Individual preference for the use of one limb over the other to explore the environment or manipulate objects is common trait among vertebrates. Here, we explore the hypothesis that limb preference is determined by the engagement of a particular cerebral hemisphere to analyse certain stimuli. We recorded the eye and foot preferences of 322 individuals from 16 species of Australian parrots while...

Acute pancreatitis was diagnosed in three parrots. Antemortem diagnosis of pancreatitis in the avian patient is rarely documented, and should be suspected in birds showing clinical signs attributable to abdominal pain or gastro-intestinal dysfunction. However, not all birds with confirmed pancreatitis display these signs. A serum amylase level greater than 1,500 U/L is suggestive of pancreatiti...

Hello! It is a gorgeous day, balmy and sunny, I'm feeling great (thank you). That is, when not thinking about the massive surge in infections my country due to Delta variant of Terrible Pandemic (TP). Which doesn't want go away. Indeed, it will away unless we band together take this much more seriously than have been. So, won't away, because ‘taking seriously’ going happen. But at least no parr...

Fluorescent pigments appear to glow because ultraviolet (UV) light is absorbed and reemitted at longer wavelengths. Humans use fluorescence as a highlighter, but it remains a mystery whether naturally occurring fluorescence functions as a signal or is a by-product of pigment structure. Here, we test for evidence of signaling using the fluorescent plumage of parrots (1). We performed mate choice...

While parrots are popular birds to keep as pets, little is known about the relationship between them and their owners frequency of problematic behaviors they display. The data for this study were collected using an anonymous questionnaire that consisted three parts: basic questions parrots; a “Parrot Owner Relationship Scale” (PORS), modified from “Monash Dog (MDORS); behavioral problems in par...

Most of our knowledge of reproduction of wild parrots in the Neotropics comes from studies of tropical lowland species, with few studies addressing species of high-altitude forests. We studied the reproductive biology of Tucuman Parrots (Amazona tucumana) in north-western Argentina between 2004 and 2009. We obtained data on reproductive output for 86 nests and on causes of mortality for 94 nest...