Birds are an amazing and diverse group of animals.

Birds, best known for their ability to fly, are unmatched in their command of the skies. Albatrosses glide long distances over the open sea, hummingbirds hover motionless in mid-air, and eagles swoop down to capture prey with pinpoint accuracy. But not all birds are aerobatic experts. Some species such as kiwis and penguins, lost their ability to fly long ago in favor of lifestyles suited more for land or water. Birds are unmatched in their command of the skies. Albatrosses glide long distances over the open sea, hummingbirds hover motionless in mid-air, and eagles swoop down to capture prey with pinpoint accuracy. But not all birds are aerobatic experts. Some species such as kiwis and penguins, lost their ability to fly long ago in favor of lifestyles suited more for land or water. Birds are vertebrates, which means that they are among those animals that posess a backbone. They range in size from the minute Cuban Bee Hummingbird (Calypte helena) to the grand Ostrich (Struthio camelus). Birds are endothermic and on average, maintain body temperatures in the range of 40C-44C (104F-111F), though this varies among species and depends on the activity level of the individual bird. Birds are the only group of animals to posess feathers. Feathers are used in flight but also provide birds with other benefits such as temperature regulation and coloration (for display and camouflage purposes). Feathers are made of a protein called keratin, a protein that is also found in mammalian hair and reptilian scales. The digestive system in birds is simple but efficient (enabling them to pass food through their system quickly to minimize the extra weight of undigested food and the time it takes to extract energy from their food). Food travels through the parts of a bird's digestive system in the following order before it is excreted: esophagus - narrow tube that carries food to the crop crop - a sack-like widening of the digestive tract where food can be stored temporarily proventriculus - the first chamber of a bird's stomach where food is broken down by digestive enzymes gizzard - the second chamber of a bird's stomach where food is ground up by muscular action and small stones or grit (ingested by the birds) intestines - tubes that continue to extract nutrients from food after it has passed through the gizzard

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Classifying Bird Species: In 1758 a man named Carolus Linnaeus (Carl von Linne) developed a classification system for all animals. He divided the animal Kingdom into groups that each had things in common. Then he divided those groups into smaller groups that had even more things in common. When he finally finished, there were seven levels in his system. At the lowest level is the species. His scientific classification system is still used today.

These seven levels are shown below. Here is how scientists classify an American Robin:

Level Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species

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Name Animalia Chordata Aves Passeriformes Turdidae Turdus Turdus migratorius

Description Animals Animals with backbones Animals called Birds Birds that perch All Thrushes Similar Thrushes American Robin

Notice that the species has two names. The names are in Latin. The first name is the Genus and the second is another name that often describes a prominent feature of the bird. The second name may also be a person's name often the name of the ornithologist that first discovered the bird.

Birds normally have a scientific name and a common name. The scientific name is usually Latin-bases and is agreed upon by biologists across the world. The common name will vary by region, culture, and language. The followings links take you to useful online resources for translating names of birds into scientific and common names in various languages.

