Archive for the ‘Birds’ Category
Feeding Stations – Helping You To Feed Birds
A bird feeding station is a part of your home area or any location such as court yard, roof, etc. Where you feed the birds and have set up a place for birdfeeders. It is made to best help the birds and you could also watch the birds come near to this feeding area. Its true that many of the birds feeding stations are situated near to the deck or a window where you can watch these birds easily.
The different kinds of feeders utilized at these stations are capable enough to attract increasingly more varieties of birds each day. You will thus see a rapid boost in the number of birds which are just visiting these stations. Bird seeds are most common feeding for birds. But you could even make use of several different varieties such as fruits, suet, peanut butter, nectar, and mealworms which are also great choices and could invite more and more birds according to their taste and choice.
If you wish to attract some particular type or species of birds to your bird feeding station you can even use particular feeding for the type of bird. This will enable in inviting only that particular species which love these kinds of foods. Whilst you are placing the feeders for the birds you ought to choose the feeding station which is most suitable for the birds. Birds like the place where they can easily fly to a safe place like tree when they find anything suspicious.
It is even a good idea that you place feeders for small and big birds separately. This’ll aid small and large birds in not competing among them. This creates a pleasant and safe environment when birds are at feeding station and will attract more birds to visit often at your yard. One good thing that you could add to your station is a favorite place of birds to drink water and bathe. They would just sing, dance and have fun all together at these areas and will enjoy most of their time playing here. You would even see a group of birds visiting your area in those sunny days when these birds require sufficient water to remain cool and hydrated. You should take care about placing this tank of water. You should not place this too close to the feeders.
Placing flowers and plants is also a good idea it would look natural for the birds and they will enjoy it. This would even provide nectar and some extra seeds to your birds. Plants like Zinnias, coneflowers, and sunflowers are some good choices and can be considered. Your birds as your favorite visitors would thank you for all these great stations and you would enjoy the most out of your Bird Feeding Station.
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The Many Different Kinds Of Bird Feeders
If you’re new to the community of bird feeding, you would get lots out of this data. There are a lot of varieties of bird feeders to pick from and three most popular are: tube feeders, platform feeders and hummingbird feeders.
A Hummingbird Feeder
Hummingbird feeders come in a lot of different varieties of sizes and shapes. The feeders are enclosed, normally designed of plastic or glass, and oftentimes possess three to five ports for bird feeding. The ports are normally surrounded with bee guards and red plastic flowers. Nectar solution could be made from the house, utilizing a ratio of four parts of water to one part of white cane sugar. A hummingbird feeder has to be washed at least one time every week and all left over nectar must be discarded.
A Platform Feeder
A platform feeder, additionally referred to as a tabletop feeder and tray feeder, consists of an open tray where the seed is placed. The bird feeders offer just a bit of protection from the weather or squirrels, yet could come with a top so as to protect the seed from the elements. A few tube feeders would be fitted to attach tray feeders to them. You can attach platform feeders to a few hook stands and hang them from poles which are away from telephone lines and trees (in an effort to keep squirrels away). A great mix for a platform bird feeder consists of lots of black oil sunflower seeds and shelled peanuts. Some birds that are attracted to platform bird feeders are: blackbirds, starlings, woodpeckers, pipe siskin, finches, redpolls, titmouse, buntings, nuthatches, jays, chickadees, cardinals and several birds that are seed eating.
A Tube Feeder
A tube feeder is designed with a cylinder that is hollow that is normally made out of a type of plastic. This bird feeder comes with many perches and feeding ports. A tube feeder keeps the seed dry. It is ideal to possess one type of bird seed which is wild and not have any mixed seed. The varieties of wild birds that feed at this sort of feeder would normally just eat the seed that is their favorite. The types of birds which are attracted to the tube feeders are: the cardinal, red bellied woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, downy woodpecker, lesser goldfinch, purple finch, pine siskin, titmice, nuthatch, American goldfinch, house finch, and the chickadees.
