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The Yellow-naped Parrot or Yellow-naped Amazon (Amazona auropalliata) is an Amazon parrot now often considered to be a subspecies of Yellow-crowned Amazon, Amazona ochrocephala (Gmelin, 1788).
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It is found along the Pacific coast from southern Mexico south to northern Costa Rica. It is distinguished by its green forehead and crown and a yellow band across the lower nape and hindneck. The bill is dark grey and is paler towards the base of the upper mandible. The feet are also dark grey.
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In common with many parrot species, it feeds on nuts, berries, seeds, and fruit.
Deforestation is reducing the number of these parrots in the wild together with illegal removal of young for the pet trade. This parrot readily mimics sounds, and in captivity this includes humans, which is probably the reason it is popular in the pet trade. Like all parrots, however, mimic abilities vary greatly between individuals and species.
A rare blue mutation of the Yellow-naped Amazon is known to exist, in which the entire body is turquoise in color.
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In captivity
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Yellow-naped Amazons are highly sought after for their talking ability and playful personalities. They are also known for nest-protective behaviors that often lead them to bite. This is particularly common in, but not limited to, males during breeding season.
Reference : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_naped_amazon
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By Dane J Stanton
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What is the best parrot food and why? There is no single answer to this question as many different types of parrot food are good for different reasons. However it is important to find out which foods are good and why because you never know what really goes into certain products. So what are the benefits and disadvantages of particular food groups?
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Seeds are a great source of nutrition for parrots. They are designed especially for parrots so the ingredients are not harmful in any way. Regular seed mixes of parrot food usually contain just plain old sunflower seeds which are high in fat and it is recommended that you try to stay away from these. More expensive mixes however, contain a large variety of seeds that are highly nutritious and very beneficial to your parrot’s diet. It is recommended that when buying seeds, always check to see the exact content of sunflower seeds.
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Another type of parrot food commonly used and perhaps more nutritious than seeds are pellets. Pellets contain many more vitamins and minerals that will help your parrot stay healthy, live longer and have more overall energy. There is very little fat in most pellets found on the parrot food market but always check with someone if you are unsure of the ingredients. This type of parrot food is best mixed with fresh vegetables, which brings us to our next point.
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Fresh vegetables are definitely the best type of parrot food there is. Combining vegetables with vitamin rich pellets can make a huge difference to the health of your parrot. It will give him/her a great deal more energy and vibrancy than any other type of parrot food. So go out there and buy some fresh vegetables, chop them up finely so your parrot can eat them and mix in some specially designed pellets. Changing a parrots diet can do wonders for its personality!
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The last point to make note of is this – parrots are like children, they will eat anything they can get their beaks on. Some people believe that parrots are smart enough to know what’s best for them to eat. Don’t believe this as this is the first step to having a very unhealthy bird that will only live for half as long as it is suppose to. In the end it comes down to this – parrots must eat parrot food not human food!
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Dane Stanton is the owner of ParrotTrainingReview.com which is an extensive review of the top parrot training courses on the internet. Find which course is best for you and your parrot! http://www.ParrotTrainingReview.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dane_J_Stanton

