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 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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Birds of Birdland: The Pidgeon

The Rock Dove, or Pidgeon as we commonly know them, are very intelligent, brightly colored birds that many people have come to know throughout the world. Since they love buildings and city life, it isn't uncommon to find them in just about every city in America and many others around the world. Wild Rock Pidgeons are normally a pale grey with two black bars on each of their wings, but those that have been domesticated or bred with domesticated pidgeons can be found in all different colors and patterns.

Not sure what a "normal" Pidgeon looks like? There are several different distinctions between adults and young, male and female. The adult of the nominate subspecies of the Rock Pigeon is 32–37 cm (12–14½ in) long with a 64–72 cm (25–28 in) wingspan. It has a dark bluish-gray head, neck, and chest with glossy yellowish, greenish, and reddish-purple iridescence along its neck and wing feathers. The iris is orange, red or golden with a paler inner ring, and the bare skin round the eye is bluish-grey. The bill is grey-black with a conspicuous off-white cere, and the feet are purplish-red. The adult female is almost identical to the male, but the iridescence on the neck is less intense and more restricted to the rear and sides, while that on the breast is often very obscure.

The white lower back of the pure Rock Pigeon is its best identification character, the two black bars on its pale grey wings are also distinctive. The tail has a black band on the end and the outer web of the tail feathers are margined with white. It is strong and quick on the wing, dashing out

from sea caves, flying low over the water, its lighter grey rump showing well from above. Young birds show little lustre and are duller. Eye colour of the pigeon is generally an orange colour but a few pigeons may have white-grey eyes. The eyelids are orange in colour and are encapsulated in a grey-white eye ring. The feet are red to pink.

When circling overhead, the white underwing of the bird becomes conspicuous. In its flight, behaviour, and voice, which is more of a dovecot coo than the phrase of the Wood Pigeon, it is a typical pigeon. Although it is a relatively strong flier, it also glides frequently, holding its wings in a very pronounced V shape as it does. Though fields are visited for grain and green food, it is nowhere so plentiful as to be a pest.

Pigeons feed on the ground in flocks or individually. They roost together in buildings or on walls or statues. When drinking, most birds take small sips and tilt their heads backwards to swallow the water. Pigeons are able to dip their bills into the water and drink continuously without having to tilt their heads back. When disturbed, a pigeon in a group will take off with a noisy clapping sound. Homing pigeons, are well known for their ability to find their way home from long distances. Despite these demonstrated abilities, wild Rock Pigeons are sedentary and rarely leave their local areas.

Of course while the Pidgeon is seen throughout cities all over the world, their habitats nclude various open and semi-open environments, including agricultural and urban areas. Cliffs and rock ledges are used for roosting and breeding in the wild. Originally found wild in Europe, North Africa, and western Asia, feral Rock Pigeons have become established in cities around the world. The species is abundant, with an estimated population of 17 to 28 million feral and wild birds in Europe.

Pigeons may harbour a diverse parasite fauna.[18] They often host the intestinal helminths Capillaria columbae and Ascaridia columbae. Their ectoparasites include the Ischnoceran lice Columbicola columbae, Campanulotes bidentatus compar, the Amblyceran lice Bonomiella columbae, Hohorstiella lata, Colpocephalum turbinatum, the mites Tinaminyssus melloi, Dermanyssus gallinae, Dermoglyphus columbae, Falculifer rostratus, and Diplaegidia columbae. The hippoboscid fly Pseudolynchia canariensis is a typical blood-sucking ectoparasite of pigeons, found only in (sub-)tropical regions.

Pigeons have been falsely associated with the spread of human diseases. Contact with pigeon droppings poses a minor risk of contracting histoplasmosis, cryptococcosis, and psittacosis. Pigeons are not a major concern in the spread of West Nile virus; though they can contract it, they do not appear to be able to transmit it. Pigeons are, however, at potential risk for carrying and spreading avian influenza. Although one study has shown that adult pigeons are not clinically susceptible to the most dangerous strain of avian influenza, the H5N1, other studies have presented definitive evidence of clinical signs and neurological lesions resulting from infection. Furthermore, it has been shown that pigeons are susceptible to other strains of avian influenza, such as the H7N7, from which at least one human fatality has been recorded.