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Cebu Birdwatching Journeys Set Up As BirdLife & Philippines Sign Agreement
The Department of Tourism (DOT) and BirdLife International Inc. (BLI) have signed an agreement to support a bird conservation program as part of its strategy to advance birdwatching tourism in Cebu and other parts of the Philippines.
Tourism Secretary Joseph “Ace” Durano said the DOT is promoting Birdwatching Phillipines as part of its adventure tourism packages.
It was acknowledged the “species champion” for the Cebu Flowerpecker during the 2009 British Bird Watching Fair in Ruthland, United Kingdom.
”The country has a very big potential in mainstream tourism that’s why we are pushing tourism traffic in the interior,” Durano said.
Durano was in Cebu Monday for the ceremonial signing and press conference of the Species Champion Agreement of DOT and BirdLife International Inc. (BLI) at the Marco Polo Hotel in Lahug, Cebu City.
Durano added the bird conservation program started two years ago but it only picked up this year when the British fair featured the Cebu Flowerpecker as its flagship species, under the theme “lost and found.”
The critically endangered Cebu Flowerpecker was once though extinct until it was rediscovered in 1992 in pocket forests in the hinterland barangay of Tabunan in Cebu City.
Of the 200 bird species in the Philippines, the Cebu Flowerpecker that is found in Alcoy town ranked third among the rarest birds in the country.
”This creates instant awareness and consciousness. If you are a birdwatcher, you will be influenced to consider Cebu as your next site,” Durano said.
“This bird has never been photographed and this further creates awe,” he said.
He said Alcoy town residents can become tour guides to help locate and identify the birds.
Durano revealed birdwatching is relatively cheaper compared to other tourism activities such as scuba diving and golfing.
“All you need is a pair of binoculars,” he said.
He said a big market for birdwatching exists.
Michael Lu, president of Wild Bird Club, said there are about eight million birdwatchers in the world.
Birdwatching is also one of the fastest growing recreational activities in Europe and the United States.
Birdwatchers have excellent chances to encounter the Cebu Flowerpecker in September to December.
Richard Grimmet, head of conservation and manager of the preventing extinction program of BirdLife International encouraged Cebuanos to do whatever they can to support the conservation and preservation of birds and their habitats.
BLI classified 190 species as critically endangered in the 2008 IUCN Red List because of their very small and declining populations and ranges.
BLI and its local partner Haribon Foundation Inc. appointed the Cebu Biodiversity Conservation Foundation Inc. (CBCFI) as the species guardian for the Cebu Flowerpecker and other regional species and habitats in Cebu.
Lisa Marie Paguntalan, research director of the Cebu Biodiversity Conservation Foundation, inspired politicians to recognize forest conservation and to adopt conservation education as part of their agenda, so Cebuanos will understand how their everyday lives affect the environment.
This article is distributed by www.Cebu-Philippines.net. An up-to-date guide to Cebu Philippines and the Philippines. Providing current and relevant information about visa, airlines, hotels, resorts, Cebu birdwatching, scuba diving, travel, health and wellness.
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Ideas For DIY African Grey Parrot Toys
This article gives ideas on cheap African Grey parrot toys. Commercial parrot toys are african grey parrots are rather expensive. They typically costs about $20-$30 dollars and have to replaced within a few months. Rather than paying for these money, here are some ideas on using everyday materials to create affordable african grey parrot toys.
Background on african grey parrots
African Grey Parrots are a species of parrot native to West and Central Africa. Of the two main varieties of African Grey, the Congo African Grey Parrot has a stronger ability to imitate speech, and is thus a more popular pet. The Timneh African Grey is similar in appearance, but has a horn-colored beak, maroon tail, and is slightly smaller.
Using cardboard boxes as chewing materials to create african grey parrot toys. What you can do is to create a house using the cardboard so that it becomes a nice shelter for the parrot. It is becomes a good playground for your pet parrot to play. More over, it is chewable, which is great for the parrot. It is an excellent African Grey parrot toys.
