Birds of Birdland: Kingfisher

The Kingfisher is a small to medium sized bird with very bright colors. Some scientists treat them as either a single family or a suborder that has three families: the river kingfisher, the tree kingfisher, and the water kingfisher. Overall, there are 90 different species of kingfisher and all have larger heads with long, sharp, pointed bills, short legs, and very stubby tails. Most of them have very bright, beautiful plumage with only minor differences between the sexes.

They eat a very wide variety of different things - from fish to insects - and they love to swoop down and catch their prey. They are famous for hunting and eating a wide variety of fish and some species of kingfisher specialize in catching only fish. Other species of kingfisher love to eat crustaceans, frogs, worms, molluscs, spiders, centipedes, insects, and other amphibians as well as some snakes. Depending on where they live will also affect what their diet consists of, as

woodland and forest kingfishers will often eat mainly insects, such as grasshoppers, and those that live near the water will specialize more in fish. Just about all kingfishers will hunt from an exposed perch, watching for prey to peek it's head out, then swooping down to get it, and returning to the perch. Larger prey is beaten against the perch so that it is killed and any bones and spines are dislodged or broken so that the bird can eat it.

Kingfishers are a very territorial species and they vigorously defend their breeding areas. They are normally monogamous, even though some cooperative breeding has been observed in some species.

Like all birds in the Coraciiformes order, kingfishers are cavity nesters and most dig holes in the ground for their nests. These holes are normally in earth banks near rivers, lakes, or ditches and some might even nest in trees, where the earth is clinging to the roots of an uprooted tree, or in nests of termites. Normally, their nests have a small chamber at the end of a tunnel and the digging duties are shared. At the beginning for the excavation, a bird may fly at the chosen site with a very considerable force and many birds injure themselves fatally by doing this. Different species of kingfishers have different lengths that they like to use for the tunnel, and it also depends on where they are building their nests as well. Some species, like the Giant Kingfisher, have had tunnels that have been found to be over 8 meters long.

Since kingfishers are generally shy birds, they are generally mentioned heavily in human culture due to their bright plumage and interesting behaviors. There are some species of kingfisher that are threatened by human activities and are actually in danger of becomming extinct. From habitat loss to introduced species that are running them out of their normal homes and food supplies, there are several of them that are placed on the conservation lists.

How To Save Money On Wild Birdseed

When it comes to luring in wild birds into your yard, buying different types of seeds can get expensive. And, if money is tight, sometimes feeding your wild feathered friends can fall to the back burner. So, how do you save money on wild birdseed instead of trying to buy the expensive stuff all year round? Here are some helpful tips and suggestions that you can try:

1. Buy Bulk: A lot of time mixes and seeds can be bought in different size bags and the larger bags have a better price per pound. Buying bigger bags can also mean that you have more seed on hand and you won't have to buy as frequently.

2. Grow A Birdseed Garden: Believe it or not, but birdseed is very easy to grow and the natural seed will attract even more birds than filled feeders. How do you do this? We have a special two-part blog that shows you exactly what to plant to draw in wild birds and keep them coming back. Saving some of these seeds when they fall off can also help you save up some free seed for the winter or times when you can't affort to purchase a bag.

3. Buy Better Seed: Higher quality seed such as hulled sunflower chips might be more expensive, but they will also not be overfilled with filler seeds that only a few birds will eat. Instead, they are filled with higher quality seed that all birds love and you won't waste as much seed.

4. Offer Alternatives: A lot of birds will eat more than just birdseed.

Consider adding in nectar, chopped fruit, bread scraps, or other types of food to your feeders in addition to or in replacement of seeds.

5. Shop Around: Watch for sales on bird seed at some local feed stores and when the "birdwatching" season (Spring and Fall) are over. Sometimes you can find great deals on stores that are trying to clear out their shelves for new items.

6. Use Efficient Feeders: Watch your bird feeders and how much seed is being emptied. You might be surprised to find out that you're feeding more than just birds - such as squirrels, deer, raccoons, and so on. You can purchase feeders with built in cages or smaller feeding ports so that it will deter some of the non-feathered feeders.

Hopefully these tips will help you to save money on bird seed so that you can still enjoy your wild bird friends throughout the year - even if money is tight.

How To Make Your Bird Comfortable When Bathing

Since there are some birds that are not comfortable with bathing yet, you might have to try several things to help get them used to the water and to bathing. There are several different options that you can try to get your bird comfortable when bathing so that you can figure out what they will enjoy and what will work the best for them an dyou. Some birds will love the feeling of a trickling shower, some prefer a fine mist, others prefer to dunk themselves in a small pool of water - but remember that every bird is different. If you are having a hard time getting your bird to take a bath, try one of these three suggestions:

1. Shower For Two: Since birds are naturally social creatures, many birds will enjoy taking a bath with their owner. There are even some special bird products that you can purchase for this shower time, such as sprayers and shower perches. If you decide to introduce your friend to a shower, it's better to do so with a lot of patience. Allow your bird to watch you in the show before trying to get them to join you. Let your bird decice on their own that the shower is a friendly thing and not something that will hurt it.

