Free Rainbow Boing worth P600.00 ! ! !

Its high time now that you pimp your bird cages with Ibonlandia's Bird Toys... And since we already have come to the BER month, and christmas is already around the corner, freebies are being given away when you buy regular items from Ibonlandia. A minimum purchase worth Php 1,000.00 is required and you'll get a free rainbow boing worth P600.00. (Ideal for Medium and Big Bages or For External Play)

For pick-up and LBC Delivery only.

Can be delivered anywhere in the philippines through LBC

Hurry while supply last. Limited supply only



Text/call Xtin Mapalad 0916298824

visit our website ibonlandia.multiply.com to see the complete line of bird toys

parrot toys and playstand are also available

Blue Mutation Of A Blue Naped Parrot

I have heard of it long time ago, that there is this blue mutation of a blue naped parrot but was'nt sure though not until i see one and here it goes now. So there is indeed a blue blue naped parrot... not just the nape is blue but everything except the beak and the feet (lol)...

This photo is part of KP Aviary Photo Album. Here is the link for your convenience A DAY AT THE LAGUNA WILDLIFE PARK & RESCUE CENTER

Just sharing... I hope you like it :)

BLUE MUTATION OF BLUE NAPE PARROT

Red Rumped Parakeets

NAME:
Eng. Red Rumped Parakeets, Red Rump Parrot, Rumped Parakeet
Lat. Psephotus Haematonotus

On the photo you can see a male red rumped parakeet. The photo is taken from the mine friend aviary.

ORIGIN: Southwest Australia including the area of Cooper's Creek, northeastern areas of South Australia and northwestern areas of Queensland.

PHYSICAL APPEARENCE: Their size is 27 cm (11 in). It belongs to the medium-sized class of parrots. The cheeks and the front part of the head of a male, as it is found in the wilderness, are blue-green in color, while the lores and the back part of the head, neck, and chest are emerald green. The abdomen is distinctly yellow and the lower part of the tail is white-greyish towards the front. Its wings are blue and the feathers of the secondaries-wings are green in color. Middle-tail feathers are green-blue with black edgings while the outer tail feathers are blue-green with white edgings. The rump, after which this species got the name, is red. The sex is distinguishable. The female is a mild-olive color, the wings are black and olive, but little darker and more scaly. Check our red rumped parrot picture gallery.

On the photo you can see a female red rumped parrot bird .

KEEPING: It is best to keep rumped parrots in pairs because their vocal expressiveness is more easily evoked when there is company. Taming is hard and only possible with a lot of effort and time. They can rarely learn to imitate speech, but they make up for it with their unusually beautiful singing. Socilization is much easier for younger birds than for older birds, so when buying a parrot one should bear in mind to get as young a bird as possible. A cage of medium dimensions will be enough for their keeping. Draught winds and direct sunlight can be harmful to these birds, so one must take this fact into cosideration when setting up their living area. They love bathing. One can splash them with a light sprinkle of water once or twice a week.

Taming of rumped parrots is hard and only possible with a lot of effort and time.

DIET of Red Rumped Parrakeets: Apart from millet and canary seeds, which are the main elements of the mixture for these birds, there are also shelled oats, hemp, black seeds, flax and seeds of saffron. The sunflower seeds can be offered in small doses. Various fruits and vegetables, they like apples and carrot the most, and leafy vegetables such as chickory and spinach are good choices. Minerals are also included. Boiled eggs and bugs are among their favorite foods.

BREEDING of Red Rumped Parrakeets: Breeding of these parrots is not a problem. During breeding season, they show aggressiveness so it is better to separate each pair. One has to provide a space big enough so each pair can establish his own territory with a nest. Aviaries for a pair don't need to be big and it is not rare for them to breed in a larger cage. The nest should be put on a higher place within the aviary or cage. The most suitable dimnesions for a nest are: 22 cm (9 in) in width and length and 30 cm (12 in) in height. Breeding begins in April. A female clutches 5-7 eggs, and incubation lasts for 19 days.

Nice pair of Red Rump parrots. Breeding is not a problem.

