ISSN 1492-8132
Issue 70, © 2003
No reprints without permission

We have decided to relocate, and are moving from the middle of the city of Vancouver up to BC's lovely Okanagan valley, home of the infamous legend 'Ogopogo', thought by some to be a hoax, and by others to be a living remnant of the era of dinosaurs.

While we will do our best, there may be some times when we will not be able to respond as quickly as we would like, so if you need to contact us for any reason, please be patient - we'll get back to you as quickly as we can.

Recent research produced by collaberations between American and Brazilian researchers on the evolution of birdsong has discovered that while all birds vocalize, only 3 of the 23 orders of birds have evolved the ability to learn songs from adult tutors and repeat them in the right context, in a manner remarkably similar to how humans learn to speak.

The scientists were fascinated to find that these three groups of birds, all very different from each other, develop and use the same seven areas of the brain while learning, and they do their learning in a very similar manner too. These structures within the brain are not even present, in non-vocal learning orders of birds.

Like the bird family, mammals too have very few species who demonstrate learned vocalizations; humans, bats, whales and dolphins. The evolutionary implications of the research on birdsong appears to have the potential to strongly impact the study of how and why so few mammals actually developed the ability to learn speech or songs.

For the full story see the webpage here.

Want to keep an eye out for any interesting developments in how we understand our birds? Here's a great place to start.

Cornell's Bioacoustics Research Program (BRP) develops and applies new techniques for recording and analyzing animal sounds. Algorithms, computer software, and equipment developed at BRP are used by scientists around the world to study animal communication and to monitor the health of wildlife populations.

You can read about ongoing research projects focusing on communication with and between elephants, whales, and various species of birds. There's some fascinating material here, whether you are interested in hardware, software, technical and theoretical information, or just plain collecting ideas.

When you need help with housing, feeding, care or behavioral questions, you can get a personal answer from Robirda.

A recent consultee said, "I must tell you that this service is worth much more than we pay. You certainly provide a valuable and informative service! Your information will make the difference..."

Robirda can help you learn to understand your birds better! For details, click here.

These great little holder-perches allow a bird to perch comfortably while chewing on their cuttlebone, millet, greens, or whatever else you choose to have this useful little accessory hold. They are available from a good number of bird suppliers on and offline, but the link above will show you a better picture than most online listings.

Welcome to Robirda's Companion Birds eZine

For breeder or pet bird owners who care.

If you're looking for something different, don't forget to check our home page at www.robirda.com for links to all our great products!

For all those who've helped out in so many ways, thank you for your ongoing support - we wouldn't be here without you. We hope you enjoy the feature story in this issue! Our next issue is due May 11th - until then, be well and stay happy!

Robirda
April 27, 2003

Feature Story

This fictional tale of a lost little bird is based on real-life incidents. When we last saw our small feathered hero, he'd thought to find a new home, and instead found himself being sold to a pet store. Resolved to escape at the first chance, he'd managed to wing out the pet shop door into the heart of a big city, where he would learn that...

by R C McDonald
http://www.robirda.com
Copyright © 2003

It was still quite early in the day, and I gloried in the feel of the cool gentle breeze on my feathers, as I flitted along the street, the calls from the pet shop I had just escaped from fading in my ears.

Everywhere I looked, I saw tall, cold buildings, and cold, hard streets - there was not a speck of green in sight, except for a few plants in the windows of buildings lining the streets.

There was getting to be quite a few cars, and the noise and smell was deafening. I began to feel as if I was reliving the nightmare that had awakened me that morning, and quickly suppressed the thought - I did NOT want to remember that!

Dimly, I heard a faint trill through the sounds of the cars, and my attention sharpened - that sounded like a bird-call!

Yes, there it was again, coming from the street I was winging past. Turning, I passed from sunlight into the shade of the tall buildings, and followed the fading birdsong down the street.

Once I was out of the sunlight, the landscape seemed even more grey and dreary, and the cool morning, which had seemed so lovely and warm a few minutes before in the sun, was suddenly chilly and bleak.

But I could still hear the occasional sound of birds ahead, and it seemed to me that it was getting stronger, so I laboured on, trying to regain the warm feeling of success that had flooded me as I'd bolted out the slowly-opening door of the pet store, right past Lucien's astounded nose.

A brief moment of sun warmed me as I crossed another street, then I had returned to the shade - but now I could see sunlight on the tops of the buildings, and, even better, I was beginning to hear more bird sounds.

Encouraged, I flew on, and within a few minutes found myself on the verge of a completely different landscape.

Everywhere I looked was greenery. Wide, short-clipped lawns spread over low rolling mounds, cut by curving paths and dotted with benches and clumps of trees. I could see a small lake sparkling in the sun a little further away, and at least some of the birdcalls I had been hearing seemed to be coming from clumps of tall rushes standing about its edges.

I landed in the closest tree and clung, gazing about. From here, the entire world seemed green and good - unless I looked behind me, where the tall buildings loomed. I turned back, and flitted to another tree. From here I could see several people strolling around the lake with dogs, and noticed that some of the benches scattered here and there had people sitting on them.

In fact - that one over there looked mighty interesting! I watched a little more closely - yes, I was right! The woman sitting there was throwing handfuls of food out to the crowd of birds at her feet! Maybe if I was clever I could manage to get some too?

