Posts – Pet Birds by Lafeber Co.

Inside Dr. Pepperberg’s Lab: Fundraising Powers The Work

December 2, 2025 by Irene Pepperberg, Ph.D.

two women interact with African grey parrot — Two students do M/R modeling with Athena. Image courtesy of Dr. Irene Pepperberg.

I’m often asked why we have to engage in so much fundraising to support our lab…why is it so expensive when we have so few experimental subjects? The answer is that it really does take “a village.” Specifically, we try (though it is not exactly possible) to give our birds an environment as close as can be to that of a toddler.

So, think of that environment…the toddler is never left alone during the day! Yes, a caretaker will put a toddler down for a nap, or maybe put the child in a playpen (the equivalent of a cage, if one is being honest) for some parts of the day, but for the most part, the child has constant companionship. A good caretaker will be talking to the child pretty constantly, too—talking about what is being fed for meals, about the colors, shapes, and number of toys. And, although the toddler will have many other experiences that a companion bird lacks (e.g., only a few birds get to go out on walks or have playdates; see Pepperberg, 2024 for others), you get the picture.

So, for those reasons, our parrots have human companionship all of their waking hours…and, given that African greys originate in equatorial Africa, that is basically 12 hours each day. [For various reasons, our birds’ days are technically 11 hours, but, like many toddlers, they often resist going to “bed” (back in their cages), so often our research assistants (RAs) stay late and the days are closer to 12.]

Lab Runs on Teamwork

A Harvard student with her senior thesis and parrots. Image courtesy of Dr. Irene Pepperberg.

Almost all of our RAs are students with heavy class schedules, so they work in shifts. During their shifts, they clean cages, make meals, and give Griffin physical therapy for his arthritis, as well as engage in our various studies. And one person per shift is just a minimum. If we are doing any training, that means a minimum of two RAs—one as the model/rival and one as the trainer. Usually, we have a third RA to take notes. The same situation is true whenever we do testing. One person is doing the questioning, another is making sure all the stimuli and other equipment are working properly, and a third is note-taking and/or carefully watching the birds to ensure that they are paying full attention. If they aren’t, we have to declare a mistrial, and because of the way the experiments are designed, that third observer is often critical.

And even if we aren’t doing any scheduled training or testing, parrots need attention. They ask for “tickles”—for us to preen areas on their head that they can’t fully reach, or tell us they “wanna go back” to their cage where they can nap or snack. Alex would ask for a “showah” (a Bostonian shower), and Griffin tells us he wants additional training by saying “wanna nut!”, or asks to “go sink” (to the kitchen area, where he gets to play with spoons). Oftentimes, several RAs and I use avian nap time to discuss how we would design a new experiment or analyze the data from a current one, or to troubleshoot a design that isn’t working properly. These mini-meetings are critical to the smooth operation of the lab.

Although no one is in the lab overnight, we have monitors that alert the RA on call if anything unusual happens. A video camera is in place to identify the cause of an unexpected sound, and monitors send an alarm if the temperature goes too high or too low. (And, yes, we have had such emergencies. One time, the building’s power blacked out overnight, and the heat went off. The RA on call rushed in to find—unbelievably!—that the ONLY room in the entire huge building that still had electricity was the birds’ room, so we could plug in our emergency space heaters until the issue was resolved. And for that, of course, the RA got overtime pay.) When we were in basement labs at various universities, we also had a flood sensor, and we always have possible evacuation plans.

Students at Brandeis pose with African grey parrot — Students at Brandeis pose with a moulting Griffin. Image courtesy of Dr. Irene Pepperberg.

The RAs have various levels of expertise and are paid accordingly. The positions range from a post-doctoral fellow who spends half her time in lab working on new studies and half of her time at home, analyzing data and writing up papers based on completed experiments; to lab managers who are responsible for things like scheduling all the other RAs, ordering supplies and buying groceries as well as helping with bird care and experiments; to students who can work only a limited number of hours a week but who want experience in lab work and animal care. (Just FYI—I get no reimbursement for my time in lab or for running The Alex Foundation…And we get no federal or university financial support—we rent the apartment that maintains the lab, pay for utilities, food, veterinary care, supplies for experiments, etc. It all adds up…)

So, when you see our requests for assistance, understand that absolutely every penny goes to support the welfare of our parrots! For now, that is just Griffin, but other than veterinary bills, nothing really changes in terms of expenses and the number of our subjects.

Be Part of the “Village”

You can help Dr. Pepperberg continue the groundbreaking parrot research she began 40 years ago with Alex, the African grey parrot who won admirers from around the world with his cognitive abilities. If you shop online through sites such as Amazon.com, you can designate the Alex Foundation to receive a percentage of your final sales, or register with the Alex Foundation at iGive.com and a percentage of sales from companies associated with iGive will go to the foundation. The Alex Foundation also has a “Donate” button linked to PayPal. Visit the Alex Foundation’s “Support Us” link for more information.

Lafeber’s Global Parrot Conservation Spotlight November 2025: Peru’s Taricaya EcoReserve

November 25, 2025 by Ann Brooks

scarlet-macaw-eating — A scarlet macaw in the care of Taricaya EcoReserve. Image courtesy of Taricaya.

The Taricaya EcoReserve was founded in 2001 and is located in the Tambopata province of Peru. It is comprised of a group of people dedicated to the conservation of the Amazon rainforest as a place to live in harmony with nature. Located on 476 hectares (about 1,180 acres), Taricaya is comprised largely of primary forest, making it one of the most biodiverse and ecologically significant forests on Earth.

In 2008, Taricaya opened the first Rescue Center in Peru. Its mission is to rescue and rehabilitate a wide variety of animals, from turtles, snakes, and ocelots to caimans, tapirs, and scarlet macaws. Over 500 animals have been helped so far.

Parrots Heal at Taricaya

When the government confiscates parrots due to illegal trafficking, they go to the Rescue Center for rehabilitation and assessment. It is also illegal in Peru to keep native wild animals as pets. If found, the birds often have clipped wing feathers and cannot fly. It often takes two years for a bird’s flight muscles to build up again, and for its feathers to molt and regrow sufficiently for flight in the wild. In other sadder cases, wings may have been broken, and the bird must stay permanently at the Rescue Center.

The Rescue Center is staffed largely by volunteers who assess and take care of the birds while they are monitored for health and evaluated for future release back into the wild. The veterinarians also conduct a variety of lab tests to ensure the parrots will not introduce any illness back into the forest upon their release.

Here are some of the parrots recently surrendered to Taricaya for help. Their team will do what they can to get them ready to be wild again, if possible! Since the government provides no financial assistance for the animals turned over to Taricaya, unfortunately, there is a limit to how many animals the center can help within a very tight budget. This month’s Lafeber donation goes to support the Taricaya Rescue Center and its worthy efforts!

severe-macaw-standing — A severe macaw (also called the chestnut macaw) in the care of Taricaya EcoReserve. Image courtesy of Taricaya.

disabled-blue-and-gold-macaw — A disabled blue-and-gold macaw gets loving care at Peru’s Taricaya EcoReserve. Image courtesy of Taricaya.

Thousands Of Birds Caught In The Eye Of The Hurricane

November 11, 2025 by Matt Rowe

When you observe birds in their natural environments, their adaptability to changing conditions is truly remarkable. Birds rely heavily on natural forces to make their lives easier, one of the most important being wind. Wind flow can create favorable conditions that make flying less energy-intensive. Birds use wind to ease their own energy consumption with a lot of flexibility. However, when Hurricane Melissa formed recently, concerns arose for the birds, since hurricane-force winds are far too powerful for them to navigate.

Once the devastating hurricane achieved Category 5 designation, it was a storm to be feared. These hurricanes have a calm center called the eye of the storm. Birds that were flying when the hurricane began to form became helpless, drawn into the storm by powerful inflow winds. These inflow winds carry warm, moist air that helps a hurricane form. The air moves inward at low levels and then rises in what is called the eyewall. By that point, it is already creating the intense, counterclockwise spiraling of air that makes hurricanes so dangerous.

Caught In The Eye Of The Storm

Birds are often pulled into hurricanes and may reach the calm eye at the center. However, once inside, they cannot escape because of the violent, un-navigable wind wall surrounding them. Trapped within the storm, they are forced to travel with it as it moves. The danger is that birds eventually need to land and rest, and they cannot do so. When a hurricane is moving over the ocean, there’s nowhere safe to go. The sad result is that many birds perish under these conditions.

This happened during the recent disruptive and ultra-violent Hurricane Melissa. Many migratory birds were drawn into this hurricane and could find no way out. NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) maintains a National Hurricane Center division. “Hurricane Hunters” use specially equipped aircraft to fly into storms and collect vital data for research. In their flight into Hurricane Melissa, they discovered thousands of birds within the 10-mile-wide calm center. While some of these birds manage to survive the exhausting effort of staying aloft as the storm moves, they often suffer from severe disorientation and fatigue once the hurricane weakens enough for them to escape.

The thousands of birds observed by NOAA’s Hurricane Hunters will likely see their numbers greatly reduced due to the extreme exhaustion many experience. Even for the Hurricane Hunters themselves, this storm posed a major challenge, as the intense turbulence forced their aircraft to end their exploration earlier than planned.

We can only hope that we eventually find ways to help prevent migratory birds from being drawn into dangerous hurricanes as they form.

Webinar: Avian Vet Insider: Iron Storage Disease – 11AM PST

November 7, 2025 by lafebercares

Webinar: Avian Vet Insider: Iron Storage Disease – 11AM PST

Date: Friday, December 5, 2025

Time: 11:00 a.m. PST (double-check your local time with this time zone converter)

Join us for a FREE, live, interactive webinar hosted by Laura Doering, former editor of Bird Talk magazine and Birds USA magazine. Our special guest, Dr. Stephanie Lamb, DVM, DABVP (Avian Practice), will discuss Iron storage disease. Iron is an important element in the body, but too much is not a good thing. Iron storage disease, iron overload, or hemochromatosis is all the same disease, and this webinar will help viewers become familiar with it. From exploring if your bird could be at risk for this and what diagnosis of this entails, to treatment and follow-up, we will discuss the ins and outs of this infrequent but important disease to be familiar with. Get ready for another deep dive, in this insider’s view of the daily happenings at your Avian Vet’s clinic.

Missed our webinar? No problem! You can access the webinar in its entirety here:

Webinar: Ask The Vet With Tom Tully, DVM, DABVP (Avian Practice), DECZM (Avian)

November 7, 2025 by lafebercares

Webinar: Ask the Vet with Tom Tully, DVM, DABVP (Avian Practice), DECZM (Avian)

Date: Friday, December 12, 2025

Time: 12:00 p.m. PST (double-check your local time with this time zone converter)

Join us for a FREE, live, interactive webinar hosted by Laura Doering, former editor of Bird Talk magazine and Birds USA magazine. Our special guest Tom Tully, DVM, DABVP (Avian Practice), DECZM (Avian), will answer your questions about pet bird health, nutrition, and care. Dr. Tully, a decorated Professor & practicing Vet at Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, is an internationally known veterinarian who has earned specialties in Avian Medicine in the United States and Europe. Having this type of access to a Veterinarian of his status is rare, but Dr. Tully believes the educated bird owner is the best bird steward. Dr. Tully answers each question in detail and shares his vast knowledge of birds, particularly parrots. Is your bird’s problem health-related or behavioral? Are you offering the right foods to your pet bird? Ask the Vet!

Missed our webinar? No problem! You can access the webinar in its entirety here:

Webinar: Fun For The Holidays! Annual Pet Bird Holiday Gift Guide & Giveaway – Special Time 11AM PST

November 7, 2025 by lafebercares

Webinar: Fun for the Holidays! Annual Pet Bird Holiday Gift Guide & Giveaway – Special Time 11AM PST

Date: Friday, December 19, 2025

Time: 11:00 a.m. PST (double-check your local time with this time zone converter)

Join us for a FREE, live, interactive webinar hosted by Laura Doering, former editor of Bird Talk magazine and Birds USA magazine. Our special guest, Lisa Bono, CPBC, owner and operator of The Platinum Parrot and a certified parrot behavior consultant specializing in African grey parrots, has once again secured many wonderful donations for us to give away to some lucky viewers! In this fun holiday episode, Lisa will discuss each prize, an assortment of toys and supplies that are safe for our feathered companions as well as some parrot-themed items for bird lovers. We encourage you to shop with our generous donors when doing your holiday shopping for yourself or your own flock or for your bird friends or their flocks. This very special Holiday Webinar is generously sponsored by Lafeber Company, The Platinum Parrot & Lisa Bono Consulting & the following generous companies.

The American Federation of Aviculture

https://afabirds.org/2018_WordPress/

Austin Air

https://austinairsystems.com/

Bite Me Birdie

https://bitemebirdie.com/

Bonka Bird Toys/Kings Cages

https://bonkabirdtoys.com/

Grey Parrot Consulting

www.GreyParrotConsulting.com

Harmony House

https://www.harmonyhousefoods.com/

Lafeber Company

https://lafeber.com/shop/

The Leather Elves

https://theleatherelves.ecwid.com/

National Parrot Rescue & Preservation Foundation

https://www.parrotfestival.org/

Parrots Treasure

https://www.parrotstreasure.com/

Phoenix Landing

https://www.phoenixlanding.org/wellnessretreat.html

The Platinum Parrot

https://theplatinumparrot.com/

Super Bird Creations / Make Your Own Bird Toys

https://www.superbirdtoys.com/

https://makeyourownbirdtoys.com/

Sweeter Heater

https://www.sweeterheater.com/

Missed our webinar? No problem! You can access the webinar in its entirety here:

From Laughter To Lessons: Remembering Athena

November 4, 2025 by Irene Pepperberg, Ph.D.

african grey athena with plastic cup — Image courtesy of Dr. Irene Pepperberg

For those of you who do not follow us on Facebook, this is likely the first news you may have of Athena’s passing. She left us on September 11th while undergoing a procedure at her veterinarian’s practice. She was only 12 years old, and her passing was quite a shock. A necropsy showed that her death was caused by a congenital problem—hypercholesterolemia—which, unfortunately, is not all that rare in African grey parrots.

Hypercholesterolemia is an inability to appropriately process lipids in the diet and is hereditary. Like humans with the condition, her arteries were badly blocked (~90% in some cases), and she could not have lived very much longer. We took some comfort that her death did happen while under a veterinarian’s care—she received “birdie CPR” and other life-saving treatments—so that we knew that everything possible had been done to save her. It would have been even more traumatic had she passed away while in the laboratory.

With respect to the medical issue: Not too long after Athena passed, I attended the annual AAV (Association of Avian Veterinarians) meeting, where they had a long session solely on this problem in pet parrots. It seems to be more prevalent in African grey parrots, but it does occur in many other species. It turns out that, if the disease is suspected, it is not too difficult to diagnose from a CT scan. The problem, however, is that not all that much can be done after a diagnosis. The drugs used in humans have very little effect on parrots, and some veterinarians told me that they are losing Greys at extremely young ages…like 4 years old.

The researchers did find a correlation between the life spans of the affected birds and their diets. So (interestingly!), just like humans, those whose diets had a healthier balance of omega-3 to omega-6 fats seemed to survive the longest. If you are wondering, that means far fewer sunflower seeds and more flaxseeds. I was told that the reason Athena lived so long was because of the excellent care she had received.

Smart, Sassy, and So Very Loved

african grey athena near stand with colored cups — Athena liked to do things on her own terms. When she decided to participate in experiments, she showed just how smart she really was. Image courtesy of Dr. Irene Pepperberg.

But knowing all of this does not fill the hole in our hearts that Athena has left. She was a very big presence in all the lives of those with whom she interacted. She always made it clear that she wanted to be the center of attention, much to Griffin’s chagrin. She would make us laugh with her antics; her water bowl picture (below) was classic. She didn’t always want to engage in experiments, and we would joke that her theme song should be “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” But when she did work, she would focus intently. She was incredibly smart and often used her intelligence to undermine us.

I’ll never forget how she hoodwinked us one day when she wanted to chew the buttons on a research assistant’s (RA) shirt. Athena asked to go “Shoulder,” where she started to preen, and then surreptitiously approached the collar button. We scolded her, removed her from the shoulder, and gave her a brief time-out. She then requested “Shoulder” again, and the same scenario played out several times in a row. Finally, after being put on the RA’s shoulder, she asked for “Ring”—a favored plastic chew toy, with which she began interacting. We were so pleased…until we looked up to find that she had carefully placed the ring around the button and had started chewing on the object of her desire.

african grey athena sits in bowl — Image courtesy of Dr. Irene Pepperberg.

She was very popular with visitors to the lab and had no fear of strangers, probably because once she climbed onto the hand of someone new, she became the focus of their attention and could probably con them into playing one of her favorite games by saying “Up”, she would ask them to lift her high enough so she could tap her beak to the ceiling. (Why that entranced her so, we never knew…but it was definitely something she clearly enjoyed.)

Life in the lab goes on, and eventually the ragged edges of that Athena-sized hole in our hearts will smooth over; memories of her will bring smiles rather than tears. Griffin definitely does his part, keeping us focused with his constant demands of ‘tickle’ or requests to engage in experiments so he can obtain his daily ratio of rewards….But we will never forget Athena and how much she enriched our lives.

Lafeber’s Global Parrot Conservation Spotlight October 2025: Indonesia’s Abbotti Sulphur-Crested Cockatoos

October 28, 2025 by Ann Brooks

Abbotti cockatoo in tree in Indonesia — Indonesia’s Abbotti Cockatoo, a subspecies of the sulphur-crested (Cacatua sulphurea abbotti), is one of the rarest cockatoos in the world. Image courtesy of Dwi Agustina.

Lesser sulphur-crested cockatoos or yellow-crested cockatoos (Cacatua sulphurea) are among the most endangered parrots of Indonesia. They were once very common across central Indonesia, but in the past 45 years, their decline has been dramatic, with the loss of over 80% of the population. They are now threatened throughout their entire range in Indonesia. Due to the illegal bird trade and loss of their mangrove habitat, sulphur-crested cockatoos in Indonesia are considered critically endangered and, since 2005, they have been listed as Appendix I on CITES.