2. Soothing Mist: Sometimes a fine mist from a spray bottle is the best way to get a bird use to water and to give them a bath without too much shock. Since a lot of caged birds originate from warm, tropical, or humid climates, the spray can help to rehydrate their nasal cavities as well as help clean them. If you want to go this route, make sure that you have only clean, warm water in the spray bottle. Use only a brand new spray bottle, not anything that you've used for another purpose. This way, you can be sure that there are no chemical residues in the bottle that can harm your bird.

3. Dip In The Sink: If these two suggestions don't work, you can always try a dip in the sick. Pool a bit of warm water in your sink and have your bird step down into it. There is a great chance that your bird's natural bathing instinct will take over and they will be happily splashing away in no time. If you have a smaller bird that is reluctant to stand in the sink, try to cup the water in your palms and let your pet sit on the side of your thumb. Sometimes just knowing that you are there and feeling your hands under their feet will help them and it will be a great bonding experience for both of you.

Take a good look at your bird's reactions to these different suggestions and take note of the one that your bird likes the most. Of course, this is only half of the bathing equation when it comes to birds. You also need to figure out how often your bird needs a bath as well as how to coax a picky or flighty bird into the bath.

How To Bathe Your Bird

Just like any pet, birds too need baths. The problem comes when new owners aren't sure about how to bathe birds and some birds haven't been conditioned to accept baths yet. Many tamed birds don't realize that daily showers would be a part of their natural daily grooming activities in the wild. It can take an effort on your part to learn what grooming methods will work the best for your new bird, but even the most reluctant birds can be conditioned to accept it. Here are some helpful rules to follow when bathing your bird:

1. Plain clear water ONLY: Even though some pet stores and companies offer commercial "bird shampoos", the best way to wash a bird is with plain water. Since birds produce a special oil that they preen their feathers with, soap can easily strip this oil away and cause health problems with your friend.

2. Bathe only during the warmest part of the day: Wet birds can easily get chilled and this can be a major health hazard. So, make sure that you bathe your bird during the warmest part of the day so that their feather's have a chance to dry completely before the temperature drops before nightfall. You also want to make sure that your home isn't too cold inside before you give your bird a bath.

3. Water temperature is key: Make sure that you check the water temperature before you allow your bird to get in it. Too hot or too cold water can shock a bird's system, or cause serious health problems like burns. Always check the temperature of the water before hand and make sure that it isn't too hot or cold. It should be right at room temperature or lukewarm.

4. Don't saturate your bird's feathers: Since wild birds don't allow their feathers to get completely soaked through, you should not allow this either. This can lead to your bird losing body heat and impare their flight.

5. Don't rush or force your bird: If your bird seriously fights against bathing, you want to make sure that you ease them into bathing. It might take a while for them to be completely comfortable, but it will happen. If you force your bird to get in the water or rush them to do so, they may rebel against it even more.

Simply follow these few rules when bathing your bird and you will find that they will start to truly enjoy bathing.

What You Should Plant In Your Yard To Attract Birds

Believe it or not, but the different types of flowers in your yard can have an effect on what type of birds visit you. Now, you need to start planning out your yard in the winter so that you are prepared and ready when Spring rolls around to start planing your yard with beautiful flowers and flowering shurbs. But how do you even get started?

The first place that you want to start with with trees and bushes. These are the places that birds will roost and sit when they are looking for new things to do, eat, and see. Bushes that produce flowers will help to provide both a hiding place as well as a food source for birds, as they attract insects too. Trees that produce large leaves will help to provide a good shady place to hide and those that produce fruits, nuts, or flowers will offer food for them as well.

When it comes to flowers, there are plenty of beautiful choices that you can pick from - in fact, there are so many that it can be hard to pick sometimes. One of the staples that you will want to plant every year are daisies. There are several varieties to choose from and they all offer a very nutritious, yummy seed that birds love. Just remember that when the daisies stop blooming, don't pinch off the dead blooms - leave them there. These provide a very yummy treat for finches, sparrows, cardinals, and towhes.

Zinnias are also an excellent choice to plant because birds also love their

seeds. Plus, this is probably one of the easiest flowers to grow. It offers a wide variety of colors, and they blooms are very large. Plus, it will entice tons of butterflies into your garden and yard as well - which not only provide food for birds but they also help to polinate flowers and keep them growing and blooming year after year. I would recommend planting several different patches of zinnias throughout your yard so that you can enjoy different birds and butterflies constantly.

Want to lure hummingbirds into your yard? It's not that hard, if you know what to plant. One of the main things that you need to know is that, just like a bull, hummingbirds are attracted to red. They will check out any spec of red in a landscape - from flowers to cars to feeders to a scarf around your neck. So, plant plenty of red flowers in your yard and try to find bushes that produce red flowers as well. There are tons of beautiful hybrid flowers that now come in red but they might not offer the nectar that hummingbirds crave, so make sure that you're going with some heirloom flowers that will attract them for the nectar while adding in some red to pull them in. Some of the best flowers for hummingbirds include: fuchsias, coral bells, bee balm, hybiscus, and petunias. They also love trumpet-shaped flowers and will investigate anything that resembles this shape. If they find nectar there, they'll come back again and again.

How To Attract Breeding Birds In The Fall - Pt 2

Now that you know what foods to offer the birds when you set out feed, what are some other ways that you can attract birds to your yard in the fall and winter? Easy, offer them a water source. Fresh, unfrozed water is sometimes harder to come by than food for birds during the winter months. So, if you can offer them water, they will always remember that they can go there.

