Parrots

[skade]

I was finally able to get a shot of the green parrot that comes to feed at the bird seed stick. Just as I was about to take the photo, a second parrot came for a feed as well. Not as clear as I would have liked, but if I move in too close they take off, so thought I will just have to be happy with what I got.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y140/skade2/Frame_IMG_3892copy.jpg

[sparker1]

You should be very happy with those, Sandi. So sharp and colorful, they really pop.

[tupe]

Very pretty, Sandi.

[witchy]

Great shot Sandi, that feeder is working well!..They are called Twenty Eights..They are a lovely parrot :)

[dkord]

Nice shots Sandi. Are they wild parrots then? I always thought parrots have bigger bills.

[skade]

As far as I know these are wild parrots, dkord. But I think some people keep them as pets as well. These ones just turn up for a free feed so I think they are wild.

[witchy]

Nice shots Sandi. Are they wild parrots then? I always thought parrots have bigger bills.

Yes they are wild, we get a lot of them here in Western Australia. We have many similar sized parrots plus smaller and larger ones too.

[skade]

The feeder is doing well witchy! Not bad for a $2.00 stick lol Its been out there for a few weeks, and the birds are just starting to find it now.

[witchy]

I think it's a great idea, I might have to put a few around the place myself :)

Those parrots you have visiting your garden absolutely love fruit, try leaving a small amount for them every now and then :)

[jforj143]

great shot Sandi
we have had them in the back yard but not at the birdbath as yet
hopefully will be able to get as good a shot as you have

[John Trogdon]

Sandi, nice shot. My wife and I just bought a Senegal Parrot. It must be nice to have them in the wild there (well, not the Senegals). Here in Florida, we have to go to our local bird shop to get these guys. Ours is still being hand fed, and we can't bring him home until probably late July or early August.

[Beeclose]

Nice shot Sandi, these parrots can be really " Mad " in the aviary.

[RockOne]

Looks like they posed for you !. I Like it. Seems as though a feeder is a good idea !

[jfrancho]

They remind me of my father's pet kakariki, NZ Red fronted Parakeet, Cyanomorphus sp.. I have some books on Australian hookbills; I'll try to find an ID for you. They are quite striking!

[RockOne]

jfrancho, they are Twenty-eight Parrots (Bernardius zonarius.subspecies semitorquatus)

[jfrancho]

I think this bird is a Port Lincoln Ringneck. Barnardius zonarius. They are closely related to the Twenty-Eight. Skade's visitors are missing the red cere, and appear to be smaller.

[witchy]

I think this bird is a Port Lincoln Ringneck. Barnardius zonarius. They are closely related to the Twenty-Eight. Skade's visitors are missing the red cere, and appear to be smaller.

They are definately Twenty-eight parrots. The males do get the red but the younger birds and females don't. They are also called Western Ringnecks but I have never heard anyone here call them by that name. It's always beeen twenty-eights :)

[RockOne]

Yep.I think you are right. Teach me to look at small pictures at this time of night :-) !!

[RockOne]

Just a thought if you had a pair of twenty-eights and they multiplied would you have a 784?? :-)

[witchy]

I think this bird is a Port Lincoln Ringneck. Barnardius zonarius. They are closely related to the Twenty-Eight. Skade's visitors are missing the red cere, and appear to be smaller.

After having a look I think you are right too. There seems to be a confusion between the 2. very similiar..here is a link!

http://www.birdsofperth.com/terrestrials/parrots/AR.html

[jfrancho]

Common names can vary region to region, but the birds in the picture definitely cannot be classified as belonging to the subspecies semitorquatus. To further the confusion, these birds are known to hybridize with other similar species (Mallee Ringneck, Green Rosella and the Cloncurry Parrot), not excluding the semitorquatus race. From what I can tell, in Perth, Twenty-Eights occur mainly in the northern suburbs and the Port Lincoln in the southern suburbs. The semitorquatus race lacks the yellow coloration in the belly and is larger, 40cm in size. Maybe skade can confirm the size of the birds in her tree. Don't get me wrong, I'm not disputing what you call these birds - you live there, I, obviously, do not. I am merely providing scientific nomenclature based on the scientific description of the animal. As a further caveat, most literature states that more research must be done on these birds to properly classify them.

[edit: fixed spelling of Perth, sorry about that!]