The Abbotti cockatoo, a subspecies of the sulphur-crested (Cacatua sulphurea abbotti), is one of the rarest cockatoos in the world. It was on the road to extinction, with only five known individuals in 1997. A small but slowly growing population is limited to Masakambing, a tiny and very remote island in the Java Sea.

From Five to 25

Since 2007, Perkumpulan Konservasi Kakatua Indonesia (KKI), an Indonesian NGO working with the Indonesian Parrot Project (IPP), began studying the Abbotti cockatoo population and initiating conservation efforts in Masakambing. Due to their good works, there has been zero trapping since 2009. A law was also passed to prohibit trapping, sale, or disturbance of this special species and their habitat. The population of cockatoos is increasing, but very slowly. The Natural Resource Conservation Authority in East Java recently reported that the population in Masakambing is now more than 25 individuals. Progress!

To protect the few remaining individuals, collaboration with the local community has been essential. Conservation education has also built community awareness and empowerment. KKI actively participates in campaigns to build community pride, encourage relevant stakeholders to enforce the law, and to initiate ecotourism programs.

The Masakambing Community welcomes visitors. Image courtesy of Dudi Nandika.

Local Hands, Global Impact

The Masakambing community now welcomes ecotourism visitors, which helps to provide sustainable income for this community. They built this beautiful concrete statue in 2023 to exhibit their pride for the Abbotti cockatoos on their island. They also host a cockatoo dance and music presentation for visitors around this giant cockatoo made with natural palm fronds from the Lontar tree (Borassus sundaicus). The Abbotti cockatoos also eat the flowers from this tree.

A welcoming statue built by the Masakambing community reflects pride for their Abbotti cockatoos. Image courtesy of Dwi Agustina.

In November 2023, Masakambing won the Heart of the Archipelago Tourism Village award from East Java’s Governor. The Masakambing community wishes for people of the world to visit them and witness the harmony they have created between the cockatoos and humans on this tiny, remote island in the Java Sea!

This month’s Lafeber donation goes to support the continued protection of the Abbotti sulphur-crested cockatoo and the good works of KKI, IPP, and the villagers of Masakambing.

How Technology Is Helping Birds Fly Safer Skies

October 23, 2025 by Matt Rowe

tern in flight against a blue sky — Offshore wind turbines pose a collision risk to birds flying at blade height, such as terns. Photo by Jorge Coromina/Unsplash

We live in a time when technology advances faster than we can even say the word. There always seems to be something new to explore, something with the potential to make a greater impact on the animals that share our world. As new technologies emerge, they often open the door to new fields of study aimed at making our planet a safer place for all living things. One such emerging field is called aeroecology, which focuses on observing birds from the ground as they move and interact within the atmosphere above.

A New Way To See The Skies

Aeroecology began at Boston University, where researcher Thomas Kunz helped jump-start and shape the concept. He encouraged the continuous observation of night skies to gather valuable data that could advance new and beneficial studies. With the help of modern technologies, such as weather radar (NEXRAD) and other radar systems, along with high-tech thermal cameras capable of detecting infrared radiation, researchers can now generate and analyze imagery more effectively. Recently, you may have seen reports referencing bird migration using weather radar. This is a form of “aeroecology” that is in greater use these days.

In 2012, a workshop was held at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, OK, with a group of scientists that included meteorologists, biologists, engineers, and others from four countries and 22 institutions. The goal was to enhance a scientific approach that more effectively monitors the airspace where birds travel. The lower atmosphere is filled with countless birds moving from place to place, each driven by a variety of motivations for their journeys. Until aeroecology, a useful study of the nighttime skies was minimal.

Today, advancements in technology allow researchers to capture almost anything of interest, supporting scientific communities in exploring new areas of study. The airspace is now recognized as a habitat in its own right, one that can be examined more deeply than ever before. With more than 11,000 species of birds and bats, there is still much to discover in this evolving field. Because most birds migrate under the cover of night, researchers can now conduct more targeted studies using these advanced tools.

Coupling all that we already know about the natural forces of the aerosphere, we are now becoming better equipped to combine that rich data with more effective imagery that improved radar equipment can supply.

A sad reality is that roughly 30 birds die in the air every second, with some fatalities caused by collisions with turbine blades. An example of the usefulness of aeroecology is its potential to help energy producers develop solutions to reduce these deaths. Turbine blades generate wind patterns that birds often seek out to conserve energy during flight. Unfortunately, unaware of the danger, many birds are struck by the fast-turning blades. Advancements in aeroecology may provide ways to deter birds from these dangerous collisions.

Aeroecology is a rapidly growing field of study that promises to become an invaluable tool in protecting wildlife in the years to come.

Why Feathers Are Nature’s Finest Design

October 21, 2025 by Laura Doering

close up on a parrot's blue feathers — Photo by manfredrichter/Pixabay

Nothing says “bird” more than their marvelous feathers! Here are some fascinating finds about feathers that might give you an extra dose of “Awe!” next time you see your bird preening their feathers, flying, or basking in natural sunlight.

A feather is anything but simple, which makes sense when you consider that feathers enable flight. Fur is a bit more straightforward; it is a uniform filament that grows from a follicle and is made of alpha-keratin, which is the same as our hair and nails. Feathers are made of super-strong beta-keratin, which makes feathers stiffer, an essential component for flying. Here are a few ways feathers showcase nature’s remarkable engineering.

Different Feathers For Different Jobs

Birds don’t just have one feather type; they have multiple types, and each serves a purpose. There are wing feathers, tail feathers, contour feathers, semiplume feathers, and down feathers. (“Flight feathers” refers to the wing feathers and tail feathers that give a bird both thrust and lift to enable flight.) Feathers, compared to hair, can do more specialized jobs. Check out this fun and immensely informative interactive webpage, “All About Feathers,” from TheCornellLab, which allows you to zoom in to see how each feather type is put together and the function it serves.

Some feathers even produce specialized sounds, such as the whistling sound of a mourning dove’s wings when it takes off, or the hum of a hummingbird. One study using 2,176 microphones and high-speed cameras proved that flapping wings, not vocal cords, produce the hummingbird’s hum!

The Feather’s Complex Engineering

Take a close look at one of your bird’s molted flight feathers, and you’ll notice the central shaft, rows of barbs, and tiny interlocking barbules that act like Velcro® to keep the feather smooth and aerodynamic. When you run your finger up against the feather’s natural direction, you’ll undo the barbs. Run your finger down the length of the feather, and the barbs zip together again. This intricate design helps feathers “keep it together” during flight. It also aids in waterproofing; run the feather under the faucet, and watch the water bead off like it does down an umbrella.

Built-In Feather Care

We use conditioner to keep our hair from becoming brittle; many parrot species use oil from their uropygial gland, also called the preen gland, to serve a similar function. They coat their beaks with this oil, and then preen with it to condition their feathers. (Check out this article about how bird use their uropygial gland for healthy feathers and waterproofing.) Parrots’ feathers also produce “powder down,” with some species (namely, Old World parrot species) producing more powder down than others. These “dustier” parrots include cockatoos, cockatiels, and African grey parrots. Powder down also helps keep feathers healthy. Birds without a uropygial gland, such as Amazon parrots and some macaw species (hyacinth, Spix, and Lear’s macaws) use the powder down from their feathers, paired with bathing and grooming/preening to keep their feathers healthy and water-resistant.

[*Please note that an earlier version of this article erroneously stated that cockatoos, cockatiels, and African grey parrots lack a uropygial gland. They all do have this preen gland.]

Feathers Shimmer

close up on head and shoulders of a dusky lory — Photo by Phil Botha/Unsplash

Most fur owes its color to pigments like melanin. It can be beautiful, but it doesn’t shimmer. Feathers, however, play with light in ways fur cannot. Some birds display iridescent blues and greens not from pigment but from microscopic structures that scatter light. That’s why hummingbirds and some parrots, like Pionus parrots, show metallic blue and bronze under natural sunlight. While your dog’s fur is lovely and fluffy, it won’t flash neon green in the sun. (As with most things, there are exceptions, though. Check out these iridescent mammals!)

An interesting sidenote regarding parrot colors: according to this article, birds with bright yellow or red coloring, such as finches and cardinals, get their vivid reds and yellows from dietary carotenoids found in the egg yolk during development. But this isn’t the case with parrots that have yellow or red coloring. They produce their own pigments, called psittacofulvins. Studying dusky lories and rosy-faced lovebirds, scientists discovered that a single enzyme, ALDH3A2, converts red pigments to yellow, revealing how parrots fine-tune their dazzling colors.

So go ahead and tell your bird that you appreciate their feathers as the engineering masterpieces that they are! From the smallest down feather to the longest flight feather, they reveal unparalleled natural design.

Can Wayward Parakeet Survive Central Park’s Winter?

October 15, 2025 by Matt Rowe

parakeet outside on wire fencing — Photo courtesy of Sean Mintz

Over the years, Central Park, located in the heart of Manhattan, has been a newsworthy home to a variety of birds that made the 843 acres their home. The story of Flaco is one of the more celebrated stories to arise from the famous park, but Flaco is not the only interesting and remarkable bird that has lived within the expanse of the city landmark. For some, it’s a “walk in the park”. But for others, the park can be a dangerous place. As the seasons change and the predatory possibilities expand, some birds need attention before nature takes its course.

Parakeet perches with flock of sparrows on wire fence line — Wayward pet parakeet, Mei Mei, has found camaraderie and safety with a flock of sparrows in NYC’s Central Park.
Photo courtesy of Sean Mintz

Meet Mei Mei, a wayward pet parakeet, who, for now, has found camaraderie and safety with a flock of sparrows within the park. However, the cold of the NYC environment is inhospitable for Mei Mei. This has encouraged birders who roam the park for sightings and are fully aware of her existence to attempt to capture her for her protection from the upcoming brutal winter. Mei Mei, on the other hand, isn’t interested in capture. She has adapted to the wilds of the park and her newfound freedom.

Mei Mei has become a focal point of birders and is monitored frequently. There are Instagram and X posts that reveal her paths as she is heard or sighted. The reports are that she is flying and avoiding danger well. She has been spotted foraging spectacularly and appears to be in the best of health. In fact, she has been noted as being the dominant member of the sparrow flock she hangs with. She has been reported to be afflicted with bumblefoot, which is a bacterial infection on her feet. It hasn’t seemed to bother her much as she can still perch and walk without effort.

parakeet flying with sparrows over grass — Photo courtesy of Sean Mintz

For now, she is predominantly in the Seneca Village area of Central Park, which is near the upper west side of the city. It isn’t certain how she came to be a resident of the park. She may have escaped from a home environment or may even have been let loose deliberately. Her first sighting was in the latter part of August, when she attempted to fit in with a group of cowbirds before her adoption by the flock of sparrows she currently nests with.

Mei Mei is easily spotted in the flock as they take to the air. Her bright green feathers mixed in with a blend of brown feathers reveals her easily enough. The avid birders of the park recognize Mei Mei as female from her brown cere coloring.

What makes winters dangerous for Mei Mei or other parakeets is the fact that all parakeets do not have enough body fat to insulate them properly. This makes it important that she be captured before the full onset of winter. Typically, parakeets require 70 degrees to be comfortable. But as birders attempt to woo her to their fingers, she flees with the flock.

For now, the birding community is divided on her existence. Some like her freedom and do not want her captured, while others want her safe from the onset of cold weather. Temperatures below 50 will be detrimental to her ongoing livelihood. You can follow this birder, who is interested in her capture, on their Instagram page. You can also follow Bagels & Walks (Sean Mintz) on his X page, where they provide constant sightings and commentary on Mei Mei.

Webinar: The Grey Way: Holiday Safety Review!

October 10, 2025 by lafebercares

Webinar: The Grey Way: Holiday Safety Review!

Date: Friday, November 7, 2025

Time: 12:00 pm PST (double-check your local time with this time zone converter)

Join us for a FREE, live, interactive webinar hosted by Laura Doering, former editor of Bird Talk magazine and Birds USA magazine. Our special guest, Lisa Bono, CPBC, will review holiday safety tips to keep your birds happy & healthy during the busy season. Visitors often come with a risk – whether it’s open doors, their own pets they bring, children, new foods, and more – all of these things can bring down your holidays while you rush to the emergency vet! Learn how to avoid common hazards and dangers you haven’t thought of! While Lisa will discuss some Grey-centric points, her advice can be applied to all of the birds in your home.

Missed our webinar? No problem! You can access the webinar in its entirety here:

Webinar: Avian Vet Insider: New Birds And Infectious Disease Testing *SPECIAL TIME 11AM PST

October 10, 2025 by lafebercares

Webinar: New Birds & Infectious Disease Testing *SPECIAL TIME 11AM PST

Date: Friday, November 14, 2025 (SPECIAL TIME 11AM PST)

Time: 11:00 am PDT (double-check your local time with this time zone converter)

Join us for a FREE, live, interactive webinar hosted by Laura Doering, former editor of Bird Talk magazine and Birds USA magazine. Our special guest, Stephanie Lamb, DVM, DABVP (Avian Practice), will discuss which tests are the most important when adding a bird to your home or flock. While bringing a new bird into a home is a fun time, bringing home new diseases is not! It’s important to check birds for infectious diseases when they come into a new home so that they don’t inadvertently bring something in. Birds are good at hiding signs of illness and sometimes mask things completely. Checking them out for infectious disease at the start of your new relationship with them can help to calm fears and make sure that you have a new friend who won’t get your existing flock or you sick. Also, testing can let you know if there is something you can do early on to prevent problems. Learn all about the important tests your vet may want to do, including the details of why sample collection and processing methods are so important, in this insider’s view of the daily happenings at your Avian Vet’s clinic.

Missed our webinar? No problem! You can access the webinar in its entirety here:

Webinar: Ask The Vet With Tom Tully, DVM, DABVP (Avian Practice), DECZM (Avian)

October 10, 2025 by lafebercares

Webinar: Ask the Vet with Tom Tully, DVM, DABVP (Avian Practice), DECZM (Avian)

Date: Friday, November 21, 2025

Time: 12:00 pm PST (double-check your local time with this time zone converter)

Join us for a FREE, live, interactive webinar hosted by Laura Doering, former editor of Bird Talk magazine and Birds USA magazine. Our special guest, Tom Tully, DVM, DABVP (Avian Practice), DECZM (Avian), will answer your questions about pet bird health, nutrition, and care. Dr. Tully, a decorated professor and practicing veterinarian at Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, is an internationally known veterinarian who has earned specialties in avian medicine in the United States as well as in Europe. Having this type of access to a veterinarian of his status is rare, but Dr. Tully believes in the educated bird owner as being the best bird steward. Dr. Tully answers each question in detail and shares his vast knowledge of birds, particularly parrots. Is your bird’s problem health-related or behavioral? Are you offering the right foods to your pet bird? Ask the Vet!

Missed our webinar? No problem! You can access the webinar in its entirety here:

From Tangled Toes To Happy Pigeons: London Group To The Rescue

October 2, 2025 by Matt Rowe

rock dove (rock pigeon) walking on ground — For many pigeons, walking city streets comes with the risk of stringfoot. Photo by Sanjiv Nayak/Unsplash

People throughout history have gone to great lengths to find purpose in their lives. Some move through obstacles to create better worlds for themselves. Others find a purpose in helping those around them, as well as the many life forms that exist in our world. This is a story about the Pigeon Rescue Crew in London.

The London Pigeon Rescue is a non-profit volunteer service headed by Jennie Brennan and Jacob Peter. Their goal is to rescue injured pigeons found in the city of London and to rehabilitate them to give the birds a fresh start. Throughout the city of London, there are estimated to be 3 million pigeons. With plenty of food sources to feed them, and as many places to seek shelter with an ability to nest, the birds are happy to populate urbanized areas.

With London’s large pigeon population, problems are inevitable. Pigeons often face a range of challenges that they readily find themselves in the thick of. This is why two volunteers, known as the Pigeon Rescue Crew, founded the London Pigeon Rescue. Their primary mission is to help the city’s feral pigeons, with a special focus on a condition known as stringfoot.

From Tangled Toes to Happy Pigeons

Stringfoot is a condition caused by the accumulation of human hair, string, and other materials become wrapped around pigeons’ feet. Once entangled, the slowly collecting mass of foreign material can cut off circulation in their feet and can bite into the bird’s skin. This is painful for the bird and can sometimes lead to irreversible limps, or worse, severed toes.

The volunteers roam the city looking for pigeons with stringfoot. The dedicated mission is to capture the bird and attempt to disentangle the mess and, hopefully, do so without significant issues.

The volunteers note that a pigeon’s transformation is dramatic once it’s freed from the entanglement. When they find a pigeon with stringfoot, they woo it with seeds and cover it with a towel. They then disentangle the mess as cleanly as possible with scissors and pliers, if necessary.

The organization’s website and Facebook page ask citizens to report the exact location of afflicted pigeons. In addition, the website asks citizens to further help by picking up found clumps of hair, string, and other material that could wrap up around a pigeon’s foot as they walk the city.

The crew teaches that the pigeons are not wild, nor are they disease carriers. Rather, they are the descendants of once domesticated pigeons. Some of the original pigeons of old were used in the world wars as messengers, but were abandoned after the wars ended.

London Pigeon Rescue is not government-funded and therefore depends on the donations of caring people who share the goal. The links for donations are on the website.

Lafeber’s Parrot Conservation Spotlight September 2025: Brazil’s Green-Winged Macaws

September 30, 2025 by Ann Brooks

a green-winged macaw in Brazil — Image courtesy of Phoenix Landing.

Phoenix Landing sponsors ecotours to support conservation, and I have just returned from another amazing trip to Brazil. Green-winged macaws, or red and greens as they are referred to in South America, are my favorite species. So, one of my most treasured places on the planet is Buraco das Araras.

