Popular types and features of the content of parrots

Many people do not imagine life without a pet. But not everyone has the opportunity to start and care for a dog and even a cat. In this case, the question of the day often raises the question: whether or not to buy a parrot? For children in the family - this is not only an important means of education (after all, you have to take care of the parrot), but also an object of love, friendship, affection. For lonely people, parrots may turn out to be the only creatures to talk to.

And there is another category of people who paid attention to domestic parrots - businessmen. Look at the number of online educational sites with the theme “Breeding parrots as a business”. In any case, regardless of the reason, before you buy a parrot you should definitely learn as much as possible about these pets.

Typical inhabitants of tropical countries - parrots, representing a group of parrots, are a fairly closed group. The constitution and very characteristic beak sharply distinguishes them from other birds and speaks of ancient origin. According to the description of ornithologists, such a beak is found only in birds of prey and owls. The legs of the parrots are called fat and fleshy, which are never high. The bird has 4 long fingers on each leg, 2 of which are looking forward and 2 - back.

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

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

Large parrots have a heavy take-off, but a quick flight, while smaller ones - more agile. Someone flies in zigzags, and other species - in waves, earthen parrots rarely use wings, but run fast. On the ground, most parrots look awkward, jumping more often than walking. But to move through the branches and use the beak, and legs with long, strong fingers.

Modern ornithologists are still prone to the theory of intelligence of these birds. That is why they are not just repeating memorized sounds and phrases, but are able to carry on a dialogue. A striking example is the Internet darling, Jaco Gregory.

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

A distinctive feature of the life of parrots in nature is the constant hunt for them: flocking birds bring too much damage to agricultural land, so they are exterminated. The result is the extinct species of parrots, which in the 20th century were still seen, but now they are gone. An example of such an extinct species is the Caroline parrot.Little birds, gathering in flocks, destroyed the fruit 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 catching for sale for domestication. The third - parrot feathers, which are used for decoration and national costumes. And parrot meat is used for food, although it is harsh. Therefore, parrot-like breeding at home can even be seen as a rescue of rare species of these beautiful birds.

Currently, about 400 species in the world of the parrot family are subdivided into five subfamilies: woodpecker parrots, lorium, non-chorus, owl, real parrots. But to choose a pet for the house, you need to determine the purpose of the purchase and the conditions that you are able to provide the feathered friend. Also for the purchase you need to know the following facts.

• The female and male behavior is not very different, but the character depends on the breed and individual characteristics. Boys are more jealous, girls are calmer.
• Males are more amenable to learning to talk.
• In appearance it is difficult to distinguish a male from a female. In males of budgerigars, the place above the beak is blue and glitters; in the case of females, it is grayish-white with a brown tinge; Macaw males have a larger and more powerful head, and at the base the beak is wider than that of the female; in Jaco girls, because of the wider pelvis, the legs are wider than in boys.
• You can buy birds from domestic or foreign nursery, as well as wild birds. Cons of buying savages: the possibility of infection with exotic diseases, they are difficult to tame, they are harder to teach to speak. But the parrots caught in nature are much cheaper than their relatives from nurseries. For a foreign bird, the seller must present a document of origin - Cites.
• To determine the health of the external signs should pay attention to these factors: the parrot should not look sleepy or disheveled; litter should not be liquid; plumage - smooth, without bald spots; the beak and nostrils are clear, shiny, without discharge; the keel viewed on the chest is a sign of exhaustion; eyes - shiny, clear; parrot behaves actively.

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

In nature, the smallest woodpecker parrots have a height of 8 cm, among domestic species, small ones include popular wavy, lovebirds, pyrrhus, sparrow, white-bellied and others.

• Budgerigars reach a height of 17-20 cm. In captivity live 8-15 years. In nature, they have a bright green color, but they have long learned to breed yellow and blue, variegated, purple, white, gray, and other multicolored birds. For novice parrot breeders, wavy - an excellent breed, as they are unpretentious. It is possible to teach to talk only on condition of constant occupations with young individuals, and 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 case of the death of one parrot the second will not endure the separation, does not correspond to the truth. We must 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 conditions. Parrots are energetic and mobile.

• Pyrrura refers to rare exotic species that are not easy to get, but there are several varieties commercially available. For wild birds, the traditional green color is typical, but red tail occurs. Pyrrurus has a strong body 30 cm long, this species is larger than the wavy one.

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

• Whitebird also has several varieties, different bright appearance. Birds with a developed intellect and an unpleasant loud voice, an obsessive character and difficult learning, get used to a person well, repeat individual sounds. Pets from them will turn out amusing, as they are very sociable, they like to tumble and dance. But they need attention, so either get ready to spend a lot of time on them, or buy a pair right away. White-bellied live up to 20 years.

It is believed that it is medium sized parrots that are best suited for home breeding by both beginners and experienced breeders. Moreover, the species of birds with a body of 30 to 45 cm is enough.

• Kakadu Goffina 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. A white cockatoo with a pale yellow tail and a rounded tuft on the head slowly gets used to the person, 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 colors in the plumage, there is also blue, and the beak is black and brown. But this coloring appears only in the second year of life.

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

• Rosella different motley scaly color. The older the individual, the brighter the color. The parrot has a length with a tail of 25-35 cm, life expectancy is up to 15 years. The bird is a scarecrow: after the purchase you should not catch it in the carrier with your hands and replace it in a cage. The perch from the carrier is placed in a new dwelling, the cage and the carrier are pushed towards each other, the rosella itself will fly over to its perch.