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Kakapo are large, rotund parrots; males measure up to 60 centimetres (24 in) and weigh between 2 and 4 kilograms (4.5–9 lb) at maturity.Kakapo are unable to fly, having short wings for their size and lacking the pronounced keel bone (sternum) that anchors the flight muscles of other birds. They use their wings for balance, support, and to break their falls when leaping from trees. Unlike other land birds, Kakapo can accumulate large amounts of body fat to store energy making them the heaviest parrot.
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The upper parts of the Kakapo have yellowish moss-green feathers barred or mottled with black or dark brownish grey, blending well with native vegetation. Individuals may have strongly varying degrees of mottling and colour tone and intensity — museum specimens have shown that some birds had completely yellow colouring. The breast and flanks are yellowish-green streaked with yellow. Their bellies, undertail, necks and faces are predominantly yellowish, streaked with pale green and weakly mottled with brownish-grey. Because the feathers do not need the strength and stiffness required for flight, they are exceptionally soft, giving rise to the specific epithet habroptilus. Kakapo have a conspicuous facial disc of fine feathers, resembling the face of an owl; thus, early European settlers called it the "owl parrot". Their beaks are surrounded by delicate vibrissa or "whiskers", which they use to sense the ground for navigation as they walk with their heads lowered. The mandible is mostly ivory-colored, with part of the upper mandible being bluish-grey. The eyes are dark brown. Kakapo feet are large, scaly, and, as in all parrots, zygodactyl (two toes face forward and two backward). They have pronounced claws particularly useful for climbing. The ends of their tail feathers often become worn from being continually dragged on the ground.
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Females are easily distinguished from males due to some notable differences: they have a more narrow and less domed head, their beaks are narrower and proportionally longer, their ceres and nostrils smaller, their legs and feet more slender and pinkish grey, and their tails are proportionally longer. While their plumage color is not very different to that of males, the toning is more subtle, with less yellow and mottling. They tend to be more resistant and aggressive than males when handled. Nesting females are also distinguished by a brood patch on the bare skin of the belly.
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Like many parrots, Kakapo have a variety of calls. In addition to the booms (see below for a recording) and chings of their mating calls, they often skraark to announce their location to other birds.
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Kakapo have a well-developed sense of smell, which complements their nocturnal lifestyle.They can discriminate among odours while foraging; a behaviour reported for only one other parrot species.One of the most striking characteristics of Kakapo is their pleasant and powerful odour, which has been described as musty.Given the Kakapo's well-developed sense of smell, this scent may be a social chemosignal. The smell often alerts predators to the largely defenseless Kakapo.
Data refer : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kakapo
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Crucial Rules For Lovebird Care
By Elise Gonzalez
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Lovebirds are a tiny version of parrots. They're small bundles of energy that need a large amount of interaction and stimulation to keep their active minds from losing interest. They need lots of care from you.
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There are lots of things you have to consider in Lovebirds care. The cages where they will spend almost all of their time, their food, and the probable health issues you may encounter if you can not provide things they need for continued activity.
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In your Lovebirds cage, you need to provide perches where they can nicely stand, and work as their exercise. You should provide them a lot of toys to stop them from boredom and stress. They like cage mirrors, bird swings and cage ladders. Also keep a cuttle bone in your Lovebirds cage at every point as a beak conditioner and good addition for your Lovebirds care list.
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Lovebirds need a range of foods to keep them healthy. You may want to add to your Lovebirds care list, the rules in feeding your Lovebirds. Fresh vegetables and fruit are good for them, just be careful in feeding them some variety of beans that may be toxic, also chocolate and avocados are deadly to them.
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Be careful when letting them fly out of their cages and let them mingle with your other pets like dogs and cats, their spit is perilous for your Lovebirds, keep this in your Lovebirds care list. This could be a good list for your Lovebirds care, prospects of a healthy lovebird: smooth feathers, clear bright eyes, standard stools, a good appetite, eating during the day, standard level of activity and a clean vent.
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One thing more that you must list in your Lovebirds care list is that when you make a decision to give your Lovebird a bird vitamin, you must ensure that it isn't dangerous to them. Also you must ensure that there's always water available. Good addition to your Lovebirds care list is that Lovebirds need to be let out of their cage, to use some of their energy by flying. Ensure that all windows and doors are closed. You can fasten a bird leash to them so you can control where they're flying.
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Also you should ensure that your cage is kept clean. There are bird cage cleaners available that would help you disinfect the cage. The crevices and cracks in the cage bottom supply a place for germs to prosper. Sometimes, the nails of your Lovebird's get long so you need to trim them, you may use bird clippers that have been disinfected. Ensure you have a styptic powder available, just in case you mistakenly trim too near to the veins and it starts bleeding. Holding the foot up into the light can help you identify where the vein is.
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Lovebirds are a long living, energy-filled tiny parrot. They need incessant handling to remain tame and well behaved. They need a large amount of bird toys and other bird accessories to keep them from becoming bored. These clever loving birds could be a long time mate for pet owners who are prepared to put in the time and effort needed for lovebird care.
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Elise Gonzalez is a lovebird expert. Do You Want To Know How To Take Care Of Your Lovebird & Build Great Friendship With Your Bird? Discover more information about Lovebirds Care, visit http://www.lovebirdscaresecrets.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elise_Gonzalez