A male feeds his female which does not leave the nest in the period of incubation, except in the case of danger. In the beginning, a female fed by a male, takes care of the younglings, but after 12 days, a male also participates in the feeding. Younglings leave the nest after 28 days and become independent 14 days after leaving the nest. The younglings are separated from their parents 4 weeks after leaving the nest. They usually breed twice a year. They are generally good parents that never abandon their younglings.

INTERESTING FACTS: Red Rumped Parrakeets life span is about 15 years.
They are consistently good parents and rarely mistreat their younglings.
They rarely imitate human speech.Producing sounds is not one of their characteristics. Their noises are more similar to singing.
In nature they live in large flocks and each bird has a determined hierarchical role in its flock.

Alexandrine Parakeet

NAME:
Eng. Alexandrine Parakeet
Lat. Psittacula Eupatria

On the photo you can see a alexandrine parrot. The photo is taken from the local pet shop.

ORIGIN: South of India, west of Hyderabad, Pradesh and Sri Lanka.

PHYSICAL APPEARENCE: Alexandrine Parakeets belong to a class of large-medium sized parrots, 58 cm (23in). The largest are the Indian parrots. Their life span can reach up to 50 years if they are provided with the necessary conditions for life. The dominant color is green, the cheeks and the nape are grey-green. Around the neck, from the lower side, they have a black necklace blending into orange-red from the upper side. Under-wing coverts are darker green with grey edges. On the upper side of the wing there is a reddish feathered area. The length of the wing is 22-25 cm (9-10 in). The tail from the lower side is yellow while the others are shorter and green. The length of the tail depends on the condition of keeping and nutrition. The tail is 22 to 35cm (9-14 in) length. The bill is a striking red and it is markedly built. The iris is yellow-white. The feet are grey. Their sex is distinguishable only after 32 to 36 months when males develop the necklace around the neck. In females, the green color is darker and the red spots on the wings are smaller and darker. The middle tail feathers are shorter. It is impossible to determine the sex in young birds. Their color is dark, the iris is dark without the yellow-white ring. More alexandrine parakeet pictures...

Alexandrine parrots sex is distinguishable only after 32 to 36 months when males develop the necklace around the neck.

KEEPING AND CARE: Alexandrine Parrots are very grateful pets that can be tamed very easily and learn to pronounce a great number of words. They were very popular pets with the old Romans. The cage for these birds must be spacious enough and placed in a quiet place out of draught winds and direct sunlight. The rungs in a cage must be strong enough so that the bird cannot break them with its large and strong bill.

Cute alexandrine parakeet as pet in the hand of the owner.

When one buys a bird it is recommended to get the bird as young as possible so the bird may adapt to the surroundings without stress. When one acquires the bird, it should be left alone to adapt to the new environment, approaching it slowly in order not to frighten the bird. After that, one should slowly start to offer the bird sweets such as fruit by hand, try to communicate with the bird without making any rash movements, and using a calm voice. Birds fed by hand are calmer and more tame and their socialization is far more easier. In order for the feathers to stay beautiful and well-groomed, it is recommended to splash the birds with water of mild temperatures once or twice a week.

DIET: Speckled sunflower make up the main element of the mixture consisting of millet seeds, shelled oats, canary seeds, buckweat, saffron, hemp, sorghum,pop corn, flax and black seeds.
Fruits and vegetables have to be included in the diet every day (apples, plums, nuts, grapes, bananas, chicory, spinach). Lettuce, cabbage and pears should be avoided. Minerals such as clear sand, pieces of sea shells, and cuttle-bone have to be available always.

BREEDING ALEXANDRINE PARAKEET: In nature, the breeding season begins in November and lasts until April. They settle in small colonies and few pairs build nests on the same tree.They build the nests in old, dead palm-trees and in softer trees. The breeding of Alexandrine Parakeets is not difficult.In shelters, the pairs are kept separately. Breeding begins in February, and if the winter is harsh, it could begin a month later. An aviary consists of two parts, both the outer and the closed winter part which should be spacious. The aviary for one pair of these parrots should be of 0.70-1 m (28-40 in) of width, 2 m (78 in) high and 2-3 m (78-118 in) long. The nest placed in the sheltered part of the aviary should be put at the very top. The appropriate dimensions of the nest are 40 cm (16 in) in width, 60 cm (24 in) in length, the exit hole of the nest is 9-10 cm (4 in). At the bottom of the nest, one can put 5-7 cm (2 in) of large wood chips.
The female clutches 2-4 eggs and incubation lasts 26 to 28 days. The baby alexandrine parrots stay in the nest for 7-8 days and during this period their feathers fully develop. Three weeks after leaving the nest, the younglings become independent; however, it is desirable to keep them with their parents for 5-6 weeks after leaving the nest. In order to make feeding of the young birds easier, one can add soft food based on eggs so the younglings can develop better. The baby birds could be fed by hand. Such birds are tame and their socialization tends to be easier.

