The steps in which art is created display a unique expression of interests and an ability for patience. It takes time to create. Choosing colors, making brushstrokes that go on to become a definition of something, and the patience to stay with something that is involving all reveal a dedication for a result. For others, not only does a developing artwork provide an avenue for expression, but it also allows for a needed preoccupation that others do not have a tolerance for. That’s the beauty of art. No one does it the same, and not everyone is capable of it. But, in the end, the finished work is for everyone.

A Touch Of Grey On Display

The Maryland Zoo, situated in Baltimore, is spread out over 135-plus acres. Its main distinction is that it is the third-oldest zoo in the United States. While it is home to approximately 135 species of beautiful creatures from around the world, one of its other distinctions is an African grey parrot named Echo. Echo is a 22-year-old female parrot who has found it a good idea to paint abstract art. And paint she does.

Recently, the zoo posted a video on its Twitter feed that shows Echo taking a sponge dipped in non-toxic paint. She then goes to a canvas, whereby she rubs the surface with a rich display of colors. She is being taught by what the zoo refers to as the “Embassy care staff” to decorate the paper with the dipped sponge of paint. During the process, Echo is rewarded with treats to encourage the next brushstroke. As the video shows, her work is done in dabs overlapping other colors to fill up the surface. Echo is avidly social, and quite an intelligent and confident parrot. She has painted publicly and interacts well with the public.

Smart African Greys

The Embassy staff believes that the painting projects that Echo participates in help to keep her mentally stimulated. What is known about the African grey species is that they are quite smart. They reveal a strong intelligence that is seen as being on par with that of a 5-year-old child. Their skill levels expand to more than just parroting back vocally what they hear. They can also do a variety of other things that underscore their ability to think. Past studies have revealed that the African grey parrot can differentiate between colors and shapes, even words! Therefore, a work much like the one Echo is creating in the video — and others she has already created — can unveil a reflection of what might be going through her mind. After all, art is an extremely personal undertaking.

In the kind of art normally described as abstract art, Echo has created her own masterpieces. A quick review of abstract art shows that a combined collection of colors in uniquely chosen brushstrokes can be deeply interpreted by many observers of art. It can represent thousands of things to reflective appreciators of the style. The fact that interpretation lies in the minds and hearts of many different people amplifies the unique beauty of the pieces that Echo creates.

The Maryland Zoo wonders if Echo will become “the next bird-casso.” We’re equally excited to discover the future works of Echo as she becomes more independently entrenched in her painting.

Aviaries are found in many places including zoos, rehoming and rescue centers, and colleges. The purpose of an aviary is to provide as natural an environment as can be attained for the birds housed within them.

For rescue and care facilities, aviaries give a comforting world to a neglected, unwanted, or otherwise abused bird that needs to be nursed back to health, physically and emotionally. For colleges, they are housing for studied birds designed for learning experiences. And for zoos, they are the only way to display the birds that reside in them, often for life.

Beyond these types of places, aviaries are typically unheard of, as they carry a great expense and high level of upkeep. But a high school in Utah has done what has not been done before — built a bird aviary for the students.

A School For The Birds

Farmington, Utah, is a small town with an approximate population of around 25,000 people. Farmington High School is a relatively new building for Farmington, having been built in 2018. With around 1,500 students and an average cumulative GPA of 3.34, Farmington High has a lot going for it.

In what is likely viewed as a rarity in option, the school offered a starting course in ornithology due to increasing national interest in birds. The program, initiated by science chair, Adam Blundell, has gained in popularity since its inception. As the program consistently matures, students are now lined up to get into the class. In fact, Blundell states, “I have students who absolutely love working with birds. They love this field, and they love my class. They want to be here and be a part of this, and in fact, they just won’t leave. They’re just here all of the time.”

The curriculum for the ornithology classes dives into the study of bird care as well as developing working habits in maintaining a functional aviary. Such in-depth teaching can only have a positive influence on students. The popularity of the courses has allowed it to expand into advanced courses that help students interested in careers in avian care and more advanced studies.