By Sunil Punjabi
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Birds generally will do a good job of taking care of themselves if provided with some basic needs. However if one is to truly keep his pet in top shape he needs to follow some routine procedures and live to his responsibilities.
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First of all one should provide his bird with proper food. There are basically two types of bird categories: seed eaters or hard-bills, like finches and canaries, and hookbills like parakeets and cockatiels. Seed eaters eat seeds of different grasses and plants when in their native environments. Providing these birds with commercial seed mixes and leafy greens such as chicory or dandelions, and slice of apple or orange will nourish them very well. On the other hand, hookbills consume leaves, fruit and berries so preferably they should be supplied with large seeds like safflower and sunflower together with an assortment of fruit and vegetables. They can consume these items very efficiently thanks to their strong, bigger beaks.
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Bird cages should have a minimum of one food bowl, one water bowl for drinking and another for bating. These should be cleaned daily as when they eat, birds leave seeds and seed hulls in the feed dish and drinking bowl. Water and food must be replenished daily as what could appear as a full cup of seed might be all hulls. One should make sure bowls are made of a durable material and they allow thorough cleaning and disinfection.
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Bird cages should also have perches of an appropriate size and placed as such as to encourage the bird to move from one to the other by flying or hopping. In case of larger birds, like parrots, one should avoid placing more than two perches in their parrot cages as they could limit the space available for movement. Food and drinking bowls should not be placed beneath perches, as bird droppings would foul their contents.
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Although finches and canaries usually do not use bird toys, parrots enjoy objects that they can manipulate or climb on, or chew up or hide in. Therefore bird toys are critical for parakeets, lovebirds, and cockatiels and should be placed in all parrot cages. There is a wide variety of wooden and plastic bird toys available. Some birds also enjoy their reflection from small mirrors.
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Birds tend to keep themselves quite clean, but may need a bit of help. All birds enjoy and require a bath. Most birds self-bathe pretty vigorously in a shallow water bowl within their Bird cages. The bathing bowl should be kept separate from the bird's drinking water. Another form of hygiene that birds maintain is preening. Self-preening is form of caring and grooming its feathers. Preening will ensure that their feathers are neat and nice. It is very important to trim a bird's nails periodically when they start to curl or curve around, as they could have problems sitting on their perch. If properly taken care of, birds live for quite a long time and all members of the family can enjoy their presence.
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Shop and buy a small, medium, or large bird cages for you pet parrot and pet birds. All types and sizes of parrot cages and safe bird toys for your pet birds - http://www.birdcagesrepublic.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sunil_Punjabi

