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January 17, 2008 at 5:48 am · Filed under News
THE RSPCA is urging the public to come forward with any information they might have about the shooting deaths of cockatoos at Caringbah.
The call follows the discovery of a wounded cockatoo in a backyard in Le Hane Plaza, Caringbah, on January 4. The cocky had been shot in the chest by a slug gun.
The RSPCA is now investigating.
RSPCA inspector Ainslie Lund said the bird had suffered before it died.
“A post-mortem showed the slug from the gun entered the front of the bird, pierced its bowel and lodged in its back,” she said. More details here.
January 14, 2008 at 8:10 am · Filed under News
MONTICELLO, Ind. — A woman whose home was swamped by Tuesday’s flooding says she’s thankful that neighbors saved her parrot, which nearly drowned after rescuers refused to let her bring the bird onto their boat.
Claudia Shown’s 6-month-old African grey parrot, Mo Jo, was eventually rescued Tuesday by two neighbors who found the bird trembling in its cage, half of which was under water.
“If they hadn’t got him, he would have drowned,” Shown said Friday.
She was preparing to leave her home Tuesday morning after Lake Freeman began flooding following torrential rains. She had readied Mo Jo as well, putting him in a small traveling cage, but when a rescue boat arrived, a rescuer wouldn’t let Shown take the bird with her.
“The rescue worker made me put him back in his big cage,” she said. For more details visit here
January 11, 2008 at 8:55 am · Filed under News
PARROT experts say an aviary breeding program intended to save one of Australia’s rarest birds has ended in disaster, with the Norfolk Island parakeet teetering on the brink of extinction.
Some of the last surviving parakeets died after being caught for breeding in aviaries on Norfolk Island. While authorities claim the program was successful and that the wild parakeet population had ballooned to more than 200, experts believe the real figure could be fewer than 20.
The Norfolk Island parakeet is found only on the small Pacific island, an Australian territory.
A National Parks and Wildlife Service captive breeding program began in the 1980s after surveys put the population at between 16 and 30.
The plan was to hatch and raise young birds for release back into the wild, but no parakeets have been released. At the same time, at least 11 captive birds have died.
Leading parrot expert Joe Forshaw, who initiated the program but is now retired, said he was dismayed at its failure.
“They had no qualified aviculturalists working with this and that’s why it’s a disaster.” Dr Forshaw said that during a visit to the island last month, he conducted surveys for wild parrots. “I believe there are fewer birds now than in a 1978 census that we did,” he said.
“There are supposed to be more than 200 but there is nothing to support that. The surveys have not been done.” Dr Forshaw said the nestlings of some of the few surviving wild birds were suffering from a potentially fatal beak and feather disease.
Several of the birds that died in captivity were examined by New Zealand veterinarian Bryan Gartrell. For more information visit here.
January 9, 2008 at 6:09 am · Filed under News
Queens is America’s undisputed mecca for transplants from far-flung corners of the globe. Now exotic winged creatures also have a welcoming way station in the borough of immigrants.
Barry and Gayle Schwartz have turned their Maspeth home into an animal shelter devoted entirely to parrots — the only center of its kind in the city.
“Cats and dogs have many more options for shelters and homes,” said Barry Schwartz. “As bird owners we love helping people and these birds find the perfect home.” The Queens couple founded the Maspeth Bird Haven in 2004 and has since found homes for over 70 parrots.
“We saw that in the five boroughs there were no organizations, or animal rescues, for parrots,” said Barry Schwartz. “It was a chronic problem for people giving up their birds.” Click here for full story.
January 7, 2008 at 8:19 am · Filed under News
UR own Andy Murray was pictured on the front of several newspapers yesterday kissing what looked like a gold stuffed pigeon, celebrating his triumph in the well-known Timbuktu Open. Which brings Alba to the subject of bird-brains.
A US scientist whose famous African grey parrot, Alex, died earlier this year, is to write a memoir. Irene Pepperberg’s book will be called “Alex and Me”, not “This Parrot is Dead”.
Alex and Pepperberg spent 30 years together. He learned to count to six and mastered enough English to identify 50 objects, seven colours and five shapes.
Not to be outdone comes an enthusiastic press release from Bonhams auctioneers for a January sale to celebrate “unsung animal heroes of World War II”.
It includes oil paintings of prize-winning pigeons owned by Jule Janssen, used to send messages from behind the lines.
For detailed report check here.
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