Steller's Sea Eagle

The Steller’s Sea Eagle Haliaeetus pelagicus occupies a limited breeding range along the seacoasts and on islands and rivers of eastern Siberia from Koryakland south to northern Korea. Part of the population over-winters in the breeding range, concentrating around ice-free portions of lakes, rivers and the sea (Nakagawa et al. 1987, Lobkov & Neufeldt 1986). Others move south to Hokkaido, the Kuril Islands, Korea, and the coast of the Russian mainland (Babenko et al. 1988, Lobkov 1988, Nakagawa & Fujimaki 1988).

At least 20 fledglings moved to pre-migration sites for 1-4 weeks. This behavior was most obvious for birds whose nesting sites were coastal. Pre-migration sites were on the lower reaches of rivers and might be areas where dead (post-spawning) salmon are found in abundance. Eagles raised on large rivers and lakes tended to wander along rivers prior to the onset of a definite migratory push.
Steller’s Sea Eagle Birds initiated migration between August 18 and November 15. Birds marked in 1997 migrated earlier than those marked in 1998. Migration occurred between August 18 and January 14. All but one followed established migration routes. The pace of migration varied considerably. Birds took 5 to 116 days to reach their initial wintering destinations. Migration rate averaged 51.3 km/day (SD = 56.0). Most birds from Magadan and Amur migrated down the western edge of the Okhotsk Sea, and birds reared in Kamchatka moved down the Kuril Island chain. The eagle whose migration patterns was ‘atypical’ (ID 23374) was marked in Magadan region. It made an initial move west, then turned east, and migrated to the Kamchatka Peninsula. Only one location between the breeding and wintering grounds was estimated for this bird. This was of relatively low quality, but was located in the middle of the sea, and suggests that the bird may have made a sea crossing. The shortest crossing would be about 730 km.

Korea. Part of the population over-winters in the breeding range, concentrating around ice-free portions of lakes, rivers and the sea (Nakagawa et al. 1987, Lobkov & Neufeldt 1986). Others move south to Hokkaido, the Kuril Islands, Korea, and the coast of the Russian mainland (Babenko et al. 1988, Lobkov 1988, Nakagawa & Fujimaki 1988). Twenty-nine, nestling Steller’s Sea Eagles were fitted with PTTs in the summers of 1997 and 1998. Twenty-four provided data useful in understanding post-fledging movements, twelve from Magadan, 7 from Amur, 4 from Kamchatka and 1 from Sakhalin. We are still (27 January, 1999) receiving information from six birds.
Fledging occurred in August and early September for most Steller’s Sea eagles. Nestling dispersal (when the eagle moved permanently more than 5 km from the nest site) occurred 9 September to 6 December (N = 24). Twenty-two nestlings dispersed 14 September - 21 October. Dates of dispersal did not differ between years or regions.
Twenty-nine nestling Steller’s Sea Eagles Haliaeetus pelagicus were fitted with satellitereceived transmitters (PTTs) in the summers of 1997 and 1998. Twenty-four provided data useful in understanding post-fledging movements, 12 from Magadan, 7 from Amur, four from Kamchatka, and one from Sakhalin. At this time (27 January 1999), we are still receiving information from six birds. Fledging occurred in August and early September. At least 20 fledglings moved to pre-migration sites for 1-4 weeks. This behavior was most obvious for birds whose natal ranges were coastal.
Steller’s Sea Eagles raised on large rivers and lakes tended to wander along rivers prior to the onset of a definite migratory push. Nineteen birds were followed south, 16 made it to wintering areas. Eagles took 5-116 days to reach their initial wintering destinations. Migration rate averaged 51.3 km/day (SD = 56.0). Most birds from Magadan and Amur migrated down the western edge of the Okotsk Sea, and birds reared in Kamchatka eventually moved onto the Kuril Islands. Two birds were tracked from fledging into their second autumn migration. They moved northward from the wintering grounds in the second and third week of April. Summering areas were south of natal areas, and both had early and late summering areas.

Australian King Parrot

The female Australian King Parrot is camouflaged in a dull green while the male struts around in brilliant red, bright green and a contrasting deep green.

Australian King Parrots are also called the Southern King Parrot or King Lory. Their scientific name is Alisterus scapularis.