Buracos das Araras is a circular sandstone crater that was created by a collapse of boulders. It is in the municipality of Jardim, in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, just south of the Pantanal. Roughly 127 meters deep and 500 meters wide, it is one of the largest sinkholes in the world.

Throughout the twentieth century, this once-beautiful gathering place of macaws was turned into a dumping ground for garbage, and the birds became a target for vandals with guns. Sampaio Modesto purchased the property as a cattle ranch in 1986 and saw the potential in what was then a hole in the ground full of trash. He decided to bring the macaws back.

Dumpsite Transforms Back Into A Macaw Paradise

two green-winged macaws flying near sandstone cliffs — Two green-winged macaws fly through the sandstone crater in Brazil’s Buracos das Araras. Image courtesy of Phoenix. Landing.

In 1997, he released a pair of green-winged macaws near the hole, and the birds survived. In that same year, the Sampaio family, along with the army, the State University of Mato Grosso do Sul, and the fire brigade of Jardim, removed truckloads of garbage from the sinkhole. The sinkhole is a testimony to the fact that one person can make a big difference. Modesto, and his sons, Bergson and Rooswelt, continue to manage and preserve this spectacular property.

As the population of macaws has grown over the years, so have the number of visitors. In 2007, it was officially declared a Private Reserve of the Natural Patrimony, ensuring permanent protection for the 29 hectares (71.6 acres) surrounding the sinkhole.

169 species of birds have been recorded at Buraco das Araras, including peach-fronted conures and aracari toucans; but the red and greens rule. When I was first there in 2012, there were about 30 pairs. That number has grown exponentially; this year there are an estimated 60 pairs. One blue-and-gold macaw has been accepted into the group because she pair-bonded with a green-winged macaw, but all other macaw species have been made unwelcome, including a pair of blue-and-gold macaws we saw last year. Here is a photo of hyacinth macaws trying to relocate in 2018, and the green-winged macaws said NO! It was an unsuccessful attempt at “invasion.”

Flock of macaws in flight — A flock of green-winged macaws takes flight in Brazil’s State of Mato Grosso do Sul, just south of the Pantanal. Image courtesy of Phoenix Landing.

Buracos das Araras has a nursery where trees are propagated for additional food and nesting sources, and this year they are adding a new tree to the mix, the Pindó palm tree. In addition, a neighboring cattle ranch has given Buraco das Araras the rights to plant trees on their property, about 10 meters wide. This provides additional food and nesting sites, and also provides some protection from cattle ranching activities.

There are double-decker platforms along 2 sides of the sinkhole’s edge, which look down on the cliff walls. Several bird species, including the macaws, nest in holes in the arid cliff walls. To look down upon these stunning birds in flight is an amazing (and tearful!) experience.

two green-winged macaws grab beaks — A pair of green-winged macaws show affection toward one another. Image courtesy of Phoenix Landing

To learn more about the Buraco das Araras go to www.buracodasararas.org. This month’s Lafeber donation goes to support the continued planting of new vegetation and trees needed to sustain the growing population of the magnificent green-winged macaw.

Why Do Cockatoos Dance? Science Digs In

September 23, 2025 by Matt Rowe

head shot of possibly an umbrella cockatoo with beak open — Natural groovers: cockatoos’ love of music may offer a key to enhancing their mental stimulation and well-being. Photo by Ivan Tang/Unsplash

Throughout history, the art of dance has been expressed in its purest evolutionary form, driven by generational daring. One decade has a certain style, while another decade brings more abandon to the skill as presented by its youthful practitioners. Dance, of course, is not the unique enjoyment of younger age groups; it’s enjoyed by all ages. But, as we all know, humans aren’t the only species that can innovate a slick dance move, cockatoos have been known to do a few moves themselves.

In a recent peer-reviewed study published at PLOS (here), three researchers from Charles Sturt University (New South Wales, Australia), along with a researcher from Bristol University (North Somerset, UK), looked at cockatoos in captivity responding to music with dancing behavior and what may spur a cockatoo to dance as they do. The interest recognizes the reality that cockatoos in the wild can tap and bob in what are likely internalized beats. These are there for courtship purposes and are self-explanatory. The cockatoo is trying to “wow” his potential mate. However, in captivity, cockatoos often exhibit expressive dance moves without courting, and quite often in solitary situations.

These behaviors raise an intriguing question: why do cockatoos show such a strong interest in music? Known for their long lifespans and high intelligence, wild cockatoos typically form lifelong pair bonds. Captive birds, however, often lack a mate, leading researchers to ask whether dancing provides them with self-satisfaction or pleasure. A dancing cockatoo may also reflect a positive welfare state, engaging in playful behavior as a way to entertain themself. You know, the classic “Of you’re happy and you know it…” moment.

17 Fresh Cockatoo Dance Moves Discovered

The researchers analyzed over a hundred online videos of cockatoos responding to music. After applying specific criteria, 45 videos were deemed usable. Earlier studies had identified 14 standard dance moves (such as head bobbing and bouncing), but this review revealed 17 additional moves, with one bird alone inventing 17 “rare” combinations of existing dance moves. The study included five cockatoo species, supplemented by live observations of cockatoos at the Wagga Wagga Zoo in New South Wales, Australia.

The goal of the study is to determine whether music truly triggers dancing in cockatoos and, if so, whether it could be used to improve their well-being in captivity as a form of enrichment or therapy. If music is confirmed as the trigger, could it be developed into a standardized tool for positive enrichment?

Science still does not know why birds respond to music with dancing, especially if there are no potential mates around. The implications are complex, and further, more precise research is needed. But if music truly holds the power to spark dance, it could become more than entertainment, perhaps even a key to unlocking joy and well-being for birds in captivity.

Replication In The Lab: Parrots Prove Their Smarts

September 17, 2025 by Irene Pepperberg, Ph.D.

african grey parrot reaches for blue colored object on tray with other colors — African grey parrot Pepper correctly choosing on the 4-cup task. Image courtesy of Dr. Irene Pepperberg

One of the big issues in psychology these days is “replication”… being able to reproduce the results of a given experiment at a later date. Most experiments replicate quite well, but a few do not, and, of course, those are the ones that attract lots of attention. Sometimes my work has been criticized because it involves only a single parrot (first Alex, now often Griffin), with the argument that these are very special avian “Einsteins” and thus that the research is not replicable.

Well, Alex was chosen at random from a group of eight parrots in a pet store; what was the chance that he was particularly gifted? And Griffin chose me. The breeder sat me on the floor with a bunch of baby African greys, and one toddled up to me; well, maybe that did show something special, but…? In any case, the replication issue still arises, and thus, we try to address it when possible.

Replicate To Substantiate

The important issue here is that, to be scientifically sound, replication requires that all the experimental conditions be the same the second time around. And that just isn’t always possible. For example, Alex was a single bird for the first 15 years of his life, interacting only with humans. He adopted us as his flock. Such was not the case for Griffin, and Alex dominated him mercilessly, yelling at him to “Talk clearly!” or “Say better!”; or if I asked about colors, Alex would shout, “Tell me what shape?” Griffin became very timid, and his attitude was “just clearly show me what to do, and I’ll do it…but don’t make me try to figure out something new on my own!” Most of the time, this has, indeed, been a very successful strategy for him.

My point is that we are often challenged to replicate what Alex and Griffin have done with other birds. And, again, replicating all the experimental conditions is almost impossible. But sometimes we can come close; not by replicating the conditions exactly, but in very similar ways. Such has been the case with some of our work on inference by exclusion; seeing if our parrots can find treats after being given information that tells them where the treats cannot be. The ability is extremely interesting because multiple sequential studies must be conducted to demonstrate this capacity, each one building on the prior task.

The first task is quite simple, and includes only two choices (i.e., involves 2 cups, A or B; originally developed by Premack & Premack, 1994); that is, we fill two covered cups in front of the subject, place a barrier in front of the cups, remove one treat, remove the barrier and show that one cup, either A or B, is empty. The inference is, for example, “A or B; not A, therefore B,” where A and B are evaluated as a pair. An equally plausible description of this task, however, is “Maybe A, maybe B; not A, maybe B,” where B is another likely, independent alternative (maybe the experimenter cheated and removed the other treat surreptitiously, too!); the inference is not fully based on being certain of where the treat is, only of where is it likely (Mody & Carey, 2016)…and a simple strategy is just to avoid the empty cup, which doesn’t require any inference.

Nevertheless, the task is a crucial step to show that the subjects are motivated and can at least track the hidings. We gave this task to four African grey parrots (Griffin and Arthur in my lab, plus Pepper and Franco who are companion animals but are often tested in the same way as our birds), and they all succeeded (Pepperberg et al., 2013).

To provide a better experiment to determine if subjects really could solve an inferential problem, Mody and Carey (2016) created two additional tasks…one, a 3-cup task, that acted as a pre-test and then a 4-cup task that got closer to demonstrating inferential reasoning. In the 3-cup task, one cup (A) is on one side, and two cups (B,C), are on the other. A barrier is placed in front of the cups, and a treat is hidden in each of the two sides (one in A, one in either B or C), the barrier is removed, and the subject is asked to choose among all three cups.

Clearly, the best chance of reward is to go for A, as only one treat is hidden on that side, and it must be there. Success demonstrates that a subject is able to follow two hiding events, is motivated to get a reward on the first choice, and has the ability to distinguish certainty from probability. The researchers showed that 2½ year old children, who all succeed on the 2-cup task, also succeed here. The 4-cup task, however, is a totally different story!

Can They All Pass The 4-Cup Challenge?

There, the subjects see 4 cups, two on one side and two on the other. A barrier is placed between the cups and the subject, and a reward is hidden in one cup of each pair—e.g., B,C; then the barrier is removed and one cup, e.g., A, is shown to be empty. If subjects are indeed reasoning by a form of exclusion, they should conclude that the reward is 100% likely in B, only 50% likely in C or D, and will choose B. If they are avoiding the empty cup and using the “maybe” alternative, however, they are likely to choose equally among B, C, and D. Children 2½ years of age that pass the 2- and 3-cup task fail this 4-cup task. But when we gave the two tasks to Griffin, he not only succeeded on Mody and Carey’s 3- and 4-cup task but also outperformed even 5-year-old children (Pepperberg et al., 2019).

So, was Griffin some kind of “Einstein” bird? Or might the other birds that passed the 2-cup study do as well as he did, outperforming the children as well? Unfortunately, Arthur, who had passed the 2-cup task, had passed away, but our Athena succeeded on that task. So we now had three birds we could test. Their overall backgrounds weren’t exactly the same (e.g., Pepper and Franco had been given several tests that Griffin had been given, but Athena had not experienced), but they all had done well on the 2-cup task. As it turns out, they all successfully completed the 3- and 4-cup tasks as well if not better than 5-year-old children, and Pepper did even a bit better than Griffin on the 3-cup task (Pepperberg & Hartsfield, 2025). So, we were able to replicate the study and show that these birds are just as smart as Griffin!

References

Mody, S., & Carey, S. (2016). The emergence of reasoning by the disjunctive syllogism in early childhood. Cognition, 154, 40-48.

Pepperberg, I.M., Gray, S.L., Cornero, F.M., Mody, S., & Carey, S. (2019). Logical reasoning by a Grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus)? A case study of the disjunctive syllogism. Behaviour, 156(5/8), 409-445.

Pepperberg, I. M., & Hartsfield, L. A. (2025). A test of inference by exclusion in Grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus): Replication of a parrot–child comparative study using additional avian subjects. Journal of Comparative Psychology. Advance online publication. https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/com0000427

Pepperberg, I.M., Koepke, A., Livingston, P., Girard, M., & Hartsfield, L.A. (2013). Reasoning by inference: Further studies on exclusion in Grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus). Journal of Comparative Psychology, 127(3), 272-281.

Premack, D., & Premack, A.J. (1994). Levels of causal understanding in chimpanzees and children. Cognition, 50, 347–362.

Webinar: Ask The Vet With Tom Tully, DVM, DABVP (Avian Practice), DECZM (Avian)

September 16, 2025 by lafebercares

Webinar: Ask the Vet with Tom Tully, DVM, DABVP (Avian Practice), DECZM (Avian)

Date: Friday, October 31, 2025

Time: 12:00 pm PDT (double-check your local time with this time zone converter)

Join us for a FREE, live, interactive webinar hosted by Laura Doering, former editor of Bird Talk magazine and Birds USA magazine. Our special guest Tom Tully, DVM, DABVP (Avian Practice), DECZM (Avian), will answer your questions about pet bird health, nutrition, and care. Dr. Tully, a decorated professor and practicing vet at Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, is an internationally renowned veterinarian who has earned specialties in Avian medicine in the United States as well as in Europe. Having this type of access to a veterinarian of his status is rare, but Dr. Tully believes in the educated bird owner as being the best bird steward. Dr. Tully answers each question in detail and shares his vast knowledge of birds, particularly parrots. Is your bird’s problem health-related or behavioral? Are you offering the right foods to your pet bird? Ask the Vet! And on this Halloween date, will Dr. Tully wear a Halloween mask?

Missed our webinar? No problem! You can access the webinar in its entirety here:

Webinar: Translating Parrot: Force-Free Parrots — Creating Cooperative Veterinary Experiences

September 16, 2025 by lafebercares

Webinar: Translating Parrot: Force-Free Parrots — Creating Cooperative Veterinary Experiences

Date: Postponed, New February date coming…stay tuned!

Time: 12:00 pm PDT (double-check your local time with this time zone converter)

Join us for a FREE, live, interactive webinar hosted by Laura Doering, former editor of Bird Talk magazine and Birds USA magazine. Our special guest, Pamela Clark, is a well-known author, speaker, IAABC Certified Parrot Behavior Consultant & retired CVT. Pamela will present Episode 14 of Translating Parrot, a Lafeber Pet Birds Webinar Series focusing on Parrot Behavior & Wellness, based on Pamela’s years of experience with a wide range of parrot species. In this episode, Pamela will discuss the principles of force-free handling and cooperative care for parrots. Trips to the veterinarian do not have to be traumatic. Traditional restraint methods may get the job done, but they often leave parrots fearful and resistant to future care. Fortunately, there is a better way. Pamela’s advice will teach you how to reduce stress, build trust, and encourage parrots to willingly participate in their own care. Designed for both caregivers and veterinary professionals, this presentation will provide practical strategies to improve veterinary visits, strengthen relationships, and ensure compassionate, considerate treatment for every parrot. Pamela’s advice will help you translate what your parrot wants & needs in the latest installment of this informative series!

Webinar: The Impact of Attachment To Pet Birds On Psychological Well-Being

September 16, 2025 by lafebercares

Webinar: The Impact of Attachment to Pet Birds on Psychological Well-Being

Date: Friday, October 10, 2025

Time: 12:00 pm PDT (double-check your local time with this time zone converter)

Join us for a FREE, live, interactive webinar hosted by Laura Doering, former editor of Bird Talk magazine and Birds USA magazine. Our special guest, Dr. Anthony Pilny, discusses the limited research into pet bird attachment and personal well-being. Research does show, and may lead to positive social change, by demonstrating that strong attachment to pet birds is not necessary for birds to provide companionship and for owners to connect with other bird owners. Pet birds do provide a soothing environment and social engagement, and are linked to lowering stress and anxiety, and providing companionship to help with feelings of loneliness. Birds can provide these benefits by fostering a supportive, non-judgmental relationship that enhances emotional regulation and connection. With Dr. Pilny’s guidance, we will examine our relationships with pet birds and what that means for us as caretakers and our personal well-being.

Webinar: Avian Vet Insider: A Look Back At The AAV 2025 Conference

September 16, 2025 by lafebercares

Webinar: Avian Vet Insider: A Look Back at the AAV 2025 Conference

Date: Friday, October 17, 2025

Time: 12:00 pm PDT (double-check your local time with this time zone converter)

Join us for a FREE, live, interactive webinar hosted by Laura Doering, former editor of Bird Talk magazine and Birds USA magazine. Our special guest, Dr. Stephanie Lamb, DVM, DABVP (Avian Practice), will discuss the recent conference of the Association of Avian Veterinarians. Educational conferences are so important for Veterinarians to attend. The AAV conference allows Avian Vets to meet one another and share ideas and medical advancements. The conference offers hands-on workshops, master classes, and general sessions, which can include case studies and the latest research in Avian Medicine. And they will also earn the continuing education credits required, not only for their Veterinary license, but for their board specialty certification. A veterinarian’s education and commitment to the latest in veterinary medicine does not stop when they earn their degree. Dr. Lamb will present all of the goings on in her insider’s view of the 46^th AAV Annual Conference & Expo.

Webinar: Parrots, Past, And Present – Do’s And Don’ts Of Parrot Behavior And Care

September 16, 2025 by lafebercares

Webinar: Parrots, Past & Present – Do’s & Don’ts of Parrot Behavior & Care

Date: Friday, October 24, 2025

Time: 12:00 pm PDT (double-check your local time with this time zone converter)

Join us for a FREE, live, interactive webinar hosted by Laura Doering, former editor of Bird Talk magazine and Birds USA magazine. Our special guest, Lisa Bono, CPBC, owner and operator of The Platinum Parrot and a certified parrot behavior consultant specializing in African grey parrots, presents the latest episode of her new series. We have learned a lot about pet bird care over the decades, and there is still so much more to learn! But there are some “do’s & don’ts” that have been established over time. Lisa will discuss some of the right and wrong decisions that pet bird owners can make. From care to behavior, Lisa will discuss why some choices are the best for your pet birds, while other choices can be very wrong. Learn to be a great bird steward, and Do attend this webinar, but Don’t forget!

Missed our webinar? No problem! You can access the webinar in its entirety here:

Bird Words For Bird Nerds; Vol. 1

September 10, 2025 by Laura Doering

If you love birds, there’s a whole lot of avian-related words waiting to be discovered. Learning bird-specific terms can transform the way we care for and think about our feathered friends. Each new term opens a window into the bird world to give us a deeper appreciation and a little bit of bird-nerd word superpower along the way. Here are some bird words to get us started.