Building Spaces To Learn About Birds

Last year, the birds used in the classroom needed a better place to stay, so the idea of an aviary was advanced. Promptly approved, the aviary was built and now houses the birds that represent multiple areas of study in the ornithology classes.

A pair of green-winged macaws help represent the South America study, red-crested turaco and a variety of finches represent the Africa exhibit, and Grasskeets and Eastern Rosellas represent the Australia study. Other divisions include Raptor, Horticulture and Botany, Animal Enrichment, and of course, the design of the exhibits. Mr. Blundell remains as the aviary curator.

A fourth exhibit featuring the Rainforest is being planned, with the hope to acquire Toucans and installing misting fixtures. A funding program is half funded for this ambitious project.

The aviary partitions are built in the center of the school with a glass front that allows for students to view the birds from the hallways. The students are assigned aviary care projects and happily attend to them. Some students have helped to build the aviary.

The birds selected for the studies and that are housed in the aviary are rescue birds. They were unable to be returned to the wild. The care they receive in the school’s aviary is special. They are properly fed, provided freshwater, and well-looked after. Owls and falcons are planned for future exhibits but are dependent on future funding.

Lafeber has been active in the school program by supplying lower-cost overrun bulk food for the birds’ diets. This helps the birds and the burgeoning aviary program immensely.

The beauty of a high school aviary and ornithology classes in a high school setting is that both help to contribute to the awareness of our prized birds of the wild. Bringing this awareness to younger than collegiate-age students with hands-on experience can only deliver future thinkers into the field of advanced studies of all birds.

We celebrate the offering of bird awareness programs for all ages. The news of a ‘first of its kind’ high school aviary hopefully will jumpstart a trend in such projects for other high schools.

Watch a video on this unique Farmington High School aviary here.

During our own childhoods, many of us only envisioned robots as plot material for science fiction novels. As the years progressed, the idea of a functional — and useful — robot of any kind slowly took hold, and science produced many variations of them. Now, robots are becoming commonplace, not only in marketplaces and in science-related fields but also on paper as potential breakthrough realities that may change how we live. And so it is with awe that we have a robotic bird that can mimic the perch ability of a peregrine falcon.

Stanford University engineers ran two labs that studied several key interests. One was the study of animal-inspired robots headed by Mark Cutkosky, and the other, a study of a bird-inspired aerial robot headed by David Lentink. (Lentink is currently with the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, where he continues his research.) Both bodies of accumulated research were drawn from studies of birds to help create a robot that was able to perch using the same flight and land principles that birds use to land on surface variations. Yes, that’s an amazing emerging science for whatever applications that might be found for this practicality.

Parrotlets Nail The Landings

The researchers, with lead study author William Roderick, PhD, have used parrotlets for their flight and grasping studies. (Roderick was a graduate student in both labs mentioned above.) Using video from five high-speed cameras, researchers were able to meticulously document birds’ instinct to land on a variety of surfaces.

It was determined that the parrotlet used the exact same technique of landing and perching no matter what surface they chose to land on. Essentially, the studies concluded that the bird lets the feet adjust and immediately adapt to the various types of surface textures they perch on. Researchers have even used several configurations of feet with toes in front and back with the same results.

Each leg is independently motorized with two motors — one for moving and one for grasping.  The muscles and tendons of a bird are replicated using fishing line. The algorithm programmed into the legs allows for stabilization of the unit once the robot has grasped its perch. Amazingly, the robot can grasp a thrown object and land unerringly. Of course, the science around these new sets of tests is heavily involved and would require more than this article to convey the successes it has chalked up.

The Future Of SNAG

Many things can be imagined for applications of a refined robot that flies. Suggestions include search and rescue missions, possible undisturbed wildlife and environmental explorations and observations, and furthering avian studies with rehabilitation possibilities. An active mind can come up with even more ideas and applications of a developing robot bird based on the flight of actual birds.

