Great Billed parrots are one of the rarest of parrot genera. The scientific name is Tanygnathus. We were fortunate to acquire a pair in 2003 that originally were purchased from June Dinger of Florida. Our pair Waldo and June were quite young, but definitely bonded when they came to us. While we were preparing an aviary for them they lived with us in a spare room and are pictured here. Like most Great Bills they are rather stand-offish, a little like the male Eclectus. We have only had three chicks.

Eclectus is a genus of parrots which includes several subspecies, four of which are commonly bred. The unique characteristic of this group of parrots is their dimorphism or the distinct difference between the males and females. These are one of the most popular parrots. Both males and females are good talkers, rather quiet birds who do well in the homes of educated bird people.

To be able to share with other bird lovers the experience of raising these incredible creatures has been a long-term dream. So many of our familiar parrots are very close to extinction as habitats continue to decline and the planet becomes more toxic, physically and spiritually.

Unfortunately, Moluccan cockatoos rarely take care of their young in captivity. This necessitates the artificial incubation, hatching and rearing by humans. We were blessed when we purchased a proven pair of them in the early 1990’s. They were probably wild caught birds and it now sickens me to think of how they were probably captured. This was all before the Wild Bird Act of 1992 and before we, thankfully, stopped the importation of parrots to the United States.

It may seem ironic that the birds shown in this slide show are Moluccan Cockatoos, because this species is probably the one that is least adaptable to our modern homes and the one that most behaviorists agree should never have been taken from the wild. There is a movement to discourage breeders from raising the white cockatoos since so many of them end up in sanctuaries or second, third or more homes. I think the images speak for themselves, but, don’t go out and buy one. If you must, adopt or visit them at sanctuaries and zoos. Share our experience through this slide show.

The shots of the eggs were taken while they were being incubated in a Grumbach incubator. The first shows the fertile egg at about day 12 of development. At the center of the egg where the veins begin to branch you can actually visualize the baby heart. If we had taken movies, you could actually see the heart pulsating.

Ten week old Moluccan Cockatoo chicks in the nursery not sure about the red drones overhead.

Cockatoos Many Parrot experts will tell you that most species of Cockatoos should never have been brought from the wild and asked to share our homes. The numbers of cockatoos in sanctuaries and those waiting for adoptive homes confirms this belief. People are drawn to these beautiful white, fluffy, cuddly birds because of their loving, affectionate nature. Too often these birds become major behavior problems because of their neediness and demand for constant attention. Unwitting owners often reinforce these tendencies, dooming the bird to a multitude of problems.

There are two types of Caiques. Today you will see both black headed and apricot headed clowns. These confident and outgoing parrots keep us laughing all day long. Although they are not the best talkers, their antics are unequaled. Today, I observed a clutch of three apricot headeds romping in their weaning cage. One was swinging frantically in a braided swing, using his tail and head to pump on the swing so that it swung violently almost reaching the top of the cage. His two siblings had a different game. One was on his back at the bottom of the cage and the other had grabbed him by the foot and was dragging him around the grate . I interrupted all of this playground activity by throwing in 2 whiffle balls. All three rushed to play with them and took turns lying on their backs and stealing them from one another

Scarlet Macaws have a reputation for being somewhat more aggressive and unpredictable than other large Macaws. After raising several clutches of Scarlets some alongside other species of macaws, we have concluded that their disposition is not much different from the Green Wing macaws, who are commonly referred to as the gentle giants. View these images showing the interaction of scarlet and Green Wing Macaws. Birds of a different feather can learn to flock together and acquire some of the attributes of their “odd couple” nursery playmates.

Timneh African Grey Parrots are a dark charcoal gray with a pinkish or horn-colored upper mandible (beak) and a dark maroon colored tail. If you look closely, you will see a beautiful scallop type pattern on the tips of their feathers.

The origins of the Timneh African Grey Parrot are concentrated in the western coastal regions of Guinea, Ghana and the Ivory Coast of Africa.

Timneh African Grey Parrots begin to talk at approximately 6 months to a year. It is believed that they talk sooner than Congo African Greys because Timneh African Grey Parrots mature quicker. Timneh African Grey Parrots are great talkers and can have an extensive vocabulary of hundreds of words. They mimic many voices and sounds. Unlike the Congo, their voices are not an exact replica of the person’s voice they are copying. Timneh African Grey Parrots have their own special little voice – I like to refer to it as a “munchkin” voice as it is so cute. And yes, they do talk in context!

Some people believe the Timneh African Grey Parrot is the calmer and more flexible of the subspecies. Feather plucking does not seem to be an issue with these little guys as it is with CAGs. The Timneh African Grey is more apt to continue playing with their toys and talking when other people besides family are around.

Congo African Grey Parrots are approximately 12 – 14 inches (32-26 cm) in length and usually weigh around 450 g. They are gray in color and have a solid black beak with a bright red tail.

Congo African Grey Parrots originate in Central Africa, from the southeast portion of the Ivory Coast extending to western Kenya and down to Tanzania and Angola.

The Congo African Grey Parrot from Congo can be somewhat larger and a lighter gray in color than one from Cameroon which would be medium-sized and a darker grey in color.

It has been determined that if you start in the country of Ghana or Togo and radiate outward in all directions there is a progressive change in shade and size of the Congo African Grey Parrot.

The Congo African Grey that is indigenous to Ghana and Togo is nearer the size and about as dark as the Timneh African Grey. As you branch out in all directions, Congo African Grey Parrots get larger in size. As you go eastward, the shade of grey lightens, and toward the South, the shade of grey remains the same.

Congo African Grey Parrots are talented talkers and begin talking between 12 and 18 months old. They love to mimic sounds and are quite adept at sounding exactly like their owner’s voices. Congo African Grey Parrots that are exposed to more human interaction will tend to speak more cognitively than those that aren’t.

African Grey Parrots are flock birds and need interaction and stimulation to develop into their full potential. They are sensitive and very aware to what is going on around them. Time out of their cage and play time with their humans and toys are extremely important.