The next meeting will be on Thursday, December 14th 2006 @ 7:00

Volume 5: 12
December 2006
2006 has been a
good year for The
Ann Arbor Cage
Bird Club. Here’s
to more fun with
our feathered
friends and each
other in the New
Year!
The next meeting will be on
Thursday, December 14th
2006 @ 7:00 PM
The meeting will be at the Ann Arbor
Community Center 625 S. Main St.
Ann Arbor Mi.
( Christmas Party & Auction )
Food will be provided, but you may
bring a dish to pass if you haven’t yet
sign up on the for what to bring.
*Please leave your Birds at home for
this Meeting.
NOTE: Please make sure to bring your
own place setting to enjoy your holiday
meal
Inside this issue:
USA Amazon trade ...
2
Quiz
2
Recipes
3
Severe Macaw
6
Winter Tips
8
Holiday Safety
9
2005-2006 CLUB OFFICERS
President
Vice President
Media Contracts
Treasurer/Secretary
Newsletter
Librarian
AFA Rep
Hospitality
Show Co-Chair
Show Co-Chair
Raffle Co-Chairs
Website
Melanie Cunningham
Patrick Clancy
Pamela VanHeyningen
Joe Glandorf
Patrick Clancy
Sally Walsh
Melanie Cunningham
Janet Ledford
Melanie Cunningham
Mary Wieske
Sharon & Melissa Pilkington
Garry Paucki
Deb VanHeyningen
734-662-4582
734-846-6638
734-429-2259
734-327-5940
734-846-6638
734-439-2853
734-662-4582
734-665-4699
734-662-4582
734-326-0720
734-971-5660
734-427-1903
734-429-2259
PAGE 2
ANN ARBOR CAGE BIRD CLUB
USA Amazon Trade
(Taken from PsittaScene Nov 2003)
USA Amazon trade
proposal questioned
Thanks to parrot enthusiasts and
concerned citizens from the world
over - including many WPT members! - the US Fish and Wildlife received an enormous amount of input
on their pending decision to reopen
the importation of Blue-fronted
Amazons from Argentina. Although
they haven't yet released the comments, based on our discussions with
many interested parties, it appears
that the vast majority of the input
was on the side of the wild parrots.
Blue fronted amazon fledglings.
Photo Environmental Investigation
Agency
At the Trust we worked on two related initiatives, the first was a detailed scientific review of the proposal which was eventually signed
by over 90 parrot researchers, and
For Sale: Cockatiel and Parakeet
breeder pairs or singles. Variety of
colors. Cockatiels,
$60.00 a pair, $30.00 single.
Parakeets,
$15.00 a pair, $8.00 single.
Cages, nest boxes, one large parrot
cage available.
Phone: 734-761-9790 after 6pm or
email [email protected] for information.
Diane Hill, Ann Arbor.
?QUIZ?
Which bird is known to
have a vocabulary of
about 800 words?
Answer on page 8
the second was a shorter letter submitted by over 30 non-governmental
organizations, including some big
names like the National Audubon
Society, Conservation International,
and Defenders of Wildlife.
We also inspired two original stories
in the newspapers, the first was
USA Today which ran one on the
trade and one on homeless parrots in
the USA. The second ran on the
cover of the Washington Post and
linked this parrot trade with a
broader initiative of the Bush Administration to increase trade and
hunting of Endangered Species as an
effort to save them. Naturally this
story was reprinted in some 20
newspapers across the country and
inspired several editorials, some satirical, but all strongly condemning
these initiatives.
The original stories are available at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/articles/A10660-2003Oct10.html
http://www.usatoday.com/life/200309-23-exotic-pets_x.htm
V O LU M E 5 : 1 2
While we can't yet say how they will
decide, we hope this overwhelming
input will help the Service do the
right thing and work toward supporting conservation by means other
than ill-considered harvesting of
wild birds.
Blue fronted Amazon
fledglings.
V O LU M E 5 : 1 2
Recipes
PAGE 3
ANN ARBOR CAGE BIRD CLUB
2TBLS of whole wheat flour
Birdie Biscotti
Oatmeal Raisin Truffles
1 c. of ground bird pellets.
½ c. corn meal.
1 Large sweet potato, baked un- ½ c. whole wheat flour.
til soft
1 c. ground almonds.
1/2 cup raisins
1-2 tbsp of powdered wheat
1 banana
grass.
1 cup shredded carrots
2 tbsp of powdered eggshells.
1 cup diced peaches
4 eggs.
1 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1 jar of baby food carrots.
Enough unsweetened fruit juice
1. In food processor, puree
to mix into a firm dough.
sweet potato, banana, peaches
Scoop by the spoonful and roll
and carrots until smooth.
into balls of about ½" to ¾" di2. When smooth, add quick
ameter.
cooking oats and puree until
Place on a lightly greased cookie
smooth again.
sheet.
