Bolivia Amazon: A Different Adventure

Ask anyone to think about a trip to the Amazon Rainforest and it’s more than likely that Brazil will spring to mind. But did you know that more than half of Bolivia’s territory is in the Amazon basin? Bolivia is an undervalued place for fabulous jungle tours and for spotting wildlife in the Amazon.

Where To Go?
The Madidi National Park covers 1.8 million hectares and is one of the most intact ecosystems in South America. There is a huge diversity of flora and fauna here thanks to the range in habitat, from the lowland rain forest to the mountains that reach 5500m. The park protects more species than any other in the world; there are over 45,000 different plant species and over 1,000 tropical bird species, making it a great place for your visit to the Amazon.

Where to Stay?
There are some super projects in the Bolivian Amazon. One of the best is the Chalalan Lodge in Madidi National Park. In 2010 it was listed in the Lonely Planet’s Top 10 Sustainable travel experiences in the world. While these days many jungle lodges jump on the “Sustainable Tourism” band wagon this project really is worthy of the title.

Community Owned Sustainable Tourism
The lodge was established and is owned by Quechua-Tacana people who live in the San José de Uchupiamonas community. The Quechua-Tacana peoples have lived in harmony with the surrounding jungle for over 300 years. 20 years ago they realised that Eco-Tourism was a way of protecting their land and traditions from the threats of deforestation and the migration of young people to the cities.

The lodge is owned and run 100% by the local community and benefits already include clean drinking water, and improved health, education and training standards.

What is the Accommodation Like?
It is often difficult in such a project to get the balance right between the local environment and the needs of the community and the demands of tourists who want to visit the area. Here the staff have excelled in providing clean, comfortable accommodation, expert local guides and a very welcoming environment. The passion for their environment and project show in every detail which is probably what makes Chalalan so special. Rooms are simple but comfortable and clean with cold water showers (but with temperatures high they are welcome!). Your stay includes 3 delicious meals a day so you get to try many local specialities.

How to Get There?
Most people fly from La Paz to Rurrenebaque, a jungle town on the river Yacuma. From here a motorised canoe takes you upstream for a few hours. Lodge staff meet are waiting to help with luggage leaving you free to follow your guide through along the forest path to the lodge.

What Can You See and Do There?
Activities include; nature walks, bird spotting, hikes, night canoe trips, nature talks, handicraft demonstrations, and a goodbye ceremony on the last night where you get to try the local drink “leche de tigre” (“Tiger’s milk”). Madidi is home to 340 species of birds including parakeets, toucans, parrots, woodpeckers, wild turkeys. Animals include the spectacled bear, Andean deer, Andean cat, white-tailed deer , jaguar, puma, white-lipped peccary, the red howler monkey and spider monkey; not to mention more frogs and bugs than you can shake a stick at (and probably will…)..

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Familiarizing Yourself With Different Parrot Species

Fascinated to the world of the fast-talking, fun-loving parrots? Are you contemplating on the idea of getting one as your pet bird? If you have plans of purchasing one in the future, then you must familiarize yourself with the different parrot species existing in the pet trades and pet stores today.

As defined, parrots are a very popular group of birds for possessing high intelligence depending on the degree of its socialization and training. Famous for its ability to imitate human speech and various sounds, these tropical colorful birds are mainly found in Australia and South America.

Having a variety of species, parrots differ in size and color. Some parrots are bigger and grander while others are smaller and typical. When it comes to colors, green is considered the most common shade of parrots and are usually wonderful pets for their amazing talking abilities. Several types of parrots are multi-colored-with a distinctive combination of bright blue, yellow, green, and white mixtures.

These birds are also characterized by having powerful hooked bills and feet meant for tree climbing. Mainly vegetarian, other basic foods of almost all types of parrots are includes fruits, chicken or meat and a lot of seeds. Although they belong to only one family of birds, parrot species have distinctive personalities and nature. Some of them are naturally friendly while some are moody and destructive because they pluck their feathers if they are bored or unhappy.

Parrot species include Macaws, Conures, Amazons, African Gray Parrots, Cockatiels, Cockatoos, Budgerigars, and Eclectus. Macaws are one of the most coveted birds in aviculture because of their comical and affectionate nature. Conures, on the other hand, are small cousins of the Macaw that has 2 sub-specie: Aratinga and the Pyrrhura.