Rock Pigeons have been domesticated for several thousand years, giving rise to the domestic pigeon (Columba livia domestica). As well as pets, domesticated pigeons are utilised as homing pigeons and carrier pigeons, and so-called war pigeons have served and played important roles during wartimes, with many pigeons having received bravery awards and medals for their services in saving hundreds of human lives: including, notably, the French pigeon Cher Ami who received the Croix de Guerre for his heroic actions during World War I, and the Irish Paddy and the American G.I. Joe, who both received the Dickin Medal, amongst 32 pigeons to receive this medallion, for their gallant and brave actions during World War II. There are numerous breeds of fancy pigeons of all sizes, colours and types.

Many domestic birds have escaped or been released over the years, and have given rise to the feral pigeon. These show a variety of plumages, although some have the blue barred pattern like the pure Rock Pigeon does. Feral pigeons are found in large numbers in cities and towns all over the world. The scarcity of the pure wild species is partly due to interbreeding with feral birds.

Birds of Birdland: Pelicans

Most people have seen a pelican either in photographs, in nature books, at the zoo, or even in the wild. They are an odd but familiar sight, and they are fun birds to watch. In Birdland, you can find a pelican to adopt out to your friends or purchase for yourself with Facebook credits, and here are the basics about pelicans that every bird lover will want to know.

Pelicans are large birds with large pouched bills. The smallest is the Brown Pelican, small individuals of which can be as little as 6 lb, and 42 in long and can have a wingspan of as little as 6 ft. The largest is believed to be the Dalmatian Pelican, at up to 33 lb, 72 in long, with a maximum wingspan of nearly 10 foot. But, the Australian Pelican has the longest bill of any bird. Pelicans swim very well with their short, strong legs especially since their feet have all four toes webbed. Their tail is short and square, with 20 to 24 feathers and is one of the main noticable signs of the pelican. The wings are long and have the unusually large number of 30 to 35 secondary flight feathers. A layer of special fibers deep in the breast muscles can hold the wings rigidly horizontal for gliding and soaring. Thus they can exploit thermals to commute over 100 miles to feeding areas. Pelicans rub the backs of their heads on their preen glands to pick up its oily secretion, which they transfer to their plumage to waterproof it.

The diet of a Pelican usually consists of fish, but they also eat amphibians, crustaceans and on some occasions, smaller birds. They often catch fish by expanding the throat pouch. Then they must drain the pouch above the surface before they can swallow. This operation takes up to a minute, during which time other seabirds are particularly likely to steal the fish. Pelicans in their turn sometimes pirate prey from other seabirds. The white pelicans often fish in groups. They will form a line to chase schools of small fish into shallow water, and then scoop them up. Large fish are caught with the bill-tip, then tossed up in the air to be caught and slid into the gullet head first. The Brown Pelican of North America usually plunge-dives for its prey. Rarely, other species such as the Peruvian Pelican and the Australian Pelican practice this method.

Pelicans are gregarious and nest colonially. The ground-nesting (white) species have a complex communal courtship involving a group of males chasing a single female in the air, on land, or in the water while pointing, gaping, and thrusting their bills at each other. They can finish the process in a day. The tree-nesting species have a simpler process in which perched males advertise for females. In all species copulation begins shortly after pairing and continues for 3 to 10 days before egg-laying. The male brings the nesting material, ground-nesters (which may not build a nest) sometimes in the pouch and tree-nesters crosswise in the bill. The female then heaps the material up to form a simple structure.

Both sexes incubate with the eggs on top of or below the feet. They may display when changing shifts. All species lay at least two eggs, and hatching success for undisturbed pairs can be as high as 95 percent, but because of competition between siblings or outright siblicide, usually all but one nestling dies within the first few weeks (or later in the Pink-backed and Spot-billed species). The young are fed copiously. Before or especially after being fed, they may seem to have a seizure that ends in falling unconscious; the reason is not clearly known. Parents of ground-nesting species have another strange behavior: they sometimes drag older young around roughly by the head before feeding them. The young of these species gather in "pods" or "crèches" of up to 100 birds in which parents recognize and feed only their own offspring. By 6 to 8 weeks they wander around, occasionally swimming, and may practice communal feeding.

