Exotic birds loose in county after naughty goat broke door lock

27th August

A NAUGHTY goat ‘butting’ a door lock led to the accidental release of more than 30 exotic Cockatiels and budgies, many of which are still on the loose in Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion.

Udupi, the boisterous billy, bashed an internal door to an aviary owned by Vicky Richards Barton, of Cardigan, last Wednesday, August 22.

The rampaging ruminant’s door destruction saw Vicky’s much-loved flock take to the skies some time between 8pm and 10pm.

While some eight birds have already made their way home, Vicky, of Tenby Road, is appealing for help in recovering the rest of her feathered friends.

There have been sightings of the missing 25-plus birds as far afield as St Dogmaels, Llechryd, Cilgerran, Newcastle Emlyn, Cenarth, Haverfordwest, and even Carmarthen.

Read on  

Chester Zoo provides new home for 100 exotic birds rescued from illegal traders

The birds were destined to be sold illegally as pets

Community Contributor

21:00, 21 JUN 2018

Chester Zoo has provided a safe haven for almost 100 exotic birds after they were seized from the illegal wildlife trade.

The birds, from 14 under threat species, have been given a safe new home in the zoo’s habitats.

They were destined to be illegally sold as pets before being seized by customs officials in Europe as part of a collaboration against the trade.

The illegal wildlife trade is the fourth largest international crime in the world, worth around $19 billion annually.

Hundreds of bird species are known to appear in parts of Europe after being taken from the wild in Africa, South America and South East Asia.

The birds at Chester Zoo will now play a crucial role in boosting safety net numbers of each species as part of international breeding programmes, managed by the zoo and the global conservation community.

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Exotic Indonesian birds smuggled in drain pipes

17 November 2017

A wildlife raid in Indonesia yielded startling results after 125 exotic birds were found squashed into pipes.

Police say 84 eclectus parrots and 41 endangered white cockatoos were stuffed into drain pipes sealed by wire.

Indonesia's vast jungles are home to many threatened bird species. The country is trying to rein in a rampant wildlife trade.

Separate raids were conducted in parts of eastern Indonesia, leading to the arrests of four men.

If found guilty, they face jail sentences of up to five years and fines of 100m Rupiah ($7,400; £5,600).

Indonesia is home to a large-scale illegal trade of birds, many of which find themselves sold in giant avian markets.

Many poached birds are also smuggled abroad.

Dwi Adhiasto of the Wildlife Conservation Society believes the birds uncovered from Monday's raid were on their way to the Philippines, given links to "a parrot smuggling network there".

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Bird sanctuary with 3,000 exotic birds faces uncertain fate

PUBLISHEDJAN 17, 2016, 5:00 AM SGT

Farm in Mandai allowed to breed them will have to return state land to SLA at end of lease

Ng Huiwen

For more than two decades, a bird sanctuary located down a winding lane off Mandai Road has greeted visitors with a cacophony of whistles and chirps.

Within its 2ha compound at 31 Lorong Lada Hitam, the Mandai Birds Sanctuary boasts eight aviaries with more than 3,000 exotic birds across 124 species.

But its fate now remains uncertain. The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) has asked for the state land back by May.

It has previously been reported that the idea of relocating the Jurong Bird Park to Mandai as part of a proposed rejuvenation of the Mandai precinct is being explored. However, it is unclear if the two are linked.

The sanctuary's co-founder, Mr Daniel Teo, who is also a property developer, received a final notice to vacate two months ago.

"It is very sad," said the 72-year- old. "We've thousands of birds here, some of which are endangered species too. And we've staff who've been with us since the start. What will happen to us now?"

Mr Teo and his friend, Mr Patrick Tay, pumped in millions to start the sanctuary, which they hoped would go beyond its primary purpose of commercial breeding to encourage conservation efforts of endangered species, such as the black palm cockatoo.

Read on ...

Exotic bird breeder scoops every prize at national event

by Claire French

claire.french@thenews.co.uk

Published on the23 January 

2014 

16:00

ENTHUSIAST Terry Sayers has been breeding exotic birds since he was 11 years old.

And with more than 60 years of expertise under his belt, the 74-year-old has won a number of accolades for his prized pets over the years.

But Terry says his achievement of scooping all of the rosettes at the Welsh National Exhibition of Show Birds is one of the best so far.

‘When I was nine years old, I got my first bird,’ said Terry.

‘My first was a lovebird and then a budgerigar.

‘My mum brought me up on her own so I have built this up on my own.’

The former vehicle engineer joined his first caged bird society as a child in Cobham, Surrey, where he grew up.

From there, he became more and more interested in the hobby.

Continued

Rare birds sanctuary to open in Bahrain

Hundreds of exotic birds, including some critically endangered, will go on display for the first time in Bahrain next month at a new sanctuary, a report said.

