BIRD CARE

COMMON HOUSING BIRDS

Alexandrine Parakeet (Psittacula eupatria)

Size: 58 cm / 23 in
Weight: 250 grams or 9 ounces
Natural Habitat: Entire Indian Peninsula; India, Nepal, Pakistan, also Sri Lanka, Burma, Kampuchea, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and the Bay of Bengal.
Description: Red somewhat large beak, bright green over the head that fades into gray green down the back of the head. Black neck ring extends from the base of the lower mandible around the back of the head. Small amount of pink on the back of the neck at the neck ring. Green wings with red patches, darker green flight feathers. Yellow under tail.

Female birds lack the neck ring and their tails are slightly shorter. Immature birds resemble the females but with much shorter tails. Young birds will have a grayish iris. Adult plumage is acquired during the second or third year.

Cockatoos

Cockatoos are among the most intelligent of all the parrots. It is said that they have the intellectual and emotional development of a human child of up to 3 years. Because of this they require a lot of intellectual stimulation. Cockatoos need a JOB. It is important for them to have something to do all day long. It is recommended not to leave a cockatoo alone at home. They hate to be lonely.

Cockatoo are very possessive and sensitive creatures. Some Cockatoos can become extremely territorial and/or possessive of their perceived "mate" (i.e. YOU) during breeding season after sexual maturity. It is important that expected guidelines of behavior be established and consistently applied. Just like small children they require rules and boundaries or their behavior may become unpredictable.

Lovebirds

One of the biggest misconceptions about Lovebirds is that they need to be kept in pairs. This is quite simply a falsehood. A single Lovebird can make a great pet, and make quite sweet charming little companions.

Types of lovebirds:

Peach Faced (Agapornis roseicollis )

Size: 15 cm/6 in
Weight: 55 grams or 2 ounces
Natural Habitat: Southwest Africa: Southern Angola and Namibia, South to Northern Cape Province in South Africa, and Botswana
Description: Peach/orange forehead extending back to the crown and around behind eye, down and over as well as somewhat below the crop area forming a "bib". The body is green, flight feathers are darker green, blue over the rump. Horn colored beak. Peach Faced Lovebirds are also bred in a variety of colour mutations. Young birds will have softer colours, and the upper mandible will be marked with dark brown that extends from its base.

Masked (Agapornis personata )

Size: 15 cm / 6 in
Weight: 50 grams or 2 ounces
Natural Habitat: Central Africa; a small area of northern and central Tanzania. Introduced to Kenya, Dares Salaam and other areas.
Description: Black head, with the black extending to the neck area (thus the "Masked") yellow bib and back. Green wings and darker green flight feathers, some yellow green in tail feathers. Red beak. Bare white eye ring. Young birds will have duller plumage and dark brown on the upper mandible extending down from the base. The most common colour mutation in this Lovebird is the Blue Masked.