Young of all species fledge 10 to 12 weeks after hatching. They may remain with their parents afterwards, but are now seldom or never fed. Overall breeding success is highly inconsistent. Pairs are monogamous for a single season, but the pair bond extends only to the nesting area; mates are independent away from the nest.

While pelicans are found all over the world, they are very sensitive to environmental damage that is done to their homes. The Pelican environment suffered significant ecosystem damage from the 2010 Gulf of Mexico petroleum disaster. Dead pelicans were seen on Raccoon Island, the largest pelican rookery in Louisiana. Rebuilt after Hurricane Katrina, it was home to more than 60,000 pelicans, but since the oil spill mature pelicans are scarce. Instead, there are thousands of dead birds and emaciated and abandoned juvenile and baby birds.

New Items In Birdland

If you haven't logged into Birdland in a while, you're missing out on some great new birds, items, and more. Birdland is constantly giving us bigger and better things to strive for in our cages and they have released some beautiful new birds for us to collect, raise, and breed as well as some beautiful new birdhouses and new themes to decorate our cages with. Here is what you want to know about these latest additions to the game:

Birds:

There are three new types of birds, the Hoopoe, the Hornbill, and the Pidgeon.

Hoopoe - The Fan Hoopoe is available on the first page of the "Birds" tab in the Store and you'll find that they are very colorful and beautiful birds that you can collect. You can buy them for 1350 Birdland coins and sell them for 1500 coins.

Hornbills - There are a few different colors of Hornbills that you can choose

from now in Birdland. The Green Billed Hornbill can be bought for 18 Feathers and sold for 10,000 coins. The Purple Billed Hornbill can be bought for 20 Feathers and sold for 11,000 coins. The Red Billed Hornbill is unlocked at level 50.

Pidgeons - Of course, there are also some new pidgeons that you can purchase as well. These include the normal pidgeon that can be bought for 5000 coins and sold for 6000 coins, the Pink-headed Fruit pidgeon that is bought for 10,000 coins and sells for 12,000 coins, and the green pidgeon that is unlocked at level 45.

Decorations:

What would new birds be without new decorations? Birdland hasn't let us down here either. Here are some of the new decorations that you'll find:

Farm Well - Can be bought for 5 Feathers and sold for 7000 coins, giving you 7 experience.

Hay Bale - Can be bought for 7000 coins and sold for 1000 coins, giving you 6 experience.

Accessories:

Of course, your new birds need new accessories as well to fix their cages up so they feel at home. Here are the new accessories that you'll find in Birdland:

Trough with Water - This can be bought for 28,000 coins and sold for 6,000 coins, giving you 7 experience points.

Board with hay - This can be bought for 29,000 coins and sold for 6,500 coins, giving you 8 experience points.

Asian Birdhouse - This can be bought for 21,000 coins and sold for 3,000 coins, giving you 13 experience points.

Elvish Birdhouse - This can be bought for 22,000 coins and sold for 4,000 coins, giving you 14 experience points.

Themes:

The new castle theme is now available in the Store and will cost you 15 Feathers to purchase it. Make any bird feel at home with this open theme!

So, make sure that you've logged into your cages and checked out the sweet new things that Birdland has to offer.

Hygiene and Pet Birds

A lot of hard work can go into keeping our pet birds healthy and happy, but one of the most important points to remember is to practice proper hygiene around your bird. Read on for some simple hygiene tips that will help make sure that both your bird and your family aren't put at risk for illness or disease.

Wash your hands. While it's true that there are some diseases people can catch from pet birds, it's far more common for pet birds to catch diseases from their owners. Make sure that everyone stays healthy by washing your hands both before and after you handle your bird.

Keep the cage clean. Making sure that you clean your bird's cage properly can go a long way in reducing bacteria growth in your pet's living space -- which therefore reduces the risk of illness to your bird as well as any people that come into contact with it.

Be careful sharing food. While sharing fresh foods with your bird is a great bonding exercise, bacteria can be transmitted between you and your bird if you allow him to eat or drink from dishes that you are using. To stay on the safe side, fix a small dish of food especially for your bird. He will likely enjoy having his very own plate!

If you keep these tips in mind, you will greatly reduce the chances of passing disease to your bird, as well as catching a disease from your feathered friend. As always, safety first!