INTERESTING FACTS: Alexandrine parakeets live span is in average 30 years, but there have been cases where the birds have lived as long as 50 years.

Very well tamed parakeet do not have fear of people.

They are relatively easy to tame.
Alexandrine parrots can learn to imitate human speech very easily and have been known to be able to imitate over 200 words.
They were kept as favorite pets in ancient Rome. In Rome, records show owners of these parrots with them on their shoulders.

Me and alexandrine parrot...

Apart from a green color, alexandrine parakeets can be found in mutations of blue, lutino and white colors which are very rare and thus expensive.

Eastern Rosella

NAME:
Eng. Eastern Rosella
Lat. Platycercus e. Eximius

On the photo you can see a nice colors of eastern rosella parakeet parrot. The photo is taken from the mine's friend aviary.

ORIGIN: Central and the southern parts of New South Wales across Victoria and to the southeast of southern Australia including North Island and New Zealand.

PHYSICAL APPEARENCE: Eastern rosella is 30 cm (12 in) in length. The head, breast and the under-tail coverts are red; cheeks are white. The lower part of the breast is yellow blending into a yellow-green at the abdomen with dark edging. The lower part of the back is light green. Its wings are blue in various shades while wing coverts are blue with black edging. Its tail is green blue in the center with blue edging. The iris is dark brown. Its feet are green. Eastern Rosella sex is barely distinguishable. Females are usually smaller and of darker color.

Eastern Rosella parrot.

KEEPING AND CARE: Rosellas are considered to be neither talkers nor parrots that can be easily tamed. They belong to a middle-sized, decorative parrots that are famous for their great diversity in color. As pets they can be kept separately or in pairs.They do need a big cage. The recommended cage is of a minimal 60 cm (24 in) in height and length and 40 cm (16 in) in width so as to provide enough space for the birds to perform different movements. It is advisable to purchase a young bird that has been fed by hand, so one can have a tamed and socialized parrot. In order to tame these parrots, one has to devote more time and attention to them than to nimphas that also belong to middle-sized parrots. They rarely produce sounds like whistling except when courting or when disturbed. They enjoy bathing and thus must be provided with these facilities.

It is advisable to purchase a young rosella bird that has been fed by hand, so you can have a tamed and socialized parrot.

DIET: Food consists of mixed food like: yellow and white millet, speckled sunflower, canary grass seed, white sunflower, shelled oats, buckweat, hemp, flax and black seed. Minerals are given as a cuttle-bone or as an already prepared mineral supplement. Fruit and vegetables have to be included in their nutrition. Apple, carrot and a leaf of chicory or blade are their favourite sweets.

BREEDING EASTERN ROSELLA: Breeding of these parrots is not difficult and as long as one provides them with the minimal conditions, they are very likely to become pregnant. The aviary is built of two parts: closed winter and opened summer part which has enough branches for standing. The aviary should be 2.3x2x0.7m (90x80x28 in).

Breeding of eastern rosellas parrots is not difficult. On the picture up, you can see nest which has some eggs inside.

Breeding season begins in April. During breeding season, the male is prone to be aggressive towards the female. If the male is too aggressive he should be withheld from breeding as he may even kill a female during breeding season. The nest for these parrots is unusual. Its dimensions are 25 cm (10 in) in height and width and the length is 60 cm (24 in). Females clutch 5-7 eggs and incubation time is 20-21 days. During that time the male feeds the female in a nest and she leaves it only in the case of danger. The young stay in the nest 35 days and start to be independent after 14 days of leaving the nest. There are two breedings in one year.