The robot was dubbed SNAG, an acronym for Stereotyped Nature-inspired Aerial Grasper. It is the hope of the researchers to be able to more ably investigate the natural world in a non-invasive manner of data accumulation. This will be especially true once these robotic birds become more sophisticated and highly accurate study tools.

You can watch a short video on this incredible creation. Further study can be done at the Science Robotics journal.

Fall is in full view, and winter is just ahead. With that, it’s time to approach an important part of our backyard bird-watching experience with the readying of advice. Summer celebrates the full array of birds that prefer various locations, but fall and winter are important as they present new, sometimes challenging aspects to the health and acceptance of our birds in the wild.

There are many varieties of backyard birders. Some go to great detail-driven lengths to attract birds. With specialty housing, cameras, specialty foods, and a collection of watering solutions, they maintain a backyard paradise for birds. Others are more casual in their birding experiences and simply ensure the timely and continuous placement of food. Birders of all kinds derive visual enjoyment from watching birds partake in the efforts. A mental state is often achieved with birding that feeds a needed happiness and contentment within us. But to fully enjoy the effort, care must be undertaken in our efforts.

Keep It Clean

It’s important to be sure that all feeders are cleaned on a consistent basis. This is so that diseases carried by birds are not passed on to other birds needlessly. Typically, fall washing of feeders can be achieved with hot, soapy water. Extra precaution can be provided by using a small amount of bleach in your washing solution, followed by thorough rinsing. Not only should this be done per season, but it should be done more frequently, perhaps even monthly (or more).

Extra Food For Winter

Proper food that includes seeds and suet should be amply provided, especially when a winter storm is forecast. Cold weather requires expending energy by birds. Available food helps with replenishment of energy to keep warm. Suet provides a great source of energy for birds. And remember that suet feeders need strong cleaning as well as traditional feeders. During the winter months, there is no such thing as too much food.

Water Needs

Water is quite important for birds. With winter temps dropping and freezing many sources of available water, it can be a lifesaver that flowing water is available to them. Some backyard birders provide water sources. In the winter months in colder areas, the water can be kept liquid using de-icing birdbaths. They keep the temperature just right to avoid water freezing during freezing snaps and adjust accordingly as the temperatures rise. As with feeders, birdbaths should be maintained as clean as possible to avoid the transfer of diseases that can hurt birds.

Winter Housing Needs

Housing turns from nests to roosts as birds utilize them to help keep warmer during seasonal cold blasts. As with feeders, the roosts should be clean and inviting for birds that are apt to embrace their use. Such shelter is often used as a temporary respite from the cold and should be represented as a place for necessary shelter. Active birders can have several of these makeshift roosts strategically placed around the yard.

Birding is rewarded by a beautiful vision of peace as the birds take full advantage of the things you have provided them. You get enviable photo opportunities, a double, sometimes triple dose of happiness, and the comfort of knowing that you have taken the time to make life easier for our flying friends of nature.

Winter is tough for everyone and everything. Simple preparations for our birds will yield the best of winter for you and them.

Declines in numbers for many of our exotic birds have plagued the parrot world for many decades. Some of the majestic birds have already become extinct. This includes birds like the New Caledonian Lorikeet, which has been unseen since 1987. Others include the Spix’s Macaw, which has not been seen in the wild since 2000. A small collection of Spix’s macaw are in captivity, so there is hope for a fruitful return to their natural habitat. Of course, there are other species, far too many for any comfort level.

Recently, the alert has been raised for the gang-gang cockatoo, an Australian native bird endemic to the southeastern regions of the continent.

Slow But Steady Decline

Once considered a vibrant and productive species, the gang-gang cockatoo population in Australia has been in decline over the past two decades. The widespread bushfires that decimated much of the continent’s flora and animal population in recent years have further impacted the concerns of extinction.

Due to the fires, the community of gang-gang cockatoos were impacted by the loss of natural nesting locations, referred to as hollows. Before the fires, a noticeable population decline had already been attached to the bird. The fires further declined that by approximately 25%, which is all by itself a frightening downward percentile. With climate issues and other changes to habitats looming, along with more fire threats, the gang-gang cockatoo could be nearly wiped out if steps aren’t taken to change things.