For those that live in areas that get a lot of snow or freezing temps, it's a good idea to find a heated bird bath that will keep the water from freezing up. There are some that look like large rocks that sit on the ground with a heater built in the bottom. Others look like normal bird baths with a heater in the bottom of the bowl and a plug in at the base that will hide it from the weather. There are also heating elements that you can buy that will soak in the bird bath itself and turn on when the water starts to freeze.

Always keep in mind that offering water to your birds that will not freeze over throughout the winter will mean more to them than anything else.

So how about feeders? I mean, we haven't talked about that yet right? A specific feeder design isn't really as vital to getting birds to your yard as you might think. You can spend as much, or as little, as you want on feeders. As long as they offer the food in a way that birds can get it, they will work. Here are some of the different ways that you can offer food that will appeal to different kinds of birds:

1. Spread the feed on the ground: Some sparrows and other birds enjoy eating on or near the ground. So, you will find that throwing out a handfull or two will bring in those birds that love to feed off the ground.

2. Hanging feeders: When you purchase hanging feeders, you want to make sure that they are placed somewhere that water will not build up in the bottom and rot the food. There are plenty of different types of hanging feeders that will really be beneficial to the birds and will bring you in different types of birds. If you are trying to attract specific birds, such as finches, make sure that you purchase the feeders that are designed for them.

3. Homemade feeders: Believe it or not, but birds don't look for designer labels. Some of the very best feeders can be made right at home. In fact, one excellent design is to hollow out a coconut leaving a round hole in two sides (about an inch in diameter or so), wrap it with small wire, and suspend it from a tree. Smaller birds especially will love this one and it's a fun project to make with kids. You can also sink a post in the ground, put a platform on the top with molding around the edges to keep the seeds on with a small area at each end for water to run off, and you have another cheap, homemade bird feeder.

Remember that it doesn't matter what types of bird feeders you have in your yard - as long as you keep them filled and keep a fresh, unfrozen water source, you'll attract breeding birds all year long. Make sure that you read the first part of this blog to ensure that you are planting the right things in your yard to attract more wild birds.

How To Attract Breeding Birds In The Fall - Pt 1.

When it comes to attracting breeding pairs into your backyard, Spring is usually the time. But what if you want to attract those that will breed in the fall and stay throughout the winter while their babies hatch and grow? Can it be done? Of course it can, if you simply know what to do.

Many people don't start feeding birds until severe or cold weather breaks out, and they are missing out on some prime time to lure new birds to their yards. Fall is the real season to begin feeding birds, even if there are natural foods that are abundant around your yard, or around the area. And, since some of these natural foods are readily available, you may not see a massive influx of birds into your yard just yet. Instead they are out gathering up those natural goodies that they love.

The birds that will visit your feeders however are mainly scouting out food sources that will be available when the natural foods they love dry up for the winter. For example, the red-bellied woodpecker and the tufted titmouse will always scout out feeders, food sources, and safe places to nest during the winter months well in advance of the bad weather setting in.

Keep this in mind: cold will increase the calorie requirements that

birds have and it will happen right at the time that normal food becomes harder to get. The insects stop flying and wiggling around, tree buds are suddenly iced over, wild fruits are no longer growing, and so on. So, birds have to be ready for the weather, which is why they take plenty of time to figure out where the food supply will be when they will really need it. They note where food will be available, they locate alternatives when it comes to natural food sources, and they take inventory of contingent provisions.

It's always a good thing to have your yard included in their inventories of where food will be. If birds discover that your yard is worth visiting, they will remember that. And, when they first snow storm hits that kills off their natural food sources, they'll be in your yard right away. Chirping, hungry, and calling to their friends that they found food.

To attract these birds to your yard, you want to make sure that you offer a variety of the following foods:

1. Black oil sunflowers

2. White millet

3. Niger

4. Safflower

5. Cracked corn

6. Broken nuts

7. Suet (in hanging baskets for woodpeckers)

8. Chopped up fruits (for birds of all types)

You can buy these seeds and feed at most major discount stores, and at specialty pet or animal stores. If you are interested in buying fruits for the birds, make sure that you read up on the particular fruits that are native to your area, such as apples, peaches, strawberries, and more. These are the fruits that will attract birds that will stay throughout the winter.

In the next part of this "how to" blog, we'll show you other tricks that you can use to ensure that birds are constantly visiting your yard throughout the winter months as well as breeding there.

Birlds of Birdland: The Violetear

The Violetear is a bery unique hummingbird that belongs to the genus Colibri. They are a larger species that is found in Mexico, as well as central and northern South America. In fact, the Green Violetear can even wander as far north as the United States, and sometimes Canada.

These hummingbirds have large, rounded tails and short to medium length black bills. Three of the four different species of Violetears have green plumage as their main color. The males will have a violet blue area running down their back starting from their eye, which stands out when they are excited as well as a beautiful, glittering throat patch. The female looks very close to the male, but the patches on their ears and throats are much smaller.

The Violetear builds a large cup nest that they lay only two white eggs into. They do have a very loud, persistent song, which usually is made up of several repetitions of double notes.

For those that live in the areas where they like to roam, they love artificial

nectar feeders and they are not fearful of humans at all. But, they are very agressively territorial to other hummingbirds and they will sometimes spend their time chasing off other hummingbirds from feeders, flowering shrubs, and more.

