first post! hi everybody!

[haleybird]

Hello all!

I found this forum a few days back, and been enjoying reading so much, I decided to join, even though I dont have any fids at the moment (I'm a full time student, but graduating this fall! So ideally, I will be able to bring a fid into my life in the next year or two, hopefully! (it depends on grad school status and student loan payment). I've been in love with macaws my entire life (my mom had a b&g and a lilac crwn zon, and growing up we did baby wild bird rehab/release, so I've been a bird girl my whole life. I even think one of my first words was "duck") anyways, I've been dreaming and planning to get a hy (although I really love the gw too!!) since I was probably 14 or 15., though most of my savings has gone to putting myself through school! I'm a studio art major (though I also have a degree in anthropology/archeaology), and my goal is to open a gallery and sell art. That way my bird can hang out with me all day! I'm working on getting a legit website up because I also make jewelry, natural fiber dresses/gowns/skirts, handbags, and eventually boots, in addition to my fine art stuff. Mostly I do local shows and exhibitions because its more fun than sitting at a desk. I'd rather be outside! My latest hobby has been searching the states for a nursery that sells the attalea and syagrus palm species that hy's eat, so I can get a good head start on some fresh, organic palm nuts for my fid to enjoy. Its been my little self assigned research project (because I dont have enough projects already! ) studying and researching all about brazilian/pantanal palm species and their requirements. I'm a firm believer in the idea "you are what you eat" not just for myself, but for my creatures too.
Anyways! I'm excited to be here on this cool little online community...I'm a huge bird-nerd (and proud of it!) And I look forward to talking and sharing ideas with other bird people!

 

[wenz2712]

and welcome to the forum

 

[Cami]

Welcome!

 

[blackhawk007]

Hello! Welcome to the forum!

 

[Turk]

Hello and welcome!

 

[Alwese]

Well welcome Haleybird! I'm sure you will find a bunch of helpful people to answer any bird questions you may have. I have heard that just about anything that grows can be grown in California. I never thought about the possibility of raising the exact palm nuts that Hys eat in the Pantenal. I have heard about Hy people getting the palm nuts from out of the country, but most of the locally raised Hys are eating Macadamia nuts and anything else they can adapt them to. Plax is our resident Hy owner and likely will guide you to any questions you have concerning just them. We have a host of Greenwing owners here too (not me). Anyway, glad to have you on board... Al

 

[aliray]

Hi and welcome to the forum. Sounds like a really great plan. I currently have a queen palm in my front yard with a lot of green fruit that I plan on harvesting and freezing for my birds when they ripen. Had a couple of young men come by to see if I wanted to have my palm trimmed to get rid of the fruit. I am sure they thought I was nuts when I said no and then told them why. Oh well

 

[plax]

Hi haleybird! I'm glad you've joined. You have superb taste in parrots, btw .

 

[haleybird]

A lot (if not all) of the Syagrus genus (this includes the Queen palm, Syagrus romanzoffiana) are edible for parrots. The Fox palm is another Syagrus (Syagrus harleyi) that parrots can eat. And those are pretty common and easy to grow in the right temperature zones I think. Although California does have a reputation for growing just about everything, it still can get pretty cold in the winter..sometimes even into the 20's!

The strange thing about researching palm species, is that the palm "specialists" not only have the common english name, theres also the indigenous name, and often these specialist (or scientists) will argue about which Latin binomial they will officially name the tree...so some lucky palm trees will have 3 or 4 different names! You should see all the arrows pointing all different ways in my notebook. Lol.
I can make a thread all about palm species (South American species), their attributes and common names...maybe it could be useful to others who want to grow palms too.

 

[antoinette]

Welcome