King Parrots are shy and live in the forests along the coastal areas of New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland. The will enter gardens when they feel safe, which is usually after all the noisy aggressive birds have moved on.

The birds eat insects for protein, fruit for vitamin C and energy, and seeds for the other nutrients and essential fatty acids. When they visit your garden and munch on food scraps, give them the healthy stuff, not sugar, white bread, or fried food as refined food makes them fat without providing nutrition.

You might be able to attract a King Parrot down to feed close to you but they will be the last bird in your garden to trust you and the female may take a lot longer than the male. They will fly away when any other bird approaches, which means you have to feed all the other birds first.

The King Parrots breed from Spring, September, through to late Summer, January. In autumn you will see the young kids out eating with mum and dad. The baby parrots start off in the same green as the mother so they will be hard to see when in the nest among the leaves. Late in Autumn or in winter, you see the young males gradually developing the bright colouring of the adult males.

If you find an injured King Parrot then call a wildlife specialist to save the bird because the birds are becoming less common as we clear away trees. They need a big cluster of big mature trees for their nest, which means they are not surviving in areas of high density housing where there are only token small trees and shrubs.

What's The Macaw Bird?

Native to Central and South America, macaws — which include the scarlet macaw, the blue-and-gold macaw, the blue-throated macaw, the Buffon's macaw, the green-winged macaw, the hyacinth macaw, the military macaw and the red-fronted macaw — are the gentle giants of the parrot species. They’re the largest parrot species and popular pet birds. These social birds can create quite a racket when they want to, and the large beaks of macaws can be intimidating.

The hybrid macaws — which include the miligold macaw, the ruby macaw, the shamrock macaw, the bluffon's macaw, the calico macaw, the catalina macaw, the camelot macaw and the harlequin macaw — are offspring of the crossing of two macaw species (e.g., is the catalina macaw is the result of a scarlet macaw paired with a blue-and-gold macaw). First-generation hybrid macaws are crossings between two naturally occurring macaw species. There are also second-and-third generation hybrid macaws. Second-generation hybrid macaws have one parent that is a naturally occurring macaw species and one parent that is a first-generation hybrid macaw. A few third-generation hybrid macaws are the result of crossing hybrid macaws.

Some aviculturists are against hybridization. When a naturally occurring macaw species population is threatened, the primary effort is to breed the species to help it survive and, in such cases hybridization could potentially undermine this effort.

Whether you get a naturally occurring macaw species or a hybrid macaw, you’ll need a lot of space and time to keep your macaw happy, but you will be rewarded with a comical, friendly and affectionate pet.

The Cockatoo Belongs To The Bird Family Cacatuidae

The Cockatoo belongs to the bird family Cacatuidae. The name of cockatoo is originated from Malay. The Cockatoos can be recognizable by their showy crests and curved bills.

The plumage is less colorful than the plumage of other parrots, they generally have white, grey or black, and frequently with colored features in the crest, cheeks and tail.

The Cockatoos` dies consists of seeds, tubers, corms, fruits, flowers and insects. They live in flocks, that is why when they go for food, they go in flocks.

The Cockatoos have between 30 to 60 cm in length and between 300 to 1,200 g in weight. Like any parrots, the cockatoos have short legs ,strong claws and a waddling gait. Because of their large wings, the cockatoos can fly with the speed of 70 km/h.

The Cockatoos use their “voice” when they want to recognize each other, when alerting other of predators , when indicating individual moods or when maintaining the cohesion of a flock.

The Cockatoos are diurnal birds, and need daylight to find their food. They have also several characteristics methods of bathing: they may hang upside down or fly about in the rain, or flutter in wet leaves in the canopy.

The Cockatoos` nests consists of sticks, wood chips and branches with leaves. The eggs are oval and initially white as their location makes camouflage unnecessary. Only 20% of eggs laid are infertile. The incubation depends on species size, the duration may be between 20 to 29 days.

Like other parrots, the cockatoos can be afflicted by psittacoses beak and feather disease. The viral infection causes feather loss and beak malformation, and reduces the bird`s overall immunity.

Many of the cockatoos have benefited greatly from anthropogenic changes to the landscape, with the great increase in reliable seed food sources and available water, and have also adapted well to a diet including foreign foodstuffs. Preponderantly forest- dwelling species have suffered greatly from habitat destruction; in the main , they appear to have a more specialized diet and have not been able to incorporate exotic food into their diet.

