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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

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

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

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

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

Remembering Our Feathered Friends on Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day

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.

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.

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

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

When we celebrate Earth Day, let’s not forget parrots, which stand proudly among the iconic symbols of our planet’s rich biodiversity. These remarkable birds do far more than add color to the canopy. From supporting forest regeneration to indicating ecosystem health, here are three powerful ways parrots contribute to the planet’s well-being.

Nature’s Gardeners

Anyone who’s shared their home with a parrot companion knows messy eating is par for the course. But before you get annoyed by having to mop up and sweep around your bird’s area for the tenth time today, know that parrots are hard-wired for “messy eating” because it plays a pivotal role in regenerating forests in their native tropical and subtropical regions. This is especially beneficial after natural disasters like fires and storms, as well as man-made threats to their environment such as logging.

Macaws, for example, consume fruits and nuts high in the forest canopy, and when they drop uneaten food or defecate, they disperse seeds down below, and they also disperse seeds when they take flight.

One study, shows that parrots play a significant but underrecognized mutualistic role in palm ecology worldwide. In fact, 89% of parrot-palm interactions involve seed dispersal or potential pollination, while only 5% are purely antagonistic. Larger parrots disperse larger seeds over greater distances, aiding palm regeneration. These interactions are shaped by factors like body and fruit size, biodiversity, and behavior. The findings underscore parrots’ vital role in maintaining tropical ecosystems and the importance of their conservation.

Bio‑Indicators Of Ecosystem Health

Parrots are more than just colorful residents of our skies—they’re vital bio-indicators of environmental health. Declines in parrot populations often signal deeper ecological problems, such as habitat destruction, climate change, and deforestation. According to the IUCN Red List, about one-third of the world’s 389 parrot species are now threatened or endangered. When birds disappear from the wild, it’s a warning that ecosystems are under stress, and that the planet’s overall health is at risk.

Ambassadors Of The Rainforest

Parrots, with their brilliant colors, raucous, playful, and curious personalities, inspire us to protect their habitats. They serve as a main draw for sustainable ecotourism.  In Peru’s Tambopata National Reserve, for instance, clay‑lick watching tours—where hundreds of macaws and parrots gather to ingest mineral-rich soil—generate vital income for local communities. Responsible eco-tourism can help finance ranger patrols and provide local jobs to incentivize forest protection.

This Earth Day, let’s take a moment to appreciate parrots, not just for their beauty and intelligence, but for the vital role they play in sustaining the planet’s ecological health and diversity.

Over the years, we’ve been joyed by the artwork created by a few truly extraordinary parrots, lovingly shared by their caregivers. A look through our article catalog will uncover some of these talented birds. These stories reveal just how unique parrots can be—often surprising us with their unexpected talents. Like humans, each parrot is a one-of-a-kind individual, never to be seen again in quite the same way. Some set themselves apart even further through the things they grow to love. Art is one such passion, especially abstract art, which resonates deeply in the broader world of creative expression and its many admirers.

Bruce is a 17-year-old parrotlet who resides with Tina Kirmis in Vancouver. Kirmis is a volunteer working at the Greyhaven Exotic Bird Sanctuary. This sanctuary works on adoptions, surrenders, and overall care of birds in need of assistance. Kirmis adopted a then 9-year-old Bruce in 2016 to add to her adored flock of other parrotlets, budgies, cockatiels, and a 50-year-old Amazon parrot. Most of her rescued birds have health problems, including Bruce, who suffers from heart, liver, and cataract issues. Bruce has since lost most of his sight due to a seizure suffered in February (2025), with some vision in his right eye still available to him.

When Fruit Meets Paper: A Bird’s Artistic Side

With Bruce, it was quickly noted that his eating habits were more than a bit messy. His eating of fruit often resulted in splashes of fruit juice on walls and other out-of-bounds areas. Kirmis chose a light plastic cover called the “berry eating dome” to contain his messes.  The dome itself has a huge doorway cut out for Bruce’s easy entrance, and he can exit as he pleases. But Bruce loves eating inside the dome. With paper underneath him, the resulting mess from the berries has left amazing “art” that has become an interest.

In 2024, Kirmis wrote and published two children’s books featuring Bruce and his art. The first book, called “Bruce in His Berry Eating Dome,” is filled with photos and a tale of Bruce as he eats and creates. It is 48 pages of heart-warming prose that gives Bruce a bit of a celebrity status. The second book is called “Bruce’s Berry Good Art,” and its 48 pages contain a story on his “dreams” that lead to his expression of them on paper as he eats his meal of berries. Both books are available on Amazon here (Berry Eating Dome), and here (Berry Good Art). The profits from the books go to the previously mentioned Greyhaven Sanctuary (here) as well as The Nest (here).

Kirmis also started an Instagram page so people can become interested in birds and their care, in addition to her Facebook page. Both are under the name “Follow the Feathers,” where followers can find frequent, engaging posts with pictures, videos, updates on Bruce’s journey, bird care tips, rescue stories, and more delightful moments from her colorful flock.