Louie the parrot did a miraculous thing when a fire began to rage in his home; he screeched “Fire!” for the first time and alerted his household to a raging fire. Read more about Louie, his life-saving act, and his bittersweet ending.
A lot of planning goes into creating ways to test the parrots’ intelligence to see how they perform on tasks compared to the results of those undertaken by children and primates. But what happens when two hands are required to solve a problem? Dr. Pepperberg describes the challenges and possible solutions to an intelligence test to circumvent the fact that parrots are hands-free.
Do parrots cough? Cough-like noises can indicate an underlying medical issue in our feathered companions. See how parrots’ coughs are different from ours, and when to call the vet.
Lories and lorikeets are beauties from the family Loriinae that boast some of the brightest plumage among parrots. Their personalities are also colorful, and their unique diet gives them plenty of energy to fuel their always on-the-go tendencies. Learn what else sets these vibrantly colored parrots apart.
Similar to Fantasy Sports, the virtual North American Big Year is a game for birding enthusiasts. And you can compete without leaving your home!
How far would you travel for love? If you were a male kakapo parrot, you’d walk the equivalent of a 5K, as in over three miles (and that’s not counting the walk back)! A lovesick male kakapo parrot embarks on his long stroll each night during breeding season as he tries to beat out the competition for a female’s attention. Learn more about this adorable, rotund parrot with peculiar ways.
The Australian wildfires of 2019-2020 have been particularly brutal in their devastation. How have Australia’s birds fared, and what are the challenges to wildlife and habitat?
Are conures parrots? Do they talk? What size cage do they need? What food provides the best nutrition? Find the answer to these and other common questions about conures.
One Earth Conservation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization co-founded by Dr. LoraKim Joyner, who has worked in parrot conservation for over three decades. The organization encourages communities in Latin America to support and/or get involved in parrot conservation. Here Dr. Joyner gives us a peek at a recent sun parakeet outreach project in Guyana.
Are parrots willing to help a fellow parrot even though there appears to be nothing in it for them? A team of behavioral scientists put blue-headed macaws and African grey parrots to the test. See which of the two species passes the parrot kindness test.
A daily routine can give companion parrots a sense of security — knowing what’s in the plan for the day means they can look forward to timely meals/snacks, out-of-cage time, social interaction, and clean cages. Get inspired by the way Lisa Bono, CPBC, maintains a schedule that helps ensure she doesn’t miss a beat when it comes to caring for the flock.
African grey parrots Athena and Griffin are tasked with the challenge of tracking the larger amount of liquid that is poured into various containers to test their grasp of the concept of “overconservation,” where the experimenter starts with different amounts and tests whether the subjects can track the larger amount after various transformations. See where the parrots succeeded as well as what tended to slip them up on this highly challenging task.
For parrots in the wild, flock dynamics include bonded pairs, siblings, and flockmates who forage for food together, play together, or simply co-exist with one another (and, of course, help keep a lookout for predators). What about companion parrots? Will two parrots get along? Dr. Pepperberg dishes on the interactions among her African grey parrots, as well as explains why it can be challenging so to predict how flock dynamics will play out inside the home.
Kirtland’s warbler population has seen its numbers increase with help of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Michigan Audubon Society. These, and other conservation agencies, have worked together to create a massive forest habitat and to keep the warblers’ native nemesis, the brown-headed cowbird, from destroying their nests.
The California Condor, North America’s largest bird, might be small in numbers, but it has strong support in the conservation community. The Peregrine Fund has worked tirelessly since the early ’80s to increase the birds’ wild populations, which includes introducing the birds back into their native habitats.
Do birds take turns when conversing or is this a uniquely human skill? Dr. Irene Pepperberg addresses birds’ use of “countersinging” and “duets” as forms of vocal communication.
The John James Audubon Center pays homage to the renowned artist and environmentalist, and, perhaps most famously, author of “The Birds of America.” See what’s inside this new, interactive museum and nature facility that celebrates Audubon’s arrival to the area more than 200 years ago.
The Brazilian Amazon is burning at a record pace, with scientists recording more than 76,000 fires in Brazil so far this year, and many other parts of South America are ablaze. Sadly, the fires are likely taking a massive toll on local wildlife, including many parrots. See what species are likely affected and how you can help.
Here’s one parrot you probably couldn’t host on your shoulder, or your hand for that matter. Meet Heracles inexpectatus, the world’s largest species of parrot, recently discovered by palaeontologists in New Zealand. Standing at more than 3 feet tall, this prehistoric parrot has also earned the nickname Squawkzilla.