Baby eastern rosellas in nest box. Construction of nest is very simple. Use recommended dimensions as I wrote.

Closer look at babies of eastern rosella. For big format photos look at our pictures section.

INTERESTING FACTS: Eastern Rosellas live span in average is between 15 and 20 years, but there have been examples where rosellas have been known to live 30 years or more.
It is difficult for them to imitate human speech, but they are excellent imitators of whistling.
They are the most colorful species of parrot.

Nice blue-grey mutation of eastern rosella bird.

Crimsom Rosella

NAME:
Eng. Crimson Rosella
Lat. Platycercus e.Elegans

Crimson Rosella parrot photo.

ORIGIN: South and south-eastern parts of Australia including Norfolk Island and New Zealand.

PHYSICAL APPEARENCE: They are of 36 cm (14 in) in length. Crimson rosellas belong to a class of middle-sized parrots. Their basic color is red. The back and the middle part of the wing are black with wide red-edged feathers. The middle-wing coverts are black. The wings including their middle and upper parts are blue with greenish edgings. The middle-wing coverts are dark blue, dark base and with lighter edging. Middle-tail feathers are blue with a bit of green color, tail feathers in edging are blue with white edgings. Their sex is distinguishable; females are something of a smaller size and have lighter colors. The tail from the under-side is blue in males, while in females it is green. The bill is greyish-white, the iris is dark brown. The feet are grey. Click here for more crimson rosella pictures.

Violet blue colors of these rosella birds are incredible beautiful.

KEEPING AND CARE OF CRIMSON ROSELLA: The intensive colors of these parrots are largely the reason why crimson rosellas are so popular as pets. The ability to imitate human speech is not one of their characteristics. They are kept separately or in pairs. Taming requires spending a lot of time with them. If one wants to have a tamed parrot, it is necessary to get a very young bird fed by hand. The chances for taming are much greater. Birds kept in pairs do not show any desire to communicate with the owner and thus their taming is usually unsuccessful. A cage of medium size will be adequate for them. It is recommended to have a larger cage in case the bird is not tamed. This provides the space for the birds to fly because such birds should not be let out to fly freely. They could easily hurt themselves or get even more scared. Their voice is pleasant and fairly quiet. One can splash their feathers with water once or twice a week to keep the feathers shiny and well-groomed. They should be kept out of draught winds or places near a heat source.

Crimson rosella as pet.

DIET: Like most of the middle-sized parrots and Crimson Rosellas the most common diet is speckled sunflower. Millet, canary grass seeds, saffron, shelled oats, buckweat, shelled oats, hemp, flax and black seed are other components included in the mixture for these birds. Minerals and vitamins have to also be included in their nutrition. Minerals such as cuttle-bone and mineral supplements, vitamins in fruits and vegetables are also necessary. Apples, carrot, chicory and blade are their favourite sweets.

BREEDING CRIMSON ROSELLA: The breeding of crimson rosellas is not so difficult and that is why they are popular in breeders' aviaries. The pairs are kept separately. The aviaries are often of 2-3 m (80-118 in) in length, 2 m (80 in) high and 0.7-1 m (28-40 in) wide, consisting of two parts.

Pair of crimson rosellas in aviary ready for breeding.

Summer and winter parts in a relative proportion of 3:1. It is possible to get the offspring in the smaller places and cages. Breeding begins in May. The nest should be put on an elevated place. The nest of 25 cm (10 in) in height and width and 60 cm (24 in) in length is characteristic of this parrot family, as they prefer to settle in longer nests. A female clutches 5 to 7 eggs and does not leave the nest at the time of incubation. At that time, the male feeds her and the female leaves a nest only in the case of danger. Incubation lasts 20 to 21 days. The younglings leave the nest after 35 days and become independent after 14 days of leaving the nest. They separate only after 4 weeks of leaving the nest. There are usually two breedings in a year.

INTERESTING FACTS: Crimson rosellas usually live up to about 30 years and even longer.
They are not so talkative, but they produce pleasant sounds.
When they adapt to their owner, taming is much easier. Their combination of intense colors makes them one of the most beautiful parrots.

Peach Faced Lovebird

NAME:
Eng. Peach Faced Lovebird, Peach fronted Love Bird
Lat. Agapornis Roseicollis

On the photo you can see a group of peach face lovebirds. The photo is taken from the local pet shop.

