How much do you really know about birds?

Question

I know this isn't a very great question. It's more of me asking people here to not respond to serious questions unless they have a good enough, factual knowledge on the subject. For instance, if someone has a sick bird or a baby bird that needs to be handfed, do not respond unless you know for sure that what you say is correct. Birds are very sensitive creatures and can die very quickly from disease and improper care. Please, instead email me if you have questions that are serious...

[e-mail]

PS: I am a rehabber and bird breeder and just have seen so many false answers and simply do not want any birds harmed. It's great you're trying to help, though. Also, google is a good place to go to for answers to serious questions about your bird(s) instead of here.

Thanks everyone!

Answer 1

I can't say that I know everything about birds, because I never stop learning from them. I have spent over 25 years of my life studying, working, and breeding them. I started my research at a Wildlife Rehab working with Owls, Hawks, and Eagles. Then moved one to Exotic birds and they for sure are a different ball game.

You are right about many answers that people give are very wrong, and I can only hope that others who read the answers will see that there are some incorrect answers.

I always try to answer questions to the best of my knowledge, I will research what I don't know, and also go by personal experience.

But you as a breeder know that you can ask a question of 10 other breeders and get 10 different answers that all may be correct.
What works for one Breeder may not work for another,


Sapphyre
Certified Avian Specialist
http://www.borrowed-rainbow.com
join our group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BorrowedRainbowAviary/

Answer 2

I have read many books on the birds I have. There is nothing like experience from someone to give the best advice. Each bird is different and reacts differently. The books were great to know the breeds and usual habits, but once brought home, usual habits don't count. A person who has raised many birds who is faithful to birds can be very helpful and should be caring enough to say "take to a vet" when need be.

Answer 3

I definitely agree. I find Y! Answers is a place where people go just to earn points than to actually give factual information. I've seen the comments about touching baby birds causing the parents to abandon the nest. That information is 30 years out of date, yet it persists.

The other thing that drive me nuts is the presumed superiority of humans over everything. I've heard many incorrect things said about a bird's intellect. Most folks don't know that parrots and crows are proving to be more intelligent than monkeys. People presume animals are stupid because they're not human and science is proving that incorrect all the time.

Answer 4

I agree. I weaned my Macaw and African Grey. I trained to do it with a breeder because I wanted to wean them myself. I love all of my birds and did a lot of research before I got them. They are messy, and there is a fair amount of work involved. They live a long time, and you can't just pick up and go on vacation when you have them. They are just like children. My first bird was a love bird. He still thinks he rules the roost. Then I got a very hand shy Indian Ring Neck. She was positively vicious when I got her. Then I got a hand shy conure. He still does not like being on the hand and will run right up the arm to the shoulder, but he will step-up.

At that point I decided to get my first "big bird". Once again I did a lot of study and decided that I wanted a blue and gold macaw. The pet store owner and I had now become friends, but she did not breed macaws, so she got Maya from another breeder. I arrived at her shop eager to go with her to pick up my new baby, and she told me that the man had sold my baby and I would have to wait for the next season. I thought I would cry! Then I was angry! He knew that bird was for me!!! He was doing the initial feeding then I would take over half way through!!!

At that point Karen laughed and said I should calm down, she had my baby in the back room. She had gone early and picked it up! There was my gangly, big headed, bare skinned, baby with pins for feathers poking out all over the place!

I gave the baby her first feeding under Karen's watchful eye. I had been coming in for a few weeks helping her feed her broods.
When she was weaned I took her for her first Doctor's appointment, her gram stain came back perfect, which impressed the doctor. I had her micro chipped and a dna sex test done. Five years later, and she is still my baby! I love all of my birds, but Maya is definitely MY little girl. She is soooo smart.

Now, two umbrella cocktoo's, a cocktiel and an African Grey later
I feel like a regular "bird lady". My youngest son will probably inherit the birds when I die, as he is the best with them. But birds are a long term commitment, and I don't think anyone should consider taking one on unless they are fully cognizant of what being a bird owner entails.