Rhamphotheca

close up on head of a double yellowheaded Amazon parrot — Rhamphotheca is made of keratin and grows like our fingernails, so parrots need plenty to chew to keep their beaks healthy. Photo by Greg Valentini/Unsplash

We all know “beak,” but a deeper dive reveals that the hard outer sheath of a bird’s beak is called the rhamphotheca. It’s made of keratin, the same stuff as our fingernails. According to Merriam-Webster, the term rhamphotheca originates from New Latin, combining the Greek word ῥάμφος (rhamphos), meaning “beak,” with the Latin suffix -theca, meaning “case” or “cover.” This term specifically refers to the horny sheath of keratin that covers a bird’s beak.

Gular Flutter

Gular flutter is a cooling mechanism some birds employ to regulate body temperature during extreme heat. Birds like crows, pigeons, herons, and some raptors gular flutter by rapidly vibrating the thin floor of their throat (fluttering their neck muscles) to increase evaporation and regulate body temperature. So next time you spot a wild bird with their bill open on a hot day, you might be witnessing gular flutter. Check out this video of a great blue heron gular fluttering. Be aware, however, that our parrots should not be open-mouth breathing/panting. This can be a sign of respiratory illness, a reaction to extreme stress, or a sign of overheating. If it’s heat-related, immediately move your bird to a shaded/ventilated area or mist them with cool (not frigid) water. A panting parrot warrants a call to your veterinarian.

Zygodactyl Vs. Anisodactyl Feet

Blue fronted Amazon eating — Zygodactyl feet function as a “set of hands” for your bird — perfect for holding Nutri-Berries!

Parrots have zygodactyl feet, with two toes facing forward and two toes facing back. This configuration is perfect for climbing and grasping objects with dexterity. Anisodactyl feet, on the other hand, have three toes facing forward, and one facing back, which is typical of most song birds.

Pterylae And Apterium

Quaker or Monk parrot sitting with feathers fluffed up — Photo by Diego Marin/Unsplash

Feathers don’t cover every inch of a bird’s body. Instead, they grow in tidy rows called pterylae, with little bare gaps of skin in between called apteria. This well-designed pattern keeps birds insulated while allowing them to move freely, and it makes preening easier. (It also gives your veterinarian easier access to your bird’s skin if needed.)

Eclipse Plumage

two mallard ducks standing on grass — Photo by Miguel Alcantara/Unsplash

Most of us are familiar with the term molting, when birds shed and regrow feathers, but did you know that some bird species also undergo eclipse plumage? Eclipse plumage is a temporary duller feathering phase. Ducks are known for this, where the male duck takes on female-like plumage for a month or so during summer, shortly after breeding. But why? This is also the time when male ducks molt their colorful feathers, including their flight feathers — making them, as the saying goes, “sitting ducks.” Thus, taking on the female’s drabber feathering affords male mallards camouflage from predators until they’re ready to fly again. (When you stop to think about it, female birds’ less colorful plumage helps them blend into the environment better than the males’ flashy colors.) Parrots don’t have eclipse plumage, but just imagine if their colors changed from vibrant to muted to blend in with your décor during a molt!

Duetting

Parrots are celebrated vocal learners, but not all bird calls are solo acts. Duetting is when two birds (often mated pairs) sing precisely timed, alternating phrases that sound like one continuous song. According to CornellLab, duetting is one of the most complex vocal performances among all animals, and it can be so seamless you’d have a hard time telling the two birds’ vocals apart. Check out this in-sync dark-backed weaver pair duetting.

Sources:

www.britannica.com/science/apterium

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songbird

https://www.britannica.com/science/eclipse-plumage

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/it-takes-two-bird-duets/

https://www.audubon.org/news/how-birds-keep-their-cool

https://www.aav.org/blogpost/1778905/489478/Summer-Fun-for-Parrots

Why Urban Birds Are Losing Sleep And What We Can Do

September 2, 2025 by Matt Rowe

It’s that time of the year again! Birds are beginning to test their migratory skills and fly to their winter homes. And many have already taken flight. Some cities in major migratory pathways are shutting off lights to accommodate nighttime flights for these feathered adventurers. It is likewise important for those at home to reduce or eliminate lighting between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. from August 15th through November 30th.

Against this backdrop, our attention shifts to a closely connected topic: the challenges migratory birds face. In a recent study posted on Science , an alarming consequence of light pollution’s effect on birds has come to light. As the world becomes more technologically updated, light pollution continues to grow, and so does its impact on birds. The study, which was undertaken by two advanced studies professors at Southern Illinois University (Carbondale, IL), and Oklahoma State University (Stillwater, OK), with a grant from The National Institute of Food and Agriculture, reveals that urbanized birds are awake much longer than those birds found in rural areas by as much as 50 additional minutes.

The study was supported by recordings submitted to Birdweather, a community of citizen scientists who upload bird vocalizations for scientists to study. With PUCs (Portable Universe Codec), a dual-microphone innovation equipped with Wi-Fi, GPS, sensors, and protected by a weatherproof casing, scientists can capture sounds from all directions and turn them into valuable data for environmental research. The recordings showed that birds in urban areas were vocal for longer than their rural counterparts.

The Bigger The Eye, The Bigger The Sleep Loss

American robin on treebranch — Big eyes, bright nights. The American robin is among the birds most affected by light pollution. Photo by Trac Vu/Unsplash

Interestingly, the recordings revealed that large-eyed birds like the American Robin, Northern Mockingbird, European Goldfinch, and birds with open nests experienced longer days due to the constant availability of light within urban settings. This results in sleep loss for the birds and requires adaptive responses to compensate. Small-eyed birds such as sparrows and those with hidden nests were less impacted by light pollution.

The scientists involved in the study recognized that sleep deprivation for humans is not ideal and must now watch the birds to see if longer waking periods pose health hazards for them as well. The study investigated the influence of light on more than 500 species of birds on a global scale. In total, the researchers analyzed over 60 million recordings from 583 bird species to understand which ones are most active at dawn.

Light and dark cues play a crucial role in the daily rhythms of birds and many other animals. When these cues are disrupted, it can lead to harmful effects. Some birds appear to adapt by extending their foraging periods or delaying mating. Migratory species can be particularly affected by the growing intensity of light pollution around the globe. As we learn more about these impacts, we are finding ways to reduce the strain on bird populations.

A Rainbow Remembrance For Our Birds

August 28, 2025 by Laura Doering

Remembering Our Feathered Friends on Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day

Photo by Bro Takes Photos/Unsplash

August 28^th is a Rainbow Bridge Day, a day dedicated to honoring our beloved animal companions who are no longer with us. Rainbow Bridge is a comforting image, often described as a lush meadow where pets run and play until they are reunited with their humans. While the idea is most often associated with cats and dogs, it resonates just as deeply with those who have shared their lives with birds. Our winged companions leave just as profound an imprint on our lives.

Unlike dog and cat companions, birds are prey animals by nature, which makes the trust they extend to us all the more special. And given parrots’ potentially long lifespans, unexpected loss or their passing after decades spent together can be especially difficult. Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day offers us a time to reflect and keep our bird’s memory alive.

Donate in their name. Honor your feathered companion by supporting a local or national bird rescue or sanctuary. Your gift can help birds in need with healthy food, housing, and enrichment; just like you do for your flock.

straw hat with feather — Honor of your beloved feathered friend by placing a molted feather in your hat. Courtesy of Laura Doering

Display a keepsake. A molted feather, a favorite toy, or a photo placed in a memory box or in a frame can serve as a reminder of the joy your bird brought into your life. Molted feathers, especially, can help you keep your bird’s presence close in a unique way, such as a feather in your hat.

Write a note to your bird. Let your bird know how much they touched your life and thank them for their trust in you. It can be a simple note of gratitude or a list of what made your bird special.

Channel calmness at sunset. Birds naturally settle at the end of the day, so take a quiet moment as the sun sets to meditate or otherwise be in the moment, free of distractions like phone scrolling or screen time. Visualize how your bird looked when relaxed, and use that calmness to shake off the stress of your day.

Try a new healthy food in your bird’s honor. Remember all those times you tried and failed or tried and won when introducing a new food to your bird? Add a healthy selection to your menu and make your bird proud.

Tell their story. Share a photo or memory on social media with friends and family, or add your bird’s story to a wider audience by using the hashtag #RainbowBridgeRemembranceDay in your post.

However you choose to remember, your connection with your bird remains part of your story. Their absence changes daily life, but the experiences you shared continue to shape the way you remember and honor them.

How do you honor your pet who passed over Rainbow Bridge? Please share in the comments.

Webinar: Parrots, Past, And Present – Stories From The AFA Conference

August 20, 2025 by lafebercares

Webinar: Parrots, Past & Present – Stories From the AFA Conference

Date: Friday, September 12, 2025

Time: 12:00 pm PDT (double-check your local time with this time zone converter)

Join us for a FREE, live, interactive webinar hosted by Laura Doering, former editor of Bird Talk magazine and Birds USA magazine. Our special guest, Lisa Bono, CPBC, owner and operator of The Platinum Parrot and a certified parrot behavior consultant specializing in African grey parrots, presents the latest episode of her new series. She was recently Lafeber’s roving reporter at the American Federation of Aviculture’s 51^st Annual Conference that was held in Raleigh, NC. Lisa will talk about the AFA and what goes on at the annual conference. Lisa is known for her detailed & very fun reports from bird meetings. “Flying into the Future” is the theme this year. Join us to see what interviews and pictures she has for us this time!

Missed our webinar? No problem! You can access the webinar in its entirety here:

Webinar: Translating Parrot — My Parrot Won’t Stop Screaming! Moved To October 3rd

August 20, 2025 by lafebercares

Webinar: Translating Parrot — My Parrot Won’t Stop Screaming!

Date: Friday, October 3rd (originally scheduled for September 19th)

Time: 12:00 pm PDT (double-check your local time with this time zone converter)

Join us for a FREE, live, interactive webinar hosted by Laura Doering, former editor of Bird Talk magazine and Birds USA magazine. Our special guest, Pamela Clark, is a well-known author, speaker, IAABC CPBC & retired CVT. Pamela will present Episode 15 of Translating Parrot, a Lafeber Pet Birds Webinar Series focusing on Parrot Behavior & Wellness, based on Pamela’s years of experience with a wide range of parrot species. In this episode, Pamela will explore a topic that most parrot owners face at some point – “screaming.” Is your parrot’s vocalizing driving you to the edge? In this compassionate and science-based webinar, Pamela Clark demystifies one of the most common (and upsetting) behavior problems: screaming. Discover what’s normal, what signals a problem, and how to respond without making things worse. Pamela’s advice will help you translate what your parrot wants & needs in the newest installment of this informative series!

Missed our webinar? No problem! You can access the webinar in its entirety here:

Webinar: Ask The Vet With Tom Tully, DVM, DABVP (Avian Practice), DECZM (Avian)

August 20, 2025 by lafebercares

Webinar: Ask the Vet with Tom Tully, DVM, DABVP (Avian Practice), DECZM (Avian)

Date: Friday, September 26, 2025

Time: 12:00 pm PDT (double-check your local time with this time zone converter)

Join us for a FREE, live, interactive webinar hosted by Laura Doering, former editor of Bird Talk magazine and Birds USA magazine. Our special guest, Tom Tully, DVM, DABVP (Avian Practice), DECZM (Avian), will answer your questions about pet bird health, nutrition, and care. Dr. Tully, a decorated professor and practicing veterinarian at Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, is an internationally known Veterinarian who has earned specialties in Avian medicine in the United States as well as in Europe. Having this type of access to a Veterinarian of his status is rare, but Dr. Tully believes in the educated bird owner as being the best bird steward. Dr. Tully answers each question in detail and shares his vast knowledge of birds, particularly parrots. Is your bird’s problem health-related or behavioral? Are you offering the right foods to your pet bird? Ask the Vet!

Missed our webinar? No problem! You can access the webinar in its entirety here:

Inside Dr. Pepperberg’s Lab: Parrots Get The Final Say On New Hires

August 19, 2025 by Irene Pepperberg, Ph.D.

person pets african grey parrot perched on shoulder — Our newest RA, Riley, tickling
Athena, who is happily sitting on
her shoulder.
Image courtesy of Dr. Irene Pepperberg

As I mentioned in a previous blog, we generally have to engage in a round of new hires at the end/beginning of semesters. Students graduate, or those who have been with us for a gap year or so are now ready to move on, so we need to find replacements.

We usually start by sending adverts to my colleagues at the various nearby universities and ask the current research associates if they have any friends who might be interested, or friends of friends. Sometimes I’ll mention our search to colleagues at more distant places, on the chance that they might know a student who is planning to relocate or who is interested in relocating to the Boston area. When I was still teaching, I’d recruit a top student in my class. We’ve had really good success using these methods. Usually, we get a number of resumes, and we carefully go through them to determine which applicants will be a good fit for the lab, and thus which we should call for an interview.

Beyond Bird Wrangling Skills

People sometimes think that we might favor applicants with a lot of experience in handling birds, but that is rarely a possibility. Most of our students are interested in learning about working with birds, particularly pre-vet students, who generally have previously volunteered at places that afforded them many chances to work with dogs and cats, but not birds. And we get lots of students who are interested in animal cognition who have read about our work in their courses and want to be involved in the research. We do favor applicants who have some experience working with animals (even as pets), as some basics about care clearly apply to all animals (fresh food, fresh water, clean cages…).

Sometimes, depending on where the potential hire is currently living, we start with a ZOOM interview. ZOOM, obviously, isn’t perfect, but we don’t want someone to travel a long distance for an in-person interview if we feel that they wouldn’t be a good fit for the lab. We ask the obvious questions: why they want to work with us; what they hope to learn; how long they might be able to stay; and what hours they might be able to work.

One of the critical issues is often finding folks who can work particular shifts based on the schedules of the people who are already in lab, so someone might be terrific, but if they can work only at a time that we already have covered, we tell them to check back the next semester. We also tell every potential hire that, yes, the birds bite and that every human in the lab will eventually get bitten — but that the birds cannot remove a digit. If the students adhere to our rules, the birds will not cause serious injury. Griffin, for example, will warn you by giving a gentle nip, which, if you don’t stop what you are doing to cause that behavior, will result in something that needs to be cleaned and bandaged! Athena, however, will first ignore you and then strike with a small but quick puncture.

Can You Pass The Parrot Interview?

The next step is the personal interview. Obviously, we can’t hire anyone afraid of the birds, so that is a prime check. And, as you might guess from the title of the blog, it is Griffin’s and Athena’s reactions to the person that is the basis for our final decision. We don’t expect an interviewee to immediately be able to handle the birds, but we do see how they approach the birds and whether the birds are intrigued or not. If the birds completely ignore the human, it is unlikely that the person will be hired.

Athena, who is much more outgoing than Griffin, will very often be willing to climb from the hand of a current research assistant to that of the interviewee. Griffin very rarely will do that, but if he does we know we have a winner! Very rarely, the birds will “choose” someone who doesn’t work out well for other reasons (i.e., failure to follow rules or directions), but on the whole, the system has worked quite well for decades. The birds do seem to have a good sense of who will fit into our laboratory. And, depending on the shifts the research assistants work, they often spend more time with the birds than with the humans in our lab, so our birds better be happy with their choices!

Lafeber’s Conservation Spotlight August 2025: Re-Wilding Panama’s Great Green Macaws

August 14, 2025 by Ann Brooks

great green macaw on branch — Image courtesy of Panama Wildlife Conservation Charity (PWC).

The Republic of Panama is the southernmost country of Central America, bordering South America to the south and Costa Rica to the north. The Panama Canal connects the Pacific Ocean with the Caribbean Sea. This strategic canal is a major source of revenue for the country. Approximately 62% of the country is covered with natural forest, including extensive areas of primary (intact) rainforest with a wide diversity of tropical animals and plants, some not found elsewhere in the world.

While much of Panama remains wooded, deforestation for agriculture and cattle ranching is a growing threat. Panama is the only country in Central America that is home to five macaw species, all of which are endangered in the country, and some, such as the great green macaws, are critically endangered worldwide. Of particular concern is the Azuero Peninsula, which includes the Cerro Hoya National Park and the unprotected rainforest of the Azuero massif (a compact group of mountains), both vital for the conservation of the country’s biodiversity.

Panama’s Great Greens

wild great green macaw flying — A great green macaw takes flight in Panama. Image courtesy of Panama Wildlife Conservation Charity (PWC).

Great green macaws (Ara ambiguus) are long-lived, but they produce very slowly. At best, they fledge one chick a year. They require native tree species for their food sources and breeding nests, such as the mountain almond. In the Azuero Peninsula, they also nest in Cuipo trees (Cavanillesia platanifolia), one of the largest and fastest‑growing native tree species in Latin America, known for its towering height and massive trunk diameter. However, the alarming rate of deforestation has caused the jungle areas to be fragmented, creating patches of pastureland for farming and cattle ranching. Breaking up a tropical landscape causes major disruptions in wildlife’s ability to survive and repopulate successfully.

In 2020, great green macaws were up-listed by IUCN to Critically Endangered, which means they are at a very high risk of extinction in the wild, especially in Panama. In the Azuero region of Panama, which includes the Cerro Hoya National Park, less than 50 great greens have been counted. So, the need for a viable conservation plan is urgent!

Patches of rainforest show deforestation. This area of Panama is vital to the critically endangered great green macaw. Image courtesy of Panama Wildlife Conservation Charity (PWC).

Cerro Hoya, despite its remote location, has experienced significant deforestation, along with illegal poaching of birds for the pet trade. Under the leadership of Dr. Luis Ureña, Director of the Panama Wildlife Conservation Charity (PWC), a new collaborative project is being implemented to create a Reserve Corridor for Cerro Hoya. It is supported by many other charities, including the American Bird Conservancy, Audubon, BirdLife International, and the World Parrot Trust. PWC’s goal is to purchase 3,700 acres of pristine rainforest adjacent to the Cerro Hoya National Park. It will be known as the Ara Panama Sanctuary and provide a corridor of protection not only for the great green macaws, but several other endangered birds and mammals. The cost is about $600 per acre.

