Friday, September 22, 2017 at 5:34 
1 of 2 captive Sisserou. This one at the Botanical gardens in Roseau September 2017 and the media is packed back to back with hurricane news. Harvey, Irma and Maria have devastated the Caribbean region. Puerto Rico and Dominica seems to be exceptionally hard hit as we await the reestablishment of contact with these regions that lost most ways of communicating with the outside world.
Saturday, October 31, 2015 at 9:30 
What is the sex ratio of the amazon parrot you breed? Image by Frank WoutersIn many bird species, the proportion of sons and daughters (offspring sex ratio) can strongly deviate from the expected 50:50. This phenomenon has been observed in domestic species, e.g. chicken, quail, and pigeons, but also in wild species, such as gulls or parrots. Evolutionary theory predicts, that under certain circumstances mothers will gain an advantage by producing a biased offspring sex ratio, for example, when the chances to reproduce differs between the sexes. Still, the underlying mechanisms leading to a biased offspring sex ratio are largely unknown. Research suggests, that the body condition and the hormonal status of the breeding female is of high relevance.
Wednesday, September 17, 2014 at 14:06 
A new study on monk parakeets reveals a sophisticated social structure with layers of relationships and complex interactions.Science has learned a great deal about complex social behavior by studying nonhuman mammals and primates, but parrots might have something to teach too.
Saturday, October 12, 2013 at 3:16 
Walton Ford's unsurpassed impression of the Carolina parakeetIt is likely that in historic and prehistoric time the Carolina parakeets interbred with close relatives in Mexico and the Caribbean. The genes that made Carolina parakeets unique could still linger in these populations. With the advances in Molecular biological techniques identifying those genes is now possible. Screening the conure populations of Mexico and the Caribbean could identify specimens with genes of the lost Carolina parakeet. Bringing such birds together trough selective breeding should result in birds that much resemble Carolina parakeets genetically. Genes that can’t be found could be synthesised. Ultimately resulting in the deextinction of the Carolina parakeet.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013 at 3:57 
Hotly debated, hybrid parrots might be the future for aviculture. Few issues are more hotly debated in modern-day aviculture than crossbreeding or hybridisation of different parrot species. Whenever someone brings up hybrids immediately people stand up to solemnly declare they are against it. It is the avicultural form of political correctness. A responsible parrot breeder is against hybridisation and that’s the end of it. Recent debates on facebook and grim burns of people giving an inkling of taking an interest in hybrids encouraged me to have a closer look at this issue.