While Conures are known for its variety of color and gentle personality, Amazons are famous for their superb talking ability. Considered as the most popular large parrots in aviculture that exhibits distinct personalities, amazons are often considered as delightful pets for imitating sounds well.

African Grey Parrots is probably the most intelligent parrot there is. Despite their intelligence, greys can be hard to handle because they are generally quiet, resulting to stress attacks and reactions.

Cockatoos are considered among the favorites because they are beautiful, smart, playful, cuddly, and good talkers. Although they are generally tame, cockatoos can be hard to handle because they thrive in too much attention.

Cockatiels are most common pet birds because they are easy to breed and are relatively inexpensive pets; Budgerigars or “parakeets” that are usually afraid of humans if not trained properly; and the Eclectus that are “sexually dimorphic” or the male and females look markedly different.

TRy to train mw PArakeet recall…. I call her YELLI

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Different types of parrots

The main species of parrots are:

Large-sized Parrots:

Amazon parrots – medium to large in size. They are mainly green colored with patches of yellow, red, and blue on their tail, wings, and head. They often chatter when there are strangers around and possess very loud voices. The older male Amazons like the hawk-headed parrots can be aggressive.

Cockatoos – compared to Amazons – most of these are big. They are extremely intelligent, sensitive, and nervous birds. They possess erect crests that is lowered and raised at will. They may look cuddly and cute, but adult cockatoos can inflict painful bites if they are not properly trained. Cockatoos demand and require constant attention and are difficult to take care of.

African Gray Parrots are medium to large in size. They are overly sensitive but very intelligent birds. When strangers are around, they are very quiet, however, they can be extremely loud but do not create noise nuisance. Hand-reared parrots are very prone to feather plucking.

Macaws are the largest sized parrot species. The smaller macaws, like Hahn’s and the yellow-collared, make good pets, but are noisy. They are active, inquisitive and often very mischievous parrots. They can learn to talk and can be very chatty. Their powerful beaks can damage many items around the house, including furniture and can even crush nuts. They are not very suitable for homes with young children. Large Macaws may also require more space instead of just a bird cage.

If you have large birds, such as the above-mentioned as pets, one should go for a large parrot cage. This should have a bar spacing of one or more inches as inappropriate spacing can result in injury to the bird.

Medium sized Parrots:

Conur

es are found in South Africa and are very confident and active birds. Sun yellow and bright orange conures, and blue-crowned and Patagonian conures have very loud and piercing voices. They are extremely curious, but very entertaining too. They can talk but possess squeaky thin voices when they try to emulate human speech. Conures are happy to sleep in roosting boxes placed inside the bird cage.

If you have these medium-sized birds, as pets, you should go for parrot cages which have a bar spacing of a half-inch to 5/8 inch.

Small-sized Parrots:

Parakeets are mostly found in Australia and Asia and are leaf-green colored, and are ground-feeders, and spend most of the time on the bird cage floor. Unlike other parrot species, they are quiet birds, although they are very active and social creatures. They live in a large flock and are usually kept as a flock in an aviary. Parakeets are independent birds and do not mix or bond well with humans. They respond to training but are poor mimics and imitators of human voices and speech.

Lovebirds are active and small parrots with short tails and come from Africa. They are usually kept as pets in pairs, as they rarely bond with human beings as many other parrot species do. They emit shrill sounds and can voice calls at a high volume, but they are unable to copy or imitate human speech. Lovebirds are mostly kept in an aviary, or as a pair in a bird cage, instead of in the company of other birds.

Cockatiels and budgies are the commonest parrot-like birds, and they are from Australia. Budgies are bright green in color with a fine scale-like pattern of white and black markings, but now they come in a variety of myriad colors due to selective breeding over generations. Budgies are easy to keep as pets, but require lots of attention and time with its owner/keeper if they are kept alone. They can talk and learn many phrases and words and make sounds in small, squeaky voices. Budgies are very busy and active birds. Cockatiels are large birds and they are good pets. They are naturally gray with some white on their wings, and orange-yellow patches on their head. They can learn to talk but are loud with harsh voices. They are highly busy and active birds and can be easily taught to obey some commands and requests.