Tips For Taming Aggressive Birds

There is no such thing as a mean bird. It's true! There are, however, birds that are fearful, and birds with emotional problems that cause them to want to avoid handling at all costs. When birds with these problems find themselves in pet situations, it can be disastrous for both bird and owner.

If your pet bird bites you when you try to handle it, it is critical that you address the issue. To do this, you must set aside time each day to work on handling your feathered friend. When working with your pet, use the following tips and techniques to help your pet understand that handling is safe and fun.

1. Move to a neutral location. If possible, move your bird's cage to a neutral location during training sessions. Removing a bird from its "territory" can sometimes make it more willing to cooperate with its owner.

2. Have no fear. If your bird lunges at your fingers when you place your hand in its cage, try not to jerk away suddenly out of fear. Your swift movements will likely make your bird even more nervous and apprehensive.

3. Use tools when necessary. If your bird is so aggressive that you cannot safely place your hand inside its cage, try wearing thick oven mitts on your hands. If your bird bites the mitt, gently push in towards his beak rather than pulling away. This will eventually teach him that no matter how hard he bites you, he cannot make your hand disappear.

4. Never yell at your bird. Raising your voice in anger (or pain) will not make your bird understand that he has done wrong. In fact, it is more likely to reinforce your bird's bad behavior as he will love getting a such a big reaction out of you.

5. Try bearing gifts. Offer your bird treats and speak in a soothing voice when you are trying to handle him. Using treats and praise will help your pet be more willing to interact with you.

6. Repetition is key. Make time to work with your bird at least once a day to ensure taming success. It sometimes takes a while to build up trust with a bird. Don't give up!

7. Don't overwork your bird. Keep training sessions at a fifteen minute maximum initially. Birds are intelligent and sensitive creatures, and they need to have some fun in order to maintain their mental health and keep from becoming stressed.

If you follow these guidelines and put in the neccesary effort, chances are you will be able to tame your pet in a relatively short amount of time. If your bird is so aggressive that you cannot attempt any of these training exercises, the first thing you should do is visit your avian veterinarian to rule out any health concerns. If there are no physical reasons for your pet's undesirable behavior, contact a certified parrot behavior consultant for an expert opinion on your situation.

Easy Ways to Bond With Your Bird

Taking time to bond with your bird is essential to building a long lasting and successful relationship with your pet. Birds are not domesticated and operate with a flock mentality, so forming a bond with your pet is crucial to helping him understand that you are his friend. The strength of the bond between you and your bird will greatly influence the quality of your pet's life, as well as your ownership experience. If you need help bonding with your bird, try these effective ways of helping shy birds warm up to you. They will likely help if you find that your relationship with your pet could use some work.

1. Try Sharing Meals With Your Bird - Sharing your food with your bird is a great way to help him see you as part of his flock. In the wild, bonded birds regurgitate food for one another, so sharing a meal can go a long way in helping your bird realize that you mean no harm. If you choose to offer your bird a tasty treat from your plate, make sure that the food you are sharing is free of salt and seasonings and is safe for birds to eat. If your bird is hesitant about trying a food at first, put a bite into his bowl and eat your portion in front of him. Speak softly and talk about how good the food is. Believe it or not, it often works!

2. Make Time to Socialize - Some birds, particularly those that have been rehomed or rescued, may not have had much exposure to humans during their lifetime. Worse still, some may have had very negative experiences concerning people. The best way to deal with problems like these is to desensitize the bird to your presence. If your bird gets nervous every time you come around, slowly start to take 5 to 10 minutes a day to sit near your bird and talk to him. Be careful not to make any sudden moves around the bird, and talk in a happy, animated voice. As your bird gets more comfortable around you, you can begin to spend longer periods of time with him.

3. Try Some Grooming Sessions - Grooming is the first thing in nature that forms a bond between families. Since the point of bonding with your bird is to get him to accept you as a family member, grooming can be a great way to get the message across if the bird will tolerate handling. If the bird will allow you to, try gently scratching the back of his head or helping him out with a few pinfeathers. Once your bird begins to trust you more, you may even decide to invest in a shower perch so that your feathered friend can join you in the tub!

4. Let the Music Move You - Wild birds have two main forms of communication: their voices, and body language. As bird owners, we can use this knowledge to help ourselves bond more closely with our captive pets. If it seems like your bird doesn't view you as much of a friend, then try singing some of your favorite songs to your pet and dancing around. It sounds a bit silly, but most birds can't resist joining in the fun. You may even want to play some of these popular songs about birds to help set the mood.

