Recommendations

After years of studying birds in captivity and in the wild, I have acquired a library of favorite resources (books and videos) of avifauna. Good solid educational materials are a must and I both encourage and applaud those who do their homework when it comes to birds- whether watching for them in nature or caring for them in captivity. My hope is that you too can benefit from these resources -if you don’t already own them.

-Dr. M Scott Echols

Parrots of the World by Joseph Forshaw, illustrated by William T Cooper

This book is must for parrot enthusiasts. Forshaw is the first name in parrots and his books have proven to be an invaluable resource for all interested in psittacine species. I have used Parrots of the World through its many additions over my years of study and I have to place this as Top 10 Bird Lover’s Book!

Australian Parrots by Joseph Forshaw illustrated by William T. Cooper

Another great resource from Forshaw. Australian Parrots provides more detailed information on each species than found in Parrots of the World and is another Top 10 Bird Lover’s Book. As with his other works, Cooper’s illustrations are beautiful making this book an artpiece in addition to a must have reference for studying Australian parrots.

The Slater Guide to Australian Birds by Peter, Pat and Raoul Slater

This handy and small book is great for quick Australian bird identification. Generally I have more trouble with bird identification when the images are drawings or paintings (versus photographs), however the plates in this field guide are excellent. The information is short and to the point.

Birds of Southern Africa by Sinclair, Hockey and Tarboton

Another small book great for quick identification of South African bird species. The plates are color paintings that very accurately depict the birds- even the birds of prey which I find challenging to identify with all of their color morphs and age variations. The written information is very basic but is especially helpful in distinguishing like species.

A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica by Stiles and Skutch

Printed in both Spanish and English, native Costa Ricans and visitors alike have used this work for many years. For guide a book, there is quite a bit of detailed information about each species which I have found very helpful. The color plates (illustrations) are very good. Even with this guide, you may find hummingbird identification difficult as iridescence is difficult to capture in an illustration. Otherwise, I highly recommend this book- especially if traveling to Costa Rica.

The Backyard Birdsong Guide by Donald Kroodsma

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has provided audio of bird songs for a number of these books (including Bird Songs below). These books add a new dimension to bird watching; sound. This guide is small enough to carry while in the field, and certainly your backyard, and the sounds produced by the book’s small speakers are good enough to engage some birds into a singing contest! Not only is this book fun, but it is very helpful in identifying birds by their songs. (Available in versions for Western North America and Eastern and Central North America.)

250 North American Birds in Song by Les Beletsky

Another book in a series that features sound bytes from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. From the haunting song of the coomon loon to the complex vocalizations of the winter wren, this book provides clear sounds that are both intriguing and useful. The diversity and complexity of the songs are amazing. I have to place this as a Top 10 Bird Lover’s Book for the clarity and variety of the bird songs especially for those living in or visiting North America.

Parrot Behavior and Training by Barbara Heidenreich

Barbara Heidenreich’s video Parrot Behavior and Training an Introduction to Training offers viewers the basics on bird training.  Barbara clearly spells out definitions such as positive reinforcement, bridge and cue and shows viewers how to apply common training techniques to pet birds.  She also addresses using food rewards for eager and non-food motivated birds.  Probably the most exciting aspect of this video is how Barbara shows step by step how to get your bird to perform basic tasks and tricks such as getting off your shoulder, turn around, the wave and more.  For those new to parrot training, I highly recommend this video as the information forms the foundation to applied behavior analysis and developing a fun and interactive relationship with your bird.

Get Your Bird Back by Barbara Heidenreich and Robin Shewokis

Barbara Heidenreich and Robin Shewokis have teamed up to create a two DVD set called Get Your Bird Back What to Do When a Parrot is Lost.  As the title implies, the focus of this DVD is to help you to both be prepared for a bird escape and take the appropriate steps in case your pet is lost.  Barbara and Robin make several useful recommendations on means to prepare yourself in case your bird is lost including taking photos, video and audio of your bird, recording band numbers and microchips if present and training your bird to fly to you and go into a travel cage.  The second DVD includes numerous resources such as sample ‘lost bird flyers’, dozens of pet parrot species calls and ‘Useful Forms’ all geared to help you efficiently and quickly find your lost bird.

Understanding Parrot Body Language by Barbara Heidenreich

Understanding Parrot Body Language is a DVD for every bird owner.  Barbara Heidenreich, an internationally recognized animal trainer, teaches you to identify a bird’s actions rather than simply labeling the behavior (for example, the bird is ‘spoiled’ or ‘mean’).  From my perspective, an avian veterinarian, this is critical to understanding and correcting behavioral problems in any animal- especially birds.  Barbara focuses on recognizing common parrot body language such as calm, fear, aggression, courtship and excitement.  I absolutely agree with Barbara when she states that getting bit ‘does not have to be a part of sharing your life with a parrot’.  By recognizing common parrot behaviors, you too can live a life with parrots without bite marks! Within the DVD are success stories, case-test examples and species specific behaviors.  So what does it mean when your parrot is grousing or wipes its beak?  To find out, you will have to watch the DVD.

Training Your Parrot for the Veterinary Exam by Barbara Heidenreich

While it was a little strange reviewing a video in which I participated, I was pleasantly surprised (although irrespective of my participation).  As the title ‘Training your parrot for the veterinary exam’ implies, Barbara Heidenreich effectively shows you how to prepare your bird for a visit to the animal doctor (like me!).  Barbara covers core principles of training such as positive reinforcement, targeting  and shaping in effort to help you teach your bird how to step on a scale, go in and out of a crate, tolerate towel restraint and more.  This is all intended to make the trip to the bird veterinarian a much less stressful event for all involved.  If only all bird owners followed the steps outlined in this video….my life would be a lot easier!