Morphology Glossy Black Cockatoo showing the parrot's strong bill, clawed feet, and sideways positioned eyes Extant species range in size from the Buff-faced Pygmy Parrot, at under 10 g (0.35 oz.) in weight and 8 cm (3.2 inches) in length, to theHyacinth Macaw, at 1.0 meter (3.3 feet) in length, and the Kakapo, at 4.0 kg (8.8 lbs) in weight. Among the families, the three Strigopidaespecies are all large parrots, and the cockatoos tend to be large birds as well. The Psittacidae parrots are far more variable, ranging the full spectrum of sizes shown by the family. The most obvious physical characteristic is the strong, curved, broad bill. The upper mandible is prominent, curves downward, and comes to a point. It is not fused to the skull, which allows it to move independently, and contributes to the tremendous biting pressure the birds are able to exert. The lower mandible is shorter, with a sharp, upward-facing cutting edge, which moves against the flat portion of the upper mandible in an anvil-like fashion. There are touch receptors along the inner edges of the kerantinised bill, which are collectively known as the 'bill tip organ', allowing for highly dextrous manipulations. Seed-eating parrots have a strong tongue (containing similar touch receptors to those in the bill tip organ), which helps to manipulate seeds or position nuts in the bill so that the mandibles can apply an appropriate cracking force. The head is large, with eyes positioned high and laterally in the skull, so the visual field of parrots are unlike any other birds. Without turning its head, a parrot can see from just below its bill tip, all above its head, and to quite far behind its head. Parrots also have quite a wide frontal binocular field for a bird, although this is nowhere near as large as primate binocular visual fields.[20] Parrots have strong zygodactyl feet with sharp, elongated claws, which are used for climbing and swinging. Most species are capable of using their feet to manipulate food and other objects with a high degree of dexterity, in a similar manner to a human using his hands. A study conducted with Australian parrots has demonstrated that they exhibit "handedness" that is a distinct preference with regards to the foot used to pick up food, with adult parrots being almost exclusively "left-footed" or "right footed", and with the prevalence of each preference within the population varying from species to species.[21] Cockatoo species have a mobile crest of feathers on the top of their heads which can be raised for display, and retracted. No other parrots can do so, but the Pacific lorikeets in the genera Vini and Phigys are able to ruffle the feathers of the crown and nape and the Red-fan Parrot (or Hawk-headed Parrot) has a prominent feather neck frill which can be raised and lowered at will. The predominant colour of plumage in parrots is green, though most species have some red or another colour in small quantities. Cockatoos are the main exception to this, having lost the green and blue plumage colours in their evolutionary history they are now predominately black or white with some red, pink or yellow. Strong sexual dimorphism in

plumage is not typical amongst the parrots, with some notable exceptions, the most striking being the Eclectus Parrot Distribution and habitat Most parrot species are tropical but a few species, like this Austral Parakeet, range deeply into temperate zones Parrots are found on all tropical and subtropical continents including Australia and Oceania, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Central America,South America and Africa. Some Caribbean and Pacific islands are home to endemic species. By far the greatest number of parrot species come from Australasia and South America. The lories and lorikeets range from Sulawesi and the Philippines in the north to Australia and across the Pacific as far as French Polynesia, with the greatest diversity being found in and around New Guinea. The subfamily Arinaeencompasses all the Neotropical parrots, including the Amazons, macaws and conures, and ranges from northern Mexico and the Bahamas toTierra del Fuego in the southern tip of South America. The pygmy parrots, subfamily Micropsittinae, form a small genus restricted to New Guinea. The subfamily Nestorinae contains three living species of aberrant parrots from New Zealand. The broadtailed parrots, subfamily Platycercinae, are restricted to Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific islands as far eastwards as Fiji. The final true parrot subfamily, Psittacinae, includes a range of species from Australia and New Guinea to South Asia and Africa. The centre of cockatoo biodiversity is Australia and New Guinea, although some species reach the Solomon Islands (and one formerly occurred in New Caledonia),[22] Wallacea and the Philippines. Several parrots inhabit the cool, temperate regions of South America and New Zealand. One, the Carolina Parakeet, lived in temperate North America, but was hunted to extinction in the early 20th century. Many parrots have been introduced to areas with temperate climates, and have established stable populations in parts of the United States (including New York City),[23] the United Kingdom,[24] Belgium[25] and Spain.[26][27] While a few parrots are wholly sedentary or fully migratory, most fall somewhere between the two extremes, making poorly understood regional movements, with some adopting an entirely nomadic lifestyle.[28] Behaviour There are numerous difficulties in studying wild parrots, as they are difficult to catch and once caught they are difficult to mark. Most wild bird studies rely on banding or wing tagging, but parrots will chew off such attachments.[28] Parrots also tend to range widely and consequently there are many gaps in knowledge of their behaviour. Parrots have a strong, direct flight. Most species spend much of their time perched or climbing in tree canopies. They often use their bills for climbing by gripping or hooking on branches and other supports. On the ground parrots often walk with a rolling gait. Diet A Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo using its strong bill to search for grubs The diet of parrots consists of seeds, fruit, nectar, pollen, buds, and sometimes arthropods and other animal prey. The most important of these for most true parrots and cockatoos are seeds;