Answer 5

honestly I dont know much about birds so I generally dont answer bird questions - I do know a lot about other pets so generally stick with them... I dont feel it is fair to make up answers just to post an answer.. and am horrified as well at reading some really bad (but genuine) answers from people who simply dont know enough (like when somebody asks what is a good food and somebody answers "Iams" or something really bad in quality)

anyhow what I do know about birds is that most owners do not give them cages that are suited to the bird... most owners buy cages too small for any bird.. birds would do much better in large aviaries...my husband knows more about birds than me...

Answer 6

I work in a zoo as a professional bird trainer and I couldn't agree more. I thought the same thing when I read some of the posts and it is quite scary to think that these people are giving advice....

Answer 7

I agree with you 100 percent...I am SO sick of people telling other people that if they touch a baby bird it will die and the parents will reject it!!! I answer wild bird questions because I KNOW wild birds, I however do not know much about pet birds...so don't answer those. I am an ornithologist...but only study wild birds...not pets.

Answer 8

I HAVE 5

Answer 9

American Crow
- American Goldfinch
- American Robin
- Baltimore Oriole
- Belted Kingfisher
- Black-billed Magpie
- Black-capped Chickadee
- Blue Jay
- Brown-headed Cowbird
- Bullock's Oriole
- Cedar Waxwing
- Common Raven
- Common Yellowthroat
- Eastern Bluebird
- Eastern Meadowlark
- Eastern Phoebe
- European Starling
- Evening Grosbeak
- Golden-crowned Kinglet
- Horned Lark
- House Finch

- House Sparrow
- House Wren
- Indigo Bunting
- Mountain Bluebird
- Northern Cardinal
- Northern Mockingbird
- Red-breasted Nuthatch
- Red-eyed Vireo
- Red-winged Blackbird
- Scarlet Tanager
- Song Sparrow
- Spotted Towhee
- Steller's Jay
- Tree Swallow
- Tufted Titmouse
- Western Kingbird
- Western Scrub-Jay
- Western Tanager
- Yellow Warbler
- Yellow-rumped Warbler- California Quail
- Common Nighthawk
- Greater Prairie-Chicken
- Greater Roadrunner
- Mourning Dove
- Northern Bobwhite
- Ring-necked Pheasant
- Rock Dove
- Whip-poor-will
- Wild Turkey
- American Kestrel
- Bald Eagle
- Cooper's Hawk
- Northern Harrier
- Osprey
- Peregrine Falcon
- Red-shouldered Hawk
- Red-tailed Hawk
- Sharp-shinned Hawk
- Turkey Vulture
- Anna's Hummingbird
- Broad-tailed Hummingbird
- Ruby-throated Hummingbird
- Rufous Hummingbird
- Barn Owl
- Barred Owl
- Burrowing Owl
- Eastern Screech-Owl
- Great Horned Owl
- Short-eared Owl- Adelie Penguin
- Black Skimmer
- Common Murre
- Common Tern
- Emperor Penguin
- Herring Gull
- Laughing Gull
- Magnificent Frigatebird
- Rockhopper Penguin
- Royal Tern
- Tufted Puffin

- American Oystercatcher
- American Woodcock
- Common Snipe
- Greater Yellowlegs
- Killdeer
- Sanderling American Coot
- American Wigeon
- Anhinga
- Brown Pelican
- Bufflehead
- Canada Goose
- Common Goldeneye
- Common Loon
- Double-crested Cormorant
- Horned Grebe
- Mallard
- Pied-billed Grebe
- Red-throated Loon
- Snow Goose
- Tundra Swan
- Wood Duck Glossy Ibis
- Great Blue Heron
- Great Egret
- Green Heron
- Roseate Spoonbill
- Sandhill Crane
- Wood Stork
- Downy Woodpecker
- Northern Flicker
- Pileated Woodpecker
- Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Answer 10

not alot, but I'm learning (not through Yahoo answers)
I do search the net, just to learn about species and which one I would like to start raising.