Another idea is to get inspirations from baby toys. Check out your used baby tools to see if they are usable. One good example is the brightly colored plastic oval baby links. They are cheap items and can be used by simply twists the plastic link near the side where the opening is and then slides the opening over the bar of the cage or onto the toy. These links are not safe parrot toys for small sized birds but for African Greys, they can be an affordable parrot toys.
Another great place to look for ideas for African Grey parrot toys is your local discount store! Look around and see if there are any cheap items that can be used as afican grey parrot toys. One suggestion is to buy Cornhusk whiskbrooms, which cost two dollars or less. Each whiskbroom has a metal ring on its handle allowing it to hang easily in the African Grey’s cage using the plastic oval links. The materials in the brooms are a wonderful destruction chew parrot toy for African Grey Parrot, especially Greys that are feather pickers.
Use your imagination and create african grey parrot toys from normal day items such as newspapers or brightly coloured paper. These paper stock can make good chewing parrot toys. You can create rings with it around the cage or you can design strips that slides in between the cage parrots. The good thing about this idea is that you can create lots of African Grey parrot toys just based on your imagination.
I hope these ideas can inspire you to look for more affordable African Grey parrot toys.
Making Parrot Toys Beginners
I will talk about how to make parrot toys for beginners. Making parrot toys is both a fun exercise as well as being able to save you money from buying commercial parrot toys. Parrots tend to destroy the toys they are play with. If you need to keep on buying the toys as replacement, you are going to spend quite a large sum of money. So, instead of doing that, I will cover some tips of how to make parrot toys for beginners.
First thing first, you must make parrot toys that are suitable for your parrots. Size is one consideration. Big birds tend to have stronger beaks so you need to make parrot toys that are stronger and more resistant. Another factor to keep in mind is thethe size of your parrot cage. Take care not to making a parrot that is too small for the cage as you will wasting your time and efforts in doing so.
Here are four different materials for you to make parrot toys
The first material I recommend is rope. They are useful material to hang stuff and you will probably need a few of these to create some interesting parrot toys. When buying the materials for making parrot toys, you can choose from several different types of rope, of which solid braided rope and twisted rope are the most popular. One important point to highlight is that you should choose a 100% cotton rope as it is safe for parrots when they incidentally digest it. Any alternatives are not considered bird safe. When making rope parrot toys, make sure all the frayed ends are trimmed so that your bird does not get caught.
Wood is another material that will be popular with your pet. When choosing wooden materials to make your parrot toys, ensure that you buy bird safe products. This is because your parrots may ingest some the wood that it is chewing on. Note that you should never buy wood that has been chemically treated (certain paints/lacquers contain zinc and other harmful chemicals/additives) as the chemicals can be deadly to your birds.
Paper is a relatively easy and abundant material to work with. In fact, using paper to make parrot toys is the most easy way for beginners. First , you will need paper towel rolls. They are the easiest to work with. What you can do next is to[s/pin] remove the glue and cut them into small slices. [spin]Next, create a hole into the slides so that they can be string together with a rope. The great thing about this parrot toy is that you can have the option of putting lots of interesting materials between the paper towels to create variety for your parrot toys.
The final materials I recommend for making parrot toys is leather. As leather is less common, you might need to spend more time looking for a cheaper source. There are various widths and thickness of vegetable tanned leather strips. Be sure to purchase what is most suitable for your bird and the size of the hole that is drilled. The important thing is to ensure the leather has not been treated with any chemicals or dyes to prevent poisoning if you parrot accidentally swollen it.
These are all I have for you. Now, it is your turn to go and have fun making parrot toys.
A Guide To Safe Material Selection For Parrot Toys
When it comes to choosing the right parrot toys, it can be not so straight forward.The range of toys is very wide, from rope ladders to plastic covers. You have to find parrot toy that are safe for your birds. How to select the right parrot toy is an art but here is a guide to help you make your selection. In particular, it will provide information on what kind of materials are best for parrot toys.