the evolution of the large and powerful bill can be explained primarily as an adaptation to opening and consuming seeds. All true parrots except the Pesquet's Parrot employ the same method to obtain the seed from the husk; the seed is held between the mandibles and the lower mandible crushes the husk, whereupon the seed is rotated in the bill and the remaining husk is removed.[28] A foot is sometimes used to help holding large seeds in place. Parrots are seed predators rather than seed dispersers; and in many cases where species are recorded as consuming fruit they are only eating the fruit to get at the seed. As seeds often have poisons to protect them, parrots are careful to remove seed coats and other fruit parts which are chemically well defended, prior to ingestion. Many species in the Americas, Africa, and Papua New Guinea consume clay which both releases minerals and absorbs toxic compounds from the gut. Parrots at a clay lick in Ecuador. The lories and lorikeets, hanging parrots and Swift Parrot are primarily nectar and pollen consumers, and have tongues with brush tips to collect this source of food, as well as some specialised gut adaptations to accommodate this diet.[30] Many other species also consume nectar as well when it becomes available. In addition to feeding on seeds and flowers, some parrot species will prey on animals, especially invertebrate larvae. Golden-winged Parakeets prey on water snails, and famously the Keas of New Zealand will kill juvenile petrels and even attack and indirectly kill adult sheep. Another New Zealand parrot, the Antipodes Island Parakeet, enters the burrows of nesting Grey-backed Storm Petrels and kills the incubating adults.[32] Some cockatoos and the K k will excavate branches and wood to obtain grubs. Breeding Although there are a few exceptions, parrots are monogamous breeders which nest in cavities and hold no territories other than their nesting sites.[28][33] The pair bonds of the parrots and cockatoos are strong and a pair will remain close even during the non-breeding season, even if they join larger flocks. As with many birds, pair bond formation is preceded by courtship displays; these are relatively simple in the case of cockatoos. In Psittacidae parrots common breeding displays, usually undertaken by the male, include slow deliberate steps known as a "parade" or "stately walk" and the "eye-blaze", where the pupil of the eye constricts to reveal the edge of the iris. Allopreening is used by the pair to help maintain the bond. Cooperative breeding, where birds other than the breeding pair help the pair raise the young and is common in some bird families, is extremely rare in parrots, and has only unambiguously been demonstrated in the Golden Parakeet (which may also exhibit polyamorous, or group breeding, behaviour with multiple females contributing to the clutch). A parrot native to shillong. The vast majority of parrots are, like thisBlue-winged Parrotlet, cavity nesters. Only the Monk Parakeet and five species of Agapornis lovebird build nests in trees, and three Australian and New Zealand ground parrots nest on the ground. All other parrots and cockatoos nest in cavities, either tree hollows or cavities dug into cliffs, banks or the ground. The use of holes in cliffs is more common in the Americas. Many species will use termite nests, possibly to reduce the conspicuousness of the nesting site or to create a favourable microclimate. In most cases both parents will participate in the nest excavation. The length of the burrow varies with species, but is usually between 0.52 m in length. The nests of cockatoos are often lined with sticks, wood chips and other plant material. In the