5. Try Some Good Old Fashioned Bribery - One way to entice shy birds out of the cage to play is to bribe them. Try making up a batch of homemade bird toys and place some in your pet's cage for him to enjoy. Make notes of the ones that seem to be his favorites, and then try "decorating" your shirt with them while standing near an open cage door. This may help your bird see how much fun you can be, and is sometimes an offer that even very timid birds can't refuse.

Top 10 Common Foods that Can Poison Your Bird

Because birds are such social creatures, many owners allow their pets to be included at mealtime. While sharing food with your bird is a lot of fun - not to mention wonderful for your pet's emotional health - there are many common human foods that can be harmful or even fatal to your bird. Owners need to know which foods are fine for sharing, and which pose a serious risk. Read on to find out the top ten foods that are hazardous to your bird's health.

1. Chocolate

Chocolate is a wonderful treat to share with human family members, but it can be harmful or fatal to your pet bird. Chocolate poisoning first affects a bird's digestive system, causing vomiting and diarrhea. As the condition progresses, the bird's central nervous system is affected, first causing seizures and eventually death.

2. Apple Seeds

Believe it or not, apples - along with other members of the rose family including cherries, peaches, apricots, and pears - contain trace amounts of Cyanide within their seeds. While the fruit of the apple is fine for your bird, be aware that in addition to the poisonous seeds, there may be pesticides present on the fruit's skin. Be sure to thoroughly cleanse and core any apple pieces that you share with your bird to avoid exposure to these toxins.

3. Avocado

The skin and pit of this popular fruit had been known to cause cardiac distress and eventual heart failure in pet bird species. Although there is some debate to the degree of toxicity of avocados, it is generally advised to adopt a "better safe than sorry" attitude toward them and keep guacomole and other avocado products as far away from pet birds as possible.

4. Onions

While the use of limited amounts of onion or garlic powders as flavorings is generally regarded as acceptable, excessive consumption of onions causes vomiting, diarrhea, and a host of other digestive problems. It has been found that prolonged exposure can lead to a blood condition called hemolytic anemia, which is followed by respiratory distress and eventual death.

5. Alcohol

Although responsible bird owners would never dream of offering their pet an alcoholic drink, there have been instances in which free roaming birds have attained alcohol poisoning through helping themselves to unattended cocktails. Alcohol depresses the organ systems of birds and can be fatal. Make sure that your bird stays safe by securing him in his cage whenever alcohol is served in your home.

6. Mushrooms

Mushrooms are a type of fungus, and have been known to cause digestive upset in companion birds. Caps and stems of some varieties can induce liver failure.

7. Tomato Leaves

Tomatoes, like potatoes and other nightshades, have a tasty fruit that is fine when used as a treat for your bird. The stems, vines, and leaves, however, are highly toxic to your pet. Make sure that any time you offer your bird a tomato treat it has been properly cleaned and sliced, with the green parts removed, so that your bird will avoid exposure to any toxins.

8. Salt

While all living beings need regulated amounts of sodium in their systems, too much salt can lead to a host of health problems in birds, including excessive thirst, dehydration, kidney dysfunction, and death. Be sure to keep watch over the amount of salty foods your bird consumes.

9. Caffiene

Caffinated beverages such as soda, coffee, and tea are popular among people - but allowing your bird to indulge in these drinks can be extremely hazardous. Caffeine causes cardiac malfunction in birds, and is associated with increased heartbeat, arrhythmia, hyperactivity, and cardiac arrest. Share a healthy drink of pure fruit or vegetable juice with your bird instead - this will satisfy both your bird's tastebuds and nutritional requirements.

10. Dried Beans

Cooked beans are a favorite treat of many birds, but raw, dry bean mixes can be extremely harmful to your pet. Uncooked beans contain a poison called hemaglutin which is very toxic to birds. To avoid exposure, make sure to thoroughly cook any beans that you choose to share with your bird.