When it comes to parrots, you know they are fun loving birds that love to fly and search for food. They are also clever creatures that need constant entertainment to keep them from being bored. Hence, when parrots become domesticated, they need similar stimulation and this is where parrot toys come in. While many bird owners might think parrot toys are just playthings, they are actually quite essential to parrots. Unfortunately, these bird toys sometimes have harmful materials and you need to know which types to avoid.
It is a well known fact that parrots like shiny materials. However, not all metals are suitable as parrot toys. Specifically, pick only those where the metal is either nickel- plated or stainless steel. Avoid other metals such Zinc and copper plated metal parts because they are dangerous to parrots and when ingested, can result in death.
Besides metal, you must note the type of leather used in the parrot toys. Specifically,you will want to go for leather that is free from chemicals. This is because parrots like to chew on stuff more than anything else. They can literally spend hours just pecking and choking at the leather. If you are not careful, the parrots can accidental swallow some of the leather, which might contain chemicals that cause illness and possibly death to your birds. In addition, you must discard any leather based toys that have been soiled. This is because bacteria can grow on the soiled leather and cause illness to the birds when swallow.
You might think that wood is a safe material but this is where you are wrong. There are several types of wood that are unsafe for parrots such as oak. It is better to choose parrot toys that are made of pine, poplar, java or manzanita as these wood types are safe for chewing.
The final material to consider in this guide is ropes. For rope based toys, do remember to keep the toe nails of your birds short to prevent the nails from getting caught in the ropes and causing injuries to themselves.When choosing such toys, keep in mind to trim your parrots’ toe nails as this will avoid your birds from getting injured as a result of the nails getting trap in the role. Choose only cotton or sisal ropes because they have not been chemically treated and hence will be safe for parrots chewing on them.
In summary, try to avoid any chemical treated materials. In fact, it is recommended to buy toys which are labeled “100% Organic.” So, keep them in mind when shopping for your parrot toys.
5th Philippine Bird Fete Takes Off In Balanga City On Oct. 9
Bird watchers and nature enthusiasts are expected to flock to this city as the 5th Philippine Bird Festival, the country’s largest celebration of diversity and bird lore awareness, is set to take off on October 9.
Balanga City holds the Philippine record for welcoming the largest concentration of wintering shorebirds from the Asian mainland and Japan.
The festival will mark the arrival from the Asian mainland and Japan of wintering shorebirds with the official dedication of the Balanga Nature and Wetland Park, the first protected wetland park in the whole Manila Bay area.
With the theme Ibong Dayo, Kaibigan Tayo! (The Migrant Birds: Our Friends), this year’s bird festival intends to drum up public support for the conservation and awareness of the Balanga wetlands where more than 15,000 individual birds were on record during the Asian Waterbird Census in January.
According to the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines (WBCP), the country’s leading bird watching society and organizer of the Philippine Bird Festival, the wetlands of Puerto Rivas in Balanga City attract one of the largest concentration of migrant shorebirds and waterfowl anywhere in the Philippines creating interest in Philippine birdwatching.
“The Balanga wetlands always lands in the country’s top 5 wetlands with the most number of wintering water birds, which included Candaba Marsh in Pampanga and Olango Island in Cebu,” WBCP president Michael Lu said.
He said these three sites are in the Asian flyway, but the Balanga wetlands located across the Bay from Metro Manila continues to be a surprise.
“We hope to bring attention to the need to conserve the entire coastline and waters of Manila bay,” Lu said.
He also said the Balanga wetlands are being advocated as a bird watching destination by the Adventure Philippine campaign of the Department of Tourism and the Recreational Outdoor Exchange.
Bird Festival Committee chair Alice Villa-Real said the annual event hopes to raise the bar of information about the bird life of the islands, promote public interest in conservation and encourage the creation of more public green spaces.
Villa-Real said there are more than 600 species of birds in the Philippines, with no fewer than 200 which are found only in the archipelago.
