Bladen Benson is the owner of Desert Kings Falconry, a bird control business in the Phoenix area that specializes in removing pigeons from your property. “A lot of companies out here use poisons or cages, or other traps to catch them and remove them,” said Benson. “That’s all human work. It’s humane, but you can’t get more natural than this.”
To read more on this story, click here: Hawks for Hire: Phoenix company using bird of prey to address pigeon problems
But do they make good pets?
Often referred to as “pocket parrots” — parrotlets are loving and affectionate companion birds towards responsible and caring owners. These tiny feathered creatures are good pets that continue to attract many new adorning human owners.
To read more on this story, click here: Do Parrotlets Make Good Pets? (Here’s The Truth)
To read more on this story, click here: Information about COVID-19, Pets, and Other Animals
They have, however, evolved fascinating characteristics that allow them to get through the harsh winter months -- when food is scarce and the temperatures are frigid.
Here are four fascinating tricks animals use to survive the winter.
To read more on this story, click here: Four fascinating ways animals survive the winter
The snowy owl was first spotted on Jan. 3, and has since been seen at Union Station, the National Postal Museum, Senate buildings, and Capitol Police headquarters, The Associated Press reported.
To read more on this story, click here: Rare snowy owl seen flying over Washington, D.C.
This kite is distinctive, with long-wings, white, grey and black plumage and owl like forward-facing eyes with red irises. Although mainly seen on the plains, they are sometimes seen on grassy slopes of hills in the higher elevation regions of Asia. They are not migratory, but make short-distance movements in response to weather. Image credit: Basawant Annigeri
Their Appearance: Small, stout, unmistakable raptor with pale grey plumage. Strikingly broad wings and short tail. Large, round, owl-like head with black "mascara" and short neck. Underside of wing-tips, and upper median and lesser coverts black. Immature birds often with rusty underparts and white fringes to flight feathers and scapulars. Glides with wings raised high like a harrier. Frequent and skilfull hovering.
The Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus) is unmistakable due to the extremely long, red legs. High contrast plumage with pointed, black wings (both upper and under-side) and white underparts. Tail white, with white wedge extending up back. Back of adult male sooty black, while brownish black in female and immature. Head all white or with black markings independent of sex (males more often have black markings than females though). Immature with faint, pale fringes to coverts, and white trailing edge to secondaries visible in flight.
Their sound is not very vocal. A soft "Pjuu-harrr". Starting as a mellow, ascending whistle and ending with a harsh screech. Also uttered without the harsh ending, or only a Barn Owl-like screech. Other sounds: rapid series of soft "kekekekekekekekeke" and short whistles.
Most vocal at breeding ground. Various short,sharp "kyp" may resemble both Avocet, Coot and Spur-winged Lapwing (Vanellus spinosus). While a tern-like "kee-arr" is more distinct. Note that immature birds have a different contact call closely resembling Wood Sandpiper, but do not utter it in series.
Posting to TikTok, Wendy Adriaens, known on the app as wendy_adriaens shared a clip of herself and one of her pet ostich's locked in an embrace.
The video begins with the Adriaens, who calls herself "The Ostrich Whisperer" standing in a muddy enclosure, holding aloft a large white blanket.
To see the video, click here: Woman Cuddles Large Ostrich in Incredible Viral Video
To read more on this story, click here: 8 Common Bird Feeder Mistakes You Might Be Making (And How to Fix Them)
The barn owls, who found a spot in the trees where they began showing their affections to each other, are not a mating pair but sisters. The moment was captured by Leslie Arnott. 'They are quite hard conditions in the dark woodland and the pair flew for a while before sharing their special moment.' said Leslie. 'They started rubbing heads and getting quite affectionate. Then came the moment they appeared to kiss each other.
'They 'kissed' twice. 'They certainly looked like they tried to kiss but I guess we will never know for sure. 'These owls are very affectionate towards each other and work well together however they are not a breeding pair they are actually sisters. 'They continued their tender behaviour towards one another for around three minutes but the kissing happened twice within that period. 'It was luck as much as skill to catch the split second moment and I'm very glad I did.' said photographer.
Ghostly pale and normally strictly nocturnal, Barn Owls are silent predators of the night world. Lanky, with a whitish face, chest, and belly, and buffy upperparts, this owl roosts in hidden, quiet places during the day. By night, they hunt on buoyant wingbeats in open fields and meadows. You can find them by listening for their eerie, raspy calls, quite unlike the hoots of other owls. Despite a worldwide distribution, Barn Owls are declining in parts of their range due to habitat loss.
Barn Owls swallow their prey whole—skin, bones, and all. About twice a day, they cough up pellets instead of passing all that material through their digestive tracts. The pellets make a great record of what the owls have eaten, and scientists study them to learn more about the owls and the ecosystems they live in. Up to 46 different races of the Barn Owl have been described worldwide. The North American form is the largest, weighing more than twice as much as the smallest race from the Galapagos Islands.