[jfrancho]

After having a look I think you are right too. There seems to be a confusion between the 2. very similiar..here is a link!

http://www.birdsofperth.com/terrestrials/parrots/AR.htmlThat is a good link. More evidence of the "hybridization factor".

[witchy]

That is a good link. More evidence of the "hybridization factor".

I'm from the Northern suburbs and we get twenty eights here. I have learnt something new tonight :)

[RockOne]

Ok. After having a close look at my book I can see the major diferences are:
Port Lincoln Parrot (Bernardius zonarius susspecies zonarius)- Yellow belly, No red band on forehead
Twenty Eight - (Bernardius zonarius subspecies semitorquatus) - Green belly and red front band

Both are western subspecies of the Australian Ringneck, and just to confuse the issue their ranges overlap, and they comonly interbreed (which gives you a mix of features :-) )

[witchy]

LOL, confusing Huh!

[RockOne]

jfrancho, looks like you type faster than I do :-) !

[RockOne]

BTW.Sounds as if we were looking at the same book :-).!

[jfrancho]

I'm from the Northern suburbs and we get twenty eights here. I have learnt something new tonight :)It never ceases to amaze me where I learn things. I live all the way over in Western New York state, near Lake ontario. It's the smallest of our Great Lakes, if you look at a globe. It just happens that I used to be involved with the captive husbandry and breeding of parrots (used to breed Monk Parakeets and Cockatiels, among others) and have a lot of literature around. Birds from Australia and New Zealand are always intriguing, since they are infrequently available inthe US.

[witchy]

I have cockatiels, I breed them and hand rear them. Gorgeous little parrots. Presuming of course that we are talking about the same breed LOL!..might go dig out a photo of one of mine and post here :)

[RockOne]

Thats the beauty of this forum..apart from great photos and photography advice, there is a wealth of knowledge about other interesting things.

[witchy]

Sure is Steve. I learn something daily here :)

Here is a pic of one of my Cockatiels. We call them Weiros! or weirdos for fun because of the mischievous ways they behave :)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v615/witchy1/Weiro.jpg

[jfrancho]

I have cockatiels, I breed them and hand rear them. Gorgeous little parrots. Presuming of course that we are talking about the same breed LOL!..might go dig out a photo of one of mine and post here :)I am sure they are. I had Pearl Pied, Pied, and Whiteface 'tiels. I didn't enjoy hand rearing the 'tiels as much as some of the other birds. The 'tiels always hissed, and never seemed "grateful" for their care, until they were fully feathered. Once they got out of that "competitive" baby mode, they were great. There is some interesting info out there on how 'tiels manage their brood in the wild. Something about the strongest hatchling getting all the food, and dolling it out to the smaller siblings as it sees fit. Something like that, but it is unique.
My grandmother still cares for the first bird my parents ever bred, Gooby, a pied 'Tiel. He is around twenty years old now - still as spicey as ever, all bark, no bite.

[RockOne]

Nice bird. Don't think wild ones occur in these parts, probably too far east - but I've seen planty of them in avairies and things.

[witchy]

Sorry Sandi for highjacking your thread!..Hope you don't mind :)

Yes I have had cockatiels hiss at me too, usually when I wait to long to get them out of the nest, however when tame, they tend to stay tame for life. I have found larger parrots can lose that tameness when put back into avairies. I love all parrots. I hope to one day have a pair of Black cockatoos, when I can justify the expense!

[jfrancho]

Sorry to hijack the thread, skade. At least it was a peaceful and productive hijacking! Your inexpensive seed stick has payed big dividends. I'll part with a link to our pet, Penny (http://plan-b.smugmug.com/photos/14551050-L.jpg).

[RockOne]

He is around twenty years old now - still as spicey as ever, all bark, no bite.
Is that old for a cockatiel ??. I seem to remeber reading somewhere that sulpher-crested cockatoos can live in captivity for over 60 years, and occasiaonlly outlast their owners !

[jfrancho]

Is that old for a cockatiel ??. I seem to remeber reading somewhere that sulpher-crested cockatoos can live in captivity for over 60 years, and occasiaonlly outlast their owners !I've read that 25 yrs. is the range for a 'tiel in captivity. I suspect it could be longer now, as husbandry as come a long way.

[witchy]

I don't know how old cockatiels live to be?..would like to know though.

Gorgeous picture jfrancho!

[sixshot]

Very nice. I have a couple of little parrots. These are great.

[stoneylonesome]

WOW! Those are beautiful, I can't believe you have such beautiful birds just flying around :) :) :)