ORIGIN: Namibia, north from the Orange River and west from the Cape Province; the surrounding areas of lake Ngami, Botswana.

PHYSICAL APPEARENCE: They are 15 cm (6 in) in size and belong to the class of small-medium-sized parrots. Their basic color is green. The forehead, the whole body and the lower part of the breast is red while the most intensive color is on the forehead. Lores, the nape, the back of the head, back and the outer part of the wings are green while the breasts, abdomen and the inner part of the wings are yellowish-green. The tail from the upper side is green and from the lower side is bluish. The rump is blue. The bill is yellow. The iris is dark brown and the feet are grey. Their sex is not clearly distinguishable. Females are a bit larger than males and they have wider feet. The tail is blunt, whereas in the male it ends in a peak. The most reliable way of distinguishing the sex is the distance between the pelvis bones, which is 1-3 mm (.04-.1 in) in males and 6-8 mm (.24-.30 in) in females. Check also our Peach faced lovebird picture gallery.

Male and female pair of peach faced lovebirds.

KEEPING: Taming pof peach faced lovebirds is very easy, especially in young birds. They can be kept separately or in pairs. They tend to be aggressive towards the other parrots, so it is recommended to keep the birds of this family together. It is possible that these birds do not get along well with each other and thus sympathy plays an important role with these birds. They are very active and are usually restless in their cages. They belong to a class of medium-vocal parrots. The cage for their keeping should be average in size. In the cage, one can put willow twigs which they enjoy nibbling on. In nature, they settle around the lakes and rivers so it is necessary to provide them with a bowl of water so they can enjoy bathing. During the warm summer days, it is also important to offer them fresh water a couple of times a day so they can frolick. Check also our peach faced lovebird videos.

Taming of peach face lovebirds is very easy. They are ideal pets.

DIET: As with most middle-sized parrots, seeds of speckled sunflower make up the basic element in the mixture of food. In the mixture, there also have to be millet seeds, canary seeds, shelled oats, hemp, sorghum, flax and saffron seeds. Apples, carrots, blade and chickory are their favourite foods which should be offered to them at least every other day.
Minerals and cuttle-bone should always be available.

BREEDING PEACH FACED LOVEBIRDS: Breeding is not difficult as the pairs feed their younglings without any problem. It is recommended to keep a few birds together so that a pair can form among themselves. The birds from this family can be kept together in a cage. It is very common to get their hybrids which are not fertile. Young birds cannot stand low temperatures below 10C (50F). To enable the adult birds to hibernate successfully, it is necessary to provide them with a shelter where they can hide from the cold. Cold affects their nails, which very often fall off.

Breeding peach faced lovebirds in aviary or home is not difficult. To see baby lovebirds, their eggs, and nest shape plese see breeding of Fischer lovebirds which is pretty similar.

If one keeps the birds in groups, it is recommended to keep 2-3 pairs on 3 m (118 in). In nature, breeding begins in April. It is necessary to provide them enough willow branches that serve both as building material for the nest and increase the humidity in the nest which is necessary for hatching. A nest of 20 cm (8 in) in height and 18 cm (7 in) in width is appropriate for their breeding. A female clutches 3-6 eggs, and incubation lasts 20 days. After 32 days the younglings leave the nest and stay with their parents for 14 days. After this, they become independent. A lack of minerals in the diet could lead to the plucking of feathers of the younglings or even to cannibalism by the parents and or other memebers of the flock. If the birds are placed in a room with a minimal temperature of 18C (64F), breeding can last the whole year. It is recommended to have at most three broods to keep the bird from exhaustion.

INTERESTING FACTS: Peach facedlovebird lifespan can be up to 15 years. Around 200 various colors and mutations have been discovered.
In nature, they are only green in color.
When they are free, they live in great flocks near the coastal parts of rivers.

Eclectus

NAME:
Eng. Eclectus Parrot, solomon island eclectus parrot, red sided eclectus
Lat. Eclectus Roratus

On the photo up you can see beautiful male eclectus parrot.