In efforts to help reverse declines for the gang-gang cockatoo (and other creatures), the Eurobodalla Shire Council, an organization that oversees many aspects of the Australian world including conservation, environment controls, land oversight, and much, much more, has begun to build nest boxes to replace the loss of the natural nesting hollows.

Currently, the conservation status does not appropriately indicate the dangers of reduction to the once-vibrant population of these birds. Listed as vulnerable, the council and a collected team of biologists and researchers have asked for “endangered” status. It is hoped that reassessment will lead to a proper designation, which itself will lead to better funding.

A project is underway that hopes to discover where the gang-gang cockatoos have been sighted so that nesting boxes can be constructed in proper areas. For now, there’s not much else left but to fervently hope that these nesting boxes will encourage the bird to breed.

A Striking Red Head

The gang-gang cockatoo is a beautiful bird with a gray body and a red head. The head sports a mohawk-like crest that gives the bird a uniquely beautiful appearance. Their sounds are said to be like that of a “creaky gate,” or a “cork being pulled from a bottle.”

They can be a difficult bird to care for. They have aggressive natures and should be paired. But pairing could result in two birds not liking each other well enough to produce effective home environments. It is their existence in a changing world that is most important, especially when their adopted homeland is fire-ravaged as it has been with the recent bushfires.

It is important to create public awareness of all our creatures that have been challenged with their habitats. Let us all hope for an enduring and fruitful outcome for these beautiful birds.

You know your bird is smart. You’ve seen it in action so many times. Often with that, you can watch their well-thought-out mischief occurring. This is especially true when a bird wants something that is not readily available to them. And as we have learned in the past (or you’ve seen with your own eyes), birds have worked extraordinarily hard to learn the varying methods of acquisition.

In 2018 in the Australian city of Sydney, scientist Richard Major of the Australian Museum saw a sulfur-crested cockatoo opening a garbage bin with a five-step process that involved feet and beak. With this process, the bird was able to gain access to any discarded foods that may have been inside the bin. The scientist was able to video the bird and took it to peers at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior in Germany. The finding was interesting enough to warrant an in-depth study to determine if genetics is the engine of this behavior, or if it is a learned process.

Led by Barbara Klump, and Lucy Aplin (Max Planck Institute), assisted by John Martin (Taronga Conservation Society) and the previously mentioned Richard Major, the study was intended to uncover the cause of the new scavenging ability amply exhibited by these cockatoos in Sydney. As it is, animals typically do not learn from each other but rather operate due to genetic instinct. With these cockatoos, it was discovered that they not only learned the difficult art of opening a bin but passed the trick on to others of their kind. The ability proliferated until the city was filled with birds that understood the skillset needed to scavenge for food inside closed bins.

Hard To Stop A Clever ‘Too!

Back in 2018, a circulating poll revealed that birds in just three suburbs were displaying the ability to open a bin. Just two years later, that number had increased to include 41 more suburbs of Sydney where cockatoos could nimbly pop open a bin’s difficult-to-handle lid. The problem for the scientists was to determine if this was indeed a ‘pass along’ skill or if birds were just responding to a trait that had been untapped. As it probably happened, it was a single observant bird watching a human open a lid. After enough times, the bird worked hard to perfect the technique, with success as the payoff.

Soon enough, birds observed their pals opening a lid and learned the skill as well. Eventually, a city full of cockatoos mastered the ability. One caught the eye and interest of previously mentioned Richard Major. The exotic bird had grabbed the lid with their feet, lifted it, and grabbed it more securely with its beak. It would then walk along the rim of the container enduring the weight of the lid working against gravity to eventually be able to fling the lid back allowing access to the “treasures” inside the bin.

Social learning is a skill learned by humans and some animals — but not many animals can pick up this art of continuance. The scientists published their findings of this rare and amazing learned behavior of the sulfur-crested cockatoos in the Science journal in July.

What shall be next?!