I flitted over and clung to a twig at the end of a long branch protruding from a nearby tree while looking the situation over. She was holding a largish bag full of what smelled like seed, but looked like little puffs of cloud, and was tossing these in small handfuls near her feet, where a flock of small birds gathered, competing fiercely for every scrap.

I remembered all too vividly the rush of gaping, angry beaks and beating wings that had greeted me the first time I had tried to join such a flock while they were feeding, and determined that this time I was going to try a different tactic.

Swooping down to land on one end of the back of the bench on which she sat, I uttered a short trill, and tried to look as hopeful as I knew how.

She glanced up, surprised, and laughed. "Well, aren't you the brave little thing, and what a pretty song you have!" she said. "I take it you would like some popcorn too? Here, I'm just going to put this little piece down right here - go ahead and try it, you'll like it!"

While she was speaking, she leaned forward a little and gently placed a piece of the white fluffy stuff on the seat of the bench below me. I leaned back on my tail, nervous, as she leaned forward, then as she sat back again, I leaned forward to study this stuff she called 'popcorn'.

I looked up to find her watching me. "Go on, get it before some other brave soul decides to hop up here and eat it before you do!" she urged, and a rumbling in my already-empty crop sounded in my ears, as if in counter-point.

Giving her another wary look, I swooped down, grasped the piece of popcorn in my claws, flitted back up to the end of the bench, and took a taste.

It had an odd, almost squeaky texture, but tasted very good, and I made short work of devouring it. I looked up to find her still watching me, and gave her a short trill of thanks. She grinned at me, and gently put another piece on the seat.

"Tasty, isn't it? Here, have some more!" she told me, then turned to throw another handful down for the birds at her feet.

I zipped in and grabbed my second piece while she was preoccupied with the others, and finished it even more swiftly. Tasty though it was, this popcorn stuff seemed to take an awful lot of eating, and I didn't feel very full after finishing what seemed to be quite a large piece - it was almost as if I as eating mostly air.

In the end, I cadged more than a half a dozen pieces of popcorn from my human benefactor before I was satisfied. She was beginning to try to get me to come closer, putting each piece nearer to her so I would have to come closer to get it, and I was getting nervous, remembering all too clearly how Doris had caught me, yesterday.

True, this human had no cage, such as Doris had used - but I knew from previous experience just how fast a human hand could grab you, if you weren't paying attention, and I was not in the mood to take risks.

Winging away from her bench, I flew along the border of the lake until I found an isolated area in the reeds, where a small patch of sandy ground met the lakeshore. The water was shallow near the edge, and after scouting around and making sure the area was clear of dangers, I spent a few happy minutes splashing and playing, having the first thorough bath I could remember in days.

I followed my bath with some sunbathing on a high, private branch, feeling very pleased with my new-found freedom, and glad that I had taken the risks that had led me here.

A thin, high sound got my attention, and I glanced up, then ducked in sudden terror into the shade of the leaves of a nearby bush as a bolt of wings brushed the branch where I had been sitting, followed by a terrifying scream of frustration as the small hawk pulled up rather than brave the sticks and twigs of the thicker brush where I now clung.

I shivered, terrified. My parents had told me stories of birds like this, passed on to them by their parents. I had never seen one, but my instincts had recognized it before my brain had - without even having to take a split second to think, my body had flung itself off that branch and into cover.

I knew, though, just how lucky I had been - if I hadn't glanced up just then, I would be dead now. Free living was beginning to show me the price that the birds who lived it paid, and sadly, I remembered Joe's happy home.

Okay, maybe it'd had its drawbacks. But it was secure, and safe, and we had loved him as much as he loved us. I found myseld wishing that he had not died, then firmly put that thought behind me - there was no use crying over spilled seed, my mother had always said, and wishing in vain for a past that could never again be, would get me nowhere.

I peered out of the tree, looking up to see if I could spot the hawk. Yes, there he was, circling the clump of trees I was in. I had better stay here for awhile, where it was safe, and after a few moments I tucked my head into my feathers to try to take a quick nap.

Some time later the branch shook, and I looked up in surprise to see a large grey furry creature with a big bushy tail swinging on the end of the branch I was sitting on. I eeped in surprise and jumped into the air, belatedly realizing that I had forgotten to check for the hawk, and circled back to look behind and above me.

There was no sign of the hawk, but the grey creature was still on the branch where I had napped, sitting on its haunches with its paws dangling over its chest and its tail curled up its back, the tip fluffing up over its head. It looked harmless enough, and as I watched, it flicked its tail and zipped around the trunk of the tree, moving as easily as if it was on flat ground.

I shook my head, wondering what other strange creatures I was going to run into today, and decided that it was about time that I set about looking for my dinner.

by R C McDonald
http://www.robirda.com
Copyright © 2003

*** Watch for the continuing adventures of our little feathered hero, coming soon!

From Spacious Pet Cages To Breeder's Flight Cages

Keeping birds is wonderful, but proper cages can be very expensive, and quality is almost always an issue - too often cheap cages have been found to be damaging to the health of a bird who lives in them, something no caring bird owner wants!

The folks at Bird and Cage Co have made it their goal to provide birdkeepers with a great selection of quality cages for the best possible prices - and if you live in the continental US, there's an even nicer bonus - for now at least, shipping is free!

To see our reviews of cages carried by Bird and Cage Co, that Robirda recommends you consider if you are thinking of getting one or more new bird cages, click here.

For a full selection that includes some great wrought-iron parrot cages, visit www.birdandcage.com