Issue 77 - June 2004

Parrots in Focus by Cyril Laubscher – The Red-rumped Parakeet is widely used as a foster parent. Some of the beauty of the male Red-rumped Parakeet is visible, as it lifts its wings to reveal the diagnostic brilliant red rump and yellow abdomen, vent and under tail coverts. The Complete Psittacine with EB Cravens – Parrot perches – happy feet for healthy birds. Of all the accoutrements supplied within a cage environment for daily use by our captive birds, none, save fresh food and water, is as consequential as the perch set-up. Think about it – where do most pet and breeder birds spend the major amount of their waking and sleeping hours? On their perches of course! Living with a Greater Vasa – Greater Vasas are easily overlooked by people who go to buy more flamboyant birds, such as Amazons or Cockatoos. Petra Watts tells us why we should not discount this Madagascan misfit as a pet parrot. The Australian King Parrot – This magnificently-plumed Psittacine is a dimorphic bird that is fairly easy to breed- it also happens to be the author’s favourite parrot. Allen Friis explains why. In search of Conures in Chile – Virtually indistinguishable from a distance, little is known about the Slender-billed and Austral Conures in the wild. Tony Pittman went to Chile to track down these small parakeets. Rehoming parrots by Rosemary Low – Their future is in your hands. When a parrot is first brought home, the issue of what will happen to it if the owner dies or has to give it away for other reasons is rarely touched upon. Yet with most species usually living longer lives, surely it a responsibility we should address? Saffron-headed Parrots discovered nesting in new reserve by David Waugh – The Saffron-headed parrot is a very handsome but little-known species from South America which is declining throughout its geographical range and is vulnerable to extinction. It is good news then, that it has been discovered nesting in Colombia. This report from the field includes unique photos. PBFD – a time bomb waiting to go off - New strains of Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease have been discovered where none of the classic symptoms have shown. Jim Reeves discusses this worrying development and what breeders can do to help eradicate PBFD. Costa Rica parrots in danger by Robert Alison – Cost Rican parrots are facing mounting pressure generated by a deadly cocktail of factors that are combining to reduce populations to dangerously low levels.