Can birds understand what their people are saying and/or understand what he or she is saying? Dr. Irene Pepperberg says the answer depends on the type of interactions parrots have with their owners. Discover how the way you interact with your feathered companion, as well as flock dynamics, can influence parrot communication.
In 2006, Moluccan cockatoo Rocky was on the verge of being euthanized due to aggressive behavior. Fortunately, Lara Joseph, an animal behavior consultant, adopted this special ’too and worked patiently to teach him positive ways to communicate. Now Rocky stars in a series of Stanley Steemer commercials.
Its unique appearance, gentle demeanor, and typical fearlessness of humans makes the Nicobar Pigeon a unique and beautiful bird. Discover where this colorful bird is native, why its wild population is on the decline, and how zoos around the world are collaborating to keep the species alive.
How can some birds mimic human speech so effortlessly? Parrots’ gift of gab is especially impressive given the fact that birds do not have lips! See how birds produce pitch and sound to replicate our sounds, as well as sounds beyond our vocal reach.
Check out this inspiring story of Al Larson, who has spent four decades building hundreds of nest boxes for Western and Mountain Bluebirds. His efforts have led a documentary that aims to inspire the next generation of bluebird conservationists.
Dr. Pepperberg’s work with parrots revolves around reproducing behaviors using scientific methods to attain statistical significance. Of course, parrots being parrots, there are plenty of incidents where one of her African greys says or does something that perfectly captures their mood or preference, but which cannot be scientifically documented. African grey Griffin, like Alex before him, certainly knows how to get his point across to Pepperberg and her research students. See how these anecdotes provide interesting insights into how the mind of a parrot may work.
A kakapo chick, one of the rarest birds and the world’s heaviest parrot, receives lifesaving surgery at a veterinary hospital in a risky first-of-its-kind procedure.
If you share your home with companions of both the feathered and furred kind, you might long to see your pets hang out together and be best friends. But before you do, these real-life situations prove that the hazards are real and the consequences potentially tragic.
A one-of-a-kind albino penguin recently made its media debut at Poland’s Gdańsk Zoo. Meet the extremely rare snow-white African penguin chick and see how it is fairing with its penguin family.
Should Polly Ride Shotgun?
The term “distracted driving” conjures up thoughts of some obvious culprits – texting, talking on the phone, eating, etc. We must also consider driving with a feathered passenger – or other pet(s) – as a potential cause of distracted driving, especially a bird who is unsecured in the car. Find out why your bird needs to “buckle up” during car rides, the safest spot in the car for your bird and the type of carrier to help ensure you and your bird safely reach your destination.
As humans, we display a wide array of emotions that reveal our states of mind. It’s quite a sight to witness happiness in full bloom, and equally dismaying to see sadness in action. Of course, those are only two in the wide spectrum of emotions. Some emotions can be destructive, and some simply annoying. […]
The Midwest is experiencing a rare “polar vortex” and the coldest weather in decades, which makes staying warm indoors is a must. Here are some tips to ensure that everyone, including our feathered family members, are safe and comfortable at home during this cold snap.
Burgeoning populations of feral red-crowned Amazons in Los Angeles inspired Conservation ecologists at UCLA to launch “Urban Ark to help city-dwelling birds adapt and thrive.
In this bird-centric news roundup, see the tricky way researchers got female budgies to ditch their preferred mates to those trained to solve puzzles, as well as learn as well as who packs a more powerful bite—T-Rex or finch? Also see how the engineering marvels of a birds’ feathers might one day inspire better adhesives and aerospace materials, and meet Alex the honking cockatiel, the viral sensation that saw his fame inexplicably explode across the internet.
For birds and humans alike, bathing is one of the essential elements of day-to-day living. And like us, some birds like it, and some tolerate it—some even hate it. If you peruse YouTube, you’ll find more than a few videos of owners and their exotic birds bathing in a variety of ways. Some take […]
Chances are, you’ve witnessed a murmuration of starlings. A murmuration is when a mass of starlings fly in a coordinated manner in what appears to be a moving black cloud. Discover how these birds are able to be so in sync.
This tough cockatoo’s miraculous survival from a tumultuous rainstorm storm surprises the Australian farmer who thought the bird for dead and garners a swell of well-wishers from around the globe.
Is it possible for a pet parrot to be as happy in captivity as they would be in the wild? Is parrot ownership more like prison … or could it be like a happy, perpetual childhood experience? As a bird mom to three cockatoos and a parrotlet, it is a question with which I wrestle […]
Have a new bird, or know someone about to welcome a bird into his or her life? Setting a bird up for success as a companion pet has a lot to do with the right interactions. Learn what you should do — and not do — those first few weeks after bringing a pet bird home. Get on the right track with your pet bird, and maintain a mutually respectful relationship for the years ahead with these helpful tips to welcome a new bird into the home.