Working With Baby Birds

Training your bird at a young age is ideal when compared to re-training or correcting the bad habits of an older bird. Some pet owners can become sidetracked by the freshness of having a new bird and enjoying their cuteness while they’re still baby birds; however, you must remember that in order to set the stage for the future, it is important to socialize your bird, work on good communication, and establish trust at a young age. Just as human babies need to learn to eat with a spoon and play well with others before they tackle long division, baby birds need to start with the basics. Spend time with your young bird developing trust and teaching the basics of good bird behavior. For example:

• Body handling. If you help your baby bird become accustomed to being gently handled now, you will prevent many problems later. For example, gently playing with your bird’s feet and toes will help it tolerate toenail filing. Gently lift its wings, so a trip to the groomer doesn’t become a nightmare later on.
• Toweling: Start using the towel as part of your play with your baby bird, gradually working into wrapping your bird up in the towel. When you or your vet need to wrap the bird in the towel for its own safety, the experience will be much less stressful.
• Beaking: Baby birds use their beaks to explore, but now is the time to let your bird know that anything beyond gentle nibbles is unacceptable. Frown and tell your bird “No,” and leave it alone for a minute or two, so it associates biting with being put in “time-out.”
• Harness: It can take some time before a bird accepts wearing a harness or flight suit, but things will go more smoothly if you start when the bird is young. Once you get your bird into the harness, take it outside, at least briefly, so it learns why the harness is worth the bother. It’s also a good time to try out the carrier. Take short car rides that don’t end at the vet each time, and your bird might look forward to them.

You will begin to notice better communication between you and your baby bird. Working with your bird frequently allows you to become familiar with the body language and preferences of the bird, making it easier to know what your pet wants and how to respond to its actions. By taking time to teach your bird new tricks, you are encouraging desired behavior. Your bird will begin to demonstrate the favorable behavior because it learns it receives your attention then, as opposed to misbehaving. The stimulation training provides your bird is also very important to cater to their intelligence and appease their curiosity.

This White-tailed Eagle Bird Is Unique

The New Year sees adults already re-establishing territories and, in fine weather, indulging in courtship display and nest-building. The earliest recorded eggs in Scotland have appeared on 29 February, but most are laid in late March. Some are not produced until mid-April, by which time the first laid will be hatching. Normal clutch size is two, but three eggs have been recorded at least twice, supporting historic records of clutches of three eggs. Incubation is 38- 40 days. Broods may be one or two chicks, and there is one case of triplets which fledged in 1997, though one of them was found dead only a few months later. Unlike Golden Eagles, White-tailed Eagle siblings rarely exhibit any aggression in the nest. The fledgling period can vary from 10-14 weeks, occasionally longer, presumably depending upon food availability. The latest Scottish fledging date is 29 August 2000, coincidentally from the hundredth chick to be fledged following the reintroduction.

Young birds may remain dependent upon food supplied by adults for several more months, but observations from the reintroduction on Rum showed that some individuals, with access to food dumps, can develop on their own, without any parental example (Love 1983). Juveniles from Rum have ranged as far afield as Northern Ireland and Shetland, but most were reported within 100 km of the island. A similar pattern was shown by the birds later released at Letterewe.

During this second phase, about 300 sightings of young wing-tagged eagles were reported annually, totalling over 2,000 records between 1993 and 2002. Although most White-tailed Eagles are confined to the Inner and Outer Hebrides and the west coast mainland, young birds in their first two or three years may appear anywhere in Scotland. One was even seen over the centre of Glasgow (Clyde) in March 1996!

Tagged bird ‘Red 7’, set free at Letterewe in the summer of 1993, is a good example of ranging behaviour. It remained near the release site until November, was seen at Munlochy Bay (Ross & Cromarty) from 4-9 December, before heading north to be next reported in Orkney on 25-26 April 1994, at Sumburgh Head, Mainland (Shetland) the following day, and then back again on Orkney on 29 April.

This White-tailed Eagle bird is unique amongst Scottish White-tailed Eagles, being sighted in Fraena, Norway in October 1994 where it began breeding in the summer of 2001. White-tailed Eagles normally breed for the first time at about five years, but several Scottish birds have paired a year or two earlier in the absence of competition from existing pairs that would be normal in an established population. The youngest Scottish breeding pair was a three-year-old male with a four-year-old female in 2000, which even produced a chick. Sadly, the male was illegally poisoned in 2002, when one of his siblings was successfully fostered into another nest, and the female fell to an identical fate the following year.