How To Boost Your Bird's Diet At Home

Sure, it's easy to go out and buy a bag or box of bird feed, throw it in the dish and be done. But, just like humans, birds need variety and some extra boosts to their diet to help keep them healthy and happy. Believe it or not, but there are plenty of "human" foods that are good for your birds. Here are some tips that will help you boost your bird's diet at home without doing a lot of extra work:

Boost Tip #1: Raw is better than cooked - When feeding fresh fruits and

vegetables to a bird, offer them raw. Cooking drains the food of precious nutrients that could benefit your feathered friend. Check with your vet, online, or with your local pet store to see what types of fresh fruits and veggies your particular breed of bird likes best.

Boost Tip #2: Skip the seasonings - Although a little crushed pepper usually doesn't hurt, salt some other seasonings can be extremely harmful to a pet bird. It's best to leave the flavor as nature intended it - your bird will love it!

Boost Tip #3: If cooking, cook wisely - If you do choose to feed your bird

a cooked dish, pasta, for example, make sure to prepare it in cookware that does not have a non-stick coating. Stainless steel is preferred, as it won't contaminate the food.

Boost Tip #4: Make sure the foods you offer aren't poisonous to birds - There are, in fact, some "people foods" that are toxic to pet birds, and should never be offered, not even as a treat. Be sure to know what these foods are so that you never serve them to your feathered friend.

Boost Tip #5: Introduce fresh foods slowly - Some pet birds, particularly those used to seed and pellet diets, may not be interested in fresh foods right away. When introducing new foods, be sure to offer your bird his regular diet as well, to prevent possible weight loss and illness.

Simply follow these boost tips and it won't be long before you are boosting your bird's diet, health, and happiness in a safe way that they will love.

Daily & Weekly Bird Cage Care

Owning real birds can be a chore and seem a bit daunting if you don't quite know what you're doing. Here are some daily cage care tips to help get you started:

1. Change the cage liner: There are many reasons for this, but the main one is for sanitation. It is very unhealthy for birds to walk around in their droppings and discarded food. Plus, when papers aren't changed in a cage, it can make a very bad odor. Simply change out the newspaper in the bottom of your bird's cages on a daily basis and you won't have to worry about your birds or how they smell.

2. Clean food and water: Make sure that your birds have fresh, clean water and fresh food on a daily basis. This will ensure that no bacteria grow in either dish and that your pets stay healthy and happy.

3. Wipe down surfaces with a pet-friendly: Use a damp rag or paper towel and "spot clean" the surfaces of the cage, such as the bars, toys, and perches, to help keep everything sanitary and clean. You can find pet-friendly cleaning products online or at your local pet store.

Here are some weekly cleaning tips to help you out:

1. Wash the cage tray: You need to completely take out and scrub the bottom tray of your bird's cage on a weekly basis. This is the area that the liners or newspaper is placed on. Remember to make sure that this is completely dry before you replace it or you can make a breeding ground for bacteria that can harm your bird.

2. Remove and clean the grate: For those cages that have grates at the bottom, this needs to be removed and cleaned on a weekly basis too. The grate is the part of the cage that is above the tray and looks like bars going across the bottom of the cage. Some cages have this and some don't, if yours does, it will need to be cleaned and scrubbed on a daily basis.

3. Clean and change out perches: Take out the perches in the cage, soak them and scrub them on a weekly basis. It helps to have several different perches that you can trade out so you can make sure the perches have been soaked and cleaned effectively and so your bird won't get bored too easily.

4. Clean and change out toys: Same as with the perches, you need to take the toys out of your bird's cage on a weekly basis and soak and scrub them. It also helps to have several different types of toys to trade out each week to ensure that your bird doesn't get bored.

Here are some monthly cleaning tips:

1. Each month, you want to take the cage completely apart and scrub it down well. Make sure that it is dry before you put everything back together so that you don't start bacteria breeding or end up with a sick bird.

2. Use a good scrub brush with hard bristles that will get all of the nasty junk off the cage and accessories when you clean them.

3. Use a good pet-friendly cleaning product on your cage, one that won't harm your bird.

4. Make sure that you scrub in the cracks good as well otherwise you will end up with germs and bacteria growing again and again.

New Daily Rewards!

Many games on Facebook are turning to daily rewards as a way of getting players to play on a daily basis. Sure, it's cool to get 250 coins for logging in on that first day, but Birdland makes it even better when you get to the latter rewards and gain new, unique birds as well as free feathers. If you haven't logged in today, make sure that you do and start collecting your rewards now. Here's the low down on this change in Birdland:

The first day that you log in, you'll get 250 coins. Second day, 500 coins is your reward.

