parrots

A RAINBOW OF PARROTS

Parrots are among the most beautiful — and endangered — creatures on the planet. Concentrating not on the familiar, tame, caged variety but on parrots in the wild, A Rainbow of Parrots features a dazzling display of beautiful birds. Color photographs reveal the bright splendor of macaws, the satin softness of cockatoos, the noble features of African grays, and more. Interesting facts describe parrots' key place in the wild and their highly threatened status — as well as suggestions for what to do about it. Both celebration and resource, A Rainbow of Parrots features arresting images by 23 of the best bird photographers and shows young readers exactly how parrots live in their native habitat.

Secrets of Parrots:
  • African Grey parrots don't just "parrot" words—scientists have proven that they communicate as well as dolphins and gorillas.
  • To raise chicks, some parrots borrow termite mounds. If the termites are still home, the insects build a privacy wall between themselves and the nesting birds.
  • Bold and hardy parrots called keas live among New Zealand mountains and enjoy playing in snow.
  • Macaws give rough cawing cries. The red-necked Amazon makes a call like squeaky brakes. But the sulfur-crested cockatoo is the loudest. It sounds like a car alarm!
  • The feet of a hanging parrot grip so well that it can dangle upside-down, sleeping the night away.
  • Macaws in Peru, cockatoos in New Guinea, and grey parrots in Africa all eat clay after meals. Clay gives them salt—and protects them from poisons in the unripe seeds and fruits they eat.
  • Only a few predators hunt larger parrots. One is the hawk. The creepiest killer is the false vampire bat. It has a 3-foot wingspan and locates wild parrots while they sleep.
  • Some parakeets, cockatoos, and conures glow in the dark. Under ultraviolet light, their feathers have a rare yellow pigment that fluoresces.
  • When the hyacinth macaw chomps down on something – hopefully not your finger – it exerts up to 500 pounds of biting pressure per square inch.
To Learn More:
  • Eavesdrop on wild parrots through an "electronic field trip. " The Jason Project lets students see and hear research in various rainforests, in real time. Website: www.jasonproject.org
  • World Parrot Trust, sponsors of World Parrot Day, work to halt European Union imports of wild-caught birds. With Parrots International, they fund local groups like the Hyacinth Macaw Project and Project Birdwatch, aiding the salmon-crested cockatoo through the harvest and sale of Molucca nuts. Website: www.worldparrottrust.org
  • Parrots International supports numerous parrot conservation projects, including the Bahaman Amazon, the Puerto Rican parrot recovery program, and Projecto Ara Azul in Brazil's Pantanal. Website: www.parrotsinternational.org
  • Birdlife International sponsors global conferences, publishes a useful State of the World's Birds each year, available as a download from their site. Website: www.birdlifeinternational.org
  • Earthwatch Institute, 3 Clock Tower Place, #100, Maynard MA 01754. Download super info and their catalog from their website. Website: www.earthwatch.org
  • Tropical Nature Conservation System partners with non-profits in South America on a network of eco-lodges in Peru, Brazil, Ecuador, and Bolivia. Website: www.tropicalnature.org
  • Find feathered facts and other easy-to-read info on parrots as well as other bird families. Website: http://www.rarespecies.org
  • The Alex Foundation continues to support the pioneering work of Dr. Irene Pepperberg on parrot language and intelligence. Website: www.alexfoundation.org
  • PeruNature partners with the Wildlife conservation Society, Earthwatch and others. Its website is extremely rich, full of the latest field research done on clay licks, nesting activity, parrots, macaws, and other topics in huge Peruvian reserve called Tambopata-Candamo. Website: www.perunature.com
  • Duke University hosts the best macaw webpages, its material supplied by Dr. Don Brightsmith, director of the Tambopata Research Center. Besides scientific papers, the site has many downloadable magazine articles in simple language, written by Dr. Brightsmith—making this an excellent site for kids ten and up. Website: www.duke.edu/djb4/Don
  • To learn about non-native parrot flocks that have established themselves in San Francisco and other cities, visit the website of author/photographer Mark Bittner, the protagonist (along with a flock of conures) of the prize-winning film, "The Wild Birds of Telegraph Hill." Website: wildparrotsbook.com
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