Map of Azuero Great Green Project locations — A map shows Azuero Great Green Project locations. Image courtesy of Panama Wildlife Conservation Charity (PWC).

Ara Panama aims to reforest the area with the plant life needed by animals such as the macaws; to foster more community involvement, including an annual Macaw Festival starting this October; enhance nesting capabilities and chick support; and build a science-driven breeding and reintroduction facility to act as a hub for ornithologists and veterinary students. In addition, those who simply love birds will be able to visit, which will provide ecotourism income for a rural community essential to the success of conservation.

To learn more about the Ara Panama project and the NGO Panama Wildlife Conservation Charity, visit www.panamawildlife.org or follow their Instagram account. This month’s Lafeber donation goes to support the Ara Panama Sanctuary project and the future of the great green macaws in Panama!

Ravens Keep Guard At The Tower Of London

August 12, 2025 by Matt Rowe

raven sits on stone near stone wall — Photo by Gustav Sommer/Pixabay

The Tower of London boasts a treasured trove of fascinating historical tradition that persists to this day. In the Tower, at this moment, there are eight ravens. The eight are named Harris, Jubilee, Poppy, Edgar, Georgie, Chaos, Henry, and Poe. Their origin is wrapped in legends that branch off in many directions. However, the accepted one is that Charles II, King of England from 1660 until 1685, decreed that six ravens be kept at the Tower. The pervading thought was that if the ravens fled or were physically removed, then the kingdom of England would fall. This is but one of many thoughts as to the origin of the ravens of the Tower, but it is the one held closest to the heart.

To date, there are always at least six ravens in the care of an employed Ravenmaster. They are protected with unusual care. In 2006, when the H5N1 was a worldwide threat, the existing ravens of the time were taken inside and housed in custom-built aviaries. The current Ravenmaster is Barney Chandler, who assumed the role in 2024 after the retirement of Christopher Skaife.

Caring For The Tower’s Most Famous Residents

The Tower’s breeding program ensures an always-present group of ravens to “protect” the integrity of the kingdom. The ravens of the Tower are treated quite well. They are waited upon by servants assigned to their daily care. They are fed raw meats that usually consist of liver, beef, and pork, as well as the occasional lamb heart. Every other day, a boiled egg with the shell intact and biscuits are brought to them. They are looked over once a week, and their feathers are trimmed frequently to prevent them from flying away.

The ravens’ care is paid for with public tax funds. In return, the ravens must be made available for the public to fawn over and observe. When new ravens are announced, the public gets to vote for the names. Londoners are quite fond of the resident ravens and can easily tell you their names and some facts about them.

The Tower of London contains 23 towers. Some of the ravens belong to specific towers and are identified by a colored band. Ravens have long lifespans, often living upwards of 40 years. The Tower Ravenmaster maintains successors to ensure that at least six required ravens are in residence at any one time.

During World War II, Prime Minister Winston Churchill enlisted the ravens as bomb and plane spotters. While the flock suffered casualties, its numbers were always adequately maintained. An interesting fact about the Tower of London ravens is that they are actual enlisted soldiers of the kingdom and are subject to the same criteria as soldiers and police. Some ravens have been dismissed due to “conduct unbecoming.”

The Tower ravens can be viewed on a tour of the Tower of London and are often a solitary reason some visit the storied monument

Migration Magic? Birds May Use Quantum Physics To Navigate

July 29, 2025 by Matt Rowe

robin perched on twig outdoors — European robins may “see” Earth’s magnetic fields thanks to a protein in their eyes that’s sensitive to magnetism, possibly giving them a quantum-powered sense of direction. Photo by Jonny Gios/Unsplash

The bold but often baffling world of deep science, especially when it ventures into the atomic level, is probably the last thing that comes to mind when we think about our beloved birds. Yet, the often-overlooked truth is that everything — bodies, plants, objects — is made up of particles. We tend to look for the simplest explanation of everything to satisfy our understanding. But the fact remains, everything about everything is complex, and science reveals that often enough. Well, as it turns out, birds of the air likely use quantum mechanics to navigate their way through the skies.

Quantum mechanics is the foundational theory in physics that explains how matter and energy behave at their core levels. Without diving too deep into the eye-glazing details, it’s interesting to discover that birds, when flying, don’t rely solely on familiar cues but instead depend heavily on Earth’s magnetic fields. We’ve touched on this before, but how do they see it? More recent studies suggest that quantum activity in their retinas might give birds a pattern that they can “see,” and these visible patterns help guide them with incredible accuracy.

The revealing science of amazing and incredibly in-depth levels of study ties into our current understanding. What we’re discovering is that migrating birds possess unique proteins named cryptochromes within the retina. They form quantum entangled electron pairings when exposed to sunlight. One of the electrons in this pair appears to be influenced by Earth’s magnetic field, potentially giving the bird a heightened sensitivity to its direction. With this, direction becomes a breeze for migrating birds.

Could Birds Inspire the Next Navigation Tech?

Experiments to validate these ideas have confirmed that migrating birds do indeed respond to magnetic information “presented” to them. We are also aware that magnetic fields fluctuate over time. As they adapt, we, too, can learn how to apply what is natural to the bird and develop newer technologies to help us with our own evolving understanding. After all, our planes apply the same look and feel of birds.

More directed studies will give us even greater insights as to how these birds move about directionally and without much interference. We might even discover if all living things employ that natural occurrence. What if humans have the same ability, and it has been dormant for ages? How might that help us?

The science that uncovers these miracles remains a daunting one, one that is difficult for the average layman to decipher. And so, an article like this approaches it on the simplest layer possible. But it is that science that structures how we may live in the future. And it is birds that we can learn from.

All in all, life and every living thing that navigates our vast world is a testament to the power of the fundamental building blocks that make us. Quantum physics reveals the possibilities behind that, offering a deeper understanding with each passing day.

Group Chat: What Would You Call Your Parrots?

July 24, 2025 by Laura Doering

English is full of enchanting names for groups of animals: A parliament of owls. A murder of crows. A murmuration of starlings. A flamboyance of flamingos. A charm of hummingbirds. When it comes to parrots, however, we usually just say “a flock.” Which works, sure. But parrots can be loud, colorful, silly, sweet, dramatic, and messy. Some parrots are big, some small, some talkative, some notably energetic, and some are known for their exceptional intelligence. Here are some non-scientific, purely for fun, group name suggestions for a few species of parrots based on their unique reputations.

A Surveillance Of African Greys

close up on African grey parrot face — Photo by manfredrichter/Pixabay

Known for their razor-sharp intelligence and constant vigilance, African grey parrots seem to watch and analyze everything around them with keen, unblinking eyes. Calling a group of African greys a surveillance highlights their smart, watchful nature, as if they’re silently gathering intel on everyone nearby.

A Whistle Of Cockatiels

cockatiel perched and looking to the right on grayish background — Photo by shivainc/Pixabay

Cockatiels are known for their charming and melodious whistling, especially the males. True songsters among parrot species, cockatiels often practice complex tunes, whistling catchy melodies. Many companion cockatiels fill the air with tuneful whistles, which can be loud or soft depending on the ‘tiels’s preference (not yours). Calling cockatiels a whistle celebrates their musical talent and their sweet serenades. Another collective name for cockatiels, hens in particular, could be a cuddle to capture their gentle, warm nature. Doesn’t a cuddle of cockatiels sound sweet?

A Cling Of Cockatoos

closeup on head of sulphur-crested cockatoo perched in tree — Photo by FlorenceD-pix/Pixabay

Cockatoos are known for their velcro-like affection, often sticking close to their favorite humans. Their playful, curious, and sometimes demanding nature means they’re always nearby, seeking attention and interaction. Referring to cockatoos as a cling captures their fierce determination to be where you are. Beware that their clinginess can lead to the equivalent of a feathered shadow who never wants to leave your side. Let a cling of cockatoos serve as a reminder that these parrots need clear boundaries, and potential caregivers should do their homework before welcoming a cling into their home.

A Drama Of Macaws

blue-and-gold macaw standing on perch and leaning to the side — Photo by Sultonbek Ikromov/Unsplash

Big birds with even bigger personalities, macaws express everything in extremes: cuddles, screams, and throwing toys with flair. “Drama” fits these emotional performers like a feathered glove.

A Party Of Amazons

close up on head of blue-fronted Amazon that is tilting head to the side — Photo by DennisBuntrock/Pixabay

Amazon parrots are the true divas of the parrot world. They love to belt out songs, shout greetings, and burst into impromptu concerts. “Party” is the perfect fit for these theatrical, musical birds who know how to make any gathering lively. And they like to bring their hearty appetites to the party, too!

A Carnival Of Conures

Sun conure perched atop cage — Photo by TkatBR/Pixabay

Conures bring the energy and color of a lively carnival wherever they go. With their playful antics, boundless curiosity, and bursts of joyful squawks, they can turn every moment into a celebration. Calling conures a carnival captures their vibrant spirit, playful chaos, and the festive noise they bring to any room.

A Mischief Of Caiques

looking down on a white-bellied caique who is looking to the side — Photo by sebastiaansuk/Pixabay

Caiques are notoriously known as the class clowns of parrots. If they’re not tumbling off their perches, they’re plotting some new prank, like playing dead on their backsides to give their caregivers a scare. “Mischief” isn’t just a name; it’s their brand. A mischief of caiques, especially when kept in pairs, is ready to turn your home into their personal playground.

A Chatter Of Budgies

blue parakeet on roper perch — Parakeet. Photo by NoName_13/Pixabay

Budgies are known to be non-stop talkers, always social and gossiping, and their chatter can last the whole day. A chatter of budgies perfectly describes these tiny chatterboxes, whether they’re talking to you, themselves, or a feathered flockmate. A chatter or chattering is what budgies are referred to among aviculturists and bird enthusiasts, so this name truly hits the mark.

More On Parrot Group Names…

A Pandemonium Of Parrots

As a collective whole, a pandemonium of parrots is much more vivid and, in many ways, a more accurate word choice than the generic word “flock.” This is an actual term ascribed to a group of parrots, but it is used much less than flock. Pandemonium can be a spot-on description, at least during certain times of the day!

A Company Of Parrots

A company of parrots is occasionally used as a collective noun to describe a group of parrots. It might seem like a strange attribution at first, but when you consider that parrots are, by nature, social animals it makes a bit more sense. A company of parrots emphasizes their sociability and togetherness, much like how we humans come together in a company for shared purpose or companionship.

Of course, every bird is unique, with a personality all their own; sometimes full of surprises that no one name could ever capture completely. There are endless words and ideas to capture their essence, from the silly and sweet to the smart and spirited. What name best fits your flock? Do share!

The Other AI: Avian Intelligence

July 22, 2025 by Irene Pepperberg, Ph.D.

African grey parrot sitting in cage — Dr. Pepperberg has spent an almost 50-year career trying to convince people to appreciate the cognitive abilities of our feathered friends and not to use their names in a derogatory manner, which is an insult to their intelligence. Photo by Graphicbirdie/Pixabay

So, this blog is going to be a bit of a rant, because I’m extremely tired of the AI (artificial intelligence) folks using the term “stochastic parrot” as a derogatory term to describe some of the programs that exist today. The term was first used by Bender et al. (2021), claiming that the output of these programs was simply mindless, meaningless, statistically likely but not necessarily precise sequences: “stochastic” from its definition of “randomly generated” and “parrot” in the (wrong!) sense of a “mindless mimic.” Whatever one thinks of artificial intelligence programs, there is no reason to use the term “parrot” in a derogatory manner.

I’ll start by providing a bit of background about the artificial intelligence programs I’m discussing. All of you probably have some experience with them, whether or not you actively decide to do so, if you use any kind of word processing or email program. For example, I’m getting prompts constantly while I write these sentences! About half the time I agree with those prompts and am fine with using them…and about half the time they are totally useless.

Let me explain a bit about how these prompts originate. These programs are based on what are called LLMs, or “Large Language Models.” Basically, they scan and store in memory just about anything (“Large”) written (“Language”) that they can access. They then use statistical programs (“Models”) to determine the most likely next word in a sentence, based on the number of times these patterns exist in their memory. So, certain patterns are more common than others, and the program decides that, therefore, you’ll really like them.

The finding that they are often useless (and sometimes discriminatory, deceptive, and/or incorrect) triggered Bender et al.’s argument. Of course, by actively choosing to use such programs and providing carefully designed prompts, you can get decent results. (For example, if I ask, “What should I do to cool down on a hot day?” I’ll be told to go to an air-conditioned space, drink cool liquids, go swimming, etc.) But the Bender et al. argument was that even when the responses are sensible, the programs have no understanding of the material and simply provide the most likely responses, solely based on the material in memory, and if there is a problem with the material in memory…well, you get the idea.

Reclaiming “Birdbrain” As A Badge Of Intelligence

I’m not going to defend artificial intelligence programs (some of which are extremely helpful, others not so much, and a few maybe even seriously problematic); what I AM going to defend is the “other” AI: that of avian intelligence—I have spent an almost 50-year career trying to convince people to appreciate the cognitive abilities of our feathered compatriots and NOT to use their names in a derogatory manner. (Of course, not all parrots use speech in meaningful ways, and their abilities depend on how they are trained and the extent and types of their exposure to human interactions—but even those birds that have not undergone rigorous training often make meaningful associations between particular speech patterns and real-world activities…)

Notably, it is not just parrots who have been taught English speech like Alex, or tested on the same types of task as young children as Griffin (and Athena, Pepper, and Franco—other birds that I have studied) that are certifiably intelligent—you can do a literature search and find all the amazing research on tool use in cockatoos and corvids, episodic memory in scrub jays, ravens cooperating to solve problems, concept formation in pigeons…the list is huge.

Scientific research also exists showing that (at least) parrot and corvid brains have cortical areas (those parts of the brain responsible for intelligence) that are (relative to body size) as great and as densely packed with neurons at levels comparable to great apes. I’m not about to do a major review of avian intelligence here; reviews of the material are publicly available even if the specific journal articles are not. My point is simply that to call something—be it a living being or a computer program—a “birdbrain” should be a compliment and not a slur!

References

Bender, Emily M.; Gebru, Timnit; McMillan-Major, Angelina; Mitchell, Margaret (2021). On the dangers of stochastic parrots: can language models be too big? Proceedings of the 2021 ACM Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency. doi:10.1145/3442188.3445922

Lafeber’s July 2025 Conservation Spotlight: Moluccan Eclectus Of Seram

July 15, 2025 by Ann Brooks

eclectus parrots — A male Eclectus parrot with two females at a rescue center in Seram island, in the Maluku archipelago of Indonesia. Image courtesy of Perkumpulan Konservasi Kakatua Indonesia (KKI)

The Republic of Indonesia spans Southeast Asia and the Oceania region. It is comprised of 17,000 islands and is the world’s fourth most populous country. While some areas are densely populated, it has an archipelagic geography with vast areas of wilderness and an enormous amount of biodiversity. The climate is considered tropical rainforest, which makes it home to many types of parrots, including eight cockatoo species, lories and lorikeets, ringnecks, the unusual Pesquet parrot, and our focus in this post: the Moluccan Eclectus of Seram Island.

Eclectus are the most sexually dimorphic parrot species. The males are a brilliant green, and the females are a deep red and purple. Males are constant foragers, and their bright green color helps provide forest camouflage. Females protect their nest cavities for most of the year, while they raise their offspring. Their radiant colors signal to other females that this valuable nest is occupied – no vacancy! A female’s colors are also a beacon to males that they are available for mating, but they are known to be choosy about their partners. Eclectus parrots are considered polyandrous.

Moluccan Eclectus Dwindling Numbers

female eclectus — A female Eclectus guards her nest site. Image courtesy of Perkumpulan Konservasi Kakatua Indonesia (KKI)

male-eclectus — A male Eclectus parrot sits on branch in Manusela National Park, Seram island. Image courtesy of Perkumpulan Konservasi Kakatua Indonesia (KKI)

There are five species of the Eclectus genus, one of which is already extinct. Manusela National Park on Seram Island in the province of Maluku is an important habitat for the Moluccan Eclectus. However, there is a very high confiscation rate, which is significantly and severely impacting the remaining population and it’s essential genetic diversity.

Perkumpulan Konservasi Kakatua Indonesia (KKI) is an organization that monitors the Eclectus in the Manusela National Park by conducting surveys and regular population counts. Based on six survey locations, KKI only counted 17 individuals between 2020 and 2023. The Moluccan Eclectus has already become extinct in some prior areas of distribution, such as Haruku Island and Saparua Island. Snares can still be found near nesting sites, so helping the community understand why it’s important to protect this species is very high on the KKI’s agenda to build a spirit of protection for the native Eclectus.

Indonesian parrots are technically protected by law since so many are considered endangered or threatened according to the IUCN Red List, but these laws are poorly enforced, unfortunately. According to conservation activists from KKI, Dudi Nandika and Dwi Agustina, “Massive exploitation of all parrots have resulted in a sharp decline of their population. Many wild birds are captured and die in the process of transportation or smuggling because of the limited awareness of animal welfare.”

In the last five years, 31 Eclectus were confiscated from poachers and trappers and sent to rescue centers in Maluku and North Sulawesi. A review of online illegal trading sites has identified 12 accounts, so trapping and trading are obviously still widespread and promoted through the internet. Smuggling routes from Maluku have also been identified, with the main destination being the Philippines and Singapore. The illegal world parrot trade is generally exported through these two countries. The continued decline in wild parrot populations, as an apparent result of high demand in the wildlife market, may ultimately lead to the extinction of even more species on Seram Island (including the Moluccan cockatoo!) in the near future.