She said this year’s Bird Festival will open with the dedication ceremony at the Balanga Nature and Wetland Park in Tortugas, followed by street dancing by local companies along the route to the new plaza Mayor de Balanga.
She also said there will be exhibition of bird photos, lectures and film screenings at the People’s Center in the capitol grounds, which will be open to the public free of charge.
Organizers said an activity center featuring bird-themed games, arts and crafts and face painting will be on tap for the young and the young at heart.
She said the provincial government will also concurrently stage a trade fair on the Capitol grounds that would feature the best products from the province’s 12 towns.
The Philippine Bird Festival was launched by local bird watching hobbyists in 2005 and has since brought the message of birdlife awareness and conservation to Cebu Philippines and Puerto Princesa in Palawan, two of the country’s important bird areas.
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Some Common Questions About Colostrum
Why would I be recommended to administer colostrum to my pet?
In pets, colostrum has been recommended and anecdotally found useful for the treatment of wounds (promotes healing of insect bites, abscesses, ruptured cysts, warts, and surgical incisions when applied topically to the wound,) gingivitis, as an aid to proper functioning and motility of the intestinal tract, diarrhea, colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, constipation, food allergies, and arthritis.
How much experience is there with the use of colostrum in pets?
Colostrum has been used for many years as part of the therapy for people and pets with a variety of illnesses. While controlled studies in pets are lacking, it may be effective in stimulating the immune system or in directly killing bacteria, fungi, or viruses.
What species of animals are being treated regularly with colostrum ?
Any animal species may benefit from colostrum.
How can my pet benefit from colostrum?
Any sick pet may benefit from supplementation with colostrum as part of their treatment.
How successful is colostrum?
Studies in people are contradictory with some studies showing benefit against various infections and other studies showing no benefit. Anecdotally, many owners feel that their pets have improved when colostrum is given to their pets. Since other supplements are part of the therapy, it is difficult to assess the effectiveness of colostrums usage. However, since colostrum and similar supplements are safe, using colostrum as part of the therapy for pets with any illness is unlikely to cause harm and may have benefit.
How safe is colostrum?
Colostrum does not seem to cause any significant side effects and has been used safely in many pets.
Where do I get colostrum and do I need a prescription?
As is true with many supplements, your veterinarian may have favorite supplements that he will sell you or recommend to you. Pet owners are cautioned against buying supplements without knowledge of the manufacturer, as supplements are not highly regulated and some supplements may not contain the labeled amount of colostrum. A prescription is not needed for colostrum.
Some Common Questions On Carnitine
What species of animals are being treated regularly with carnitine?
Dogs are the main species treated with carnitine, although any species can be supplemented with carnitine for possible benefit.
How much research has been conducted on this supplement?
Carnitine is one of our better-researched supplements and has been shown to help some dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy.
How can my pet benefit from carnitine?
For pets with carnitine deficiency, supplementation is essential to reverse the effects of dilated cardiomyopathy and secondary congestive heart failure.
How successful is carnitine?
For some dogs with true carnitine deficiency, supplementation can be life-saving. For most pets with heart disease, supplementation may be beneficial, but other supplements are often combined with carnitine to get a balanced cardiac tonic.
How safe is carnitine?
Carnitine is very safe. People are advised not to use forms of carnitine known as “D-carnitine” or “DL-carnitine,” as these can cause angina, muscle pain and loss of muscle function (probably by interfering with L-carnitine.) The maximum safe dosages for young children, pregnant or nursing women, or those with severe liver or kidney disease have not been established; similar precautions are probably warranted in pets. Pets that are taking antiseizure medications, particularly phenytoin (Dilantin) or phenobarbital, may may need extra carnitine, especially those with heart disease.
Where do I get carnitine and do I need a prescription?
As is true with many supplements, your veterinarian may have favorite supplements that he will sell you or recommend to you. Pet owners are cautioned against buying supplements without knowledge of the manufacturer, as supplements are not highly regulated and some supplements may not contain the labeled amount of carnitine. A prescription is not needed for carnitine supplements.
