Into: Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com
Story by Pamela Fitzpatrick, of YourDogWalkers, shihtzu58@optonline.net

Wednesday, January 5, 2011 is National Bird Day celebrating the diverse species of parrotheads, macaws, parakeets, and wild birds alike. Seasoned birders and novices will learn about conservation, dangers affecting wild parrots and health care for pet birds and birds at your back yard feeders. An interesting species of mini parrots called parrotlets, is brought to light by Pamela Fitzpatrick, read below about these cuties:

“I recently had lunch with a friend, who has several parrotlets. I’ve always loved birds, but didn’t know much about these beautiful little guys. Turns out these mini parrots make great pets, all the benefits of a parrot without the larger size.

Parrotlets (“little parrot”) are very small parrots that are native to South and Central America. In the wild, they travel in flocks of up to 100 birds. With their striking colors, this must be an awesome sight!

Like lovebirds, they are very social, and can form strong pair bonds in the absence of human companionship. For this reason, they are often kept as pairs. You can keep a single parrotlet happy however, by spending lots of time with it and giving it exercise and mental stimulation. (For that matter, providing a fun and entertaining cage environment helps keep any kind of pet bird pet busy when you aren’t around).

Like the better well known cockatiel, parrotlets are intelligent and curious with speaking and whistling capabilities. Some learn to talk, while others never will. As a general rule, males are more talkative than females. In addition to mimicking tunes and sounds, they can learn a vocabulary of 10-15 words.

The most common species of parrolet are the Pacific (Celestial) or GreenRump. Birds of both genders are mostly green, while the males have gorgeous blue markings.

If you’ve been thinking about adding a parrot to your family, maybe these smaller versions are right for you! They are easy to care for, and require a lot less room than their larger parrot cousins. With proper care, they can live 10-15 years. For more information, check out the international parrolet society at www.internationalparrotletsociety.org.”

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