The large number of species endangered or threatened with extinction is often related to the socio-economic conditions of an area and a lack of public awareness of why it is important to protect animals in their natural habitats. Therefore, increasing conservation awareness and helping communities understand the importance of biodiversity is the first step of most conservation actions. This month’s Lafeber donation goes to support Indonesian Eclectus parrots because their need for help is urgent!

Webinar: Beyond The Bowl – Creating A Diet That Nurtures Behavior, Health, And Enrichment

July 14, 2025 by lafebercares

Webinar: Translating Parrot: Beyond the Bowl – Creating a Diet That Nurtures Behavior, Health, and Enrichment

Date: Friday, August 1, 2025

Time: 12:00 pm PDT (double-check your local time with this time zone converter)

Join us for a FREE, live, interactive webinar hosted by Laura Doering, former editor of Bird Talk magazine and Birds USA magazine. Our special guest, Pamela Clark, is a well-known author, speaker, IAABC CPBC & retired CVT. Pamela will present Episode 14 of Translating Parrot, a Lafeber Pet Birds Webinar Series focusing on Parrot Behavior & Wellness, based on Pamela’s years of experience with a wide range of parrot species. In this episode, Pamela will explore how your parrot’s diet can do more than just nourish the body. Dietary choices can profoundly affect behavior, emotional balance, and well-being. She will discuss how to reduce hormonal triggers, prevent boredom-related problems, and transform mealtime into an enriching experience. Learn Pamela’s practical strategies and inspiring insights that will elevate your feeding practices, and your parrot’s quality of life. Pamela’s advice will help you translate what your parrot wants & needs in the newest installment of this informative series!

Missed our webinar? No problem! You can access the webinar in its entirety here:

Webinar: 200th Webinar Celebration!

July 14, 2025 by lafebercares

Webinar: 200^th Webinar Celebration!

Date: Friday, August 8th, 2025

Time: 12:00 pm PDT (double-check your local time with this time zone converter)

Join us for a FREE, live, interactive webinar hosted by Laura Doering, former editor of Bird Talk magazine and Birds USA magazine. Our special guest, Stephanie Lamb, DVM, DABVP (Avian Practice), will talk about being the first presenter of the Lafeber Pet Birds Webinars. We will welcome other special guests live and by video message. And, of course, there will be giveaways!

Please join us in this very special celebration of a landmark Webinar program that offers education in all aspects of bird keeping, at no cost to the viewers. Lafeber Company has generously sponsored these cutting-edge webinars as part of their ongoing support for educating pet bird owners and advancements in avian medicine. These webinars help to teach pet bird owners but also veterinary professionals, including veterinarians, veterinary students, vet technicians & nurses, and students. We have welcomed viewers watching live from nearly 100 countries! We are excited to celebrate this milestone episode with all of our loyal viewers.

Webinar: Mental Health And Well Being In Pet Birds

July 14, 2025 by lafebercares

Webinar: Mental Health & Well Being in Pet Birds

Date: Friday, August 15, 2025

Time: 12:00 pm PDT (double-check your local time with this time zone converter)

Join us for a FREE, live, interactive webinar hosted by Laura Doering, former editor of Bird Talk magazine and Birds USA magazine. Our special guest, Dr. Anthony Pilny, will discuss mental health in pet birds. Mental health is a key component of overall health and is closely linked to physical health; thus, it is vitally important to address and nurture in our pet birds. Achieving states of well-being leads to emotional stability and may reduce undesirable behavioral issues as well as prevent chronic diseases. Parrots are highly intelligent and need stimulation and social interaction, much like is known in people. An understanding of essential components of a bird’s life and the ways we often obstruct health, as well as ways to improve well-being, is key to keeping healthy and happy birds.

Missed our webinar? No problem! You can access the webinar in its entirety here:

Webinar: Ask The Vet With Tom Tully, DVM, DABVP (Avian Practice), DECZM (Avian)

July 14, 2025 by lafebercares

Webinar: Ask the Vet with Tom Tully, DVM, DABVP (Avian Practice), DECZM (Avian)

Date: Friday, August 22, 2025

Time: 12:00 pm PDT (double-check your local time with this time zone converter)

Join us for a FREE, live, interactive webinar hosted by Laura Doering, former editor of Bird Talk magazine and Birds USA magazine. Our special guest Tom Tully, DVM, DABVP (Avian Practice), DECZM (Avian), will answer your questions about pet bird health, nutrition, & care. Dr. Tully, a decorated Professor & practicing Vet at Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, is an internationally known Veterinarian who has earned specialties in Avian medicine in the United States as well as in Europe. Having this type of access to a Veterinarian of his status is rare, but Dr. Tully believes in the educated bird owner as being the best bird steward. Dr. Tully answers each question in detail and shares his vast knowledge of birds, particularly parrots. Is your bird’s problem health-related or behavioral? Are you offering the right foods to your pet bird? Ask the Vet!

Missed our webinar? No problem! You can access the webinar in its entirety here:

Photograph Your Bird Like A Pro

July 10, 2025 by Laura Doering

Photo by SallyMay/Pixabay

Capturing your pet bird on camera is a fun way to celebrate their vibrant colors, curious expressions, and unique personality. Birds make naturally eye-catching subjects, yet they’re often overlooked in pet photography. With a few simple techniques and the right timing, you can create photos that highlight your bird’s charm and energy, no fancy equipment required.

Photographing your feathered family member isn’t just about getting a cute shot; it’s about capturing your bird’s color, charm, and quirks in a way that does them justice. With a few expert-backed techniques (and a bit of patience), something you use every day — your smartphone — can take frame-worthy portraits. Top birding resources like the Audubon Society and National Geographic offer tips that work as well in your living room as they do in the wild.

Let There Be (Good) Light

blue budgie (aka parakeet) standing on perch in cage beside hanging toy — Try photographing your bird near a window to take advantage of natural sunlight. Photo by Nina Zaychenko/Unsplash

The Audubon Society stresses the importance of lighting when photographing birds outdoors. The same principle applies indoors: natural light is your best friend. Position your bird near a window with soft, indirect sunlight. Avoid harsh midday rays, which can wash out color or cause squinting (yes, birds squint too!). Forgo the flash, as it can startle your bird and ruin the photo’s mood. Choose a quiet space, use a stable perch, and keep distractions minimal for a relaxed session.

While outdoor settings can offer beautiful lighting and natural backdrops, photographing your bird outside should be done with extreme caution. Birds can be startled easily and may fly off unexpectedly, even with a recent wing-feather trim. If you do venture outdoors, keep your bird in their cage, travel carrier, or aviary enclosure (or in a secure harness if your bird is harness-trained) to ensure your bird’s safety.

Get Eye-Level

National Geographic photographers recommend getting low and shooting from the bird’s eye level to create a more intimate connection in the image. Whether your bird is perched on top of their cage or hanging out on their playgym, eye-level shots feel more personal and lifelike than those taken from above.

According to the Audubon Society, the eyes are everything in bird photography. Tap your phone screen on your bird’s eye to lock focus and exposure. A sharp, detailed eye draws viewers in and anchors the entire image.

Try A Tripod Perch

a mostly green conure standing on a perch indoors — Photo by Nina Zaychenko/Unsplash

Pro pet photographers often use a portable perch mounted on a camera tripod (find online using “tripod bird perch” in the search field), which makes it easy to move the perch around, and the height can be adjusted. This lets you choose the angle, height, and backdrop while keeping your bird in a comfortable, predictable spot. It’s especially helpful for isolating your bird against a clean background and minimizing visual clutter. Just make sure the perch is stable and familiar to your bird before the shoot so your bird can relax and enjoy being in the limelight.

Pay Attention To Backgrounds

A messy background can distract from your bird’s beauty. A neutral wall, curtain, or even a large piece of cardboard can serve as a clean backdrop. Just like in birding photography, simplicity helps your feathered subject shine.

Keep It Short And Sweet

close up on the eye and beak of a budgie (aka parakeet) — You don’t have to stick to full-body pictures. Close-ups can be cute and artsy. Photo by Mustafa Fahd/Pixabay

Birds don’t pose on command. Professional pet photographers recommend keeping sessions short and don’t force your bird to be in front of the camera. Watch for signs of stress, take breaks, and keep healthy treats nearby. Whether you’re using a DSLR or just your smartphone, the key to great bird photography is patience, lighting, and capturing real moments. You don’t need a professional studio to create beautiful, natural portraits of your feathered friend.

Portrait Mode Puts Your Bird In The Spotlight

Your phone camera’s portrait mode helps your bird’s image “pop” by softly blurring the background and keeping the focus sharply on their face. This effect draws attention to your bird’s vibrant feathers, beak, and expression, even if the background is cluttered or distracting. Portrait mode also adds a sense of depth and dimension, which helps highlight the texture of feathers and the shape of your bird’s body in a more natural, professional-looking way.

To get the best results, make sure your bird is well-lit (e.g. natural light coming in through the window) and positioned at least 12 to 18 inches from the background. Tap your bird’s eye on the screen to ensure it stays in focus. Just be aware that portrait mode can sometimes misjudge the edges of feathers, especially around crests or tails, so review your shot afterward for any blur artifacts. This mode works especially well for calm, perched birds giving you a polished photo that feels more intentional than a regular snapshot.

Try Burst Mode

close up side view on African grey head who has eye closed — Capturing your bird’s quiet moments can also be frame-worthy. Photo by RLLESLIE/Pixabay

Burst mode rapidly captures a series of photos when you hold down the shutter button. It’s especially helpful for photographing fast-moving subjects like our feathered friends (practically a necessity for photographing budgies!) This feature allows you to freeze action without blur, catch moments like wing flaps or head tilts, and choose the best pose from a short sequence, all in just a second or two. Instead of relying on perfect timing, burst mode gives you multiple chances to land the perfect shot.

This makes it ideal for pet birds, as even a slight head twitch can ruin a photo, but burst mode increases your odds of capturing eye contact, a crest raised in excitement, or a spontaneous behavior like preening, yawning, or stretching. It’s a simple tool that can help you get that one great image that captures your bird’s personality.

How To Use Burst Mode (Phone by Phone)

iPhone

On iPhone XS, XR, 11 and newer:
- Quickly swipe the shutter button left (in photo mode) and hold.
- You’ll see a counter of shots at the top.
- Release to stop shooting.
On older iPhones (like iPhone 8 or X):
- Simply press and hold the shutter button in photo mode.

You can turn on “Use Volume Up for Burst” in camera settings if you want faster control.

Android Phone

Burst mode varies slightly by brand, but here are common ways:

Samsung Galaxy:

Open the Camera app.
- Hold down the shutter button in Photo mode.
- It will automatically enter burst mode (may need to enable in Settings > Camera).

Google Pixel:

Hold the shutter button — it will take a short burst.
- Use Motion Photos to select your best frame afterward.

Choose The Best Shot

On iPhone, go to the burst photo > tap “Select” > swipe through frames > tap the ones you want to keep > tap Done.
On Android, most gallery apps let you scroll through burst frames and save the best.

Since bursts take up more space, be sure to delete extra frames after you pick your favorites.

What About Action Shots?

Capturing your bird in flight indoors with a smartphone is possible with the right setup and tools. Use burst mode to take rapid photos while your bird is in motion. You can also try Live Photos, Motion Photos, or record a 4K video and grab a still from the best frame.

Choose a quiet, enclosed room free of mirrors, fans, and sharp objects. Set up a landing spot for your bird to cue to, such as a familiar perch or person, and encourage short flights to them. Pre-focus your camera and use a simple cue to signal takeoff. Keep sessions short, give breaks, and make sure your bird stays comfortable. With patience and the right tools, you can safely capture the beauty of flight at home.

Take A Live Photo

According to the Apple website, you can take a live photo by following these prompts:

Open Camera on your iPhone.
Make sure Camera is set to Photo mode and that Live Photo is turned on.

Note: Live Photo is on by default. When it’s on, you see at the top of the camera screen.
Tap the Shutter button or click the Camera Control to take a Live Photo.
To play the Live Photo, tap the photo thumbnail at the bottom of the screen, then touch and hold the screen.

Live Photos are automatically saved in your photo library in the Photos app. To add effects such as bounce and loop to Live Photos, see Add effects to a Live Photo.

Here’s a helpful video that shows how to use Live Photo (also called Motion Photo) on Samsung phones; you can also check out this in-depth article as well on how to turn on motion photos on Samsung Galaxy devices.

How Wind Energy Is Learning To Watch Out For Birds

July 8, 2025 by Matt Rowe

The world continues to develop new technologies designed to make our rapidly changing lives easier and more productive. But with each advancement, concern grows about their impact on wildlife. In particular, the rapid expansion of wind farms has raised serious questions about their effect on bird populations. How can we reduce avian deaths caused by collisions with these massive structures, both on land and at sea? As technology progresses, so must our fight to protect our birds from these structures.

For offshore wind structures, consistent bird surveys are essential to better understand how birds interact with these installations. Traditionally, this monitoring has relied on cameras mounted on ships and planes—methods that require long-term effort and can become costly or unsustainable over time. Recently, Norwegian energy company Equinor has taken further steps to study the impact of offshore wind on birds and bats. By bringing in biologists, geologists, and other experts, they aim to improve efforts to protect not only the birds above but also the marine life below.

In the North Seas, where weather can be a horrifying complication, the company started to monitor birds by using cameras on horizon-stabilized buoys to collect important and usable data. After data accumulation, they run the information through AI programs to extrapolate precise knowledge that can be useful in creating proper solutions. The initial program began in 2023.

Smart Buoys, Safe Birds

Equinor partnered with a software company to analyze the collected data and help them build more bird- and marine-friendly wind structures. With the addition of buoy-mounted cameras, they’ve gathered vast amounts of valuable data, terabytes collected over 12-month periods. This has allowed the company to better understand how various bird species interact with the structures, how close they fly, and the heights that they maintain.

As an example, since it can be difficult to grasp how we can protect birds from the sweeping blades of wind turbines, one such measure is the ability to shut down turbine blades during peak bird migration periods. Additionally, the blades’ rotation speeds can be modified to reduce risks to bats, which are known to fly near these structures at certain times.

Another result of the accumulated data may be the realization that a particular location is unsuitable for turbine placement.

The buoys are outfitted with marine-grade cameras that can assess image quality, adjust their field of view to reduce poor captures, and use powerful zoom capabilities to better identify birds. There are two cameras on the buoy that operate properly depending on where the sun is (to avoid blackouts). Every photo is time-stamped, and each buoy is self-powered to keep the cameras functioning. In addition to capturing bird and marine data, the buoys also feature wind speed monitors, radar, and other technologies to make these high-tech buoys effective research tools.

Tools like these buoys aren’t perfect and do not always provide what is being sought. But it is the advancement that we need to help protect our legions of flyers in the airways and marine life beneath the sea from our growing need for energy and the means used to produce that energy.

A Feather-Safe Fourth Of July

July 4, 2025 by Laura Doering

green-winged macaw on perch indoors — Green-winged macaw. Photo by Gamaliel Troubleson/Unsplash

The Fourth of July means sunshine, BBQs, fireworks, and fun with friends. But your bird? They’d probably rather skip the explosions. While we celebrate, fireworks, grills, and guest chaos can spell confusion and stress for our feathered companions. That’s why the safest place for your bird during the festivities is indoors, comfortably away from the noise, smoke, and unpredictable people.

Early Birds Get The Quiet Time

If your bird enjoys being outside, treat them to some fresh air before the neighborhood fireworks kick off. Early morning or midday is best. Just remember: a wing feather trim doesn’t guarantee that your bird won’t fly off if they are spooked. Use an outdoor cage, travel carrier, or harness if trained, so your feathered friend can enjoy the sunlight and your company without risk of lift-off. When the party starts, bring them inside to chill in peace.

Set The Mood: Low Drama, High Comfort

Create a relaxing indoor space for your bird—familiar surroundings, low lighting, and some calming sounds (think: fan, white noise, or a soft playlist). If they like cozy spaces, covering part of the cage can help them feel even safer. A calm setup helps keep them settled if and when fireworks start bursting in air.

Let Guests Know The Bird Boundaries

Guests might be curious, especially if they see a flash of feathers in the next room. A little pre-emptive guidance helps: post a friendly sign or gently share the rules.

Unless you’re there to give the okay:

No feeding the bird
No opening the cage
No petting the bird

Even the nicest guests may not know what’s safe for parrots, so a quick heads-up helps everyone, especially your bird.

Party Animal Or Wallflower? Let Your Bird Decide

Some birds love the spotlight; others prefer to sit this one out. If your bird’s a social type, keep visits short, upbeat, and optional. If they seem unsure or withdraw, that’s their way of saying, “No thanks.” Respect their vibe. Not every parrot wants to party like it’s 1776. Again, play it safe and keep meet-and-greets indoors.

Fireworks? Hard Pass.

People may jump with delight at the sound of fireworks—your bird might launch. They don’t know it’s a celebration; they just hear panic in the sky. Get them settled inside well before the booms begin. A calm, secure space makes a big difference. Shut the windows, close the drapes if that lessens the noise. Remember, you are your bird’s safe place. Your bird will be much happier not knowing what all the raucous is about.

From Darkness To Daylight: Boo The Cockatoo Sees Again

July 1, 2025 by Matt Rowe

All living creatures, including those of humanity, can fall prey to seemingly irreparable maladies that include deafness and blindness (and, of course, other issues). It’s generally thought that when one of these issues occurs, the path back is probably a road choked with obstacles that can lead to a loss of hope. But for one blind 40-year-old umbrella cockatoo known as Boo, a miracle was waiting.

At around the age of 30, Boo developed cataracts that kept him from seeing anything more than shadows. With his blindness, Boo was unable to fly, unable to perch properly, and could only walk uncertainly. A concern for his continued well-being at 40 years of age led his owner, Amy Hurst, to take him to Poquoson Veterinary Hospital, which then referred them to North Carolina State College Veterinary Hospital. The hope was to check on the possibility of a unique and uncommon eye surgery that could result in the complete removal of the cataracts.