A blizzard of colour can be seen at Al Aziza Birds Kingdom at Amwaj Islands, which features beautifully plumed birds from the personal collection of leading Bahraini businessman Abdulaziz Kanoo, according to the report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

It houses approximately 400 to 500 winged creatures and will be shown to the public for the first time in nearly 20 years.

The GDN was given an exclusive tour of the facility, where aviculturist in charge Mike Gammond explained about the different species including the exotic toucan and red-vented cockatoo - a critically endangered bird numbering less than 1,000 in the wild.

"The palm cockatoo nests in palm trees and eats palm nuts, hence their name," he said.

"They're from Indonesia and the tip of North Australia. When they're ill, their cheeks change colour and become pale. They absolutely love pomegranates, so when they're ill, we give it to them and the colour comes back into their cheeks."

Rapid bursts of colour are seen at the sanctuary as the birds flock, mate and nest together.

It was the brainchild of Kanoo and Gammond, who breed endangered birds to boost their population and provide buyers with captive-born species in a bid to stop poachers from grabbing birds from the wild.

Continued

Marwell Wildlife opens new attraction

3:00pm Monday 1st April 2013 in News

MARWELL Zoo has unveiled a new attraction that promises to allow visitors to get closer than ever to the action.

The new walkthrough aviary opened on March 27, giving guests a chance to see exotic and endangered birds such as Waldropp Ibis, Crowned Plovers, Little Egrets, Madagascar Teal, Violet Turaco and Von Der Decken’s Hornbill.

Von Der Decken’s Hornbill - male

Marwell hopes the new feature will serve as an education resource for young children whilst acting as an “immersive entrance to Encounter Village”.

Ross Brown, a manager at the zoo, said: “Our new walkthrough aviary provides an excellent habitat for a wide range of birds, some of which are classified as endangered and are difficult to see in the wild. It’s a great way to engage, inspire and educate the next generation about the world of flight.

Continued:  http://www.thisishampshire.net/news/10325536.Marwell_Wildlife_opens_new_attraction/

Afghans Hail Effort To Protect Rare Raptors From Smugglers

Afghan authorities are welcoming a foreign-based NGO's actions to help curb a runaway trade in smuggled exotic birds from Afghanistan. 

An Afghan man with a falcon at a 

refugee camp near Radja Bahoudine.

The group, Nada Al-Sheba Lel-Hayat Al-Bariya from United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), invited journalists to an event to mark the freeing on March 17 of 30 such birds near the northern city of Mazar-e Sharif.

The animals had been seized from smugglers in the Middle East, where reports on such trafficking from South Asia suggest there is high demand for birds of prey and other exotic animals among the very wealthy.

Last year alone, some 5,000 wild birds were smuggled out of Afghanistan, according to the head of the country's Environmental Protection Agency, Mustafa Zahir. Falcons, hawks, and geese are said to be among the smugglers' favorites.

The most highly prized falcons can reportedly sell for as much as $100,000.

Afghan authorities are constrained by budget limitations and other obstacles to enforcement after decades of war and hardship, with infrastructure, security, and rebuilding projects generally regarded as more urgent priorities.

So Zahir was in Mazar-e Sharif on March 17 to lend government support to a newly launched wildlife protection center.

"Unfortunately, the smuggling of birds that is continuing from Afghanistan must stop," Zahir says. "In Mazar-e Sharif, in Herat, and Bamian the hunters are hunting the falcons and hawks. Most of these birds are smuggled to Gulf nations."

Continued:  http://www.rferl.org/content/afghanistan-exotic-bird-smuggling-nature/24935733.html

Zoo gives its exotic and endangered birds their annual check up

6 Mar 2013 16:29

More than 150 birds  are being studied to assess their health, condition and sex

Zoo keepers have set about the mammoth task of carrying out health checks on more than 150 birds.

The endangered and exotic birds at Chester Zoo’s free-flying tropical house are being studied to assess their health, condition and sex.

And keepers have come up with a novel way of keeping the birds calm as they get the job done – placing the birds head first into mugs and other dark containers before weighing them on sets of scales.

Chester Zoo’s curator of birds, Andrew Owen, said: “It’s vital we are able to take accurate biometric measurements of the birds to give us a better understanding of their biology and that includes taking a weight for each of them.

“To do this we carefully place each of the birds beak down into a container for a few seconds – as it’s dark inside it helps to keep the birds really nice and calm.

A Pekin Robin at Chester Zoo is weighed as part of an annual health check

“We also deploy special netting techniques to help us catch the birds in the first place and it’s really important that all of our staff have a chance to get to grips with those.

“That’s because the very same methods are also used at our field conservation projects, so the skills picked up here are vital to those staff heading overseas to try and save certain species threatened with extinction in the wild.”