ORIGIN: Buru and Ceram, Moluccan Islands, Indonesia; extinct on Ambon, Saparua and Haruku. Northern and central Moluccas, Indonesia, including islands of Halmahera, Morotai, Batjan, Obi, Damar, Mare and Kayao; probably already extinct on Ternate and Tidore.

PHYSICAL APPEARENCE: The male is dark green; head lightly tinged in yellow; sides of body and under-wing coverts red; under-tail coverts yellowish-green; bend of wing blue; outer webs of primaries are dark blue with narrow green edging; central tail-feathers green with olive-yellow tips; outer tail feathers blackish-green becoming blackish-blue to dark blue towards the tip and with narrow yellowish-white edging at the end; tail-underside blackish and with narrow yellowish-white edging; upper mandible red with yellow tip, lower mandible blackish; iris yellow to orange-yellow; feet dark grey.

Here you can see young male and female eclectus parrots in the hands of the owner.

The female is generally dark red; back and wings brownish-red; abdomen, sides of body, lower breast, broad band across nape and back of neck violet; occasionally upper breast also violet; bend and edge of wing violet-blue; under wing-coverts dark violet-blue; primary coverts and outer webs of secondaries dark-blue; under-tail coverts red; birds from Ceram have yellowish tinge to tips of under-tail coverts; upperside of tail is red with indistinct orange-yellow edging; tail underside is orange-red with dark centre and yellowish edging; bill blackish; iris yellowish; feet dark grey.

KEEPING AND CARE: These quiet and pleasant parrots are very often kept as pets. Eclectus parrots are very popular because of their markedly striking colors. Socialization is not a problem, but it is easier and more successful when the young birds and birds are fed by a hand. Acclimatization of birds from the wilderness is not always successful and often ends in death. The change in dietary intake can also have a stressful impact on these parrots. Birds will feel more comfortable in a larger cage and they like being let free so as to communicate with all people living in a house.

Eclectus parrot as pet.

The cage has to be made of strong wire so it can not be destroyed or end up hurting the birds. They are very friendly with other parrots except in breeding season when they tend to be aggressive. The imitation of human speech is as successful as is the case with other types of parrots. They often learn to pronounce a few words. Before one decides to buy this parrot it would be important to locate a place where the bird is going to be placed. Draught winds, direct sunlight or any noisy place must be avoided so as to provide the bird with peace and quiet. As they love bathing, it should be provided at least twice a week.

DIET: Fruit and vegetables are very important in the nutrition of these parrots. Figs, mango, apples (except the core) and bananas are their favourite fruit sweets. It is recommended to give them carrots, celery, tomato, garlic, cucumbers and peas. A diet of seed-food consists of speckled sunflower seeds, hemp, millet, canary seeds, oily turnip, shelled oats and wheat. It is also recommended to give them nuts and walnuts to provide them with enough vitamin A. Minerals and cuttle-bone should always be available.

BREEDING OF ECLECTUS PARROTS: Breeding is neither difficult nor hard for bred birds. At the beginning of breeding, the female is usually aggressive. She fights with her male partner, not allowing him to reach the food. After breeding the pair begins to feed mutually and spends all their time together. At the beginning of April, the female clutches two (rarely three) eggs in a nest of about 30 cm (12 in) in width and length and about 80 cm (32 in) in height. Incubation lasts from 27 to 30 days.

Female eclectus bird in the nest ready for heatching the eggs.

Two babies of eclectus parrots, hatched in the aviary and fed by hand.

The female sits on the eggs while the male takes care of the nest and feeds the female. After hatching, the young stay in the nest about 75 days. After the female has left the box, she may be aggressive towards the young birds and in this case the young birds must be separated from their mother. During the year they can have two or more breedings; however, more than two breedings should not be allowed. The nest must be removed or the male must be separated from the female.

INTERESTING FACTS: Their average life span is about 45 years.

Eclectus as the part of happy family.

Their sex is easily distinguished, and this makes them unique compared to other parrots. The female has more distinctive colors than the male, which is rare in the animal world. They can learn to imitate about ten words easily, otherwise they are not talkative parrots.

Sulphur Crested Cockatoo

NAME:
Eng. Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, Yellow Crested Cockatoo
Lat. Cacatua Galerita

On the photo up you can see sulphur crested cockatoo with yellow crest on the head.

