Popular types and features of parrots

Many people cannot imagine life without a pet. But not everyone has the opportunity to get and care for a dog or even a cat. In this case, the question often arises on the agenda: should we buy a parrot? For children in the family, this is not only an important means of education (after all, you will have to take care of the parrot), but also an object of love, friendship, affection. For lonely people, parrots may be the only creatures to hang out with.

And there is another category of people who drew attention to pet parrots - businessmen. Look how many training sites on the Internet with the theme "Parrot farming as a business". In any case, regardless of the reason, before buying a parrot, be sure to learn as much as possible about these pets.

Typical inhabitants of tropical countries - parrots, representing the order of parrots - is a rather closed group. The constitution and very characteristic beak distinguish them sharply from other birds and speaks of their ancient origin. According to the description of ornithologists, such a beak is found only in birds of prey and owls. The legs of parrots are called thick and fleshy, which are never tall. The bird has 4 long toes on each leg, 2 of which look forward and 2 backward.

The wings of different species of parrots are quite well developed: large, pointed, tapering or rounded towards the end. The tail depends on the species, varies in length and shape. The color of the plumage is very diverse, which is what attracts domestic parrots. Moreover, the bird itself can be of the same color or multi-colored.Most often, there is no difference in plumage color between females and males, as well as adult birds and chicks. But it all depends on the species.

Ornithologists also call the language of parrots interesting: it is short, thick, soft, in some species the tip of the tongue has countless filiform papillae. All this distinguishes parrots from other orders of birds. But there are many differences not only in structure, but also in lifestyle and behavior.

Large parrots have a difficult take-off, but a fast flight, while small parrots are more agile. Someone flies in zigzags, and other species - in a wave, earth parrots generally rarely use their wings, but they run fast. On the ground, most parrots look awkward, jumping more often than walking. But to move along the branches, they use both the beak and legs with long strong toes.

Modern bird watchers are still inclined to the theory of the rationality of these birds. That is why they do not just repeat memorized sounds and phrases, but are able to conduct a dialogue. A striking example is the Internet favorite, Jaco Grigory.

But in order for the parrot to develop intelligence, you need to constantly deal with it. This is exactly what can be observed in the TV series about Grisha.

A distinctive feature of the life of parrots in nature is the constant hunt for them: flocking birds cause too much damage to agricultural land, so they are exterminated. The result is an extinct species of parrots that were still encountered in the 20th century, but now they are no longer there. An example of such an extinct species is the Caroline parrot. Small birds, gathering in flocks, destroyed the fruits of fruit trees and cereals in the fields. The place of the extinct Caroline was taken by a relative of the parrot - a monk.

The second reason is capture for the purpose of selling for domestication. The third is parrot feathers, which are used for decoration and national costumes. And parrot meat is also used for food, although it is harsh. Therefore, breeding parrots at home can even be considered as a salvation for rare species of these beautiful birds.

Currently, about 400 species in the world of the family of parrots are divided into five subfamilies: woodpecker parrots, loriae, nestorovye, owl, real parrots. But in order to choose a pet for your home, you need to determine the purpose of the purchase and the conditions that you are able to provide to your feathered friend. Also, to buy you need to know the following facts.

• The female and male in behavior do not differ much, but the character depends on the breed and individual characteristics. Boys are more jealous, girls are calmer.
• Males are better trained to speak.
• It can be difficult to distinguish a male from a female by appearance. In males of budgerigars, the place above the beak is blue and shiny, in females it is grayish-white with a brown tint; male macaws have a larger and more powerful head, and at the base the beak is wider than that of the female; in girls, gray, due to a wider pelvis, paws are spread wider than in boys.
• You can buy a bird from a domestic or foreign nursery, as well as a wild bird. Cons of buying savages: the possibility of contracting exotic diseases, they are difficult to tame, it is more difficult to teach them to speak. But parrots caught in nature are much cheaper than their congeners from nurseries. For a foreign bird, the seller must present a document of origin - Cites.
• To determine health by external signs, you should pay attention to these factors: the parrot should not look sleepy or disheveled; droppings should not be liquid; plumage - even, without bald spots; beak and nostrils - clean, shiny, no discharge; the keel seen on the chest is a sign of exhaustion; eyes - shiny, clean; the parrot is active.

Of the nearly 400 species, grouped into 90 breeds, there are many that are suitable for keeping at home. And since the size of the pet is important for many of our families, we will also talk about these varieties from the perspective of this category. But it is worth noting that this division is very arbitrary.

In nature, the smallest woodpecker parrots are 8 cm high, among the domestic species, the small ones include the popular wavy, lovebirds, pyrrhura, passerine, white-bellied and others.

