Dear Parrots magazine,
A Great Book
I have just read Understanding Parrots, Cues from Nature by Rosemary Low, it is a thought provoking read. The book is packed full of information that can only have been gained from a lifetime of interaction with parrots, both captive and wild, their carers (good and bad), breeders, researchers and vets.
The insights into the private lives of parrots make fascinating and enlightening reading, for example, the section describing the breeding and nesting habits of Eclectus parrots tells us so much about how this species behave as and gives us a wealth of information regarding their complex care needs, if, and only if, we chose to listen to what Rosemary is saying. Another good example would be a description of how clever and inventive the diminutive parrotlet can be, a trait surely witnessed by anybody who has spent time around Celestial Parrotlets. I have also found in this book a possible explanation for our Moustached Parrot’s pretty yellow wing patches, his courtship dances and his reluctance to be alo-preened. These are just a few examples of how valuable this book is for parrot welfare. The book offers readers a chance to better understand parrots, it is a real milestone and certain extracts should be supplied as compulsory reading for anyone considering taking a parrot or parrots into their lives.
Karen Chudley - by email