Food for the mind

Dot summarises some of her recent reading in the ever-expanding field of parrot study

- Dot schwarz

AS A non-scientist companion parrot owner, I’m keen on increasing knowledge of wild birds both for its intrinsic interest and because the more I can understand of wild bird behaviour the more similarities I observe in my own small flock.

It’s a fascinating field which is expanding all the time: research into the lifestyles of the 350 or so species of parrot that remain. And since conservation affects everyone, the more I understand about what is happening in the field the easier it is to contribute. Even if the cash amounts are small from a sole individual, the more we are encouraged, the more hope there is for maintaining what we have and in some cases restoring what was almost extinct: heartening stories like choughs breeding in Cornwall, or the kakapo increasing its pitiful numbers in New Zealand.

Wild parrot behaviour Parrot species share certain traits, but the variety between species is wider than many realise. One helpful avenue to explore is to find out how different species behave; what they eat or how they mate and raise their young. So, does your bird come from a species that likes to fossick in the ground like a kakariki (red-crowned parakeet) or a cockatiel, or is it a canopy-feeding Amazon which will rarely descend to the ground?

In my continual quest for the best nutrition, I’ve decided I won’t find the perfect answer in my lifetime. I’ve learned that all parrots are primarily herbivorous, while different species have adapted to their particular environment, such as lories and their like eating pollen and nectar, whereas other species eat seeds, and yet others feed mainly on fruit pulp, and a few subsist on leaves. There is also a fifth category – call them omnivorous – which includes non-specialist feeders. These eat some of the foodstuffs of previous groups and will also consume significant amounts of animal protein.