• Budgerigars reach a height of 17-20 cm. Live in captivity for 8-15 years. In nature, they have a bright green color, but have long learned to breed yellow and blue, variegated, purple, white, gray and other colorful birds. For budding parrot breeders, budgies are a great breed as they are unpretentious. It is possible to teach to speak only on condition of constant engagement with young individuals, and even then with difficulty. But they will delight you with their love and affection.

• Lovebirds got their name due to the fact that after the mating season the birds do not fly away, but remain together. The legend that in the event of the death of one parrot the second will not withstand the separation does not correspond to the truth. You need to try to find a replacement for the bird, and the parrot will get used to the new pair. All 9 species of lovebirds are similar in diet and living conditions. Parrots are energetic and mobile.

• Pyrrur is a rare exotic species that is not easy to obtain, but several varieties are available commercially. For wild birds, traditional green color is typical, but red tail is found. The pyrrurh has a strong body 30 cm long; this species is larger than wavy ones.

• Sparrow parrots are considered a good choice for domestication. These small birds with a short tail can have green, yellow, blue plumage and a beak spreading out to the sides. If you decide to have several species of birds at once, then you should keep them separately, since these birds are quite aggressive, including towards their chicks. That is why it is recommended to separate young parrots separately.

• White-bellied also have several varieties, they are distinguished by a bright appearance. Birds with a developed intellect and an unpleasant loud voice, obsessive temperament and difficult learning, get used to humans well, repeat individual sounds. Pets from them will turn out to be funny, as they are very sociable, love to somersault and dance. But they need attention, so either get ready to spend a lot of time with them, or buy a pair right away. White-bellied live up to 20 years.

There is an opinion that it is the medium-sized parrots that are best suited for home breeding for both beginners and experienced breeders. Moreover, there are enough bird species with a body from 30 to 45 cm.

• Goffin's cockatoo in size it belongs to this group, its length with a tail is 32 cm. It is a very noisy and active bird that lives up to 35 years old. A white cockatoo with a pale yellow tail and a rounded crest on its head slowly gets used to humans, but forever. In the top ten most expensive parrots, this species is the cheapest - about $ 1,000.

• Royal has a body length of 40 cm and a tail of 21 cm. The male has a neck, head and abdomen of bright red color, the back with wings is green, and the beak is orange. The female, in addition to these flowers in plumage, is also blue, and the beak is black-brown. But this coloring appears only in the second year of life.

• Luxury mountain parrot has a body of 40 cm, a tail - 20 cm, grace and quick wits. You can be friends with this bird if you get used to a sharp and loud voice. Males are yellow-green in color with an olive tinge of the head, much brighter than females, which have a more calm olive green color. In captivity, birds can live up to 30 years.

• Rosella differs in a variegated scaly color. The older the individual, the brighter the color.The parrot has a length of 25-35 cm with a tail, life expectancy is up to 15 years. The bird is shy: after the purchase, you should not use your hands to catch it in the carrier and transplant it into the cage. The perch from the carrier is installed in a new home, the cage and carrier are pushed towards each other, the rosella will fly over to her perch herself.

• Loriketsare perhaps the brightest parrots. To maintain color and food must be bright, they are very fond of pollen and nectar. They live for about 20 years. Friendly, sociable, active, able to repeat sounds and language. Not very noisy, for which they are popular with breeders. The noble or two-colored parrot belonging to the lorikeets generally refers to singles.

• Senegalese parrot differs in size 35 cm, serious and independent disposition, life expectancy of 25-40 years, ability to train. The bird loves to sleep very much (at least 10 hours a day). The Senegalese has a green back, wings and tail; yellow-orange abdomen, dark gray head, no crest.

• Corella - popular home look. Red or yellow plumage on a 30-35 cm body with yellow, white or blue cheeks and a long, wide tail. These parrots live for about 15-20 years, easily in contact with family members. These smart birds with the intelligence of a five-year-old child, unfortunately, are poor at imitating human speech.

• Ringed parrot - beautiful view, but has a loud voice. The bird has a body length of 30-50 cm, green plumage, a long wedge-shaped tail. They have a good level of adaptation to life in captivity (they will live about 30 years), while they are trained in human speech.

It is among the large breeds of parrots that the smartest are found. Perhaps this is related to the fact that these birds are the most difficult to grow at home. The most popular are the following types.

• Macaw - the largest (up to 90 cm) and the most expensive (blue macaw costs $ 50,000). These are very bright birds that look like a rainbow. I just need constant communication. If this does not happen, then the bird becomes aggressive and even dangerous. If it is not possible to personally devote time to the are, then you need to provide him with a large number of toys and change them periodically. This species can live for 50-60 years.

• Amazons inexpensive, more affectionate, but capricious. Having recognized one of the family members as their master, the rest can be ignored and even bite. During their 50-year life, they grow up to 40 cm. They also really need communication, but possessing remarkable intelligence and feeling love for their person, they begin to become impudent and hysterical if they have not received something from the owner. Breeders call them bullies and talkers, but Amazons are very trainable.