By Steven P. White
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You have spent good money on a feeder that claimed it was squirrel proof. However, the critters spend an entire day eating your bird seed. So, is there really a squirrel proof bird feeder I can trust? This is probably the most asked question we receive. Have you tried all those feeder that claim to be squirrel proof? Are the squirrels on the feeder all day long? We can help you understand how these feeders are designed and what their purpose really is.
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A properly designed squirrel proof bird feeder should thwart the average squirrel 95% of the time. That means less than 5% of the time the animals will successfully obtain a bird seed reward for their diligence. For most people, this is fine. However, some are not pleased with this result and, unfortunately, allow these small number of invaders spoil the marvelous hobby of backyard bird feeding. I know of one customer who literally flips out each time she even sees a squirrel.
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When you provide free food for your birds, you are basically offering to any aspect of nature, including deer, fox, raccoons, and yes, squirrels. Learning to enjoy all of nature in it's glory simplifies this hobby tremendously. Birds have learned to live with squirrels and a successful backyard birder can too.
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Many of our customers use a humane trap and drive great distances to release these intruders into the wilds. We have one man who has trapped over 75 squirrels in the past two years and is still going strong. Oh well, it keeps him busy and he is having fun doing it. However, for most of us, living with a couple of squirrels is part of nature and we enjoy that as well.
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There are a number of excellent feeders designed specifically to keep red, grey, and fox squirrels from monopolizing the bird seed. Each one can satisfy your desire to allow the birds to feed, but not the squirrels. Be sure to inform your local bird store about what squirrel proof bird feeder you choose. Let them know what critters you wish to deter and what birds you wish to attract.
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At http://www.WildBirdDepot.com we have been satisfying backyard birders for over two decades. End the war with squirrels. Bird feeding is supposed to be a stress reducing hobby. Do not let a few critters ruin it for you. It is possible to attract between 25-30 different varieties of wild birds in your backyard, if the feeder you choose doesn't become a squirrel feeder. Choose the right squirrel proof bird feeder the first time. Save your hard earned money for the bird seed, not the bird feeder. No more damaged feeders or wasted seeds. Own the world's best squirrel proof bird feeder, the one model that has never been returned to our store!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steven_P._White

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Birds can be considered a pest when they decide to roost or nest in areas where their feces and debris can be considered a hazard. Each year building owners and homeowners spend countless hours and money cleaning up after and repairing the damage caused by pest birds. Not only are these problems unsightly; pest birds and their feces can spread 60 plus transmittable diseases. Safety, sanitation and health hazards caused by bird droppings can pose serious liability risks, and left untreated, can lead to accidents and lawsuits. Bird feces, bird nests and debris can also create a bad public image with tenants and patrons. Individuals, companies and government agencies are tired of cleaning up bird feces or repairing the damage that is caused by pest birds and their droppings. Instead they have decided to invest in a Bird Control Solution, which is often as simple as installing bird netting.

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Bird netting is used to exclude pest birds from areas such as rooftops, warehouses, airline hangars, overhangs, eaves of homes and other enclosed areas that pest birds are to be kept out of. Netting will provide 100% exclusion of pest birds and is a long-term bird control solution. Bird netting comes in several different mesh sizes ranging from ¾” mesh for use with all types of birds, to 2” mesh to use when larger birds like pest pigeons and seagulls are a problem. Netting comes in several colors as well; white, stone and black. Black bird netting is usually preferred because of its natural U.V. protection and lack of discoloration due to dirt and dust. When installed properly, the netting will be virtually invisible, not interfering with the architectural features of a building.

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Choosing the right bird netting:

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There are several types of bird netting available. There is knotted polyethylene netting that is considered long lasting and heavy duty. You would use this type of netting where you want a permanent solution to your bird control issues. Heavy-duty bird netting is usually manufactured using U.V. treated twine providing long life. Strength of these nets can be greater than 40 lbs. burst. The nets will also have a high melting point and flame resistant. Heavy-duty bird netting is ideal for use in warehouses, airplane hangars, canopies, overhangs and other large areas where pest birds are to be excluded.

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Another type of bird netting is Polypropylene extruded plastic netting. This is a strong plastic bird netting used to exclude pest birds from homes and gardens. It is strong yet lightweight, easy to use and install. Plastic bird netting is often used to protect crops and orchards from pest birds. It is ideal to protect blueberries, fruit trees and other garden plants. Hanging plastic bird netting from the eaves of your home can protect it from such pest birds as swallows and woodpeckers. Plastic bird netting is not a long term netting product with about one year of usage.