3. Stir in raisins with wooden
Bake in oven at 325 degrees for
spoon.
20-30 min.
4. Roll into small balls and
freeze. They will keep for about Cool on a rack and keep in the
refrigerator. Also freezes well.
6 months in the freezer
Depending on size, makes about
90-100.
I keep a Ziploc of these in the
freezer at all times and take out
about 15-20 at a time and keep
in the refrigerator.
4TBLS Honey
4TBLS Butter
3/4c. Orange Juice
Preheat oven 350 degrees. Put
half the apples in a shallow 1quart baking dish & cover them
w/ half the carrots. Sprinkle 1TBLS flour. Drizzle 2TBLS honey
over flour. Dot w/ 2TBLS butter.
Repeat the layers.
Pour orange juice over the entire mixture & bake 40-45 minutes. Dish out into one inch
squares. Cool. Place in plastic
bags & freeze.
Budgie Mix
BIRDIE TREAT
Boil some wild rice (he loves the
dark grains most).
Boil some beans (white, kidney,
u name it).
Bake a yam.
Cook some polenta.
CARROT & APPLE CASSEROLE
Steam some broccoli.
Mush it all together into meal2c.sliced Carrots
size balls and freeze.
It only takes about 45 min to
5Apples cut into 1/4" slices
defrost.
This is a healthy mix of veggies
that budgies will readily eat after the introduction period. This
is a low moisture recipe that
does not quickly spoil.
3 cups cooked brown rice (1 cup
dry + 2 cups water according to
directions)
1 lb frozen corn nibblets
1 lb frozen small peas
(optional) 1 lb small bird pellets.
PAGE 4
V O LU M E 5 : 1 2
ANN ARBOR CAGE BIRD CLUB
vickie barlow’s
Contribute to the
Newsletter
the cuckoo’s nest
bonded baby parrots: macaws, pionus, Solomon
island eclectus,
Please send submissions for
the newsletter. If you would
like to send any artwork, stories, poems, articles or photos,
you can email them to me at:
cockatoos, congo African greys
[email protected]
989-682-4565
island cages, food, toys, pacific perch playstands,
[email protected]
Patrick Clancy;
Newsletter editor.
The perfect happy parrot beginning
...all that’s
needed is you
Village Pharmacy II
Al Knaak: Owner/Pharmacist
Located in the Maple Village Shopping Center
325 N. Maple, Ann Arbor, MI 48103
The next meeting
will be on Thursday,
December 14th
2006 @ 7:00 PM
The meeting will be at the
Ann Arbor Community
Center 625 S. Main St. Ann
Arbor Mi.
( Christmas Party & Auction )
(734) 668-9600 Fax: (734) 668-9218
MONDAY – SATERDAY 9 AM to 9 PM
SUNDAY 10 AM to 6 PM
A friendly family oriented pharmacy serving its community
We offer FREE PRECRIPTION DELIVERY
candy, soft drinks, health care products, hair care
products, cosmetics, film, magazines, and much more
“...you’ll sing about our service and selection…”
Club History
The Ann Arbor Cage Bird Club was organized in 1980 for the purpose of educating its members and the community about bird and to support avian research
. The club is a member of the American Federation of Aviculture (AFA). We
exchange newsletters with many avian clubs across the country.
AACBC meetings are held the second Thursday of each month at the Ann Arbor
Community Center. Meetings begin at 7:00pm. Interested persons may attends
one meeting as a guest. Wing-trimmed, vet-checked healthy birds are welcome.
Club membership is $20/year/family. Membership includes our monthly newsletter. Contact Palucki’s hospitality committee at 427-1903 for direction to the
AACC at 625 N. Main, Ann Arbor, MI
V O LU M E 5 : 1 2
ANN ARBOR CAGE BIRD CLUB
Contacts and Links
•
Bird Lost & Found and product safety warnings: http://www.birdhotline.com
•
The Amazona Society: http://www.amazonasociety.org
•
Are Quakers Legal In My State? http://www.quakerville.com/qic/statelaw.asp
•
Budgie info: http://www.budgies.org
•
ASPCA: http://www.aspca.org
•
Home Again Avian Rescue (Mary Wieske) 734-326-0720
•
Guide to Pet Birds, Pet Parrots & Exotic Birds: http://www.birdsnways.com
•
The Oasis Sanctuary: http://www.the-oasis.org
•
Quakerville: http://www.quakerville.com
•
Pet finches: http://www.finchworld.com
•
Humane Society of Huron Valley: http://www.hshv.org
•
National Cockatiel Society: http://www.cockatiels.org/
•
The Parrotlet Alliance: http://www.parrotletalliance.org/
•
Great Cockatoo website: Before you buy a cockatoo, read this site:
http://www.mytoos.com/
•
Assoc. of Avian Vets, at their website: www.aav.org
Ann Arbor Cage Bird Club meetings
Come on down to your bird club meetings! If you haven't been in a while, (or
ever), we’d love to see you at the AACBC monthly meetings. Its great for the
whole family. There’s often a guest speaker. There’s refreshments, good people and usually great birds too! It’s a great way to meet your fellow bird club
members and socialize. You can share your bird experiences with others,
learn from fellow bird owners and maybe even make some new friends! So
we’ll see you at the AACBC meetings eh? We hope so!