Make your love of birds count this November. Project FeederWatch invites bird fans to partake by watching birds at their feeders for two designated days per week. See what to be on lookout for and how your participation can help birds near and far.
It’s that spooky time of the year! Some parrot species seem to especially mesh with a Halloween theme. Here is a lighthearted look at parrot species that bring “trick or treat” up a notch.
We like to make our own choices when it comes to what we eat, what we do for entertainment and everything in between. What if we could extend this power to our parrots — give them the ability to communicate what they want and what they don’t want? Here’s a step-by-step approach to teaching your bird to communicate “Yes” or “No.”
Annual bird-watching events contribute greatly to our understanding and observation of birds in their natural habitats. Long-established birding events, as well as new events popping up throughout the year, are valuable in that they help foster interest in our native birds and the ongoing efforts to help them survive in an ever-developing world.
Be inspired by a young photographer whose flair for capturing birds’ natural beauty has garnered him recognition in the prestigious Audubon photography awards.
Feathers are for flying, but did you know that birds might also use their feathers and blush to visually communicate with other birds as well as their human caretakers?
Archaeologists are uncovering an exciting find on northern Mexico — an ancient scarlet macaw breeding facility, which may suggest the existence of an ancient bird trade in the southwest area of the United States.
If you are the director of a world-famous animal cognitive behavior research lab, what do you do when your feathered diva doesn’t follow directions? Dr. Irene Pepperberg and her assistants start by having African grey Athena watch her flockmate Griffin perform a requested task with the hope that she’ll be inspired to model his behavior. When that fails, see how Athena has her own way of proving just how smart parrots are.
Devising new ways to test parrots’ cognitive skills is the exciting part of Dr. Irene Pepperberg and her staff’s work. The challenging part is finding the exact words to sum up a study — and the even more challenging part is finding creative ways to inspire people to donate to help fund the lab’s research. Fortunately, the parrots can usually be relied upon to “lend a wing” to the cause. African grey Griffin and his fellow greys have been going on epic “outings” to inspire donors to flock to the lab’s Facebook and Tumbler pages.
Science has long wondered how birds navigate; essentially what drives their internal compass? Recent research sheds light on birds’ amazing navigational abilities — namely the discovery that they can see magnetic fields.
Of Mexico’s more than 40 protected biosphere reserves, the Tuxlas region of Veracruz, Mexico, is one devoted to the re-introductions of scarlet macaws back into the wild, with the hope that these majestic parrots will once again thrive in their native habitat.
Wild birds of differing species cooperate with each other to enhance the safety of their families over long periods of time.
With less than 2,000 left in the wild, the survival of the Cape parrot might depend on the Cape Parrot Project and people who fight for this species.
Global Big Day provides amazing data on birds in the wild, thanks to the efforts of thousands of volunteers collecting data. Find out which country topped the list with the most species in 2018!
Be amazed by the incredible response one man created when he began feeding two Indian ring-necked parakeets after a tsunami devastated the area.
How often are you soothed and comforted by watching birds arrive in your backyard? Anxiety and stress levels can be significantly reduced with access to more natural day to day occurrences of bird watching capability.
Dr. Irene Pepperberg tells about a visit to Serenity Park, a shelter and rescue for unwanted, abused birds that is staffed almost entirely by war veterans with PTSD.
If you’re a bird lover, you’ll especially find these bird-focused articles worth a read, as they showcase more bird superpowers!
A storm like a cyclone can heavily disrupt the migration of birds by leading them off course and potentially creating a situation that could be catastrophic to a flock.
To test a parrot’s ability to understand probability, Dr. Irene Pepperberg’s cognitive behavior research lab recently presented African grey parrot Griffin with a task similar to what a 6-8 year-old child might be tasked to do — using three of one item and one of another, if one item was removed, what was the removed item likely to be? Griffin’s answers might surprise you.
The Silkie chicken is known for its fluffy plumage, which is said to feel like silk and satin. Add together its other unusual qualities, such as black skin and bones, blue earlobes, and five toes on each foot— not to mention a friendly temperament — and it’s easy to see why the Silkie chicken wins the hearts of many.
As companion animals, parrots are unique in that they can use human language to verbally communicate with us. Dr. Irene Pepperberg knows first-hand the advantages of working with such communicative subjects. African grey Griffin, for example, can verbalize requests to Dr. Pepperberg and her research assistants, such as when he wants to go back to the cage (“Wanna go back”) or sit with them (“Wanna go chair”). But this command of words also creates some interesting dilemmas on how to talk in front of a parrot that understands what you are saying.
