Kakapo news you can use

[Kentuckienne]

I found a book about kakapo rescue in New Zealand and here are two tidbits.

Kakapo feathers smell strongly of honey. This smell is produced by a harmless bacteria on the feathers. Makes me wonder about this amazon smell you amazon-owned folks go on about. Do you notice the smell is stronger when it’s been a while since the last bath?

A quote.

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A Mr. G. S. Sale, in 1870, found his pet kakapo exceptionally affectionate. “The highest complement it can pay you,” he wrote, “is to nestle down on your hand, ruffle out its feathers and lower its wings, flapping them alternately, and shaking its head from side to side; it is in a superlative state of enjoyment.”

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If only Mr. Sale could have googled “shagged by rare parrot”!

Cult of the Party Parrot

 

[MonicaMc]

When excited, amazons can intensify that 'amazon smell'!


Kakapos are certainly quirky "little" birds!

 

[GaleriaGila]

This absolutely made me do my giggle-snort, which only shows itself at times of hysterical laughter. Shagged by rare parrot!

 

[Cardinal]

I found a book about kakapo rescue in New Zealand and here are two tidbits.


===========

A Mr. G. S. Sale, in 1870, found his pet kakapo exceptionally affectionate. “The highest complement it can pay you,” he wrote, “is to nestle down on your hand, ruffle out its feathers and lower its wings, flapping them alternately, and shaking its head from side to side; it is in a superlative state of enjoyment.”

============

If only Mr. Sale could have googled “shagged by rare parrot”!

Cult of the Party Parrot

Hi Kentukienne

Thank you for sharing this very nice titbit. I presume in the year 1870, Kakapos were still abundant (though not super-abundant)

Two nice documentaries to see are
1. Unnatural History of the Kakapo
2. Wild New Zealand- new arrivals.

cheers

 

[Kentuckienne]

This absolutely made me do my giggle-snort, which only shows itself at times of hysterical laughter. Shagged by rare parrot!

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T1vfsHYiKY"]Shagged by a rare parrot - Last Chance To See - BBC Two - YouTube[/ame]

 

[clark_conure]

Clark smells like clark. despite his many baths...I bet I could pick him out of a smell line up.

 

[Cardinal]

What is the name of this book on Kakapos?

cheers

Avin

 

[Kentuckienne]

What is the name of this book on Kakapos?

cheers

Avin

Kakapo Rescue: Saving the World's Strangest Parrot by Montgomery

Yes, the quote was from around 1854. Some naturalists kept them as pets and reported them to be playful and affectionate. The same page also says the first living specimen reached Europe in 1870. Maybe the earlier reports were naturalists living elsewhere?

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

So....odd... a "wild rare parrot" just hopping on a human (which the parrot has probably never encountered) and "doing his thing" lol..




Jim

 

[Flboy]

So....odd... a "wild rare parrot" just hopping on a human (which the parrot has probably never encountered) and "doing his thing" lol..

Jim

I know how he feels!

 

[SailBoat]

Makes me wonder about this amazon smell you amazon-owned folks go on about. Do you notice the smell is stronger when it’s been a while since the last bath?

Ahhh, Amazon Aroma !!!

Over the many years and many Amazons I have known and Loved, I have come to understand that Amazons have four specific aromas.

- Amazon Body Aroma: This base aroma is what most people notice and can become more pronounced the longer the time between baths.

- Amazon Post Bath Aroma: This common aroma is a mix of the base Body Aroma with that of wet feathers.

- Amazon Poo Aroma: This varies greatly depending on what the Amazon is eating and the last time the cage or perch area has been cleaned.

- Amazon Contentment Aroma: This very special aroma is what Amazon owner's commonly reference when they speak about the joy of the Amazon Aroma. When one's Amazon is especially contented with her /his World they release this unique Aroma.

Amazon's Have More Fun!!!

 

[Kentuckienne]

So....odd... a "wild rare parrot" just hopping on a human (which the parrot has probably never encountered) and "doing his thing" lol..
Jim

After reading the rest of the book ... there were only 87 kakapo at the time it was written, each one with a name and a transmitter. One of those, the one in the video, is a male called Scirocco. It turns out he was raised by humans, so when it is time to find a mate he seeks out one of his own - a human. Male or female, doesn't matter. He built a dirt bowl (from which to boom at females, lek style) between the people hut and the outhouse, and the researchers race to the outhouse because Scirocco will rush out and grab the leg of anyone he can catch and start climbing up the leg to glory. Everybody runs past his territory. At night if the lights are on in the hut he stands outside the window, looking in, pining and whining (actually a loud chinging) for someone to come get him. It is most sad, really.

 

[MonicaMc]

Sirocco has been receiving a lot of training so he doesn't ambush any other unsuspecting visitors! Plus, he has become an ambassador for the species!


Barbara's Force Free Animal Training Talk: Search results for kakapo

 

[Kentuckienne]

I'm glad to hear it! I feel bad for parrots who are deprived of human company when it's all they've known, but it IS to save the species from extinction. I remember in Tweety's book, there was a Spix macaw that had been taken from someone in the US after being a lifelong "pet" and when it heard the author speaking English came eagerly to try to get close. I hope both those creatures find a way to integrate with the others.

 

[Kiwibird]

Makes me wonder about this amazon smell you amazon-owned folks go on about. Do you notice the smell is stronger when it’s been a while since the last bath?

Ahhh, Amazon Aroma !!!

Over the many years and many Amazons I have known and Loved, I have come to understand that Amazons have four specific aromas.

- Amazon Body Aroma: This base aroma is what most people notice and can become more pronounced the longer the time between baths.

- Amazon Post Bath Aroma: This common aroma is a mix of the base Body Aroma with that of wet feathers.

- Amazon Poo Aroma: This varies greatly depending on what the Amazon is eating and the last time the cage or perch area has been cleaned.

- Amazon Contentment Aroma: This very special aroma is what Amazon owner's commonly reference when they speak about the joy of the Amazon Aroma. When one's Amazon is especially contented with her /his World they release this unique Aroma.

Amazon's Have More Fun!!!

Hmmmm.... have never noticed any kind of odor to Kiwi's (or my moms amazons) poo before. In fact, I've never found any species of parrot (healthy individuals) to have any odor at all to their poo (one of the BIG "pros" for parrots as pets!). Sometimes the paper has that wet newspaper smell to it, especially after wet poops or first thing when the cage cover comes off in the morning.

They do always stink like a wet parrot after a bath! Not a particularly charming scent, though they then usually smell quite nice when freshly dry And that ever-lovely musty happy scent. I know of few amazon owners who do not sniff their bird to get more. I swear it's addictive to humans!

 

[MonicaMc]

I'm glad to hear it! I feel bad for parrots who are deprived of human company when it's all they've known, but it IS to save the species from extinction. I remember in Tweety's book, there was a Spix macaw that had been taken from someone in the US after being a lifelong "pet" and when it heard the author speaking English came eagerly to try to get close. I hope both those creatures find a way to integrate with the others.

Unfortunately, he (spix macaw) died without passing on any genes.

https://news.nationalgeographic.com...spix-macaw-presley-rio-parrot-brazil-science/


The movie had a much happier ending....

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1436562/?ref_=nv_sr_1

 

[itchyfeet]

So....odd... a "wild rare parrot" just hopping on a human (which the parrot has probably never encountered) and "doing his thing" lol..

Jim

I know how he feels!

Hang on.......What?!?

Yup - our bird life is pretty darn special. Between the Sirroco's love for humans and the kea's love of destroying everyone's cars.....