They are very beautiful hummingbirds and some that any bird watcher would love to see in their yards. Make sure that you have plenty of flowering shrubs around to attract hummingbirds and keep those pesky kitties out of your yard.

Birds of Birdland: Frogmouth

One of the newer birds in Birdland, the Frogmouth, is a bird that might not be familiar to some throughout the US and UK. That is because the Frogmouth is native to India, southern Asia, and Australia. These beautiful nocturnal birds are closely related to the Nightjars and have flat hooked bills and a frog-like gape, which they use to eat insects. Throughout the day time, they will rest on branches, relying on their plumage to camouflage them to predators. They love forks in tree branches, and this is where you will find them the most.

The largest of the Frogmouth species is pretty much restricted to New Guinea and Australia and have extremely large, broad bills, They are usually known to take in larger prey, such as frogs, mice, and so on, and they are known to sometimes beat their prey against a stone before they swallow it. There are actuall ten different types of Frogmouth species that are found in tropical Asia, and have smaller more rounded bills. Since they mainly eat insects, their bills are not nearly as impressive as the larger Frogmouth birds are. Both the large and smaller Frogmouth birds have bristles around the base of their bill, with the smaller of the species having longer bristles that are thought to help protect their eyes from the insects that they prey upon.

In 2007, a whole new species of Frogmouth was found on the Solomon Islands and has since established a whole new genus of them. Of course, new research has found that the Frogmouth species in Asia might actually be seperable as a whole new bird family instead of being as closely related to the others as once thought.

It doesn't matter what their family tree is like, the Frogmouth is a very unique bird that has some wonderfully unique characteristics. From their odd bills to the larger ones that will eat small rodents, the Frogmouth will make a welcome addition to the Birdland family and to any cage in the game!

Fun New Items In Birdland

If you haven't checked out some of the cool new things in Birdland lately, you are really missing out. From new birds to new themes, there is a lot to enjoy. And, the good thing is that most of these new items can be purchased with coins in the game. Here are the new items that have come out this week in the game:

1. New Themes:

In the themes tab of your Shop, you'll find a few new themes to love. There is the new Japanese Theme that will cost you 14 feathers, which offers you a cageless beauty to go along with several of the wonderful new birds that have come out. Plus, if you want to go for a uniquely Japanese look, there are plenty of cool items in the decorations and accessories tab that will go right along with this new theme, such as the paper lanterns and birdhouses.

The new pink night theme also offers you a beautiful way to integrate some of those wonderful elven and castle themed items into your cage with a completely different look. This new theme will only cost you 10,000 coins, which means that you won't have to have feathers to purchase it.

2. New Birds:

There are several new birds that Birdland has introduced this week,

including three beautiful variations of Violetear. The Green Violetear will cost you 5 feathers and is available at low levels of the game. It sells for 3000 coins if you breed them together and sell the offspring. The Black Violetear is a lower-mid level bird and you can purchase it for 7000 coins. The offspring will sell for 8000+ as well, which gives you a great way to make some cash. And, the Brown Violetear will cost you 7500 coins and sells for 8600+. You can easily purchase these three beauties and breed them for some unique combinations.

The Sri Lanka Frogmouth is also available at lower levels and will cost

you 7 feathers. It sells for 8000 coins and gives you 25 experience when you purchase it. The Marbled Frogmouth is available to you at level 48 although you can buy it early for Facebook credits if you wish.

3. New Accessories:

You'll also find the new dome birdhouse, the new stained glass swing, and the

new red stick in the store. These are available to you in the mid to upper 40's levels and you'll easily be able to dress up any cage with them.

So, if you haven't seen what all is new in Birdland this week, you are really missing out! Make sure that you head on over and check out all the great new things that the game has to offer you.

How To Adpot Specialty Birds In Birdland

As you have probably seen already, there are some popups that you'll encounter in Birdland that will ask you to either adopt or share special birds that are in trouble. Some of these include birds like Puffins, Flamingos, Owls, and Budgies. You can buy some of them with Facebook credits, and you can adopt them all out on your wall to friends. But, what if you don't want to spend Facebook credits (real money) to get these awesome birds? Here are some tips to help you out:

1. Neighbors: This is the absolute best way to get the opportunities to adopt birds. If you don't have a lot of Birdland friends and neighbors, then make sure that you read this post about getting the maximum number you possibly can without doing much work.

2. Wall Feeds: Once you have neighbors, you want to make sure that you're watching the wall feeds so that you can grab adoption birds when they pop up. The vast majority of people that play Birdland will always put up their adoptions, especially when they have goals that they are trying to reach as well. You have to be quick though, as there aren't very many birds per feed to gather.

3. Cleaning & Hatching: When friends and neighbors clean cages or hatch new birds, and then post that notification to their wall feed, you can also get a cute new bird. So, make sure that you're watching for these as well to get the most adoption birds that you possibly can.

And, of course, if you're finding that's not working for you, you can always buy some of the birds with Facebook credits when they pop up.