• LoriketsPerhaps the brightest parrots. To maintain color and food should be bright, they are very fond of pollen and nectar. Live about 20 years. Friendly, sociable, active, able to repeat sounds and language. Not very noisy, for which they are popular with breeders. A noble or two-color parrot belonging to the lorikets generally refers to singles.

• Senegalese parrot differs in size of 35 cm, a serious and independent disposition, a life expectancy of 25-40 years, and an ability to train. Birds love to sleep (at least 10 hours a day). Senegalese has green back, wings and tail; yellow-orange abdomen, dark gray head, tuft is absent.

• Corella - a popular home look. Red or yellow plumage on a 30-35-centimeter body with yellow, white or blue cheeks and a long, wide tail. These parrots live for about 15-20 years, easily contacting family members. These clever birds with the intelligence of a five-year-old child, unfortunately, can poorly imitate human speech.

• Ringed parrot - a beautiful view, but has a flashy voice. In birds, the body length is 30-50 cm, green plumage, long tail in the form of a wedge. 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 most intelligent are found. Perhaps the fact that these birds are the most difficult to grow at home is connected with this. 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 rainbow-like birds. A parrot just needs constant communication. If this is not the case, the bird becomes aggressive and even dangerous. If there is no opportunity to personally devote time to ape, then you need to provide it with a large number of toys and periodically change them. This species can live 50-60 years.

• Amazons are 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 to 40 cm. They also really need communication, but possessing remarkable intellect and feeling love for their person, they begin to become impudent and hysterical if they haven’t received something from the owner. Breeders call them bullies and talkers, but the Amazons are very well trained.

• Large Cockatoo - It is an individual 60 cm long, difficult to maintain. But with proper care will live 60-80 years. There are many kinds of large cockatoo. Different white or pink and white, gray colors, but all crested. Big birds need an open-air cage, not a cage, from sturdy vertical rods. And do not forget that a clever cockatoo can open a cage if it is an ordinary catch. This species is not for beginning breeders: birds have the problem of excessive chewing and biting as a method of educating all people 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 child of 4 years old (communicates with suggestions, asks and answers questions). But Jaco, like ara, needs communication 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, tied to their owner, who is considered a relative.

The right cage or aviary is the basis of the content. The bird must freely spread its wings in the cage. It is better to choose a long cage, horizontal, with horizontal bars. House put away from drafts and windows with bright lighting, electrical appliances. It is desirable to press it with one side to a vertical surface (wall, cabinet, board), at the height of a person’s eye. It is important not to overload the cell with objects, filling it with only the most necessary:

• there must be a perch here (possible from different materials);
• two permanent non-plastic feeders (for grain and a mixture of minerals) and one temporary (for wet food);
• drinkers (open - quickly polluted, closed - more hygienic, automatic - the most reliable);
• toys, ropes and ladders;
• they have a lamp in the cage, above it or on the side (ultraviolet or broad spectrum): even if the room is sunny, this appliance is still necessary because of the structural features of these birds' eyes and for their heating.

A diverse set of food - the guarantee of health and good life of the pet. To do this, there are purchased feed mixtures with minerals for birds - this is the first part of the diet. The second half - fruits, vegetables with greens, cereals, boiled in water without salt and sugar, germinated cereals, fresh twigs. Water must be changed every day, in summer - even more often.

The cleanliness of a parrot and order in a cage imply daily cleaning inside the house, washing feeders and drinkers, as well as regular washing of the cage itself. It is best to do it in the bathroom without the use of chemicals. But the parrot itself should be regularly washed in the way that he likes: under the faucet, in the pelvis, sink, bathroom. If the bird does not like to wash, then you can hang wet leaves of lettuce in a cage: while eating, it will wash. Bathing should bring pleasure to the bird, so it is important to understand how to achieve this. Do not forget to dry the bird.

If the parrot is alone at home, he should have an occupation. Pet should not be bored, so toys - this is a necessity. Boredom - the reason for the unhealthy parrots. Many people want intelligent birds. For this there are interactive toys - foraging. She has a delicacy inside her: she overcame obstacles, completed tasks - earned a treat.

In nature, most species of parrots live in flocks. Social birds are in vital need of communication. And “vital” is not a metaphor. This is not a mechanical golden bird in a golden cage. Especially if you want to get a talking friend. It is important to engage with your pet, more importantly do it in a good mood with you and the parrot. If the mood is not, it is better to transfer the lesson and just talk to your pet.

For breeding allow healthy birds (age depends on the species). Before hanging the nest, artificially increase the daylight hours to 14 hours, and change the diet in the direction of increasing protein foods. Boiled eggs, sprouted grains are removed from the menu after the first egg appears. In different species, the laying of 2-4 eggs is incubated by both parents or only the female.

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

You can buy or make a house 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 of the need to fill sawdust and buds of non-coniferous trees.

Presumably, the larger the parrot, the longer the female incubates the eggs: wavy ones acquire the first nestling at 16-18 days, macaw - at 29-30 days. If the female did not refuse to perform the role of mother, then do not interfere with her actions. Only enrich its diet, and regularly check the nest for dead chicks.

• the first parrot in Russia appeared in 1490;
• African Jaco Nkisi uses 950 words, and our Jaco Gregory recently learned how to add numbers;
• wavy Pak, listed in the Guinness Book of Records, used 1,728 words;
• in the USA, the parrot could 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;
• Australia has opened schools for teaching human speech parrots;
• man distinguishes between 16 images per second, budgie - 150.