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Bird netting comes in different mesh sizes. Choosing the correct mesh size is important. You do not want the birds to be able to get into the netted off area and become stuck or trapped. For larger birds such as pigeons and seagulls you can use a 1-1/8” to 2” mesh size. For smaller birds such as sparrows and starlings use a ¾” to ½” mesh size. When using plastic netting to protect berries and grapes, use a ¼” mesh size.

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Installing bird netting:

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Commercial installations for bird netting can get complicated depending on the size of the area to be protected and the material that the netting will be attached to. Netting off the infrastructure of an airplane hangar can require thousands of square feet of netting and special equipment such as lifts and power equipment to install the net. It is often recommended to use a professional bird control installer to get the job done correctly. There are bird control installers throughout the country that have experience in installing bird netting in large quantities and complicated jobs.

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Installations of bird netting on your home or in your garden can easily be done yourself. For use in the garden you will cover your favorite plants with the plastic bird netting. Draping the ¼” mesh plastic bird netting over fruit trees will protect the fruit from pest birds. It may be necessary to hire a professional to hang the netting from the eaves of our home, especially in multi-storied houses.

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For more information on bird netting and to find a professional bird net installer in your area contact Bird-B-Gone, Inc. at -800-392-6915 or visit www.birdbgone.com.

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By Steven J Macleod
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Ask anyone about lovebirds, and I guarantee they will assume that to be happy and healthy, these beautiful creatures must be kept as a pair.
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This is not strictly true. What is true is that a pair of lovebirds who have already bonded shouldn't be split up, however if a lovebird has been raised by hand since he was a baby then they can make excellent familty pets on their own.
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Lovebirds do require some handling and care on a daily basis - if you neglect them for more than a couple of days they can actually become quite surly.
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Quite a small bird, many folk make the mistake of buying a smallish budgie type cage to house them in, however this is not really the best way to go.
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A very active bird, the larger the cage you can get the better - they really could do with a lot of toys - for example they love playing with ring sets, or hopping on and off a swing, they really are full of energy.
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There are nine lovebird species, all of which are native to continental Africa, with the exception (it's in the name!) of the Madagascar lovebird.
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The others are: Peachfaced, Masked, Fischer's, Nyasa, Redfaced, Black-Collared, Abyssinian and Black-Cheeked.
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That is only the tip of the iceberg though. In addition to the different species, consider also that there are many, many different colour mutations - for example, there are 17 recognised colour mutations for the peachfaced variety, but when you take into account the mutations having been bred together for many years there are thousands of different colours now available.
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The nicest natured are said to be the Peachfaced variety with peach caps, whilst the red faced standard and lutino varieties are louder and can be more agressive.
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Insofar as diet goes, a varied mix of vegetables, wholegrain cereal, bean mix added to cockatiel pellets and seed mix should do the trick. This can be supplemented with a slice of orange occasionally.
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You should also make a cuttlefish bone or calcium block available for the bird to chew on.
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The lovebird is a great companion to somebody stuck in the house or simply those looking for a family pet. They generally have a really fun personality and are both cheeky and playful. They are great fun to sit and watch, however can also be affectionate.
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Although they have never been known for any great talking ability, they can certainly pick up a few words. They also love to play, and these intelligent birds are very quick at picking up tricks etc.
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So there you have it. A small, but perfectly formed bundle of fun who benefits from a good level of human interaction.
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Read our full guide to pet birds and our lovebird article here.
Steve Macleod is the owner of a UK based website, http://mybirdstore.co.uk and a keen bird owner.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steven_J_Macleod

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It is well-known fact what an influence bring to the human been having a bird as a pet. These little creatures make our life more party-coloured, full of songs from the beautiful nature. It brings to you calmness and makes you smile watching them and listening to their sweet lyric songs. That could be just a simple reason for so many people to have a pet bird. Whatever is the reason it’s obviously that having a pet, no matter if it is a bird or cat or something else, improves your quality of life.
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