Parrot Advice

Here’s what to do if your Parrot is lost.  Many accidents can be prevented by forethought but not all. Am I especially careless? I do seem to have had rather more close calls than I should have.  I allow my four pet Parrots most evenings into the bungalow I share with husband Wal, two dogs a […]

Avian Veterinary Services explain how they treated Gus for aspergillosis Two weeks after an accidental fire in the home, Gus a 13 year old Grey Parrot presented to Avian Veterinary Services with his owner describing him as off colour and having a change in his voice. This normally extremely vocal grey had become less chatty […]

A World of Wings aims to promote birds and share them with people of all ages, using free-flight bird shows and specially designed interactive programmes and encounters. Here at Northern Parrots we are happy to sponsor the good work Mike Simmons and his team do. Through the use of positive reinforcement training techniques they demonstrate what […]

It was a lovely sunny day here at NP HQ and we were all excited as we waited on the arrival of Barrett Watson, a highly respected Parrot breeder who many of you will have heard of or had the pleasure to meet him in person. We’d asked Barrett if he would kindly bring along […]

Here is how to make veterinary visits stress free.  Many of our pets don’t like going to the veterinary hospital. it is difficult for us to see our companion animals upset. The good news is training can make a difference, as Barbara Heidenreich explains. Behaviours When it comes to companion Parrots there are very few […]

Dot Schwarz explains more about harness training your Parrot.   The use of a harness on pet Parrots to take them out of doors is still unusual. Is the training difficult? That’s a question like how long is a piece of string. Any bird from Cockatiels to Macaws can be harness trained…   But what are the […]

Rosemary Low reveals more about the Blue-headed Pionus. Scientific name:   Pionus menstruus  Adult length:  11in (28cm)  Adult weight:  about 250g. They are a similar size to a Caique, so find lots of products suitable for them here.   Potential lifespan:  35 years  Status in wild:  Common Availability:  They were freely available mainly from Guyana, until imports ceased […]

Dot Schwarz explains how she became a Parrot lady. I’m often asked. ‘How did you get so involved with Parrots?’ The questioner is puzzled both by the size of the aviary and the sight of most rooms in our bungalow festooned with Parrot paraphernalia. The answer’s bittersweet. Had tragedy not intervened, I would probably have […]

Barbara Heidenreich tells us more about Kakapo chicks. One of the cornerstones of animal training is to set your environment so that it is easy for your Parrot to do what you want. This often means arranging your props just right, having a stash of the perfect training treats and making the set up comfortable […]

Barbara Heidenreich answers your Parrot questions on Parrot behaviour problems.  Party Recently Dr Susan Clubb and Terry Timberlake organized a great bash for Parrot enthusiasts called The Rainforest Parrot Party. It was held in Florida and well attended by 400 Parrot loving people. I was invited to participate too. But due to living 1000+ miles […]

Barbara Heidenreich has advice on managing difficult behaviours.  “Go Slow to Get There Fast” is a phrase you will hear me say over and over at my Parrot training workshops. Behaviours It’s quirky, ironic, a little ambiguous ……..and it works to help caregivers achieve amazing behaviours. So what exactly does this catchy little phrase mean?  Some may interpret […]

Barbara has advice on stopping your Parrot screaming. Screaming. Somebody reinforced the heck out of that behaviour.” I said to myself.  Misty, a Double-yellow headed Amazon Parrot, lived with me for only a few weeks. She was there so that I could put some of her vocal behaviours on cue…. However it quickly became apparent she […]