Here are some other great posts about Birdland that you'll want to read while you're here:

How To Level Up Faster In Birdland

Basics Of Caring For Your Birds In Birdland

How To Personalize Your Aviary In Birdland

Earning Coins With Normal Activities In Birdland

Tips For Playing The Kitchen Game In Birdland

Tips For Introducing New Foods To A Picky Bird

When it comes to your feathered friends, choosing a well balanced diet is key to keeping them healthy and happy for a long time to come. But, when you have a picky bird, it can be hard to figure out what to feed them and how to introduce new foods to them. When you are ready to give them new foods that you aren't sure if they will like or not, here are some excellent tips that can help you make an introduction easier:

Start young if you can - young birds are usually much more willing to try new foods than older birds who may be "set in their ways."

If a food is totally new to a bird, it may not even recognize it as food. Offer new food in a familiar dish with other foods you know your bird already likes, and he or she may try the new food. Even if your bird only gets a taste of the new food by accident they still might decide they like it.

Place a couple of treats such as sunflower seeds, raisins or cheerios in a dish of new food. Your bird will likely get a taste of the new food while extracting the treat (the key here is to only use a couple of the treats and make your bird dig through the new food to get to them).

Offering new foods first thing in the morning is helpful, since this is when many birds naturally forage for food. Offer new foods alone first thing in the morning, and then give them their usual food a couple of hours later.

Try different forms of new foods - some birds prefer raw vegetables to cooked, while others are the opposite. Some like cooked veggies warm, others prefer them cooled. Some birds might be more willing to taste a puree or even juice made from new vegetables.

A food that is ignored in a food dish might be eaten if offered in a clip on the side of the cage or in a play area. Try weaving greens through the bars of the cage, and using a clip for slices of vegetable or fruits.

Offer a chunk of corn on the cob, which many birds like to gnaw on.

Bright orange or yellow fruits and vegetables often attract attention Try a mix of brightly colored veggies, in bite sized pieces and mixed together (cooked or raw).

Give leafy greens freshly washed and still wet and hung from a clip. The droplets of water may attract your birds attention.

Offer foods after you have a bite - watching you eat the food may be all the temptation your parrot needs. Try making a fuss, acting like this is the best food you have ever had, and maybe even feed some to another family member to help convice your parrot that this is something he/she really wants to eat!

Most birds enjoy eating freshly sprouted seeds, which are an excellent source of nutrition and are often helpful in enticing birds to make the leap from seeds to greens.

Never starve a bird into trying a new food.

Keep in mind that your bird might take a few tries with a new food or treat before they even go near it. So, don't worry if they don't take to it right away. Also, make sure that you don't leave a new treat in their cage until it rots and can cause health problems for your new bird.

Bird Diets: Seeds Vs. Pellets

When it comes to finding the right bird feed for your pet bird, how do you know what's the right type of feed for them: seeds or pellets? Well, let's take a look at both sides so that you can see what might be the best for your bird.

Now, keep in mind that in the wild, birds have a very large variety of what they can eat and they will not get that as a caged bird. Also, you should know that with just seeds or pellets, a bird cannot get the balanced nutrition that it needs like it will get in the wild. Pellets do a better job of providing a more balanced diet than just seeds do. But, either way, a bird's diet should always be supplemented with tons of fruit, vegetables, and other goodies that will help to ensure that they are getting the vitamins, nutrients, and minerals that they require to be healthy.

Birds should be fed quality commercial pellets as a staple in their diets. They should also have a variety of fruits, veggies, and other greens on a daily basis as well. You can easily add in some seeds as a treat for them too, just make sure not to let them eat too many seeds - think of them more as "junk food" for your birds. If they are offered seeds on a daily basis instead of the healthy things that they need to eat, they will go for the seeds and that can lead to health problems in the long run for them.

When you take the time to make sure that they have a variety of different types of foods in their diet, your bird will be a much happier, healthier pet and will live a long time.

3 Great Birds For Kids

Since children are often fascinated by birds, which makes them want to own one as a pet. Of course, as parents, it can be hard to determine which bird species are the best pets for your child, especially if it is a first pet. So, to help you out a bit, here are the top three birds that make exceppent pets for children:

1. Budgies/Parakeets: There is a reason that these are the most popular pet bird species out there. Not only are they extremely colorful and fun, but they can also tolerate being handled very well. They are also very easy to care for and they can even learn to talk. Since they do have very gentle personalities, they do bond very strongly with their owners, which makes them excellent pets for kids.

2. Cockatiels: This is the largest bird on this list and do very will with older children that will devote a lot of time interacting with them. Since Cockatiels can easily learn to talk, whistle, and do tons of other tricks, it makes them a delightful pet for children to have. They do require time out of their cages and they do require a bit more care than budgies or our next bird on the list. So, you want to make sure that you learn a lot about them before buying one for your child.

3. Finches & Canaries: These are by far the easiest to care for as they don't require a lot of interaction by you or your child. They are very pretty birds, which make them great for young children, and they sing a lot, which gives your child some wonderful "music" to listen to. Finches don't care too much for interaction with humans, so if you decide to get one, make sure that you get at least a pair so they won't get lonely. Now, you cannot take them out of their cage and handle them, as they can easily get hurt, so these are not the right pet for your child if they want a bird that they can interact with.

Overall, any of these three species make excellent pets for beginners or children. Just make sure that you do read up on the care, diet, and overall health concerns for each one before you head out to the pet store to get a new friend.