PAGE 5
PAGE 6
V O LU M E 5 : 1 2
ANN ARBOR CAGE BIRD CLUB
bles, green food, and commercial
pellets. Pasta, beans, pine nuts, and
Common Name: Macaw - Severe oatmeal all make fine treats for Severe Macaws. Because of their
smaller size, Severe Macaws will do
Other Common
well in a cage for African Grey ParNames: Chestnut-Fronted
Severe Macaw
Macaws have orange irises. The
wingspan of Chestnut-Fronted Macaws is eight and a half to nine and
a half inches.
Scientific Name: Ara severa
severa
Group: Mini Macaw
Origin or Range: South America
With a colorful personality, the Severe Macaw or Chestnut-Fronted
Macaw is all the fun of a large Macaw rolled into a smaller package!
The Severe Macaw is extremely social and loves to mimic speech and
be petted and played with! Best if
kept in pairs, Severe Macaws are
quite intelligent and should be provided with ropes to swing on and
lots of wood to chew, for they can
get quite destructive if bored. Forming strong bonds with their keepers,
they are affectionate, silly, and active, and love to climb, explore, and
hang upside down, chatting and
squawking often. Chestnut-Fronted
Macaws relate to their world by
chewing on it, and this may include
you! They should be taught early on
to regulate the pressure of their
beaks. They do well when fed on a
variety of nuts, seeds, fruits, vegeta-
rots, however, be sure it is sturdy
and do not give these birds toys intended for small birds!
The Severe Macaw is about a foot
and a half in length and is crowned
with a line of chestnut colored
feathers across the forehead. The
plumage is primarily metallic green,
and the crown is blue. The shoulders are red. Severe Macaws have
blue flight and tail feathers with
red undersides. Their bare facial
patch exhibits delicate feather lines,
the chin is a dark reddish brown,
and the underside of the tail is a
dark chestnut color. The bill is black
and the feet are dark gray. Severe
Severe Macaws do well when fed on
a variety of foods, as well as commercial pellets. Pasta, beans, pine
nuts, and porridge all make fine
treats for Severe Macaws. Severe
Macaws do best if kept in pairs
within hearing distance of each
other. They are quite noisy and
need lots of attention to prevent
loneliness and depression.
We’re On The Web!
http://aacbc.org/
also join us at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aacbc
for discussion forum, photo albums and more...
V O LU M E 5 : 1 2
PAGE 7
ANN ARBOR CAGE BIRD CLUB
Quality Grooming
Professional Pet Grooming
By Appointment 7 Days a Week
Located Near Downtown/Westside
All Breeds, Sizes & Temperments
Janet Ledford - Groomer
665-4699
303 Miller Ave
Ann Arbor
www.qualitygrooming.net
Pickle
(Members Chris & Ron
Karpo)
At the November meeting
we tried to watch a DVD
titled “Captive Foraging”,
but we had a problem getting the DVD player to
work with the TV. We
will Attempt to watch the
DVD at the January 2007
meeting.
Here are a couple photos
from the November Meeting.
Max
(member Tom Leadholm
PAGE 8
V O LU M E 5 : 1 2
ANN ARBOR CAGE BIRD CLUB
Winter Tips
Turning on our furnaces
often leads to dry air. Dry
air can mean dry skin and dry
breathing passages for our
pet birds. Try to keep the humidity up near your birds. And
be sure they can bathe frequently.
Drafts - It's cold out there.
Check windows and doors for
leaks. Birds can handle lower
temperatures, but a cold draft
can make your bird ill.
Fires In The Fireplace - Enjoy the warm glow of a winter
fire. Just be sure to keep the
yule logs and fire color additives away from your birds.
They contain heavy metals
such as such as arsenic, barium, lead and selenium. If ingested, they could cause
heavy metal poisoning. Particles may also be included in
the smoke. Even better, keep
birds out of the room when
you have a fire. Smoke is an
irritant to us and surely is to
our feathered friends.