Barn Owl females are somewhat showier than males. She has a more reddish and more heavily spotted chest. The spots may indicate the quality of the female. Heavily spotted females get fewer parasitic flies and may be more resistant to parasites and diseases. The spots may also stimulate the male to help more at the nest. In an experiment where some females' spots were removed, their mates fed their nestlings less often than for females whose spots were left alone. The Barn Owl has excellent low-light vision, and can easily find prey at night by sight. But its ability to locate prey by sound alone is the best of any animal that has ever been tested. It can catch mice in complete darkness in the lab, or hidden by vegetation or snow out in the real world. The oldest known North American Barn Owl lived in Ohio and was at least 15 years, 5 months old.
Video: An Introduction to the Barn Owl
What are you looking for in a bird? Your choice of bird will be affected by your preferences for appearance, personality, companionship or ability to talk.
Appearance
Pet birds come in many sizes and colors — ranging from finches with a wing span of just a few inches, to macaws whose wing span can be up to four feet. Bird feather hues range from natural greys, yellows, reds, and greens to unusual color combinations resulting from selective breeding.
To read more on this story, click here: Selecting a pet bird
Here, we’ll explore where pet ownership and the pet population stand in the U.S. and how it differs across states and demographics. (If you're interested in facisinating statistical data from pet owners who are specifically interested in pet insurance, check out our free 2019-2020 report covering breeds, pre-existing conditions, pet names, and more.)
To read more on this story, click here: Pet Ownership Statistics by State, And So Much More (Updated 2020)
Keepers at Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia, tweeted a video of Echo, a seven-year-old male, making the sound on Tuesday. Watch him here:
To read more on this story, click here: Video shows a bird in an Australian zoo that has learned to perfectly mimic a human baby's crying
WHAT IS A HUMMINGBIRD’S SIZE?
These diminutive birds weigh only about 4 grams—or .141 ounce! That’s tiny! For comparison, a U.S. penny weighs 2.5 grams. The egg of a hummingbird weighs just 0.4 gram to 2.4 grams. A newly hatched bird is just 0.62 gram. However, when it’s time to migrate, hummers pack on the grams for the long trip—sometimes doubling their weight.
They are among the smallest birds, too, with most species measuring 3 to 5 inches long. The smallest bird, the bee hummingbird, is only 2 inches long—and weighs less than 2 grams.
To read more on this story, click here: FASCINATING HUMMINGBIRD FACTS
The golden pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus) or Chinese gold pheasant whose scientific name is Chrysolophus pictus is a neognata galleriforme pheasant species, has two species of the genus Chrysolophus and its origin as the name indicates is in Burma, China and other areas of the great Asian continent. This particular bird in other parts of the world is bred in captivity for the consumption of its meat, but this species of Asian pheasant is in the wild, in the case of China has served as a source of inspiration for many painters who have seen the beauty of this bird reflected in thousands of pictures, is part of the system of Asian symbolism.
To read more on this story, click here: Meet The Golden Pheasant – Commonly Known As The Most Beautiful Bird On The Planet
Here are 20 animals who hit that genetic jackpot to brighten up your day with their appearances. Although many people think that “mutation” are bad, these gorgeous creatures are here to prove that when it comes to beauty, mutations can actually be a wonderful thing.
To read more on this story, click here: 10+ Photos Of Animals Who Hit The Genetics Jackpot
To read more on this story, click here: Sculptor Rajiv Anchal Spent 10 Years Creating This Magnificent 200ft Bird Sculpture
While it would seem that something equally as soft and cuddly would come in as third runner-up, the next most popular pet in the US isn’t quite what you’d expect. Below are the most popular pets in America besides cats and dogs.
To read more on this story, click here: 10 Of The Most Popular Pets In The US That Aren't Cats Or Dogs
It’s clear to see that Matsumoto has elevated this art form, and it's all stems from a love of both his unconventional craft and of animals. Each large-scale, inflatable sculpture showcases the chosen creature’s distinctive features and textural elements. In one piece, a black scarab features a shiny balloon shell, scalloped front legs, and delicate antennae. In another, a pink squid is rendered in life-like details, including long balloon tentacles, a patterned body, and realistic eyes.
To read more on this story, click here: This Artist Twists Colorful Balloons into All Kinds of Exotic Creatures
Interesting Information about Parrots for Kids
Parrots are interesting creatures not just for their intelligence and beauty but also for their diversity and variety. Not all parrots are the same; the diet, plumage, size, look and the vocal sound all differ from one type to another.
To read more on this story, click here: Important Facts about Parrot for Kids
The truth is that the only way to be 100 percent positive that you are getting a bird that will talk is to buy a bird that already talks.
Choosing a Talking Bird
Obtaining a bird just because you want one that will talk is probably a mistake. Birds can be charming and loyal companions whether or not they ever talk at all. There is so much more to these birds beyond their ability to speak.
To read more on this story, click here: How Can I Choose a Bird That Will Talk?