ORIGIN: All birds of the Cockatoo family are found in Australia, on the islands and New Zealand. This species can be found in eastern and south-eastern Australia, Tasmania, and the Islands including New Zealand.

PHYSICAL APPEARENCE: In nature, cockatoos can be seen only in white, black and pink apart from the Cockatiel described later. These are the only parrots that have a crest. Their sex is not distinguishable. The eye color in the male is something of a darker shade than in females.
They live 50 to 80 years if provided with hospitable conditions. In nature, their life span is much shorter.
Apart from this species of cockatoo, there are a few other species that differ not only in physical appearance but also by size : Lesser Suphur-crested Cockatoo (33 cm;13 in), Blue-eyed Cockatoo (50 cm; 20 in), Salmon-crested Cockatoo (52 cm; 20.5 in), White Cockatoo (45 cm; 18 in), Goffin's Cockatoo (32 cm; 12.5 in), Galah (35 cm; 13.5 in), Bare-eyed Corella (40 cm; 15 in). The conditions required for keeping and feeding of all these species are the same as that for the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo.

Sulphur crested cockatoo in aviary.

KEEPING AND CARE: As pets they are kept exclusively separate so as to allow them to socialize more easily and to adapt to humans. As the exportation of these birds has been forbidden because of the interest of natural heritage protection, one can only buy the parrots that have been bred in captivity. The birds that are bred in captivity are more calm and more easily socialized. Some breeders feed these birds by hand and separating them from the parents about 20 days after hatching. Even though it seems to be a cruel way of raising, such birds are very capable of adapting and imitating human speech.
These parrots should be kept in spacious cages or in the case of the more socialized birds, allowed to be free on a stand.
It is always recommanded to get a cage or a stand before buying the bird, so one can choose the most comfortable place before acquiring the bird so as not to upset the bird. The cage with a bird has to be placed out of draught winds and direct sunlight because these are the most common reasons for premature death. This also applies to other pets.

This is me taking recording of pet cockatoo.

DIET: Cockatoos are fed with a mixture of larger seeds consisting of striped sunflower, peanuts, shelled oats, maize seeds, walnut, various fresh and dried fruit, and vegetables. The important mineral and vitamin components should be included in their nutrition.


BREEDING COCKATOO PARROT: One has to take care of various factors in order for the breeding to be successful. Birds should be settled in appropriate aviaries with a lot of green plants and natural light. It is recommended that the aviaries consist of two parts, an inner part and outer uncovered part which has to be more spacious so the bird can fly, with a few rungs for sunbathing or bathing if it rains. This is important so as to imitate the natural living conditions.Minimal length of the outer part should be 3.0 m (118 in) width 0.80 m (32 in) and height 2.0 m (78 in). The inner part should not be so spacious so that the birds can spend most of the time in the outer part. Breeding in closed areas is possible to acheive with the adequate temperature which can even reach 35C (95F) with minimal air humidity, just as it is found in nature.

Male and female cockatoo pair in aviary ready for breeding.

After the adequate conditions are provided, an important factor to be considered is nutrition. Apart from the standard mixtures, nutrition is enriched by food supplied with vitamin E that stimulates breeding and food based on eggs. They settle in tree holes, so they should be provided with a nest made of an old stump or wooden box, 60 cm (24 in) in height, 40 cm (16 in) in width and length, filled with slightly larger wood chips. Females usually clutch two, rarely three eggs, about 4 cm (1.5 in) in size and a shiny white color.

This is a baby of umbrella baby cockatoo. It is feeded by hand - that way we get best tamed birds.

Incubation lasts from 25 to 30 days. The younglings are fed by both parents and stay in the nest about 8-10 weeks. The eye color of the younger birds is darker, but after six months gradually changes from lighter to white color. The young birds separate from their parents after they start to feed themselves. If the adult birds are not good parents it is still possible to feed the bird by hand. As a supplement to the average nutrition, food based on eggs enriched with proteins can be added.

INTERESTING FACTS: The cockatoo family is characterized by the crests on their head. The crest is a very good indicator of a bird's mood. When a bird feels upset and frightened the crest is erected, accompanied by a loud calling. White crests are seen only in one type of species (White Cockatoo), but they can be in yellow, pink, red or black in color.