More than 20 different species of bird reside in the zoo’s Tropical Realm including exotic songsters like the orange-headed thrush and Brazilian tanager, as well as conservation species such as the vulnerable-to-extinction Javan sparrow and critically endangered blue-crowned laughing thrush.

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/uk-news/chester-zoo-gives-exotic-endangered-1724765

Berkeley Law Students Charged In Vegas Bird Decapitation

Felony charges in casino bird's beheading

What happens in Vegas can end up in a courtroom.

Two University of California Berkeley law school students were charged with crimes -- one with felonies -- in Las Vegas for allegedly beheading an exotic bird, according to reports.

Prosecutors say Justin Teixeira, 24, and Eric Cuellar, 24, stole a 14-year old helmeted guineafowl from a cage at the Flamingo resort and casino on Oct. 12. The pair were seen on surveillance video chasing the bird into some trees, and then emerging a short time later with the bird's body and its severed head, the Associated Press reported.

Teixeira's charges include felony killing and felony torturing of an animal, while Cuellar's charge is a misdemeanor. Teixeira could face prison time if convicted, while Cuellar's maximum sentence is six months in jail, the news agency reported.

If convicted, the men's futures as attorneys may be at risk. The State Bar of California requires lawyers to "demonstrate good moral character."

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Berkeley-Law-Students-Charged-In-Vegas-Bird-Decapitation-185071101.html

Palm Harbor veterinarian pushes for better nutrition for pet birds

PALM HARBOR — Inside the Amazon rainforest, thousands of miles from his office in Palm Harbor, the holistic veterinarian watched a colony of chattering macaws glide above the treetops.

"They looked like little blue and gold jewels filling the sky," said Dr. Joel Murphy, recalling a research trip in 2009. "They were so beautiful, healthy and happy."

Murphy, who taught graduate avian medicine at the University of Georgia and has lectured at veterinary schools from the Bahamas to Nepal, aims to recreate that vibrancy in the Tampa Bay area. He studies eating patterns in the wild to bring healthier diets to domestic pets.

Exotic bird owners from New Port Richey to Pinellas Park to Carrollwood seek Murphy's unusual care, which includes blood serum tests, a self-concocted line of flower essences, and dietary counseling. But most of the sick parrots, cockatiels and parakeets Murphy encounters in the bay area — about 2,000 annually — die early from malnutrition, he said.

Continued:  http://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/palm-harbor-veterinarian-pushes-for-better-nutrition-for-pet-birds/1260465

Black market in rare birds suspected in northern district

A BLACK market for rare and expensive birds is operating in the northern district, warns Eastwood resident Ian Sheffield president of the Parrot Society of Australia (NSW).

Ten of his exotic birds were stolen from the aviary in the backyard of his Eastwood home while he slept about a month ago.

A pair of breeding Alexandrines, their three baby Alexandrines, one immature male Alexandrine and two breeding pairs of Plum head parrots went missing,

"I was just devastated when I walked outside and they were missing," he said. "The value of the birds varied, but to me they were priceless."

The estimated value could exceed $60,000 in the bird's breeding lifetime," he said. "The big thing is the dollar value is there because we can't import them anymore. So we have got to breed good ones from what we have."

Police are investigating the theft of birds from residential aviaries or cages over the past six months.

Continued:  http://northern-district-times.whereilive.com.au/news/story/black-market-in-rare-birds-suspected-in-northern-district/

Exotic birds could spread to Britain thanks to global warming

In the last decade Britain has suffered massive declines in many garden and farmland birds including the turtle dove and fieldfare.

But due to mild winters and conservation efforts other bird populations have grown, including the little egret and Mediterranean gull that have flown over the Channel.

Other more exotic birds like the hoopoe, fantailed warbler and great reed warbler may arrive in the future as temperatures rise further, according to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

The charity predicts the purple heron, black kite and tiny serin could also spread to Britain.

The British Trust for Ornithology predicted that the warm wet summers we have been experiencing could bring white storks, black-winged stilts and even glossy ibises. 

Read on: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/9588092/Exotic-birds-could-spread-to-Britain-thanks-to-global-warming.html

City of London Corporation monitoring parakeet numbers in Wanstead Park following tawny owl deaths

A MOB of exotic birds has staged an invasion of a public park - and appears to be trying to turf out the native population of tawny owls.

The City of London Corporation has confirmed it is monitoring numbers of ring-necked parakeets in Wanstead Park after the brightly-coloured birds turned on a pair of baby owls.

A young tawny owl was found seriously injured at the bottom of a tree by a member of the public earlier in the summer.

A second owlet, perched in the tree above, was being attacked by a group of the parakeets.

Continued:  http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/rbnews/9937112.WANSTEAD__Park_birds_in_a_flap_over_parakeet_invasion/