• Large cockatoo - This is an individual 60 cm long, difficult to keep. But with proper care, it will live 60-80 years. There are many species of large cockatoos. They differ in white or white-pink, gray colors, but all are crested. Large birds need an aviary, not a cage, made of strong vertical rods. And do not forget that a smart cockatoo is able to open a cage if it is a regular valve. This species is not for novice breeders: birds have a problem with excessive chewing and biting as a method of raising all humans and animals.

• Jaco (gray parrot) - among large ones, it is considered a small representative - up to 33 cm. In different conditions, it can live up to 80 years. The level of intelligence corresponds to a 4-year-old child (communicates in sentences, asks and answers questions). But a gray, like a macaw, needs communication for at least 6 hours a day. If the buyer is unable to provide this, then you should not get a parrot. These are vulnerable and touchy birds, attached to their owner, who is considered a relative.

The correct cage or aviary is the basis of the content. The bird should spread its wings freely in the cage. It is better to choose a long cage, horizontal, with horizontal rods. The house is placed away from drafts and windows with bright lighting, electrical appliances. It is advisable to press it with one side against a vertical surface (wall, cabinet, board), at the height of a person's eyes. It is important not to overload the cage with objects, filling it only with the most necessary:

• there must be perches here (it is possible from different materials);
• two permanent non-plastic feeders (for grain and a mixture of minerals) and one temporary (for wet feed);
• drinkers (open - quickly get dirty, closed - more hygienic, automatic - the most reliable);
• toys, rope ropes and ladders;
• a lamp (ultraviolet or broad spectrum) is placed in the cage, above it or on the side: even if the room is sunny, this electrical appliance is still required due to the peculiarities of the structure of the eyes of these birds and for heating them.

A varied set of food is a guarantee of health and a good life expectancy for your pet. For this, there are purchased feed mixtures with minerals for birds - this is the first part of the diet. The second half - fruits, vegetables with herbs, cereals, boiled in water without salt and sugar, sprouted cereals, fresh twigs. It is imperative to change the water every day, even more often in the summer.

The parrot's cleanliness and order in the cage involves daily cleaning inside the house, washing the feeders and drinking bowls, as well as regular washing of the cage itself. This is best done in the bathroom without the use of chemicals. But the parrot itself needs to be washed regularly in the way that he likes: under the tap, in a basin, sink, bathroom. If the bird does not like to wash, then you can hang wet lettuce leaves in the cage: while eating, it will wash. Bathing should be fun for the bird, so it is important to understand how to achieve this. Don't forget to dry the bird.

If the parrot is at home alone, he should have something to do. The pet should not be bored, so toys are a must... Boredom is the cause of the illness of parrots. Many people want to have intellectually developed birds. For this, there are interactive toys - foraging machines. She has a delicacy inside her: overcame obstacles, completed tasks - earned a treat.

In nature, most parrot species live in flocks. Social birds are in vital need of communication. Moreover, "vital" is not a metaphor. It is not a mechanical golden bird in a golden cage. Especially if you dream of getting a talking friend. It is important to work with your pet, it is even more important to do it when you and the parrot are in a good mood. If you are not in the mood, it is better to postpone the lesson and just talk to your pet.

Healthy birds are allowed for breeding (age depends on the species). Before hanging the nest house, the daylight hours are artificially increased to 14 hours, and the diet is changed in the direction of increasing protein food. Boiled eggs, sprouted grains are removed from the menu after the first egg appears. In different species, a clutch of 2-4 eggs is incubated by both parents or only the female.

To start breeding, it is better to choose a warm season. In the fall and winter, more effort will have to be made to maintain conditions for the growth of the chicks. In the spring, it is generally not recommended to breed parrots due to the lack of vitamins in vegetables and fruits.

You can buy a house or make it yourself, but you need to take into account that soon there will be not only a male with a female, but also restless chicks. At the bottom, it is imperative to pour sawdust and buds of non-coniferous trees.

Presumably, the larger the parrot, the longer the female incubates the eggs: wavy ones get their first chick on 16-18 days, macaws - on days 29-30. If the female did not refuse to play the role of a mother, then there is no need to interfere with her actions. Just enrich her diet, and also regularly check the nest for dead chicks.

• the first parrot appeared in Russia in 1490;
• the African gray Nkisi uses 950 words, and our gray Gregory recently learned to add numbers;
• wavy Pak, entered in the Guinness Book of Records, used 1,728 words;
• in the United States, the parrot was able to remember the names of the robbers and repeat them to the police;
• parrots have a sense of rhythm, but no vocal cords (they reproduce all sounds with their mouths);
• these birds do not see in the dark;
• schools for teaching parrots of human speech have been opened in Australia;
• a human distinguishes 16 images per second, a budgerigar - 150.