Seeing the World Anew

With a concerted effort of the college’s Exotic Animal division of the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine and their assistive ophthalmology services, Boo underwent a delicate phacoemulsification surgery that successfully broke up the protein clumps from his eye lens that contributed to his blindness.

An ultrasound procedure was used to break up that protein mass, and a specially designed tool suctioned the broken pieces from his right eye. By the end of this procedure, Boo could fully see his caregiver and expressed happiness when asked if he could see. He replied, “Yeah. I love you,” a statement that could melt the hearts of those who heard it.

Boo has lived a lengthy 10-year span unable to see enough to function normally. With his surgery finished, he is a new bird and shows a greater lust for life than ever before. He can now ably perch comfortably and eat and drink without assistance. His feathers have grown back, and his muscle mass has increased. He’s even begun to fly again.

As stated earlier, Boo is a certified therapy bird helping children and the elderly with mental, physical, and behavioral disabilities. He was trained and passed all trials with flying colors. According to Hurst, Boo is still employed in that function, a remarkable twist considering he has a background story that found him in an abusive Skid-Row existence.

Boo’s Early Struggles

Around 25 years ago, Boo was found in a police raid and turned over to the SPCA. He was deemed to be aggressive toward humans. After having his toe chewed off by a cage mate, and another cage mate plucking his feathers, it turned out that Boo was far gentler a creature than originally thought. Once the cataracts blinded him, he began to lose weight and muscle mass. His then owner rehomed Boo to the care of Hurst. Boo was discovered to have the start of kidney disease. Cataract surgery went a long way in helping Boo develop better in a healthier manner.

Boo still has cataract in his left eye. The veterinary team and Hurst are working hard to create an opportunity to replicate their earlier success so that Boo becomes completely free of visual obstruction. We are quite proud of Boo.

You can follow Boo on his Birds in the Dog House Facebook page (here). He has similar accounts on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.

Lafeber’s Global Parrot Conservation Spotlight June 2025: The Parrots Of Paraguay

June 27, 2025 by Ann Brooks

paraguay parrots — Image courtesy of Association for the Conservation of the Psittacines of Paraguay

The Republic of Paraguay is bordered by Brazil, Argentina, and Bolivia in South America. It is home to hyacinth and greenwing macaws, the yellow-faced Amazon, the turquoise-fronted Amazon, as well as several other parrot species. Thanks to support from One Earth Conservation (OEC) and the World Wildlife Fund, parrot conservation efforts are growing through a small but passionate young organization – the Asociación para la Conservación de Psitácidos del Paraguay (Association for the Conservation of the Psittacines of Paraguay or ACPP). It is these new, smaller organizations that are going to make the difference for parrots in the future, as they focus on their unique regions and the need for parrots to live safely among local populations.

Paraguay’s Parrot Protectors

Since 2023, ACPP has worked in collaboration with the Paraguayan Ministry of the Environment. It receives chicks seized from illegal trafficking, rehabilitates them, and then releases them into their natural ranges. In 2023, ACPP received five green-winged macaw chicks; four were released, and three of those are still being observed successfully in the wild. Success!

ACPP is also monitoring a recently released hyacinth macaw. In January of this year, ACPP organized a national parrot census, with the participation of 102 people from across the country. They identified 19 parrot species and 4,396 individuals. In conjunction with OEC, they have been monitoring the wild parrots of Paraguay for over 10 years and will continue to do so while expanding their range of coverage.

ACPP actively engages in social media to raise awareness about the issues affecting parrots, because, if we want parrots to survive and thrive, we know that local residents need to feel invested and essential to their protection and well-being. Follow ACPP’s Instagram account and learn more about the OEC.

This month’s Lafeber donation goes to support this smaller organization that is on its way to making a big difference!

2025’s Remarkable Bird Migration

June 25, 2025 by Matt Rowe

group of sandhill cranes in flight in a cloudy sky — Sandhill Cranes form “survival groups” during migration and forage and roost together. Photo by Chris Briggs/Unsplash

Few sights rival the return of migratory birds en masse, and this year’s display has been especially impressive, just in time to welcome summer. As temperatures rise and days stretch longer, birds are making their final push to summer breeding grounds. Due in large part to an agreeable weather pattern that encourages the birds to take to the skies, migration has noted its biggest numbers. Winds at higher altitudes, where birds like to fly, have been strong, and migrating birds have capitalized on that. With low pressure to the northwest and high pressure near Florida, fast air around 1,500 to 3,000 feet has given birds the flow they appreciate.

Over the course of this migration season, many millions of birds have arrived at their summer destinations. “Migration Alley,” the term applied to the birds’ major passageway through the central United States, has attracted birdwatchers from all over. One of the most popular events of the season is The Biggest Week in American Birding, a 10-day festival held May 9–18 at Maumee Bay State Park in northwestern Ohio. During peak migration, the park comes alive with guided birding walks (even by canoe), keynote speakers, and enthusiastic birders of all ages. At one point during the festival, license plates from 23 states were spotted in the parking lot — nearly half the U.S. was represented!

May 10th also marked World Migration Day, a global celebration and reminder of the importance of protecting birds and the pathways they travel. With awareness of this remarkable natural event growing each year, more people are stepping up to help. That includes dimming city lights at night, putting out clean water and appropriate food, and being mindful not to disturb the birds as they rest and refuel.

A Weather Forecast For The Birds

Amazingly, this year’s migration stood out even more dramatically on Doppler radar. Typically used to track weather, Doppler can also detect the massive nightly movements of birds — and this year, it lit up like never before. More than 250 million birds were recorded flying overhead in a single night, and experts suspect the real number is even higher, since the radar generally captures just the 4,000 to 8,000-foot range.

Birdwatching has evolved over the years, from a niche hobby to a broader movement that blends science, stewardship, and joy. While some birders track species with precision, others simply enjoy the peace of watching birds flit through the trees, sing in the backyard, or pass overhead on their journey. As we understand more about their needs and their routes, we find new ways to support and celebrate these travelers. So step outside, look up, and take in the feathered beauty of summer’s grand arrival.

Inside Dr. Pepperberg’s Lab: Parrot Emotions At The End Of The Semester

June 17, 2025 by Irene Pepperberg, Ph.D.

dr. pepperberg and african grey — Dr. Pepperberg’s research assistant Lena says farewell to Griffin before she heads off to a summer internship in Nevada, followed by starting her Rhodes Scholarship in Oxford in the fall.
Image courtesy of Dr. Irene Pepperberg

As I’ve previously mentioned, my parrots do not like change. They want to be able to predict what is going to happen, and when it will happen, and with whom it will happen. They sometimes will respond somewhat negatively to just a normal shift change in personnel, simply because it is a “change.” Griffin even seems to have some kind of internal clock, requesting specific actions at roughly the same time each day. Thus, the end of a semester is a difficult time for our birds.

Our research assistants’ (RA) schedules are pretty much upended thanks to final exams and then intersession breaks. People are coming and going at all sorts of unexpected times, and RAs are likely to exchange shifts to accommodate each other’s changing schedules. Griffin and Athena inevitably respond by being a bit cranky and very needy and clingy toward those of us who remain. We try to be understanding, giving them extra attention and maybe even a few extra treats. One would think that our parrots would habituate to all these comings and goings over the years, but such is not the case. And they are not simply “playing us” for attention and treats, as their behavior is closely associated with these changes.

Not surprisingly, the end of spring semester is particularly problematic, as we usually have quite a number of graduating seniors, RAs who have been with us for long periods — often three or four years — during which time they and the parrots have become quite attached to one another. Of course, we are very proud of these students, but the goodbyes are not easy!

Feathers, Feelings & Final Exams

This year, we had four graduating RAs, including our assistant lab manager. A few RAs who will be back in the fall are cutting their hours for the summer because of other internships. (Lena, pictured, saying farewell to Griffin, will be starting a Rhodes Scholarship in Oxford in the fall, after a summer internship in Nevada.) For the birds’ sakes, we try not to make too big a production out of all these departures (e.g., we stopped having end-of-year pizza parties, as the birds clued in on that celebration as something that heralded upheaval), but the birds do pick up on all the emotions.

And, of course, the departure of a number of RAs means that we have to hire replacements. We try to interview all the applicants in person to see how they will respond to and interact with the parrots. We sometimes joke that the parrots make the final decisions!

So, another stress is that the birds have to deal with a string of newcomers, all within a short period of time, some of whom, although extremely interested in the research and eager to work, nevertheless often have little experience handling African grey parrot-sized birds. Many people don’t expect how heavy the birds are (about a pound) and how loud they can be (particularly when Athena squawks right in one’s ear). And we have to tell all potential RAs that, yes, you will get bitten and it will hurt, but that these birds can’t remove a digit! And those bites need to be disinfected promptly with the materials we provide…

Thankfully, that information has never dissuaded a potential RA. However, there is quite a learning curve: New RAs need to learn how to clean cages and perches quickly and efficiently, how to prepare the birds’ meals, make and replace toys, how to recognize problems (odd poop, other evidence of possible illness), what to do in case of emergencies — all while trying to gain the birds’ trust, something not all that easy given that the birds were recently “abandoned” by those whom they had trusted. And we also have to make it very clear to new RAs that until they have gained that trust, the birds are unlikely to perform any experiments with them, which means that an RA who is in the lab for just the summer or one semester probably isn’t to have their name on a publication.

We do think that we are going about everything appropriately; however, most of our new RAs are folks who were recommended by those already working in the lab or are also graduating. Griffin and Athena settle down quite a bit as soon as we have a new schedule. And everyone realizes that something very special occurs when the birds finally do give someone their trust and ask for “TICKLE!” or look at them intently and state, “Wanna nut” (the cue to do an experimental trial).

Webinar: Translating Parrot: Pet Bird Behavior Q&A

June 16, 2025 by lafebercares

Webinar: Translating Parrot: Pet Bird Behavior Q&A

Date: Friday, July 11, 2025

Time: 12:00 pm PDT (double-check your local time with this time zone converter)

Missed our webinar? No problem! You can access the webinar in its entirety here:

Webinar: Avian Vet Insider: Psittacosis – What’s In A Name?

June 16, 2025 by lafebercares

Webinar: Avian Vet Insider: Psittacosis – What’s in a Name?

Date: Friday, July 18, 2025

Time: 12:00 pm PDT (double-check your local time with this time zone converter)

Join us for a FREE, live, interactive webinar hosted by Laura Doering, former editor of Bird Talk magazine and Birds USA magazine. Our special guest, Dr. Stephanie Lamb, DVM, DABVP (Avian Practice), will continue her Avian disease deep dives with a discussion on an all-too-common disease. Psittacosis, ornithosis, chlamydiosis, parrot fever – a disease with many names and nothing good about it! Dr. Lamb will explore this complex, zoonotic disease and how it affects our parrots and those who live with them. She will cover this disease from diagnosis, managing a case, and trying to prevent it, in this insider’s view of the daily happenings at your Avian Vet’s clinic.

Missed our webinar? No problem! You can access the webinar in its entirety here:

Webinar: Ask The Vet With Dr. Tom Tully

June 16, 2025 by lafebercares

Webinar: Ask the Vet with Dr. Tom Tully

Date: Friday, July 25, 2025

Time: 12:00 pm PDT (double-check your local time with this time zone converter)

Join us for a FREE, live, interactive webinar hosted by Laura Doering, former editor of Bird Talk magazine and Birds USA magazine. Our special guest Tom Tully, DVM, DABVP (Avian Practice), DECZM (Avian), will answer your questions about pet bird health, nutrition, & care. Dr. Tully, a decorated Professor & practicing Vet at Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, is an internationally known Veterinarian who has earned specialties in Avian medicine in the United States as well as in Europe. Having this type of access to a Veterinarian of his status is rare, but Dr. Tully believes that the educated bird owner is the best bird steward. Dr. Tully answers each question in detail and shares his vast knowledge of birds, particularly parrots. Is your bird’s problem health-related or behavioral? Are you offering the right foods to your pet bird? Ask the Vet!

Father Knows Nest: Meet Some Of Nature’s Best Bird Dads

June 16, 2025 by Laura Doering

Let’s celebrate some incredibly devoted bird dads. From food-fetching parrots to egg-warming penguins, many feathered fathers go the extra mile to raise their young. See how these avian dads put their own spin on parenting.

Eclectus Dads Deliver

closeup on head of male Eclectus parrot outdoors — Photo by Victoria Ballesteros/Unsplash

Eclectus parrots (Eclectus roratus roratus, E. roratus vosmaeri, E. roratus solomonensis) stand out among parrots because of their contrasting coloration; females are bright red with splashes of blue and black beaks, while males are emerald green with an orange beak. An eight-year study of wild Eclectus parrots in northern Australia explored why their colors are so different. Researchers found that nest sites are scarce, so females often mate with multiple males, and both sexes may have several partners. The female’s red feathers signal nest ownership, while the male’s green feathers offer him camouflage while he is out foraging.

a male (green) and female Eclectus parrot pair perch facing each other on a branch outdoors — Male Eclectus parrots keep female Eclectus (right) nourished while the female stays in the nest. Doug Janson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Male Eclectus parrots travel long distances to visit and court multiple nesting females during the breeding season. Each female stays in her nest cavity for most of the year, fiercely defending it, and she relies entirely on visiting males to bring her food. Males often fly between several nests, which can be kilometers apart, to deliver food to the females, even though they aren’t guaranteed to father chicks. By mating with multiple males, females increase their chances of attracting enough food providers to raise their young. This rare system, known as polygynandry, highlights how movement and cooperation shape parenting and reproduction in this unique parrot species. These devoted male Eclectus (sometimes up to seven!) help raise chicks that may not be their own. Their commitment shows just how far Eclectus dads will go to ensure the survival of the next generation.

Penguin Pops Brave the Cold

group of emperor penguins standing outside on ice — Photo by MemoryCatcher/Pixabay

Among non-parrot birds, a standout avian father is the Emperor penguin. These birds don’t build a nest; instead the female lays a single egg directly on top of the male’s feet, and then she begins her long trek to the sea to feed while the male stays behind with the egg, which he balances on his feet under a flap of warm skin called a brood pouch.

With the female away for up to two months, the male goes without food (losing up to 45% of his body weight!) while enduring the brutal Antarctic winter conditions to keep the egg warm and safe. Fortunately for him, Emperor Penguins’ eggs are pear-shaped, so if the egg rolls off his feet, it rolls in a circle instead of away from him. When the chick hatches, the male may even feed it a milky substance produced from his esophagus until his partner returns, at which time he is finally relieved of his parental duties to make his trek to the sea to eat.

Jacana Dads Take The Lead

Northern Jacana walking on lily pads on water — Jacanas are also referred to as lily walkers. “Northern Jacana” by Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren, CC BY 2.0

Ever heard of a Jacana? Also referred to as “lily trotters,” these long-legged aquatic birds have complete role reversals when it comes to parenting. A female Northern Jacana will mate with multiple males and lay eggs in the floating nests that the males construct. Male Jacanas then incubate the eggs. The chicks can swim, dive, and feed shortly after hatching, and for good reason — the male doesn’t feed them but instead leads them to food. These dads, however, aren’t all about having the chicks fend entirely for themselves once hatched. Check out this tender video of a male Jacana gathering his chicks under his wing as any protective father would.

Hero Dads In Our Backyards

a male cardinal feeding a female cardinal outdoors while standing — According to CornellLab, the female Northern Cardinal is one of the few North American song birds who sing, and often while sitting on the nest. This may give the male information about when to bring food to the nest. Photo by Aaron Doucett/Unsplash

There are great bird dads right outside our doors. Songbirds, such as the American robin and Northern cardinal, also show excellent paternal instincts. Male songbirds frequently help build the nest, defend the territory, and feed the chicks alongside the females, and they help teach their young chicks their songs! This enlightening article from Audubon showcases wild bird dads at their best!

These bird dads show that care and cooperation can take many forms, often shaped by environment and need. Their roles may vary, but each plays a part in helping the next generation get a strong start.

Single Bird Learning How to Parent

Sit back with your bird with some Popcorn Nutri-Berries, and watch this tender video of a male kestrel learning how to care for his chicks on his own when his partner is suddenly absent from nest duties. His trial-and-error parenting certainly tugs at the heartstrings.

Study: Wild Cockatoos Master Public Water Fountains

June 10, 2025 by Matt Rowe

Not long ago, it was reported that sneaky and resourceful wild sulphur-crested cockatoos in Sydney, Australia, figured out how to raise the lids on garbage pails placed outside awaiting pickup. To become more effective, they learned from each other and even teamed up to assist one another for a successful “raid.” They became so clever that they were able to devise alternate and easier methods to gain access to the trash treasures inside the bin. For this behavior, they were referred to as “Trash Parrots.”

Fast forward a few years, and these crafty parrots are at it again with a new trick. Their skills in adaptive behaviors have served them well in cities where adaptation is a required element.

Urban Cockatoos Master a New Trick

In a recent publication of a journal paper, several researchers have studied the newest innovation that these cockatoos have perfected: drinking from water fountains — and not from those spray-type decorative fountains, but from the drinking fountains commonly found in parks and other outside locations. Yes, that means twisting the fountain handle to get the stream going.

For over two years, researchers watched these birds improve on this skill after they discovered the innovation of these city-dwelling cockatoos. For this operation, the cockatoos must initiate a seemingly difficult series of movements. The fountains typically consist of a spout with a twist mechanism to push the water out of the spout. You probably know what this type of drinking fountain looks like and appreciate how difficult it might be for a bird to properly drink from one. But all it took was one observant and clever cockatoo to recognize the procedure and to try their hand at doing the same to gain the splash of water as a reward.

What the cockatoos eventually learned and passed on to one another were precision placements of feet and beaks to create a water flow. With the concentrated usage of both parts of the bird’s body, they could typically grasp the twist handle (valve) with both feet, then lower their body to twist the handle clockwise in a coordinated fashion. As the water began to gush forth, the bird would turn their head and drink the water. Success!