Baby cockatoo bird wait to found the new owner.

They differ according to size depending on the species.
They have a great ability to imitate human speech.
Their life span in a cage can reach up to 80 years.
They can hold great grudges if they are badly treated.
They like learning to perform various reckless acts.
Of the big parrot species, these parrots are the most common pets.

Blue Fronted Amazon Parrot

NAME:
Eng. Blue fronted Amazon Parrot, Blue Front Amazon
Lat. Amazona a. Aestiva

On the photo up you can see blue fronted amazon parrot.

ORIGIN: Eastern parts of Brazil and the coastal areas by the river Rio Grande.

PHYSICAL APPEARENCE: Blue fronted amazon parrots are 37 cm (15 in) in size. Their basic color is green, and the forehead is blue, hence their name. The lores and the periophthalamic ring are yellow. The upper edges of the wings are red and wing coverts are yellow-green. The tail is green with green-yellow sides. The bill is dark grey. The iris is orange. The feet are grey with dark nails. Thier sex is not easily distinguishable. They are often mistaken with a small Amazon (Amazon amazonica) which is smaller and is more pale in color. Click for more Amazon parrot pictures.

Some people call them simply - green parrot.

KEEPING AND CARE OF AMAZON PARROT: The birds of this family are calm and generally not noisy. Blue fronted amazon parrot produce sounds at dawn and sunset. They can be kept on a stand or in a cage. A cage of medium size with strong wires is appropriate for their keeping. As pets it is better to keep them separate because in pairs they will not become as tame as when they are on their own.

Here you can see two blue front amazon parrots from local pet shop.

Blue fronted amazons are communicative and like being the center of attention. They can imitate different melodies very well like the sound of a telephone ringing, the barking of a dog or a child crying. The speech imitation is not as distinctive as it is in the grey African parrots; however, this must be understood on an individual basis. There are cases that have gone beyond expectations with the speech of the Grey African parrots. It is recommended to get younger birds hatched in shelters as their socialzation is faster and such birds are more attached to the owner. As they like bathing, it should be provided once to twice a week. We can do this by splashing them with water at a mild temperature.

DIET: The nutrition of amazon parrot, like that of other big parrots, consists of speckled sunflower seeds, seeds of peanuts, maize, shelled oats, pine seeds, buckweat and hemp. The nutrion must be enriched by minerals, fruits and vegetables. They like apples, grapes, carrots
and chicory as well as young tender corn.

BREEDING OF BLUE FRONT AMAZON PARROT: In nature, the breeding season begins in September and lasts until March. In captivity, breeding begins in April. It may begin in the middle of winter as well. The most adaquate temperature for breeding stimulation is 20C (68F). Amazon parrot prefer a lot of humidity in the air as it is found in their natural habitat. The birds that one has decided to breed should not be disturbed and, if possible, they should be isolated. The aviaries have to be large enough, 2 m to 3 m (80-118 in) in length, 2 m (80 in) high and 0.8 to 1 m (32-40 in) wide. The aviary is made of two inner parts or a winter and outer part.

On image, blue fronted amazon parrot picture in aviary.

A few thick branches should be put in the aviaries so the birds are free to climb. The nest could be made from a tree stump or it can be a wooden box of 80 cm in height and 30 cm in length and width (32x12x12 in). It can be placed in the inner part of an aviary so as to prevent the birds from being disturbed while laying on their eggs. A female usually clutches 3 to 4 eggs, sometimes 5. Incubation lasts 26 days. The younglings start fetching the food by themselves after 60 days and thus begin to be independent. Watching over the eggs and the younglings is essential after the first couple of days. If the parents are not feeding the younglings adequately, one will have to feed them by hand. During the breeding season, as well as the time of feeding the younglings, one must increase the protein diet which is based on eggs.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT AMAZON PARROT: They appear in almost all pirate movies.

On the photo up is the picture of the yellow fronted amazon parrot. Roles for keeping and breeding are the same like for blue fronted amazon birds.

They can live up to 100 years, but the avarage life span in shelters is about 60 years.
They are calm birds and love small children.
They are more tolerant than other parrots.