If you have a small parrot such as one of the above-mentioned, you probably require one of the medium sized parrot cages having a half-inch or less bar spacing. One should always get as big a parrot cage as possible as long as he takes care of choosing one with an appropiate bar spacing and orientation.

As with most other birds, parrots enjoy bird toys as they are not just fun but neccessary for all species of parrots, large or small. These toys help keep their minds challenged, their beaks busy and keep them entertained. So make sure to purchase an array of different bird toys for your parrot to enjoy.

Shop and buy small, medium, or a large bird cage for you pet parrot and pet birds. All types and sizes of parrot cages and bird toys for your pet birds – http://www.birdcagesrepublic.com/

How to train your parakeet to trust your hand; step1.
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The absolute basics to successfully breed four different types of the most popular pet birds. Part 1

Sexing your birds can sometimes be a bit hit and miss as not all have obvious differences between the two sexes. Adult male (cock) budgies will have a blue cere (the small flesh-like part above their beak (looks like nostrils) whereas the adult female (hen) budgie has a brown or tan-like cere, all juvenile budgies will have a pale blue cere until fully fledged. Bengalese (society) finches are very difficult to sex and best left to an avian professional (or you could just take your chances with a few and hope some pair up); the only really obvious trait is that a male will sing whereas a female will not (again not strictly true as hen birds can sometimes turn out a few pleasant notes, but the cock bird is much more efficient with his vocal chords). Normal zebra finches are generally easier to sex as the cock bird will have red or orange cheeks whereas the hen bird will not. As for cockatiels; well to be honest with you, I haven’t got a clue and just have to take my chances, an avian professional will be more able to help. With many other breeds, especially the many types of parakeets (small parrots) the male is often more brightly coloured than the female, but not in every case.

Firstly any birds you wish to breed should be in good health as raising chicks can be an exhaustive task and unfit birds would be unable to achieve it successfully.

Secondly your birds are going to require some sort of nest box, loads are available at very reasonable prices (or you could make your own), more info below.

Also you will have to ensure that there will be sufficient heat for your birds to breed and raise chicks, not excessive heat but enough for them to be comfortable.

Plus your birds will need a good regular supply of various foods to help them keep up their strength and feed their offspring.

Finally, certain nesting materials will be required for your birds to use.

So lets start at the beginning shall we; keep an eye on your birds to make sure that they display no signs of ill health or weakness. Of course the birds you hope to breed will have to be fully fledged and adult, this should go without saying. If you only have an opposite sex pair in a cage or small aviary don’t assume that they will want to breed, some just don’t fancy each other or are not ready. If however you have a large communal (or mixed) aviary your chances of breeding success will be much improved. Unless you plan to breed for the show bench (this requires much more attention) then you should allow your birds to choose their own mates. Most of the commonest birds kept as pets are monogamous by nature, that means they will pair for life and the same pair will mate year after year, there are exceptions of course but as a general rule monogamy is in where your pet birds are concerned. You will notice a paired couple in your mixed aviary as they will follow each other around and stick together, and an act known as ‘billing’ will occur often between the pair. Billing can be described as kissing, your birds will effectively ‘kiss’ each other with their bills (beaks), imitating the act of feeding each other (which of course they will actually do once nesting takes place).

This subject and others are covered more extensively in my new ebook coming soon. So for more information or to reserve your copy please email me.

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New Zealand 1962 Birds/Health/Parakeet 2v set (n20703)

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Different Pet Bird Species To Select As A Pet!

Thinking of welcoming a feathered pet into the house and worried about choosing a perfect pet bird? Then this is for you. Pet birds come in large varieties and variations; choosing from these large varieties is hard and selection of a pet bird according to your interest is even harder.

Many people oppose the thought of capturing the free birds in a cage and make them as pet birds. Be sure that you are not capturing the freedom of the bird, but you are providing the bird a home to live in. Have positive attitude towards the breeding of the pets. If you do not have a positive attitude towards pet birds, it’s better to give-up the idea of breeding a pet bird.

