Bird Sets Flight Record With 7,257-Mile Marathon

Jennifer Viegas, Discovery News
The Home Stretch Video: Discovery Animals

Forgoing layovers and snack stops, a bird known as the bar-tailed godwit has broken the record established for the world's longest known non-stop bird flight, according to a new study.
The honor goes to a female named "E7" that continuously flew 7,257 miles across the Pacific Ocean, breaking the previous record set by a Far-Eastern curlew, who flew 4,038 miles nonstop.
She didn't even glide.
"Bar-tailed godwits use forward flapping flight and seldom ever glide," lead author Robert Gill, Jr., told Discovery News.
Gill, project leader of the shorebird research program at the U.S. Geological Survey, explained that climbing midair while gliding is costly in terms of energy for birds, so continuous wing-flapping surprisingly saves on "fuel."
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He and his team tracked multiple bar-tailed godwits as they flew from their summer breeding grounds in the western Alaska tundra to New Zealand, where they spend the rest of the year. Females were surgically implanted with transmitters, while males, which in this species are smaller and lighter, were affixed with external transmitters.
The migrating birds' flights lasted between five and 9.4 days.
The findings, published in the latest issue of Proceedings of The Royal Society B, suggest that oceans, mountain ranges, deserts, ice fields and other vast, open spaces may not always be barriers to migration, as had previously been thought. Instead, like a fast lane on a low-traffic highway, they might provide some animals with optimal, near hassle-free travel routes.

'Extinct' Cockatoo Rediscovered in Indonesia

AFP
A species of cockatoo feared to have become extinct has been "rediscovered" with the sighting of a handful of breeding pairs on a remote Indonesian island, researchers said Thursday.
Ten Yellow-crested Abbott's cockatoos were found on the Masalembu archipelago off Java island, the Indonesian Cockatoo Conservation group said.
"We were excited when we found them in residential areas on Masakambing island," researcher Dudi Nandika said.
The group included four breeding pairs and two juveniles.
Despite the discovery the Yellow-crested Abbott's cockatoo (Cacatua sulphurea abbotti) remains the rarest species of the bird on earth, he said.
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Obesity in Birds

As with other pets, obesity is a problem often encountered with birds. Our pet birds are usually confined to a cage, have their wings trimmed to prevent flight, and receive little if any exercise. This, in conjunction with high fat diets, often leads to obesity and its associated problems.
What is obesity?
What causes obesity?
Are there any problems associated with obesity?
How do I cure obesity in my bird?
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What is obesity? In dogs and cats, obesity is defined as a pet that weighs 15% or more than its ideal weight. While we don't have as clear-cut a definition for birds, this is probably a safe guideline to use.
What causes obesity? Obesity is the result of taking in more calories than are burned off by the pet. Unlike their wild counterparts, pet birds are not given the opportunity for daily exercise, which includes flying to escape predators and to look for food. Birds burn off few if any calories in their daily lives. Additionally, most owners incorrectly feed their pet birds by offering a diet consisting mostly or totally of seeds. Seeds are not only deficient in many vitamins and minerals, they are high in fat (which is why birds like them: the fat makes them taste good). A high-fat diet and no exercise predisposes birds to obesity.
Are there any problems associated with obesity? Obese pets have an increased risk of many diseases, including arthritis, heart disease, and cancer. Many obese birds develop hepatic lipidosis, also called "Fatty Liver Disease". These birds are extremely susceptible to infections and stress; many obese birds have been known to die just from the stress of an examination at the veterinarian's office. Finally, obese birds have a higher anesthetic risk than normal-weight birds.
How do I cure obesity in my bird? Switching birds from an all-seed diet to a more suitable diet consisting of pellets, fresh vegetables, and fruit will decrease its daily intake of calories. Be advised that birds that are hooked on a seed diet may not easily switch to the preferred pelleted diet. Your veterinarian can give you tips on slowly switching the diet (a bird's diet should NEVER be switched quickly, as the bird may refuse to eat and literally starve to death).

Petalia

LEAD TOYS STRICTLY NOT FOR THE PET BIRDS

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President of the AVA's special interest group in birds, Dr Alex Rosenwax, said that now is the time of year when veterinarians see birds suffering from heavy metal poisoning and other injuries sustained by eating parts of toys given to them for Christmas.
"Lead, zinc or copper poisoning is one of the most common problems I see at our bird and exotics clinic," Dr Rosenwax said. "Many birds like bells and metal chains, but the galvanized and copper bells and chains are toxic if the birds lick or chew them. Painted toys and metal keys are also often toxic. Unfortunately, many parrots seem to find them quite tasty.
"This becomes a particular problem when the items rust as it becomes easier for the birds to chew off the oxidised metal. I normally recommend against metal toys, but if they must be used, make sure they are non-toxic and changed prior to them showing any signs of rust," he said.
Dr Rosenwax said he has also seen numerous cases lately of birds suffering from blockages after chewing on rope toys or perches, where tassels have become lodged in their stomachs or throats.
"Many of our bird owners are worried about plastic. However, most hard, unpainted plastic ladders and balls are fine to use in cages. The problems come if the plastic toys such as balls have metal bells inside. Many parrots will eventually split the plastic ball open and chew on the metal insert. Mirrors are generally okay, but the old fashioned mirrors with lead edges are poisonous.
"Plastic milk container tops are also usually safe and many birds love to play with them. Many newer toys are wood painted with vegetable dyes. Providing the wood has had no chemical treatment, these are generally safer to use."
Australian Veterinary Association

