any attempt to pattern our relationship with our birds in that manner is bound to create stress, friction and ultimately the loss of trust. Sally Blanchard put it succinctly: "We must see ourselves as benevolent and patient teachers as opposed to being 'in charge'."

        Being 'in charge' is an entirely human concept and clearly does not apply here. I do find myself wondering what happens in the mind of a parrot who is a member of a human 'flock' which is ruled by a very dominant human - and find myself thinking that there is another, equally important lesson here, for we humans - "We ain't as smart as we think!"

        I would like to thank James J. Murphy, Avian Biologist for providing inspiration and direction to these thoughts in his article 'Aggression in Parrots, "Flock Leaders" and the Above Eye-Height Position - Revisited', published in the 'Amazona Quarterly', spring 2001.

by Wilhelm Kiesselbach
Copyright © May 2001
http://www.nd.edu./~kkiessel/

Most birds normally spend a fair bit of their perching time on one foot. The foot in use 'locks' into a firm grip on the perch, while the other is curled up and pulled up into the feathers. Since birds don't tend to lay down to rest, this habit allows the bird to rest each foot in turn throughout the day.

If, however, you see your bird always holding the same foot off the ground, there may be a problem; you should catch him and examine the foot closely for sores, cuts, growths or lumps. If the problem persists, an avian vet should be seen.

Weak or ill birds do not stand on one leg, ever - they haven't the strength. A weak bird will stand with both legs on the perch, firmly braced apart, often also using the bars of the cage or a cup for additional support. They tend to move as little as possible, and may look larger than usual, due to fluffing their feathers up for warmth. Such a bird is critically ill and needs warmth and veterinary attention as soon as possible.

The skin on the legs and feet can be useful indicators of health, too. Older birds normally develop slightly heavier scaling on their feet and legs as they age - a very old bird may have fairly heavy scaling in these areas.

But if a younger bird develops this problem, it could mean dietary deficiencies, particularly of minerals and vitamin A, or it could be caused by an infestation of a mite most oftenly called the 'scaley faced mite'. Again, a good avian vet should be consulted on the best means of dealing with these problems.

Well, I guess that's it for this time! The next issue is due out June 10th - until then, may you and your birds enjoy all the best of everything!

Robirda