larger species of parrot and cockatoo the availability of nesting hollows may be limited, leading to intense competition for them both within the species and between species, as well as with other bird families. The intensity of this competition can limit breeding success in some cases. Some species are colonial, with the Burrowing Parrotnesting in colonies up to 70,000 strong. Coloniality is not as common in parrots as might be expected, possibly because most species adopt old cavities rather than excavate their own. The eggs of parrots are white. In most species the female undertakes all the incubation, although incubation is shared in cockatoos, the Blue Lorikeet, and the Vernal Hanging Parrot. The female remains in the nest for almost all of the incubation period and is fed both by the male and during short breaks. Incubation varies from 17 to 35 days, with larger species having longer incubation periods. The newly born young arealtricial, either lacking feathers or with sparse white down. The young spend anything from three weeks to four months in the nest, depending on species, and may receive parental care for several months thereafter.[41] As typical of K-selected species, the macaws and other larger parrot species have low reproductive rates. They require several years to reach maturity, produce one or very few young per year, and do not necessarily breed every year. Intelligence and learning Sun Conure demonstrating parrots' puzzle-solving skills Studies with captive birds have given insight into which birds are the most intelligent. While parrots are able to mimic human speech, studies with the African Grey Parrot have shown that some are able to associate words with their meanings and form simple sentences (see Alex andN'kisi). Along with crows, ravens, and jays (family Corvidae), parrots are considered the most intelligent of birds. The brain-to body size ratio of psittacines and corvines is actually comparable to that of higher primates. One argument against the supposed intelligent capabilities of bird species is that birds have a relatively small cerebral cortex, which is the part of the brain considered to be the main area of intelligence in other animals. However, birds use a different part of the brain, the medio-rostral neostriatum / hyperstriatum ventrale, as the seat of their intelligence. Not surprisingly, research has shown that these species tend to have the largest hyperstriata, and Dr Harvey J. Karten, a neuroscientist at theUniversity of California, San Diego, who studied bird physiology, has discovered that the lower part of the avian brain is functionally similar to that in humans. Not only have parrots demonstrated intelligence through scientific testing of their language-using ability, but some species of parrot such as the Kea are also highly skilled at using tools and solving puzzles. Learning in early life is apparently important to all parrots, and much of that learning is social learning. Social interactions are often practised with siblings, and in several species creches are formed with several broods, and these as well are important for learning social skills. Foraging behaviour is generally learnt from parents, and can be a very protracted affair. Supra-generalists and specialists are generally independent of their parents much quicker than partly specialised species which may have to learn skills over a long period of time as various resources become seasonally available. Play forms a large part of learning in parrots; it can be solitary, and related to motor skills, or social. Species may engage in play fights or wild flights to practice predator evasion. An absence of stimuli can retard the development of young birds, as demonstrated by a group of Vasa Parrots kept in tiny cages with domesticated chickens from the age of 3 months; at 9 months these birds still behaved in the same way as 3 month olds, but had adopted some chicken behaviour.[28] In a similar fashion captive birds in zoo collections or pets can, if deprived of stimuli, develop stereotyped behaviours and

harmful behaviours like self plucking. Aviculturists working with parrots have identified the need for environmental enrichment to keep parrots stimulated. Sound imitation and speech Many parrots can imitate human speech or other sounds. A study by Irene Pepperberg suggested a high learning ability in an African Grey Parrot named Alex. Alex was trained to use words to identify objects, describe them, count them, and even answer complex questions such as "How many red squares?" with over 80% accuracy. N'kisi, another African grey, has been shown to have a vocabulary of approximately a thousand words, and has displayed an ability to invent as well as use words in context and in the correct tense. Parrots do not have vocal cords, so sound is accomplished by expelling air across the mouth of the bifurcated trachea. Different sounds are produced by changing the depth and shape of trachea. African Grey Parrots of all subspecies are known for their superior ability to imitate sounds and human speech. This ability has made them prized as pets from ancient time to the present. In the Masnavi, a writing by Rumi ofPersia, AD 1250, the author talks about an ancient method for training parrots to speak. Although most parrot species are able to imitate, some of the Amazon parrots are generally regarded as the next-best imitators and speakers of the parrot world. The question of why birds imitate remains open, but those that do often score very high on tests designed to measure problem solving ability. Wild African Grey Parrots have been observed imitating other birds. Most other wild parrots have not been observed imitating other species. Co-operate The journal Animal Cognition stated that some birds preferred to work alone, while others like to work together as with African Grey Parrots. With two parrots, they know the order of tasks or when they should do something together at once, but they have trouble to exchanging roles. With three parrots, one parrot usually prefers to co-operate with one of the other two, but all of them are co-operating together to solve the task. Relationship with humans Humans and parrots have a complicated relationship. Economically they can be beneficial to communities as sources of income from the pet trade and are highly marketable tourism draws and symbols. But some species are also economically important pests, particularly some cockatoo species inAustralia. Some parrots have also benefited from human changes to the environment in some instances, and have expanded their ranges alongside agricultural activity, but many species have declined as well. There exist a number of careers and professions devoted to parrots. Zoos and aquariums employ keepers to care for and shape the behaviour of parrots. Some veterinarians who specialise in avian medicine will treat parrots exclusively. Biologists study parrot populations in the wild and help to conserve wild populations. Aviculturalists breed and sell parrots for the pet trade. Tens of millions of parrots have been removed from the wild, and parrots have been traded in greater numbers and for far longer than any other group of wild animals. Many parrot species are still threatened by this trade as well as habitat loss, predation by introduced species, and hunting for food or feathers. Some parrot species are agricultural pests eating fruits, grains, and other crops, but parrots can also benefit economies throughbirdwatching based ecotourism.