Basic things to know when choosing pet birds:

• Choosing the birds as pets is a commitment that needs your love, care and attention towards the bird. If you cannot spare time towards the pet birds, it’s better to give-up the idea of pet birds.
• Birds always need company and this is the best way to keep them happy. Always prefer the same species as company than any other species.
• Understand the nutrition values of the individual bird, as every bird has its own nutritious values and you should know your pet bird’s nutritious values before choosing it as pet.
• The cage is the home for the pet bird, so add some accessories to make the pet bird bloom without getting bored.

There are many bird species which are suitable as pet birds:

Budgies: One of the sweetest pet birds for beginners. These birds are found every where and many beginners misunderstand that these budgies are boring. Budgies life span is up to 13 years and is strong bird without much health disorders. These birds have full of energy, very playful, clownish and a very good company for children. Budgies are not boring as every one think; they make a good company for many bird lovers.

Lovebirds: These are often dealt as miniature parrots [Exotic birds]. Most bird lovers’ misconception is two love birds should not be separated. This is not true and these birds can be bred in single also.

Another misconception is that these birds are good pets for children. These lovebirds are arrogant and sometimes go aggressive.

They are sweet by nature, very active and always make some chirping sounds.

Cockatiels: This is the most famous pet bird of today’s generation. Their gentleness, affectionate nature and activeness made them the famous pet. They sit on their master’s shoulders for a long time and love the company of humans.

The male cockatiels are very good pets when compared to female birds. The males have a natural whistling nature and it’s very easy to train them to learn full whistling song. The female birds are more affectionate and more independent when compared to male.

Parakeet: This species belong to the parrot family and have different characteristics which are aloof from the parrot’s nature. The female parakeet is dominant in nature when it is wild.

They prefer to stay alone and do not allow the male parakeets to approach them. These are not good pet birds, but training can make them lovable and gentle.

Male parakeets make good pets when compared to female.

Caiques: These are very active, playful birds and are distinctively market pet birds for their comic appearance. These birds are highly social birds and demand much attention from the master.

Caiques are very good pets for adults who are staying alone as this pet have very good source of interactions.

Lories: This belongs to a specialized group of parrot family and their food is different from other birds. They feed on nectar and pollen in the flowers when in wild. But after captivity as a pet, it can be fed on liquid foods and fruits.

These birds are not preferred for every one. Lories are quite playful, active birds and their sounds are not limited to chirpings as they make a fairy loud noise.

Amazons: This is the most difficult group in birds to simplify. Each Amazon differs from one another and has a different personality. In general, these birds are good pets for persons who are alone.

The Amazon nature varies; they are sometimes outgoing birds, who love activity and varieties in life. Amazons love to show off and have very good talking abilities. They accept new things and new experiences.

These birds are very much attached to their master and cannot bear if someone comes in between them. This is a great pet bird if you are in search of a company.

Conures: These pet birds are known for their boisterous and outgoing nature. They are intelligent, inquisitive and active pets.

This species is very easy to train and very good at doing tricks.

These are vocal birds and are not famous for their talking abilities, as they do not love to learn new words.

Pionus: These are very gentle and quiet pet birds. These are very excellent pets for children and mingle very well in the family. They do not demand much attention and do not mind if you are busy without pampering them.

Cockatoos: These are well known for their affectionate nature. They love human’s company and demand pampering. They loved to be cuddled, touched and scratched.

They demand attention, grab attraction and love to be the center of attraction.

These birds are good family pets and accept the affection from everyone who is willing to pamper them.

Finches: These are wonderful little pets because of their interesting, entertaining, lively and cheerful nature. These are very active birds and need a very big cage although these finches are small birds.

Some species in finches are aggressive, so be careful when selecting finches’ species as pet birds.

Macaws: These are energetic, noisy, inquisitive, affectionate and even destructive.
If left unattended for a long time, they become destructive and may behave arrogant.

These are not easy birds to handle because of their huge structure. Sometimes, the Macaws mood is unpredictable; if neglected they can be extremely noisy.

These are the most common pet birds which accompany humans and make good pets. Choose a pet bird which matches to your taste and suitable for your home environment.

Adding a different colored parakeet to the same cage?

I know that my parakeet gets lonely during the day when I’m gone because as soon as I get home she chirps madly until I pet her. I wanted to get another parakeet, not just for her company, but because I love birds. Does it really matter what color the parakeet is? I know they are different breeds, but is it life threatening to my parakeet? She’s all white except for a patch of blue on her back.