Budgies and Parakeets Budgies are the most popular pet bird in the world. Budgies and parakeets are budgerigars, belonging to the parrot family and are originally from the grasslands of Australia. Most budgies can easily learn to speak up to 20 words. Budgies come in an array of beautiful colors. The ceres (bridge of the beak) of the male is bright blue, while that of the female is tan or brown. Setting Up Your Budgerigar: Must Haves A large cage: budgies love to climb, so make sure the cage has horizontal (sideways) bars that are not too far apart. The cage should have a door that cannot be easily opened. Budgies are clever and may learn to let themselves out! Perches at different levels in the cage: wood perches are best. Food: special budgie seed mixture. The budgie will eat the kernel (inner part) and leave the husk (hard, outer part of the seed). Food and water can be placed in dishes that attach to the side of the cage. Toys: a budgie will be bored without toys. Look for different shaped, colourful toys. Budgies should also have toys for pecking and clawing at to keep their beak and claws from growing too long. Other good toys are ladders and swings. Commitment: budgies need plenty of attention and can live as long as 12-14 years! Ringneck Parakeets (right) come from India and are considerably larger than the typical parakeet. They also live longer too, between 25-30 years.
Cockatoos Cockatoos are crested birds from tropical rainforests. Many species of cockatoo are endangered because of loss of habitat, being hunted as agricultural pests, and the illegal sale of the young as pets. They nest in the hollow of mature trees. Both parents care for the eggs and chicks. Cockatoos, on average, are larger than true parrots but less colourful; being mainly white, grey or black with a hint of colour elsewhere. Males sometimes have darker feathers or eyes than females but are otherwise hard to tell apart. They all have a large, feather head crest and a strong curved bill. Umbrella Cockatoos Color: primarily white with yellow on the underside of their wing feathers, have black beaks and gray or black feet. Size: about 24 inches in length from the beak to the tip of the tail feathers. Average Lifespan: Umbrella Cockatoos can live up to 80 years or more in captivity when properly cared for. Umbrella Cockatoos are large, gentle, very social and intelligent birds. They are not only talkative but can be taught to do tricks too; making them delightfully entertaining companions for bird lovers both young and old. They need: Lots of food including pellet, nuts, fresh fruit and vegetables. A large cage and lots of chewable bird toys, as well as an area to play in. An hour or two of your time each day to play with them, as they thrive on being handled, loved and petted. Cockatoos are LOUD when they want to be. They can be heard for up to 3 miles away! This may mean that an Umbrella may not be the best choice for those who live in apartments, or have close neighbors.
Cockatiels The Cockatiel is the smallest member of the cockatoo group. It is a medium sized bird, about 12 inches in length, which originally comes from Australia. Colours: increasingly wide variety of colors including Grey, Lutino (yellow), Cinnamon, Pearl, Albino (white), Whiteface, and Fallow. Average Lifespan: between 15 and 20 years. Food: high quality pellets and seed, as well a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. Cockatiels are intelligent, curious and affectionate pets. They should be handled, talked to, and played with every day to ensure their health and happiness. While it is possible for cockatiels to learn a few words, most prefer to whistle or sound out noises that they hear in their environment, such as ringing telephones, doorbells or flushing toilets! African Grey Parrot The African Grey parrot is considered a large bird, approximately 12 to 13 inches from beak to tail, with a wingspan of 20 inches. They are native to western and central Africa. African Grey Parrots mate for life. Colors: grey feathers, white patches around the eyes and red tail feathers. The curved bill is dark grey. Food: seeds, berries, nuts and fruit. Average Lifespan: 50 to 65 years! The African Grey is a very talkative, smart and sensitive bird. Because these birds are so smart, they tend to be demanding pets, and will get bored quickly if not stimulated. African Greys have been said to be the most intelligent of birds. They pick up on words and sounds very quickly, including the sounds of telephones, microwaves, and even other pets like dogs and cats. Some boast vocabularies of up to 2000 words! It s no wonder that many Grey owners are careful to watch what they say around their birds!
Scarlet Macaw The Scarlet Macaw is a large type of parrot found in tropical rain forests. It lives in the tree leaves (canopy) and at the tops of the very highest trees (emergent layer) of the rainforest. Scarlet Macaws are an endangered species due to their capture as pets and loss of habitat. Whitish skin around the eyes and lower beak Bright red feathers Black eye surrounded by bright yellow eye ring Deeply hooked bill, pale yellow above and black below These noisy, beautiful birds can fly very fast and often fly in pairs or small flocks. Scarlet Macaws have a life span of up to 80 years or more. This is a big parrot with bright red feathers and bits of yellow, orange and blue on the wings. Males and females are hard to tell apart. Scarlet Macaws eat fruit, seeds and nuts. Some are seen eating clay from river banks. Females lay two plain, white eggs in each clutch. Both parents incubate the eggs. The young stay with the parents for up to two years. Bright yellow feathers Long red tail feathers Deep blue feathers on the wing edges Dark grey legs Lovebirds Lovebirds are one of the smallest known parrot species around 6 inches in length. These beautiful little birds should not be overlooked in favor of larger, more demanding parrots. These birds are fairly quiet companions, making them ideal for those who live in apartments or condominiums. Although they rarely talk or mimic, lovebirds are intelligent, affectionate, and playful little birds. With proper care and adequate socialization, many form especially strong bonds with their owners, so it is important they are only adopted by those who plan to keep them for life (up to 20 years). Those that don't have a lot of time to spend with a Lovebird typically purchase a mate for their pet, as these birds are extremely social and cannot thrive without interaction.
Finches and Canaries Finches and canaries are other popular types of pet birds. Most varieties measure 5 inches or less. Unlike parrots, which are hookbills, finches and canaries are known as softbills or waxbills. These little birds thrive in small flocks, and generally pay little attention to humans - making them perfect pets for those who just love to watch birds. A well cared for finch or canary can live for up to 10 years. Canaries While the first colour to pop into your head may be yellow, canaries come in a variety of colours. Canaries are somewhat shy and timid little birds, so most do not do well with handling. Without the parrot s hooked beaks they can t climb so they need a large cage to fly around in and plenty of toys so they don t get bored. They can also be territorial, so use caution when choosing another for the same cage. Finches Finches vary in colour from the Zebra finch to the Gouldian finch shown here. They are social birds and thrive when caged with at least one other finch. Finches are beautiful songbirds and they will show excitement through singing and fluttering, when a favorite person enters the room.
1. Birds are the only animals that have (tesrhafe). 2. Birds hatch from (gesg) and breathe air. 3. They don t have teeth; they have beaks or (blsil) 4. Parrots use their (ksbae) to find food hiding under the bark of trees or in rotting logs or plants. 5. Parrots love to (hwce) and need to be provided with plenty of wood and (ysot) that they can exercise their jaw muscles on. 6. Parrot (nsekc) are very (lxefielb) so they can get their heads into just about anything! 7. They have four (stoe). Two face forward and two face backwards. Color me please 8. Parrots are social, (vectai) and intelligent birds so they need ample time out of their (ecags) each day for (aylp) and exercise. Answers: feathers, eggs, bills, beaks, chew, toys, necks, flexible, toes, active, cages, play.