Date: 7 – 8 November 2009
Venue: Sarasota Hyatt
City: Sarasota, Florida
Country: United States of America

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1. The Long Island Parrot Society’s Parrot Expo 2009
2. Parrots International Symposium 2008
3. 2009 Exotic Bird Auction

The Long Island Parrot Society website offers comprehensive information on the society, the expo and future events at www.liparrots.org.

Date: 3 October 2009
Venue: Freeport Recreation Centre
City: Freeport, New York
Country: United States of America

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1. Long Island Parrot Society Annual Show
2. Rocky Mountain Bird Expo 2009
3. RAAVE Bird Expo 2009

The Northern Illinois Parrot Society (NIPS) is all set to host its 6th annual seminar. This year’s seminar is titled “Flying into Knowledge” and will be held at the Centre at North Park, which is situated in Franklin Park, Illinois. The all-day seminar will take place on Saturday, September 27, 2008, and the proceeds of the event will be used to benefit bird research and conservation efforts.

The NIPS seminar will be incredibly good for bird owners and breeders since it is these individuals who have been specifically targeted with the choice of material that will be dispensed at the seminar. They will be provided with tons of information that will help them to expand their knowledge on both wild parrots and pet birds. Topics will range from more simple things, such as understanding the behavior of pet birds, to much broader subjects, such as the conservation of parrots. This year’s presenters include bird behavior consultant Sally Blanchard, assistant director of conservation and field research at the National Aviary Steven C. Latta Ph. D., African bird species breeder Jean Pattison and Peter S. Sakas DMV from the Niles Animal Hospital and Bird Medical Center. No doubt the information dispensed by these knowledgeable people will prove to be indispensable and fascinating to those in the audience.

However the NIPS seminar is not just about lectures. It is also a great opportunity to meet other bird-loving friends from all over the country. Vendors will be on hand to sell bird toys, cages and lots of delicious food. A raffle will also be a part of the day’s events, the proceeds of which will be used to benefit avian conservation and research. If this sounds like your idea of a great day out, make sure that you get your ticket soon to avoid disappointment. NIPS is the only club in the area that currently hosts an annual education seminar of this standard, so you can be sure that there will be a big response. The tickets will cost $80 per a person and the price will include lunch. If that seems a little steep to you then remember that not only are you being provided with some amazing insight and research and a great meal, but the proceeds are always used to benefit a number of avian conservation and research projects. Some of the proceeds will also be used to help rescue organizations. All these beneficiaries will be selected after the conference. So make sure that you’re a part of the 6th annual NIPS avian seminar!

Related posts:

1. Long Island Parrot Society Annual Show
2. Parrots International Symposium 2008
3. SunCoast Avian Bird Society Show 2009

Aspiring bird owners often think that a Macaw will make the perfect pet bird. But after a bit of research they find that these larger parrots require a lot of care and effort, mainly due to their size. If that is a concern that you have, you may want to consider a Mini Macaw instead. These beautiful birds are every bit as striking and full of personality as their much larger counterparts – but they’re far easier to care for!

Mini Macaws cost less, are quieter and take up less space than their larger counterparts – but without sacrificing their beautiful plumage or fascinating personalities – in fact they can even be better talkers. These birds are generally hand-raised as babies and, while they are capable of entertaining themselves, they also enjoy playing with their human friends. They are also great comics and provide hours of entertainment.

There are several species of Mini Macaws that are commonly available as pets. These are: Ara auricollis (yellow collared), Ara severa, Diopsittica nobilis (red shouldered), Ara nobilis nobilis and Ara nobilis cumanensis. Each one is different from the other and has different color combinations in its plumage. Less common Mini Macaws include: Ara maracana Illiger’s, Ara manilata (red-bellied) and Ara couloni (blue headed). However, none of these are very appropriate pets for various reasons.

Mini Macaws are active, curious and intelligent. When left to their own devices you’ll see them hanging, climbing and swinging on whatever toys may be available to them. They simply love playing with almost anything imaginable, so you’ll have an unending variety of items available to you to use as toys, without even having to buy any from the pet shop. Mini’s also generally love bathing and seem to quite enjoy taking a shower with their humans – provided the water isn’t scorching hot of course! If you don’t want to share your shower you should definitely make sure to give them a bath regularly otherwise they’ll use their water bowls and do it themselves. They are easy to potty train and a variety of suitable foods are readily available for them at most pet stores. They also tend not to be as noisy as their larger cousins but they do have noisy moments. They excel at learning new words and phrases and will quickly respond to any training they receive.

Clearly Mini Macaws are a great option for someone looking to invest in a feathered friend. However if you do decide to get one, beware – breeding pairs may be cheaper but they do not make good companion birds! Mini Macaws can also get jealous quite easily, so if you have other birds you will need to ensure that this trait is carefully watched.

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1. Pet Bird Species: Macaws
2. The Mini Bird Race 2009
3. Senegal Parrots Make Fantastic Pets

The fourth annual Parrots International Symposium, to take place on 31 May and 1 June 2008, will have the theme “Parrots of the Caribbean“. This increasingly popular symposium, which will take place on board the HMS Queen Mary in Long Beach, California, is hosted by Parrots International with the aim of increasing knowledge about wild and companion parrots through the sharing of information on parrot conservation and field research.

Parrots International is an organization of volunteers with a wide range of experience, talents, knowledge and education. This enthusiastic team is dedicated to the conservation of any endangered parrot species, as well as to improving the welfare of all parrots in the wild. All knowledge gained through research efforts serves to benefit these beautiful birds, whether they are in the wild or household companions.