How To Choose The Right Avian Vet

When it comes to your feathered friend, getting sick is just part of life. But what do you do when they get sick? How do you find the right vet that knows what they are doing and how to care for your bird? Since a bird's anatomy is very different than a normal cat or dog, you have to find a vet that can provide the specialized care that a bird needs. For new bird owners, you probably have a ton of questions about how to choose the right avian vet. So, here are some things that you can do find the right one for you:

1. Location: A lot of times, the hardest part about finding the right vet for your bird is locating one. Since the Internet is a major part of our lives today, it's much easier to find a vet that is close to you. One of the best places to start is to look at the yellow pages online for veterinarians that specalize in avian or even exotic medicine. Normally these vets will advertise that they do these types of animals so people can find them easier and they will also advertise their qualifications as well. You can also look at the Association of Avian Veterinarians' web site to find a vet near you that takes care of birds as well. They always maintain a list of vets that are qualified to care for companion birds and also have a great vet locator that will help you find one close by.

2. Preliminary Appointment: When you do find a vet close to you, don't just go in and let them work on your bird without finding out what you want to know - and don't wait until your bird is sick. Instead, schedule an appointment with the vet and take your bird with you to just talk to them and introduce yourself and your bird. This will also help your bird feel at easy and help them to know the vet before they are sick and might be a bit cranky towards new people.

3. Questions: Of course, there are some questions that you should ask the vet. Some of these questions include things like:

A. How long have you been treating birds? Keep in mind that experience is the best teacher and you want to find a vet that has a solid background in avian medicine so that you will know your bird is in the best possible hands.

B. How familiar they are with your species of bird? Make sure that you find out how much experience they have in dealing with your specific type of bird. Different birds are all treated and react differently to different medical procedures, so you want to know that the vet you have chosen is familiar with your species of bird, such as what treatment work and what don't.

C. Are they a member of the AAV? It doesn't hurt to ask this, and you want to make sure that the vet you choose is a member of the AAV so that they are held to a higher standard of care.

D. Do they have birds at home? While this might seem like a personal question, don't hesitate to ask it. Those that have birds of any type at home are more likely to know a bird's body language and how to look for signs of them being sick better than those that don't keep birds at their home.

E. Do they have emergency or after-hours care? Most vets offer this today, and you want to make sure that they one you choose for your bird does as well. After all, accidents can happen at any time - day or night.

F. How much do their services cost for birds? Since vet visits can be costly, you want to know in advance how much an emergency visit might cost and have that money set back just in case.

G. Do they recommend normal check ups? Many avian vets will recommend that birds have a well check at least once per year, so that they can help you keep your bird in shape and healthy.

A good vet will answer all of your questions and address concerns without hesitation and you want to make sure that you watch the way that they handle and relate to your bird during your first visit. You want them to be comfortable with your bird and make sure that their staff makes an effort to make things less stressful for your bird. If you or your bird isn't comfortable with them, they might not be the right vet for you.

Breeding Cockatiels In Your Cages for Coins

In Birdland, the name of the game is earning coins to buy bigger and better things and birds. To do this, you can work forever buying and selling Budgies, or you can find a better way. One of the easiest ways to build up a massive coin bank is by buying, breeding, and selling Cockatiels.

To start out, you will want to buy at least two Cockatiels, preferrably one white and one gray - but it doesn't matter which color you prefer. The gray ones will cost you 15,000 coins (yes sounds like a lot but the turnover is great) and the white ones will cost you 15 feathers. Just make sure that you have a male and a female so that you can breed them. Take care of them until they are grown.

When you start breeding, you want to make sure that you have plenty of room in your cage and breed them as often as you possibly can. Now, the good thing is that even though the white Cockatiels only sell for 6000 coins, when you breed them with the gray ones, they are now worth 13,000+ and when you breed the gray ones together, they are now worth 18,000+.

You will get all sorts of different color variations when you breed the white and gray together. Some of these include solid yellow, a mix of gray, white, and yellow, as well as some with turquoise spots on their faces. If you are breeding two gray ones together, you will always bank a profit of 3000+ coins. If you are breeding a white and a gray together, you can bank anywhere from a 2000 to an 8000+ profit, depending on the color variation. Plus, once you get to the point where you're breeding and selling the ones that you've already bred from (and didn't pay for), you will start making a 12,000-18,000+ profit per bird.

So, if you don't have Cockatiels in one of your cages that you're breeding and selling, make sure that you start doing so. By breeding and selling them, you'll find that your coins will quickly go up by leaps and bounds.

Want to know more about Cockatiels in general? Check out these great posts here on our Birdland blog:

Birds of Birdland: The Cockatiel

Teaching Your Bird the "Step-Up" Command

Top 5 Popular Bird Species

Fun New Farm Items In Birdland

For those that haven't checked into Birdland lately, there are some sweet new decorations that you will want to check out. Here are some of the latest and greatest that you have to see:

Farm Well: Own a chicken farm? Looking for something else to dress it up? The Farm Well will help you provide a wonderful way for your chickens to feel at home on the farm. It will cost you 5 feathers, and sells for 7000 coins, buying one will gain you 7 experience points.

Hay Bale: What respectable farm would be complete without some hay bales lying around? If you are finding that your farm is missing some much needed decoration, then these are exactly what you need. You can buy them for 7000 coins and sell them for 1000 coins, and they'll gain you 6 experience points each.