UNIVERSITY AQUARIUM AND PET SHOP
OVER 45 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN ANN ARBOR
*Tropical & Saltwater Fish and Supplies, *Small Animals, Birds, & Reptiles, *Complete Line of Books, Foods, & Accessories for All Pets *High
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IAMS, Wayne, Nutro-Max, Science Diet & Nature’s Recipe
HOURS: MonSat:
9a-9p
Sun 11a-6p
VALUBABLE COUPON
$2.00 OFF Purchase over $10.00
$3.00 OFF Purchase over $25.00
Not good on dog or cat food, fish tanks, or with
other coupons. Must be present at time of purchase University Aquarium & Pet * with coupon
Expires December 31, 2006
Quiz Answer?
YOUR FRIENDLY EXPERIENCED PET SHOP
African gray parrot
WESTGATE SHOPPING CENTER
2161 JACKSON AT STADIUM—ANN ARBOR
PHONE: (734) 663-0224
Roudybush
Available Here
Visa/MasterCard/Discover/American Express
Accepted
V O LU M E 5 : 1 2
PAGE 9
ANN ARBOR CAGE BIRD CLUB
them that smell great to you are
HIGHLY TOXIC WHEN BURNED.
Try 100% beeswax candles instead.
They are more expensive, but burn five
to seven times longer, are not scented,
Stress
We all know Christmas can be a stress- and burn cleaner. One other word of
caution - burns and wax spills have been
ful time for us humans. Our parrots
must think we have lost our minds. New known to happen when a wayward bird
people around, strange decorations, etc. collides with a candle so ALWAYS
Stick to your bird's regular schedule as watch your candles and your bird, don't
much as possible, don't forget the lovin' leave either one of them without superand playtime. Oh, and make sure there vision. I have a rule, IF I light a candle
is plenty of time for a good night's sleep it's 100% beeswax and the parrot gang
has to be in their cages.
for both you and your bird.
Potpourri, air fresheners, and a host of
Decorations
Be careful of Angel Hair, it's spun glass other smelly spraying things irritate the
daylights out of your bird in so many
and that just can't be good for anyone
ways. (They also irritate me, so it is not
that eats it. Tinsel and garland are another big concern, it can cause intestinal a problem for my birds because I don't
use them in my home.) Try and go for
obstructions if ingested. I don't know
something more natural if you feel the
what kinds of decorations you have at
your house, but just be aware that they need to 'scent' your house. Heat up some
are unfamiliar to your bird and they may water in a pan on the stove and throw in
or may not panic at the sight of some of a few organic cinnamon sticks, that
smells yummy.
them. Many decorations are made of
Keep your bird safe
this holiday season!
toxic or potentially toxic materials like
different plastics, scented pinecones,
hidden wires made of who knows what,
stuff that is sprayed on so decorations
look 'fresh' longer. And don't forget the
common everyday things lying around
that could cause problems such as rubber bands, string, ribbon, tape, tacks,
little nails, glue, etc.
Candles and Smelly Stuff aka Fragrances
Candles with lead wicks can be toxic,
usually you will find them in cheap imported candles. Burning candles with
fragrances is very irritating to your
bird's sensitive respiratory system.
Those candles with 'essential oils' in
did you know that Philodendron, Ivy
and Mistletoe are also. In case you didn't there's is no excuse now. These
plants have the potential to cause life
threatening problems for your parrot if
eaten!
People
Having guests over? I know you would
never feed your bird anything it’s not
supposed to have or subject it to extra
stress, but watch your guests. Make sure
they don’t give your bird anything to eat
or drink that could cause a problem. Of
course, for us bird lovers, it almost goes
without saying to make sure they are not
causing the bird any undue stress like
poking their fingers in the cage or just
generally annoying your bird. Show
them where the acceptable bird treats
and give them a rule run down about
being nice to parrots.
Oh yes, can't forget this one NO
SMOKING AROUND THE
BIRDS - PERIOD!
Lights and Electrical Cords
Make sure these are concealed as
well as possible so little birdie
brains don't get any smart ideas and
want to play with them. They could
get shocked (as in probably killed)
or burned by chewing on them. If
they are loose, they could get tangled in them.
Plants
I think most people with parrots
know by now that Poinsettias and
Holly are dangerous if eaten, but
The December meeting will feature out annual auction.
Please bring items for auction. Garry Palucki will be
our auctioneer, so lets plan to keep him busy.
V O LU M E 5 : 1 2
PAGE 10
ANN ARBOR CAGE BIRD CLUB
ANN ARBOR CAGE BIRD CLUB
Patrick Clancy, Editor
[email protected]
P.O. Box 2766
Ann Arbor, MI 48106
NEXT AACBC MEETING:
Thursday, December 14th
7:00—9:00 PM
Ann Arbor Community Center
625 N. Main, Ann Arbor, MI
( Christmas Party & Auction )
AD PRICES FOR AACBC
NEWSLETTER
Prices to run an ad for one full year
are as follows:
$60.00 = 1/2 page
$30.00 = 1/4 page
$15.00 = business card
$12.00 = breeders list
NOTE: Members may run an ad
for free for one month.
Non-members may run an ad for $5