Once mature, White-tailed Eagles tend to be faithful to the vicinity of their breeding territory where they may then live long and productive lives. ‘Blondie’ is a case in point: released in Rum in 1979, she moved south to Mull and established one of the first breeding pairs there; and she remained on the island until her death, 21 years later. Her mate disappeared two years later, aged 23 years. Such a lifespan is not unusual; before she finally disappeared in 1918, the last bird in Scotland had a distinctive white plumage and was known to the local Shetland Islanders for some 30 years (Love 1983, Birds of Shetland).

North America's Largest Bird

This powerful eagle is North America's largest bird of prey and the national bird of Mexico. These birds are dark brown, with lighter golden-brown plumage on their heads and necks. They are extremely swift, and can dive upon their quarry at speeds of more than 150 miles (241 kilometers) per hour.

Golden eagles use their speed and sharp talons to snatch up rabbits, marmots, and ground squirrels. They also eat carrion, reptiles, birds, fish, and smaller fare such as large insects. They have even been known to attack full grown deer. Ranchers once killed many of these birds for fear that they would prey on their livestock, but studies showed that the animal's impact was minimal. Today, golden eagles are protected by law.

Golden eagle pairs maintain territories that may be as large as 60 square miles (155 square kilometers). They are monogamous and may remain with their mate for several years or possibly for life. Golden eagles nest in high places including cliffs, trees, or human structures such as telephone poles. They build huge nests to which they may return for several breeding years. Females lay from one to four eggs, and both parents incubate them for 40 to 45 days. Typically, one or two young survive to fledge in about three months.

These majestic birds range from Mexico through much of western North America as far north as Alaska; they also appear in the east but are uncommon. Golden eagles are also found in Asia, northern Africa, and Europe.

Some golden eagles migrate, but others do not—depending on the conditions of their geographic location. Alaskan and Canadian eagles typically fly south in the fall, for example, while birds that live in the western continental U.S. tend to remain in their ranges year-round.

Blue and Gold Macaw Paradise

The Blue and Gold Macaw Ara ararauna is one of the most beautiful large parrots. It is a sweet tempered and affectionate parrot, and has one of the best all around personalities of the large Macaws. This bird makes a great companion for a single person. But it is friendly with everyone, including other birds, when it's well socialized. Although some Macaws are one-person type birds, the Blue and Gold is right at home in a family type situation as well.

This large parrot is also sometimes called the Blue and Yellow Macaw, or you may come across a larger variant from Bolivia called the Bolivian Blue and Gold Macaw. The Bolivian variety is distinguished by its larger size and its coloring. On all these Macaws the colors are vibrant, but the Bolivian has more of a true blue rather than the teal blue seen in the average Blue and Gold. They all share the same wonderful personality and characteristics.

Simba, seen in the picture above, is a handfed Blue and Gold Macaw. He originally came to us at the age of about 4 months and then quickly became everybody's favorite, as is typical for a Blue and Gold Macaw!

The Blue and Gold Macaw is very adaptive. Whatever environment they are in, it becomes quite normal for them. If they are around many people, they will accept many people. When well trained and socialized, Blue and Gold Macaws enjoy participating in all sorts of outdoor and public activities with their owners. We've seen them attending public festivals on their owners arms. One woman regularly took her Macaw with her to Western line dance classes. Another woman would take her Blue and Gold horseback riding with her. There are bird leashes available so you can take your feathered friend wherever you go, and they just adapt. They ride well in a car on a bird car seat

This is a lively, bouncy bird that loves to play, climb, and interact. They need a couple of hours a day outside a cage to be happy. Blue and Gold Macaw's are eager learners. They can be taught a variety of tricks and they are frequently seen in animal behavior acts. They are also one of the best talking of the Macaws and can learn about 15 to 20 words or expressions. But like all Macaws this parrot has a loud call, and it may be quite vocal at times.

The Blue and Gold is one of the most readily available of the large Macaws. They are also one of the least expensive Macaws for sale. But like all Macaws, they do require good socialization and consistent training to make good pets. They bond very closely with their humans. They are very affectionate, and will want your attention regularly.