Courtship With plumage of intense and other-worldly colors, deployable regal crests, and behavior that ranges from coy to maniacal, parrots have little trouble attracting our attention. But what traits fare best for these birds when their goal is inspiring love in potential parrot mates? Is a parrot sexy in the eyes of other parrots because it is a good provider, attentive, talented, or beautiful? Of the parrots many qualities, colorful plumage is surely its most spectacular: blue and gold; red and green; blue, yellow, green, orange, red. These brilliant colors are not just splashed on these birds; theyve soaked right through. It would seem that the fantastically gorgeous plumage of parrots would be obvious sexual attractants for mates. But when the would-be mate is flying the same colors, how sexy is that? In fact, 75 percent of parrots species are classified as sexually monomorphic, which means that males and female resemble each other physically. It turns out that its not just color but the intensity of feather color that can be a turn-on to a prospective mate. Color intensity signals good health, immunity, parental care abilities, and breeding success all key things to know if youre in the market for a mate. In a study of wild Burrowing Parrots in Patagonia, Argentina, researchers found that the more intensely red the abdominal feathers on the parrots were, the better was their success in breeding. Color intensity is a physical characteristic that we, as humans, can observe. But research shows that while male and females parrots of the same species look similar to us they look different to each other. A parrots highly sensitive tetrachromatic avian eye can see the entire UV spectrum, while we only perceive light in the near-ultraviolet spectrum. So theres a whole world of fluorescent color that a parrots eyes can visualize that our humans eyes just cant. Budgerigars have yellow fluorescent plumage on their crowns and cheeks. To determine if the fluorescent patches are used in courtship displays, researchers covered the crown feathers of male and female birds with sunscreen, limiting their ability to absorb UV light. Other male and female budgies spent more time courting glowing companions, ignoring those with dulled feathers. What the study showed was that the more a suitor glowed, the more alluring it was to a prospective budgie mate. But dont get the wrong idea: in the parrot world, mating is not based on looks alone. Some parrots appreciate talent or showmanship in a mate. In the kakapos mating system, the males go to a prominent location, such as a hilltop, and create a courtship area known as a lek, or a group of bowl-like indentations dug in the ground. When the males gather, they compete for the best spots, and then begin calling for the females. The male mating call is a very loud, low booming sound that can be heard for several miles. The booming goes on all night, every night, for as long as several months. At the same time, the males spread their wings and do a hopping dance. When females show up, they pick out the best boomers and hoppers for one blissful night of mating. It should come as no surprise that music can woo a female. A good, strong singing voice in the bird world indicates good health, strong immunity, and a successful partner. But a study of budgerigars found that while a female appreciates vocal abilities, she actually prefers to mate with a male who sounds like her.