According to the Birdland main page, you'll also get a Fire Macaw and a unique Gray Owl as rewards on the next couple of days. Then, on the 5th day, you gain 5 free feathers - which is an excellent gift, I might add!

The birds that are offered as daily gifts are really neat and will make excellent additions to any cage, as well as give you something unique to breed your current birds with.

So if you haven't logged in today - make sure that you do. And, make sure that you visit our Birdland fan page and add your name to the Neighbor's list to gain some new friends.

Birds of Birdland: The Puffin

The Puffin is an extremely unique looking bird that just about everyone will recognize. There are only three species of the Puffin, all with very brightly colored beaks to help them in breeding season. Puffins are all seabirds that feed like penguins do, by diving down into the water for their food and they have adapted their wings for mainly swimming instead of flight so that they can gather more food, but they can still fly. They also live like penguins do, in large colonies on coastal cliffs or on offshore islands where they won't be bothered too much by people and other predators. Two breeds of Puffins are found in the Northern Pacific Ocean, while the other is found in the Northern Atlantic Ocean areas.

All Puffins have black, or black and white, plumage and are very small, stocky birds. After breeding season, they shed their bright, outter areas of their bills and use the small, duller beak that is underneath. They have a black cap on their heads, their faces are maily white, and they have very bright orange-red feet. When they are in their colonies, they can be very vocal and loud, although when they are at sea feeding, they are silent. When they fly to get food out in the ocean, they will actually fly a lot higher than some other sea birds, about 10 meters (or 30 feet) above the water, while other birds of similar type will only fly about 1.6 meters (or 5 feet) above the water.

Puffins breed in their large colonies on islands and coastal areas. Both sexes will help to build the nest for the young and each different species will build a different type of nest. For example, the Atlantic Puffin will build a nest that is strong and sturdy on the same area as other puffins in their colony. Horned Puffins actually burrow about 1 meter deep, that ends in a large chamber. And, the Tufted Puffin will also burrow with a tunnel that can be up to 2.75 meters (or 9 feet) long. They will also line these burrows with feathers, grass, and leaves, as well as other items that will help to keep the babies warm and cozy if mom and dad have to step out for a while.

Puffins are another bird species that form a long-term breeding relationship together. The female will lay the single egg and then both parents take turns incubating it and feeding the baby chick. While the other parent is out, the parent that is incubating the egg or chick will hold it against it's brood patch with it's wings to ensure that it gets the maximum body heat possible to keep the egg warm. After the chicks hatch, they spend the first few years of

their lives at sea, only returning to breed after about five years. Of course, Puffins that have been in captivity have been known to breed after only three years. When breeding season is over, all of the three Puffin species will winter at sea, far from the coast and can even head south past their normal breeding range.

Unfortunately, Puffins are hunted for their feathers, meat and eggs, which has led to the Atlantic Puffin's population becoming severely low during the 1800's and early 1900's. This has caused several conservation groups to form to help save the Puffins, even though they continue to be hunted in Iceland and the Faroe Islands. In Iceland, the Puffin is part of the national diet, because the species does not have legal protection there. They are hunted by a technique called "Sky fishing" where nets are thrown over low-flying birds.

SOS Puffin is the conservation project that is based from the Scottish Seabird Center in North Berwick to help save the puffins on the islands in the Firth or Forth. The numbers on the islands were once the largest colony recorded, at over 28,000 pairs. But, the numbers have crashed recently to only a few thousand due to an odd plant called the Tree Mallow that has taken over the island and prevented the Puffin from reaching their homes and burrows.

Puffins are never kept as pets as they are a protected species throughout the world. So, the only way that many people will ever own one is here on Birdland. Make sure that you find out about the different conservation efforts for the Puffin and help do your part to ensure that they remain part of our world for generations to come.

New Goals In Birdland

Looking for something new to work toward in Birdland? Well, now the game has offered goals for you to reach for that will earn you some great coins, experience, and prizes. As of today, here are the new goals that you can work toward in Birdland:

1. More space for birds (Apprentice): Expand your second cage to give more space for your birds. Requirements: expand your second cage to level 2. Reward: 250 coins, 5 experience points.