This clever behavior was first observed in 2018 and quickly caught the attention of researchers. To study it further, they set up motion-triggered cameras at several drinking fountains to capture the birds in action. Today, about 50% of the cockatoos who attempt the trick can do it successfully, though many still struggle with the complex movements required.

During the study, 10 drinking fountains were surveilled. One fountain had 525 attempts over 44 days, with about 46% of the birds able to properly pull off the feat. City-dwelling parrots appeared especially clever than their country-dwelling brethren because of innovative necessities.

Now, here’s an adorable insight for you readers: they will even queue up and take turns to drink while one holds the handle for the drinkers.

You can read the study here.

Parrots, Peer Groups, And Talking: New Study

June 5, 2025 by Matt Rowe

Quaker parrots (aka monk parakeets) walking on asphalt — A new study on monk parakeets shows that, like us, parrot communication is shaped by the company they keep. “Monk Parakeet – Myiopsitta monachus, Boynton Beach, Florida, December 12, 2023” by Judy Gallagher, CC BY 2.0

Social media has a significant impact on the thought process. In the past, human socialization often occurred in small settings. People would find groups of like-minded individuals, and they would inevitably learn new ways of thinking and speaking. Today, the extensive reach of social media has created entire networks of ideas that merge and propagate pathways with one another, both positively and negatively. Why would we think that parrots are any different?

In a recently published research paper in The Royal Society Open Science journal, a team of researchers that included Simeon Q. Smeele, Lucy, M. Aplin, and Mary Brooke McElreath, all working with the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior (German), and Juan Carlos Senar with Museu Ciencies Naturals (Barcelona), spent two years in observation of monk parakeet social networks. They hoped to determine how social networking influenced the individual parrot.

Using methods of data collection, study, and intense analyses, this group paid close attention to 337 monk parakeets, commonly referred to as quaker parakeets. They recorded the parrots’ community interactions, both socially and vocally. With 5,599 recorded vocalizations from 229 individual birds, the team discovered several amazing realizations.

A Parrot’s Social Circle Shapes How They Talk

The team discovered that the larger the groupings, the more vocalizations the birds acquired versus smaller groups. The more social the individual bird was, the greater their vocabulary of calls and screeches was. Interestingly, females were the more social of the monk parakeets.

This study does not say that larger groups of parakeets attracted the smarter birds, but rather the large groupings influenced a wider intake and use of newly learned “language.” With a larger vocabulary, the larger groups had more ways to communicate with each other. The more intimate the relationship, the more unique the calls are.

More than ever, we are realizing that, as we gather socially, however we do so, our unique expressions within the groups we identify with open up various new communicative avenues. With the conclusion of this study, it now appears that this is also true for birds, particularly the monk parakeets.

Monk parakeets who joined a “clique” were deeply influenced by how that group communicated with one another, much like us. If a bird was more central to the group, it was certain that their vocal repertoire was larger than that of the others. Interestingly, other studies have found that species with declining populations also experience a significant reduction in song and vocalization variations.

The next step is to attempt to discover exactly what these birds’ vocalizations mean to the group and how they actively influence decision-making and outcomes.

The depth of this study is far deeper and complex than the few words committed to this article. For further investigation of your own, visit this link for the published paper.

Lafeber’s Conservation Spotlight May 2025: Looking For Africa’s “Lost Lovebirds”

May 27, 2025 by Ann Brooks

Our post this month takes us to three countries in southern and east Africa – Tanzania, Malawi, and Zambia. The lovebirds of this region are often described as the “white eye-ring” species. These colourful diminutive parrots are among the most popular pet birds, yet their lives in the wild still hold many secrets. Three of these species (Black Cheeked, Nyasa, Fischer’s) are also classified as Threatened or Near-threatened by the IUCN Red List.

A New Conservation Quest

The World Parrot Trust’s (WPT) Lovebird Conservation Program works to protect these wild lovebird populations; investigating the impacts of hybridisation, getting to grips with the root causes of why they are persecuted in some areas and valued in others, educating communities, and installing nest boxes to mitigate habitat loss.

parrot research team — Research team members on the lookout for lovebirds. Image courtesy of Sascha Dúeker, World Parrot Trust.

Recent field work has been building a better picture of the current distribution of these species, but there are concerning indications that lovebirds are absent from many areas shown in the range maps relied upon by conservationists. However, there are also reasons for hope.

Tantalizingly, the team has uncovered reports of lovebirds occurring far outside the existing recorded ranges. One of these populations lies in a little-studied area where multiple reports from the 1980s and 1990s suggest a lovebird resembling the Nyasa lovebird may occur. If confirmed, this provides new hope for the species and may shine light on the evolutionary origins of this special group of parrots.

In 2025, the World Parrot Trust will conduct expeditions to western and southeastern Tanzania to learn more about these “lost lovebird” populations, with great hopes to find them! This month’s Lafeber donation goes to support this new effort.

Webinar: The Grey Way — Summer Safety Review!

May 20, 2025 by lafebercares

Webinar: The Grey Way — Summer Safety Review!

Date: Friday, June 6, 2025

Time: 12:00 pm PDT (double-check your local time with this time zone converter)

Join us for a FREE, live, interactive webinar hosted by Laura Doering, former editor of Bird Talk magazine and Birds USA magazine. Our special guest, Lisa Bono, CPBC, owner and operator of The Platinum Parrot and a certified parrot behavior consultant specializing in African grey parrots, presents Episode 31 of The Grey Way, a Lafeber Pet Birds Webinar Series focusing on Congo & Timneh African grey parrots as pets. In this episode, Lisa will discuss summer safety. Summer brings the challenges of hot and extreme weather, travel, and visitors. Learn about the dangers that your bird might face and be prepared to have a safe summer! While Lisa will discuss some Grey-centric issues, her advice can be applied to all species.

Missed our webinar? No problem! You can access the webinar in its entirety here:

Webinar: Avian Vet Insider — Mycobacteria

May 20, 2025 by lafebercares

Webinar: Avian Vet Insider: Mycobacteria

Date: Friday, June 13, 2025

Time: 12:00 pm PDT (double-check your local time with this time zone converter)

Join us for a FREE, live, interactive webinar hosted by Laura Doering, former editor of Bird Talk magazine and Birds USA magazine. Our special guest, Dr. Stephanie Lamb, DVM, DABVP (Avian Practice), will continue her Avian Medicine deep dives with a discussion about Mycobacteria. Mycobacteria is a rare disease in birds but it does occasionally appear. This bacteria is the causative agent of tuberculosis in humans but it tends to have a different effect in birds. Learn about this rare disease and what veterinarians have to do when they are treating it. Be sure to register to learn about Mycobacteria in depth in this insider’s view of the daily happenings at your Avian Vet’s clinic.

Missed our webinar? No problem! You can access the webinar in its entirety here:

Webinar: Ask Lisa Anything — About Parrots!

May 20, 2025 by lafebercares

Webinar: Ask Lisa Anything — About Parrots!

Date: Friday, June 20, 2025

Time: 12:00 pm PST (double-check your local time with this time zone converter)

Join us for a FREE, live, interactive webinar hosted by Laura Doering, former editor of Bird Talk magazine and Birds USA magazine. Our special guest, Lisa Bono, CPBC, will be filling in for Dr. Tully this week! It has been a long time since we have done Ask Lisa Anything — About Parrots! Come prepared with your pet bird questions. Behavior, housing, diet — you name it — Lisa will be here to help. Lisa’s knowledge is vast and spans a few decades — we have been learning a lot from her Parrots, Past & Present series. Ever wonder how things were done “back in the day”? Have a pesky behavior problem with your pet bird? Need some ideas for new foods or foraging fun? Maybe you have a question from one of her past webinars. Whether it’s about your bird or something bird-related that you are curious to know, this is your chance. Greys, Macaws, Amazons, Conures, Cockatiels & more — let’s Ask Lisa Anything(almost)!

Missed our webinar? No problem! You can access the webinar in its entirety here:

How Social Life Shapes Parrot Speech: New Study

May 20, 2025 by Matt Rowe

monk parrot (aka Quaker parakeet) sitting on tree stump — Monk parakeets, like us, learn and adapt their calls through social interaction, especially when part of a chatty clique. Photo by kirahoffmann/Pixabay

Social media has a major impact on the thought process. In the past, human socialization often happened in small settings. People would find groups of people who share like-mindedness, and they would inevitably learn new ways of thinking and speaking. With today’s reach of social media, the digitally connected expansion has created whole banks of thinking that merge and more effectively propagate a pathway with each other, in both good and bad ways. Why would we think that parrots are any different?

In a recently published research paper in The Royal Society Open Science journal, a team of researchers that included Simeon Q. Smeele, Lucy, M. Aplin, and Mary Brooke McElreath, all working with the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior (German), and Juan Carlos Senar with Museu Ciencies Naturals (Barcelona), spent two years observing the social networks of monk parakeets, also known as quaker parakeets. The hope was to determine how social networking influenced individual parrots.

Social Life Shapes Parrot Speech

Using methods of data collection, study, and intense analyses, this group paid close attention to 337 monk parakeets. They recorded the parrots’ community interactions, both socially and vocally. With 5,599 recorded vocalizations from 229 individual birds, the team discovered several amazing revelations. The team found that the larger the groupings, the more vocalizations the birds acquired compared to smaller groups. The more social the individual bird was, the greater its vocabulary of calls and screeches was. More interesting was the fact that the most social of the monk parakeets tend to be female.

This study does not say that larger groups of parakeets attracted the smarter birds, but rather the large groupings influenced a wider intake and use of newly learned “language.” With a larger vocabulary, the larger groups had more ways to communicate with one another. The more intimate the relationship, the more unique the calls are.

More than ever, we’re seeing that when we come together, no matter the setting, we develop new ways of expressing ourselves within our social circles. Similarly, the study shows that monk parakeets who became part of a close-knit group are strongly influenced by the group’s specific ways of communicating, much like how human social circles shape language and behavior.
Monk parakeets who joined a “clique” became deeply influenced by how that group communicated with each other. If a bird was more central to the group, it was certain that their vocal repertoire was larger than the others. Conversely, other studies have found that as certain species decline in numbers, the diversity of their songs and vocalizations also drops significantly.

The next step is to attempt to discover exactly what these birds’ vocalizations mean to the group and how they actively influence decision-making and outcomes. The depth of this study is far deeper and complex than the few words committed to this article. For further investigation of your own, visit this link for the published paper.

Check out Lafeber’s Quaker Parrot Species Profile Page and learn more about this fascinating parrot!

Crows Hold Long-Term Grudges

May 15, 2025 by Matt Rowe

a crow standing on rocky ground with beak open — Not just noise — this crow might be sounding off a long-held grudge. Alexis Lours, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Anger and memories of the reasons why you feel anger are age-old traits. Once we think that someone has trampled over us in bad ways, we can – and often do – kick into a grudge state. With that, a long period of remembering the event that causes one to remain angry and unforgiving about a wrong gets burned into some of us. Even as we age, if we hold onto such grudges, we can pass them on for others to carry the torch for far longer. It turns out, we’re not the only species with a long memory for wrongs. Crows have been recognized as serious grudge holders and can remember wrongdoing for as long as 17 years.

Crows are found throughout the world and are represented by many species of the Corvidae family. Crows are well-known for their extraordinary intelligence. Crows are considered by the scientific community to be as smart as a 7-year-old child. That’s impressive. They can reason in abstract ways, make and use tools to perform tasks, make decisions that impact not only them but others around them, count, and cooperate socially to help create a societal community. And they have long memory retention.

Crows Never Forget

If a crow is angered or otherwise inconvenienced, chances are strong that the crow in question may not forget it. Once a crow attaches a negative reaction to someone or something, it’s going to become a long-standing problem. This behavior among crows has been studied, and the reality is, don’t make one mad.

John Marzluff, professor emeritus at the University of Washington in Seattle, launched a study to explore how crows display and retain grudges. In 2006, Marzluff captured a group of crows from various sites while wearing different masks (ogre, caveman, etc). His team used a net to capture the crows, and, as masked aggressors, the team caged the crows while allowing the free crows the opportunity to watch. The free crows associated the trapping and caging with the masks. The captured birds were banded and then released. For years after, these crows expressed anger and caution when spotting these masks. To show that it wasn’t the masks, the researchers also wore masks not associated with the captures, all with no ill impact. It was the remembered masks that the crows associated their discomfort with.

After three years, the unhappy, grudge-holding crows had grown to a sizeable number, indicating that the original crows had passed their anger and caution on to others, even to fledglings. To test the longevity of the memory, Professor Marzluff left them alone for a year. After the year, Marzluff donned an offending mask, and the crows immediately went on the defensive, using angry vocal caws to express their concern. This proved to Professor Marzluff that the crows did not forget the incident.

Crows can aggressively and collectively mob and dive-bomb their enemies. They have long been known to mob and attack hawks to keep them away. Now, researchers are studying to determine what happens to crows neurologically when they recognize something associated with a long-held grudge or other dangers. So…don’t make any crows mad. They won’t soon forget it.

What about parrots? Do you think parrots hold grudges, too? Have you ever noticed your bird staying a little salty after something they didn’t like? Do share in the comments!

Inside Dr. Pepperberg’s Lab: A Juicy Parrot Study

May 13, 2025 by Irene Pepperberg, Ph.D.

african grey parrot — African grey parrot Griffin being shown the two choice of juice quantities in his pretest. Image courtesy of Dr. Irene Pepperberg.

I’ve written about this aspect of research from time to time and figured it was appropriate to revisit the subject, given our recent experiences in the lab. This time centered around a study that is dependent upon the birds choosing between two stimuli to obtain what appears to be more juice. This isn’t much of a hardship, because juice is something they really, really like (and which we limit, as juice provides an intense sugar infusion, even more so than eating fruit. With fruit, they at least have to work to extract the juice!)

The desire to maximize their intake of juice was also the basis for two previous studies on Piagetian liquid conservation (Cornero et al., 2020; Pepperberg et al., 2017). And as much as they like juice, they were quite fussy about what kind we used. Athena would work only for freshly squeezed organic grape juice. Needless to say, the process of obtaining liquid that way was not simple, even after we figured out how to use a garlic press to speed up production. So, we wanted to look for an alternative juice this time.

We knew that other African grey parrots owned by friends would drink a commercial mix of cranberry-blueberry juice and figured we could try it. Of course, our local store was out of that particular flavor, so we purchased pure cranberry juice, thinking it wouldn’t be all that different. We poured some into the small tattoo cup that we were going to use in our study and offered it to Griffin. He happily sucked it down! We were thrilled—less sugar and a healthy choice.

Next came Athena. She watched Griffin happily drink and figured it was probably fine. She took a big gulp. Uh….her eyes pinned…she pulled back…and spewed the entire beakful all over us! If she had the words to convey her feelings, I’m sure she would have said something like “Are you trying to poison me!?!?” We wish we had been filming so we could have captured the expression on her face…and we know that a replay isn’t likely as she’s too smart to make that mistake again. And, for the sake of consistency, we wanted to use the same juice for both birds; thus, we were going to have to go back to hand-squeezing grapes.

Griffin’s Sneaky Way of Getting More Juice

We are still collecting data on this study, so I won’t go into it in detail at the moment, other than to note that we start a session of two or three trials with a pre-test to ensure that Griffin and Athena want to work that day. In the pre-test, we gave them a choice between two differently-sized cups that are both half-full of juice (see Figure).

If they pick the bigger cup, they get to drink the juice and proceed to the regular trials. If they pick the smaller cup, they get to drink what is in it, but we assume they don’t care about the juice and thus aren’t eager to work, so they get a time-out while we either do trials with the other bird, or we just pause for several minutes. They then get a second try. Choosing the smaller cup at this point ends the session for the day, as we assume they aren’t really interested in doing trials.

Over the course of the study, we began to notice that Griffin consistently chose the smaller cup on his first pre-test and the larger cup on the second. It took us a few days to realize that he was gaming the system. He realized that by making those choices, he could maximize his juice intake! We couldn’t change the protocol at this point, so we let him get away with it (he was getting only a few milliliters extra juice, so it wasn’t very much), and, well, we felt he deserved it for being so smart!

References

Cornero, F.M., Hartsfield, LA., & Pepperberg, I.M. (2020). Piagetian liquid overconservation in Grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus). Journal of Comparative Psychology, 143, 197-210.

Pepperberg, I.M., Gray, S., Lesser, J.S., & Hartsfield, L.A. (2017). Piagetian liquid conservation in Grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus). Journal of Comparative Psychology, 131, 370-383.

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More On Parrot Group Names…

A Pandemonium Of Parrots

A Company Of Parrots

Reclaiming “Birdbrain” As A Badge Of Intelligence

Moluccan Eclectus Dwindling Numbers

Let There Be (Good) Light

Get Eye-Level

Try A Tripod Perch

Pay Attention To Backgrounds

Keep It Short And Sweet

Portrait Mode Puts Your Bird In The Spotlight

Try Burst Mode

How To Use Burst Mode (Phone by Phone)

What About Action Shots?

Take A Live Photo

Smart Buoys, Safe Birds

Early Birds Get The Quiet Time

Set The Mood: Low Drama, High Comfort

Let Guests Know The Bird Boundaries

Party Animal Or Wallflower? Let Your Bird Decide

Fireworks? Hard Pass.

Seeing the World Anew

Boo’s Early Struggles

Paraguay’s Parrot Protectors

A Weather Forecast For The Birds

Feathers, Feelings & Final Exams

Eclectus Dads Deliver

Penguin Pops Brave the Cold

Jacana Dads Take The Lead

Hero Dads In Our Backyards

Single Bird Learning How to Parent

Urban Cockatoos Master a New Trick

A Parrot’s Social Circle Shapes How They Talk

A New Conservation Quest

Social Life Shapes Parrot Speech

Crows Never Forget

Griffin’s Sneaky Way of Getting More Juice

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