Glowing plumage, fancy moves, and a beautiful singing voice go a long way toward attracting a mate, but nothing says sexy to parrots like regurgitation. Though sometimes used as a reward for sex, many parrot species use food regurgitation as a part of the courtship ritual. Parrot couples exchange food, and thus information, on the quality of mate. A healthy amount of regurgitation tells the female that the courter can provide for her and her brood if she decides to choose him. Those vibrant colors, beautiful voices, and fancy crests may all look like mere adornments to us, but to a parrot, theyre clues about a potential mates overall fitness, genetic superiority, and superior traits for survival. Just like with humans, in the parrot world, sexy takes many forms. When a male and female bird (same species) begin mating, the male's organ, which is inside his body, aligns with the female during the act. As with all other animals, sperm is transferred; it can be held in the female's body, depending on the species, for days. When the developing egg is ready to fertilize, it does and within a couple of days (again, depending on species), it's got the hard outer shell and is laid. In this egg, the chick is nourished by the yolk sac. Birds are constantly turning their eggs in the nest, repositioning themselves on the eggs and sometimes leaving them for brief periods which keeps the developing chick from 'sticking' to the sides of the egg and either dying inside or having deformities. Not all eggs hatch. Any number of things may go wrong, but if they DO hatch, the little bird is born looking very much like an embryo. No eyelids, no feathers and unable to stand. What they CAN do is make a screeching noise like you wouldn't believe, and open their mouths almost as big as they are so the parents don't forget to feed them. Nest sites of parrots Where do parrots nest? The simple answer is "In nest boxes." For the most part this is true for nearly all parrots in captivity but in the wild parrots exploit a variety of more interesting sites. While the sites used by nesting wild parrots do differ, most breed in some sort of cavity or hollow that hides the nest and provides a measure of protection against the weather. Most parrots nest in tree cavities. While pet parrots are reknowned among their owners for their ability to chew wood, most species are unable to make hollows in trees suitable for nesting. For this reason most parrots are dependant on tree cavities that form by other means. Branches often break off of large trees leaving the heart wood exposed. This exposed wood then decomposes with the help of fungus and termites leaving a natural hole that may be suitable for parrot nesting. In lowland Peru many of the holes used by Green-winged Macaws (Ara chloroptera) are formed in this way when branches break from the towering Dipterix trees. A few parrots may also be able to use holes made by woodpeckers. The hard-headed woodpeckers are especially adapted for pounding out holes in solid wood. After the woodpeckers finish nesting, parrots may move in to raise a family. If the hole is too small or needs a little renovation, the parrots may use their chewing ability to enlarge and customize the hole. The Military Macaws (Ara militaris) of northern Mexico are thought to have used the holes of the now nearly extinct Imperial Woodpecker but as this large woodpecker disappears so does this potential source of nest cavities.