COCKATIEL

A bird can be an ideal pet for people who have very limited space and the cockatiel is an easy kept bird which is relatively inexpensive to purchase yet a little more unusual than a budgerigar or canary. lt makes a delightful pet for adults or children.Cockatiels are an Australian native bird and were first recorded by the naturalists who accompanied Cook during his journeys to eastern Australia.In the wild, Cockatiels inhabit the drier inland areas, nesting in hollow branches or tree stumps. Gregarious in nature they are rarely seen as solitary birds and are usually found in large flocks. The wild cockatiel is only grey in colour but a variety of colours have been developed by breeders. The "Normal Grey" cock bird comprises various shades of grey on the body and tail. The front of the head and throat are lemon yellow and the crest is a mixture of yellow and grey. The sides of the head are white with large orange-red patches. The wings have bars of white and very pale yellow.
Mutant colours include, albino (white) or lutino (yellow), pied (a grey bird with patches of white or yellow tinted white breaking the grey body colour), pearled (attractive shaded wings), Cinnamon.Cockatiels are approximately 13 inches long and should be housed in similar cages to budgerigars but they must be large enough to allow the bird to spread its wings. Generally the larger the cage the better for all birds. Cockatiels are gnawers and cannot be kept in wooden cagesCockatiels should be fed a balanced prepared diet of seeds, consisting of millets, canary seeds, oats and sunflower seeds. An important part of the diet is fresh foods such as spinach, lettuce, cabbage, apple, carrots, orange, pear, banana etc. Fresh seeding grasses from the garden are a special treat but they must be free of garden sprays. Cockatiels love freshly sprouted seeds and these can be grown in a shallow container and then offered directly to the bird who will eat the seedling, roots and all.
Cuttlefish, mineral blocks and shell grit are essential to aid digestion.Most cockatiels like to bathe and large, shallow earthen ware dishes are best for this. Allow the bird to bathe in the mornings so that it has time to dry.Water and feed dishes must be kept clean and not placed beneath perches where they may become soiled.Cockatiels are best taken as pets as soon as they can feed on their own - approximately 8 weeks after hatching.Cockatiels can be taught to talk although they are not prolific talkers. Choose one word, usually the birds name, and repeat it to the bird morning and night and every time you pass its cage. It will soon learn to repeat the word but it's vocabulary will probably be limited to a few words or short sentences.Cockatiels can be hand trained, that is they can be taught to climb on to your hand on command. Gently press your hand against the birds chest while giving the command "up". The bird will step on to your hand. It should not be allowed to run up your arm or sit on your shoulder.Although most birds become amusing and affectionate pets, some may have a tendency to bite, especially adolescent males, and for this reason they should not be allowed to sit on the shoulder where they may bite the face or ear. Birds may eventually become tame enough that they can be let out of their cages to fly around the room. Whenever the bird is out of the cage all doors and windows must be closed, all heaters and fires must be unlit and all saucepans covered. Some indoor plants are poisonous so the bird must not be allowed to feed on these.These delightful small birds make amusing and entertaining pets and have a relatively long lifespan of 15 - 20 years in captivity.
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Bird body language

We're all conscious of body language in humans, but a bird's world is even more centered around body language.
All that head bobbing, feather fluffing, tail wagging and foot tapping is much more than just mindless birdy movement, it's all part of a highly complex system of communication, and if you learn to decipher it, you'll have a much more enlightened relationship with your feathered friend.
Learning to speak 'bird'
It's very difficult for us to read a bird's facial expressions, but we can observe their eyes, tail, wings, beak, overall posture and the noises they make and learn a lot about them.
Eyes Unlike humans, birds are able to control their irises. They'll enlarge and shrink their pupils rapidly - called 'flashing' - when they're excited, greatly interested in something, angry, frightened or feeling aggressive.
Stretching
This is another common behaviour performed by birds. No doubt it serves the same function as human stretching, but with birds it's also a social action. Parrots especially will stretch as a form of greeting when they're approached. They'll usually raise their shoulders, and one wing and the opposite foot will be raised in unison. This is a friendly greeting, signalling that all's well.
Wings
Birds' wings are not only for flying, they're also a means of communication. Wing flapping can be used to get attention or just as a display of happiness. Wing drooping in older birds can indicate tiredness or illness. In young birds this may be part of the process of learning how to fold and tuck their wings. Birds will also sometimes flip their wings and this might mean anger or pain, but when accompanied by hunched shoulders and head bobbing, it's attention seeking and often means the bird wants to be fed.
Tails
Some birds, such as geese and ducks, waggle their tails all the time. However, when a parrot wags its tail it's often a sign its pleased to see you. Tail flipping is also a general sign of happiness and playfulness, whereas tail bobbing can indicate respiratory distress if combined with heavy breathing.
Attention seeking
While dogs beg for attention by sitting up on their haunches, parrots will stare intently, flatten their body, lower their head, hold their wings out at shoulder level and quiver them. Cockatoos will also solicit attention by slowly scratching their head and neck while adopting a soulful expression that clearly pleads for you to give them a scratch.
Let's relate
There are so many more quirky little body language behaviours you can read in your bird - foot tapping when their territory is threatened, sudden onset of ‘weak legs' when they don't want to be put back in their cage, beak grinding as a sign of contentment, chewing for entertainment and even regurgitating as a sign of affection.
is highly complex and I've only summarised a few postures and their possible meanings. When you're reading your bird's behaviour you need to take its whole posture and the bird's environment into account. If you have a bird, take the time to research its body language. Communicating with your bird in this way will make the relationship you develop much more satisfying for you both.

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