Parrots International Symposium 2008 is being co-sponsored by the UCLA Center for Tropical Research and the UCLA Institute of the Environment, with all proceeds going directly to the support of parrot related conservation projects. Participants in the Parrots International Symposium will have the opportunity to attend lectures by renowned experts and dedicated researchers from South America, the United Kingdom, Bonaire, Trinidad, various European countries, the Bahamas, Belgium, and different regions in the United States.

Parrots International Symposium 2008 will kick off on the Friday evening, 30 May, with a Speakers Reception. This promises to be a fun-filled evening of renewing old friendships and making new friends among like-minded people who have the welfare of parrots at heart. Dr. Mark L. Stafford, the President and co-founder of Parrots International, is a dentist by profession, but has a conservation background with BA degrees in both Environmental Studies and Environmental Biology. Dr. Stafford and his wife Marie devote much of their time and resources to visiting and evaluating conservation projects, and participants can enjoy Dr. Stafford’s presentation on projects that Parrots International are involved in.

Lectures will be presented by nineteen experts during the two-day symposium and participants can look forward to discussions on various research and conservation projects, including the Tambopata Research Project, the Gabriel Foundation, Yellow-shouldered Amazon Project and the Puerto Rican Parrot Recovery Project. Topics that will be presented include parrot behavior, an update on the status of the Blue-throated Macaw, the risks of introduced parrots to island populations, the translocation of the Kuhl’s Lory, the reintroduction of the blue-and-gold Macaw to the Nariva Swamp in Trinidad, threatened parrots of Colombia and the Avian Flu Task Force.

Other features of the Parrots International Symposium 2008 include poster presentations, a banquet, silent auctions and loads of stunning prizes. Bird-lovers are sure to enjoy the Parrots International Symposium 2008, which promises to be both highly entertaining and educational – all with the focus on benefiting one of the world’s most popular group of birds.

Related posts:

1. International Migratory Bird Day 2008
2. FWCAS Parrot Symposium 2009
3. The 6th Annual Avian Seminar Hosted by NIPS

There are twenty-one species of cockatoos belonging to the family Cacatuidae of the order Psittaciformes. Although similar to parrots in many of their characteristics, they are not of the same family. True parrots belong to the family Psittacidae also of the order Psittaciformes. On average cockatoos are larger than parrots.

Many people are fascinated by videos showing cockatoos doing tricks and responding to musical sounds by dancing up and down. So they rush off to the pet shop to buy one because it is so clever and so cute. It certainly is true that cockatoos are highly intelligent and extremely affectionate birds that respond well to attention. In fact they love interacting with humans so much that, if left on their own for a time, they will raucously demand attention.

Anyone considering buying a cockatoo as a pet needs to realize that a cockatoo is more than a pet, it will be a constant companion – one that, with a lifespan of 70 years or more, may very well outlive its owner. They do, however, make wonderful companions for someone who has a lot of time to devote to them on a daily basis. Cockatoos need to be played with, cuddled, exercised and talked to for at least two hours a day. Given this attention they tend to form such a close bond with their owner that it is believed that the cockatoo views the owner as its mate. A lack of attention on the other hand, often results in a bird that is bored, lonely and frustrated causing it to self-mutilate and pluck out its feathers.

Another important point to consider is that cockatoos don’t come with a volume control and they can be extremely noisy. Sometimes the noise can be amusing such as when they imitate sounds around them, but very often they simply screech and scream, especially if they want attention. This makes them unsuitable for people living in flats and apartments – the neighbors are sure to object to the noise.

Cockatoos need very large cages and are actually better suited to an aviary unless they are going to be allowed out of the cage for a large part of the day. They are, however, very destructive and must be let out of a cage only under strict supervision as they will get into everything and possibly come to harm. They need to be provided with lots of toys, such as cardboard, knotted rope and bird-friendly leather strips. They are not seed-eaters and need a specialized diet with fresh fruit and vegetables every day.

All things considered, the best way to decide if you have what it takes to share your home with a cockatoo is to discuss the matter with a long-time cockatoo owner – please note the “long-time”. If you are not prepared to make the long-term commitment that owning a cockatoo requires, it may be best not to get one.

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1. Love Birds
2. Teaching Pet Birds to Talk
3. Senegal Parrots Make Fantastic Pets

For instance, a raven was observed putting a cork in a tub’s drain, so that water pooled up for a bath. A group of crows in Japan put hard-to-crack nuts out on the road, so that cars can smash them open.

Another corvid, the Clark’s Nutcracker, has an impressive memory- also considered a sign of intelligence. It buries about 30,000 seeds each fall, caching them all through 200 square miles of forest. The bird is able to remember where at least 90% of the buried seeds are- it uses them for winter food.

Other researchers (and parrot owners) consider parrots to be the most intelligent bird. In the wild, they need to be smart. They must remember the locations of many different fruit trees, and know when the trees will be fruiting. They also need problem-solving skills to pry open difficult seeds. This tendency for problem-solving makes them entertaining pets- they are constantly playing with new objects, and learning new words and songs.

One researcher studies the remarkable intelligence of African Grey parrots. One particular African Grey, Alex, can identify & name over 40 objects, seven colors, and can count up to six. He uses 100 words to answer questions, or ask for what he wants.

Related posts:

1. African Grey Parrots – Challenging but Rewarding Pets
2. Pet Bird Species: Cockatiel – Birds.com
3. Teaching Pet Birds to Talk