Trough With Water: Along the same farm themed decorations line, there are some new accessories that you can use for your chicken farms. One of these is the new trough with water that you can use to give your chickens water when they need it. Of course, it's large enough that you can use it in any cage and provide more water for your birds than just the small water feeders. This will cost you 28,000 coins and sells for 6000 coins, it gains you 7 experience points.

Board With Hay: Want more farm themed accessories for your farm? The board with hay will give your chickens a wonderful place to roost when they need it. This board can go anywhere in your cage, and you can use it for both big and small chickens. This new accessory will cost you 29,000 coins and sells for 6500 coins, giving you 8 experience points.

Now, you want to make sure that you've got the chicken farm theme so that everything will look just right for your chickens in Birdland. Breeding your chickens together will also bring you some extremely interesting colors and combinations, so don't forget to breed them as often as you can!

Birds of Birdland: The Cockatiel

Known as the Cockatiel, the Quarrion, and the Weiro, this species of Cockatoo is native to Australia. They are a wonderful pet, and excellent parrot companion that is sought throughout the world as they are very easy to breed. In fact, as far as caged pet birds go, the Cockatiel is second only to the Parakete or Budgerigar.

The color of a Cockatiel will vary greatly in shade due to the melanin that provides the gray color in their feathers, eyes, beaks, and feet as well as the lipochromes that provide their yellow color throughout their faces, tails, and their orange cheek patches. Since the gray color will override the yellow and orange mostly, they are mainly grey with slight patches of color spread throughout their bodies. As males get older, the gray will diminish from their faces and they will start to show more yellow and orange.

The Cockatiel lives between 15-20 years, which makes it a wonderful companion for anyone, and there are reports of them living up to 30 years. With the proper diet and exercise, they cna easily live a very full and fun filled life with their owners.

Since they are regarded so highly as good pet birds to own, millions of people throughout the world hold them dear to their hearts. Every Cockatiel has a very different and unique personality, which also makes them an excellent pet. Sometimes these unique traits of different birds will also have an effect on how long they live and how well they get along with other birds. Some of them are extremely sociable, while others are shy and will head to the back of the cage when a stranger appears. But, if they are handled often by their owners, have owners who are patient with them and loving and caring, it is extremely easy to have them become quite tame faster than some of the other parrot species.

If you are considering getting a Cockatiel, make sure that you learn about the bird first. You'll want to make sure that you know what they like to eat, what is safe for them to play with, the best ways to handle them, and so on so that you don't accidentally hurt your new friend or make them sick.

Newest Birdland Bird: The Indian Pitta

The newest bird to grace our Birdland cages is the Indian Pitta, which is a medium-sized bird. In the wild, they are found mainly in Sub-Himalayan areas and they winter in southern India as well as Sri Lanka. They absolutely love thick undergrowth, which helps them to disguize themselves and their families. Their brilliant colors can make them a very beautiful and fun bird to watch and they are often covered in newspaper stories all around the areas that they live in.

So what is it that makes these birds so different? Well, they have a small, stubby tail and very long, strong legs. The Indian Pitta also has a beautiful buff colored crown and stripe with black coronal stripes, this black eye stripes, as well as white throats and necks. Their upper areas of their bodies are green with a blue tail, buff colored under areas, and bright red on the lower belly and vent. They usually hop along the ground through the brush to forage and they have even been known to get caught in small aminal traps.

Normally, they are heard more than they are seen and they have a very distinct whistle that is made up of two main notes, sometimes with a triple note thrown in. They normally will call once or twice, usually with other neighbor birds joining in with them, especially at dusk or dawn. For this reason, they are called the "Six-O-Clock" bird in Tamil.

While they will mainly breed in the Himalayan foothills from nothern Pakistan up to the west to at least Napal and sometimes up into the Sikkim in the east. They also have been known to breed in the central hills of India as well as Wester Ghats to the south toward Belgaum and Goa. They are so common throughout the whole area that they have been known to even show up inside some people's homes when they are exhausted from moving all around, breeding, and migrating.

Since they are a species of bird that makes seasonal movements that go along with the rains, their breeding season is suring the south-west Monsoon from June to August and normally peaks in June in central India and in July in northern India. They build small globular structures with one small, round opening on one side that is built low to the ground or on lower branches. Normally, the Indian Pitta lays four to five eggs which are glossy white and sperical with some spots and specks of deep maroon or purple.

The Indian Pitta loves to feed on small insects and other smaller invertebrates that are picked up off the ground or leaves that are littered all over the ground. Of course, they have also been noted to take food scraps from humans that have been left on the ground.

They are a very beautiful and unique bird to watch and enjoy, and if you haven't gotten yours in Birdland yet - make sure that you get a pair to breed and see what kind of unique color combinations you too can come up with. They will cost you coins, not feathers, and you have to be level 45 to buy them.

Birds of Birdland: The Starling

The Starling is a medium to small sized bird that are found in the wild in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and across the tropical Pacific. Several of these species have been introduced into the wild in North America, Hawaii, and New Zealand where they have thrived and compete with the other birds in that area for the natural habitats that they need. It is due to this that they are considered to be an invasive species, but that doesn't take away from how pretty they are and how fun they can be to watch.