2. Breeding Love Bird: Love Birds are .. totally about love, and you probably should get more! So, let's breed 2 pairs. Requirements: Breed 2 Bird(s) of Love Bird species. Reward: Bird **TIP: You can breed two different pairs one after the other and complete this goal really fast if you already have adult Love Birds.

3. Food for every bird! (Junior): Fill in total of 25 feeders or water tanks in your or your friend's cages. Requirements: Fill 25 feeders. Reward: 500 coins, 20 experience points, unlock special food dish.

4. Treasure Hunt!: Empty 10 treasure chests from 10 friends! Requirements: Empty 10 chests. Rewards: 200 coins, 15 experience points.

5. Time For Happiness (Apprentice): Time for happiness, Love 50 different birds! Hard to accomplish, but totally worth it! Requirements: Love 50 birds. Rewards: 300 coins, 1 feather, 10 experience points.

6. Adoption of Birds (Junior): Have you seen your friends posting birds on their wall for adpotion? Adopt 2 birds to get this goal done! Requirements: Adopt 2 birds. Rewards: 1 feather, 1 bird, unlock pink swing.

7. Own 4 Cocatoos in Second cage: Own 4 Cocatoos in second cage (unlock neon cockatoo should be unlocked). Requirements Have 4 bird(s) of Cocatoo species in second cage. Reward: 300 coins, 10 experience points. **TIP: Again, if you already have a couple of Cockatoos in your cages, you can easily breed them and just buy another. Make sure that they are all in the second cage.

Most of these goals are pretty easy, especially if you have a lot of neighbors with birds. They can easily be completed on a pass through your neighbor's cages. Good luck!

Birds of Birdland: The Cockatoo

The Cockatoo is a larger bird that many people confuse with the Cockatiel. They are actually any of the 21 species that belong to the bird family Cacatuidae, and are a species of parrot as well. In the wild, they are found throughout Australia, the Philippines, some of the eastern Indonesian islands, New Guinea, and the Soloman Islands.

Cockatoos are easily recognizable by their crests and curved bills and are generally larger than most other parrots. Their size difference is the easiest way to tell them apart from the Cockatiel, who is the smallest of all the parrot species. Of course, the plumage of the Cockatoo is a bit less colorful than most parrots, being mainly white, black, or grey - but they have beautifully colored crests, and usually colored cheeks and tails as well. Cockatoos are very popular birds among bird lovers, although they do take a lot of care, which is why many newer bird owners choose the smaller Cockatiel.

Their main diet is made up of seeds, fruits, flowers, and insects and they are very social birds. They like to eat in flocks, especially on the ground. But, they only like to eat later in the day when the sun has gone up and warmed their nests. Then, they love to travel around in very noisy flocks looking for food. Since they love such a wide variety of different foods, you can start off with a normal diet of prepackaged Cockatoo food and then add fruits and vegetables as well as other treats. If you aren't sure what else they can have, talk with your local vet, check for special home recipes online, or talk with local breeders or pet stores.

When it comes to breeding them, Cockatoos are monogamous birds, meaning that one pair will bond for many years. Most Cockatoos will actually pair up for life before they have even reached sexual maturity, and will even delay breeding for about a year. The females will breed normally for the first time when they are anywhere from three to seven years old, and males will be a bit older when they are ready to breed. Cockatoo's sexual maturity is delayed so that they can develop the skills needed for raising and parenting their baby birds, and is much longer than other bird's sexual maturity.

One of the main reasons that Cockatoos are kept as pets, and popular ones at that, is due to the fact that they are very smart and have engaging personalities when it comes to humans. They can be problematic however, and love to eat drywall and other areas around homes that can cause them harm and harm your home. Making sure that they have plenty of toys that they can tear up and destroy and affection will keep this from happening. They are very affectionate birds and will become really attached to their owners as well as some other people, but the will also demand attention from you. While it is hard for them to mimic human sounds, it can be done with a lot of work from their owners. They love different sounds, such as cartoons, music, talk from their owners, the radio, and more, so it's always a good idea to leave some noise on to help them work on their ability to mimic noises.

If you are considering getting a Cockatoo, you do need to know that they live a very long time. Normally, a Cockatoo will live anywhere between 30 to 70 years, although it has been reported that some have lived over 100 years.