The tall and swaying palms that we romantically associate with the tropics also do their share to help out the parrots. In life many palms provide important food sources and in death they often provide nesting places. The tall and spindily palms with the dense clusters of leaves at the top are reminiscent of mops with their handles stuck in the ground. Because of this growth form strong winds (and other factors) can snap off the top of the tree, killing it and leaving the tall thin trunk standing. When this happens, the soft pithy "wood" in the center of the palm begins to rot away leaving the more resistant outer shell. These tall standing tubes provide nest sites for a variety of parrot species. Blue and Gold Macaws, Bluethroated Macaws, Red-bellied Macaws and Dusky Conures (to name just a few) will all use these sorts of sites for nesting. There are some parrots that don't wait around for trees to break or rot. They take matters into their own hands and make their own nest cavities. A handfull of species can excavate their own cavities in rotting trees like the Blossom-headed Parakeet (Psittacula roseata a relative of the Indian Ringneck) and the Orange-chinned Parakeet (Brotogeris jugularis). These birds require trees that are sufficiently soft permit easy digging, but strong enough to remain standing throughout the nesting season. It may be that few trees meet these strict requirements but regardless, this behavior is rather rare among the parrots. Parrots have found a number of alternatives to soft rotting trees that allow them to excavate with much less risk of the entire structure collapsing. In living palms old leaves often die and their bases remain attached to the tree for many years. These bases provide a thick fiberous mass that surrounds the hard trunk. The fiberous mass is just the right consistency for Yellow-chevroned (aka Canary-winged Brotogeris chiriri) and White-winged Parakeets (B. versicolurus) and the strong trunk of the living plam helps ensure that the entire structure remains in place until the young safely fledge. Some Aratinga Conures and the Fisher's Lovebird (Agapornis fischeri) may also make nests among the old leaves of palms. Exploiting another completely different substrate is the Patagonian Conure (Cyanoliseus patagonus). This parrot from the deep south of Argentina excavates burrows in cliffs and banks along rivers or near the ocean. The Maroon-fronted Parrot (Rhynchopsitta terrisi) makes its nests in cliffs in the pine-dominated uplands of northeastern Mexico. The birds' deep burrows on high vertical cliffs provide good protection from most predators that would try to plunder the nest. In other ways these nest sites are much more secure than the tree cavities so many parrots are dependant upon. A perfect example of this can be seen by the endangered Thick-billed Parrot of northwestern Mexico. This species is almost identical to the Maroon-fronted in its feeding and habitat, but where the Maroon fronted uses cliffs, the Thick-billed is dependant on cavities in large old pine trees. The value of these large pines for timber has led to many of them being harvested resulting in drastic declines of this species in the wild. Other species are also known to nest in cliffs like Brown-throated, Red-fronted, and Red-masked Conures and Hyacinth, Lear's, Green-winged and Military Macaws, but some of these may not excavate their own cavities, relying instead on natural crevices to provide nesting chambers. Some parrots go so far as to build their own nests out of sticks. Some African lovebirds (Agapornis sp.) make nests of grass or sticks but these are usually placed in cavities in trees or cliffs. The Slender-billed and Austral Conures of South America may occasionally build stick nests when there are no cavities available. By far, the most famous stick nester is the Quaker or Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus). In lightly wooded and open areas of South America, Quakers gather sticks and construct immense nests on trees, towers or even telephone poles. These nests may contain up to 20 (or more) individual nest chambers each

occupied by a different pair of parakeets. These untidy looking stick nests may be over six feet long and weigh as much as 400 lbs! One of the stragest places that parrots nest is in termite mounds. While this may seem to be the oddest place of all, it is a surprisingly common. At least 34 species, about 10% of all parrot species, have been found nesting in termite mounds. Most of the species that nest in termite mounds are small like the Grey-cheeked Parakeets (Brotogeris pyrrhopterus), Greenrumped Parrotlet (Forpus paserinus), and Orange-fronted Conure (Aratinga canicularis) and the Hooded Parrot (Psephotus dissimilis). Some species use terrestrial termite mounds, like the Hooded Parrot, but most use termite mounds that are located in trees that may be 6 to 40 ft. high or more depending on the area. The strangest thing about nesting in termite mounds is that the parrots almost always choose mounds where the termites are still present. As the birds excavate their nest cavities, the termites rush to the broken sections to defend their colony from the avian invader. Fortunately for the birds, the soldier termites have no mandibles and can't bite. Instead, the major defence of the termites is to shoot small quantities of a sticky irritating glue at the feathered attacker. From personal experience I know that this glue has little effect on human skin and is likely only mildly irritating to the excavating birds. As the birds continue to excavate, the termites become acoustomed to the comings and goings of their new neighbors. Eventually the termites seal off their passageways that lead to the bird nests, leaving the birds and termites living peacefully in complete isolation. From tree cavities to termite mounds, the world's parrots have evoloved to use a variety of interesting places to raise their young. While many are confined to using only simple tree cavities, others can exploit a variety of different sites. For instance many macaws like the Hyacinth nest in cliffs but in areas where there are no cliffs like the flat marshy areas of Brazil's Pantanal, the birds resort to tree cavities. A variety of other parrots can choose among different types of sites, but none equal the members of the genus Brotogeris for sheer variety of nest sites used. Members of this group that includes the Grey-cheeked, Whitewinged and Orange-chinned Parakeets are known to excavate nest in termite mounds, palm leaves, rotting trees and they can also use naturally occuring tree cavities. So the next time you look at a nest box remember that there are lots of other places that young parrots are brought into the world.