Starlings are a very social bird and therefore like to live in larger, social families. Most of them will stay with flocks that vary in size throughout the year and these flocks can even include species from other families in the. It is this sociality that is fun to watch when they interact with other bird species as well as when they are roosting.

They love to eat fruits, nectar, and insects and many Starlings are key to helping disperse seeds throughout Asia and Africa, especially when it comes to tree seeds as well as parasites. Some scientists have studied the Starling eating fermenting, over-ripened fruit, which has led them to believe that they actually might become intoxicated by the alcohol in the fruit. This prompted to study how Starlings might break down the alcohol in their systems, and they found that they have disposal enzymes that helps them to break down the alcohol extremely quickly.

Although there are many types of Starlings today, there is one that is now extinct, called the Mascarene starlings. Only one of their species is known from specimens that were taken while the bird was still in existance, others are known from remains of subfossil bones and one very early traveler's description.

For those that love to bird watch at home or while on hikes or out in nature anywhere, Starlings can be an extremely fun bird to watch. Since they are so closely related to Myna birds and they are very intelligent, they can be very inquisitive and love to explore things. Building a Starling house in your back yard can also help to attract them so that you can watch them socialize, breed, and raise their young right at your side.

Sparkie Williams - An Extradorniary Budgie

Think that all parakeets are alike and won't ever learn to talk like larger parrots? Well, think again as you meet Sparkie who inspired more than just one person to work with them daily. Sparkie Williams (1954–1962) was a talking budgie who has provided the inspiration for a new opera by Michael Nyman and Carsten Nicolai. The opera was performed in Berlin in March 2009. Sparkie had a repertoire of more than 500 words and eight nursery rhymes, becoming a national celebrity after fronting an advertising campaign for Capern’s bird seed, and making a record which sold 20,000 copies. After he died, he was stuffed and put on show at Newcastle’s Hancock Museum.

Born and bred in North East England, Sparkie was owned by Mrs Mattie Williams, who lived in Forest Hall, near Newcastle-upon-Tyne. He earned his name after Mrs Williams called him ‘A bright little spark,' and she taught him to speak, recite songs and sing nursery rhymes. Sparkie had a huge repertoire of words and sayings. By the time he was three-and-a-half, he had won the BBC International Cage Word Contest in July 1958. He was so good, in fact, that he was disqualified from taking part again.

Sparkie was courted by bird seed sellers and fronted the advertisement campaign for Capern’s bird seed for two years. He was recorded talking with budgie expert Philip Marsden on BBC radio, and appeared on the BBC Tonight programme with Cliff Michelmore. When Sparkie died, he was stuffed by the best taxidermist in London and taken on a tour of Britain in an exhibition of his life and work, before coming back to the Hancock Museum in 1996. Sparkie Williams is acclaimed as the world’s most outstanding talking bird in the Guinness Book of Records.

He is now part of the collections owned by the Natural History Society of Northumbria.

The new opera inspired by Sparkie is based on Michael Nyman’s 1977 piece Pretty Talk. The original piece used material from a record made by Capern’s bird-food company to help customers teach their pet birds to talk. The 7-inch flexi disc played short sentences spoken by Sparkie’s owner, Mrs Williams, to encourage her pet to speak - followed by replies from Sparkie himself. The new opera, Sparkie: Cage and Beyond, features further recordings from the ‘Sparkie’ archives of the Natural History Society of Northumbria. A CD of Sparkie talking has already been released.

Work on a £26 million extension and refurbishing of the Hancock Museum in Newcastle will see it re-open in May 2009 as part of the Great North Museum. Sparkie will be among the exhibits on show to visitors.

So if you think that a little parakeet won't be enough to keep you happy, or that they aren't quiet as smart as other, larger parrots - think again and take another look at them the next time you head to the pet store. One of them could just be your "Sparkie".

Breeding and Health Problems In Budgies (Parakeets)

Just like any bird, Budgies can develop problems with their health or breeding. But, knowing what do to can easily help you keep your friend happy and healthy and provide another great way for you to bond with your bird. Keep in mind that most breeding and health problems are genetic in budgies, and you can normally expect them to carry on to their chicks, causing them a lower life span.

Breeding Problems

For some parakeets, breeding is just difficult for them. Sometimes the chicks can die from diseases or even attacks from adult birds in the cage. The females can fight over the brood or nesting box, and hurt the young inside. Other times, male budgies just aren't interested in the opposite sex at all and will shy away from them and not mate. Other times, it may require a small flock of the budgies for a pair to mate, such as having several pairs in a household setting where they can see each other. Other times the bird's beak can be under lapped, where the lower mandible is above the upper mandible.

If you find that any of your budgies has fatty tumors or other health problems, you should not breed them. Those that are kept for breeding should always be healthy, active, and unrelated as well. This will provide your chicks the best possible opportunity for a long, healthy life.

There is one problem that you can easily see and correct in young chicks, and that is splay leg. This normally happens when a chick cannot get a good grip on the floor of the nestbox and slips repeatedly, causing one leg to become bent outward and causing problems mating later in life. To combat this, you can simply put several pieces of paper in the bottom of the box for the female to turn into bedding for the babies.

Keep in mind that with proper care and a watchful owner's eye, any budgie can live a very long, healthy, happy life. Plus, any chicks that hatch will have the best possible opportunity to grow up and become someone's feathered friend as well.