is your home toxic to your exotic birds? alert! … · is your home toxic to your exotic birds?...
TRANSCRIPT
A Bird’s Eye View Page 1
April, 2013 Volume 31
Issue 4
EDITORS NOTE: Although this is a subject we constantly revisit, I think as responsible bird owners, it’s worth reading again. I find myself occasionally making some of these mistakes. Please take a moment to check around your house before it’s too late! - Carl.
IS YOUR HOME TOXIC TO YOUR EXOTIC BIRDS? ALERT! ALERT! ALERT! - THE DANGERS AROUND YOUR HOUSE THAT CAN KILL EXOTIC BIRDS COMMON PRODUCTS AND ITEMS TO AVOID... ON OR NEAR EXOTIC BIRDS
Exotic Birds are susceptible to a wide range of toxic substances which can injure or kill birds either by ingestion (eating) or inhalation (breathing them in). SAFESTAIN - A stain and water-repelling product similar to DuPont’s Stainmaster. 3M Corporation reportedly received numerous reports, going back decades, of bird deaths caused by exposure to the original formulation of its Scotchgard stain and water repellent. The active ingredient in that product, PFOS, was forced from the market by EPA in 2000 but many people still have the product and I’ve seen it on the shelves of ODD LOTS. Smoking products such as Cigarette, Cigar, Pipe smoke, Marijuana smoke. Nicotine on hands and clothing, Ingested Tobacco and Marijuana can harm or cause death to your exotic birds. Even third-hand residue on your skin or clothing can make your bird seriously ill. Leaded Stained Glass Decorations, Old Paint on Woodwork, Costume Jewelry, Curtain Weights, Lead Fishing Weights, Lead pellets, Solder, Some Artists Paints, Pencils and Chalks, Some Cage Paint & Galvanized Wire, Toothbrushes, Metal Hard-ware that Flakes or Chips some Woods (Mulch). AVOID WALNUT SHELLS FOR THE BOTTOM OF THE CAGE AS IT CAN BE A GREAT PLACE FOR MOLD TO GROW. The afore mentioned items are easily chewed as is the nature of our feathered kids. PEANUTS - Peanuts have long been considered a staple of any companion parrot's diet. They are in just about every parrot seed mixture. Peanuts are loaded with aflatoxins (molds) that can kill your parrots. This is particularly true of the animal grade peanuts in most seed mixes but human grade peanuts can also be problematic. The seed mixes that don't contain peanuts are most likely made by companies that actually care about the health of your parrots. (Please see: https://companionparrotonline.com/Dangers.html for additional important information. THANK YOU SALLY BLANCHARD FOR YOUR SUPER PUBLIC PAGE! ) BABY WIPES - While I have personally been unable to locate the claim with back-up data to avoid the products I tend to lean toward the side of safety. I know most infant products will create respiratory problems. ELECTRICAL CORDS – Need I explain?
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April 19th - Club Meeting — Our special
guest speaker is Dave Weeshoff from
The International Bird Rescue. DON’T
MISS THIS MEETING!
Birds are welcome at your table!
Join the fun.
*Remember to bring a dish to share
OR leave a donation.
Thanks!
Please take an active role with the club. It's
great fun. If you would like to help at any of
the events, contact Linda at 661-803-1416,
Extra: Write an original article and have it
published and receive $5 in free raffle
tickets or ??????????? (...I’m waiting…)
Bring “poop paper” for your bird’s use.
Clean up after your parrot (poop and
food).
Do not allow your bird to roam around at
will (on chairs, etc.) or get close to other
birds.
Clip those wings! Meeting hall doors may
be open.
Bio-security may be in place at the meeting
entrance.
Use antiseptic hand wipes before touching
other birds—respect other parrots’ health. Birds brought to meeting must be healthy
and not have been treated for illness for 30
days.
Dave will be preparing and presenting a spe-cial talk on “The Critters of the Galapagos” , including all those amazing and unusual birds. Dave is a graduate of Utah State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Experi-mental Psychology in 1968. He subsequently worked for IBM for 35 years, retiring in 2004. Post-retirement from IBM, he became a volunteer and docent with the Los Angeles Oiled Bird Care and Education Center, San Pedro, managed by International Bird Rescue. He is President of the San Fernando Valley Audubon Society and is a frequent guest speaker on birds and environmental issues for Audubon, Heal the Bay - an organization concerned with improving the water quality off the Southern California coast, and the Algalita Marine Research Institute - concerned with causes and consequences of plastic debris in the world’s oceans.
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Featuring Cynthia Maxwell and Lance, her amazing
Red-Tailed Hawk. It was a blast! Thanks Cynthia!
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Don’t forget! Renew your membership
today!
818-993-9777
E-mail: [email protected]
Bird Trees and More
Bird Toys Perches
Available at: Omar’s Exotic Birds
Parrots Naturally Discount Birds and Supplies
Feathered Follies Animal Lovers
NationalGeographic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3mTPEuFcWk The Peregrine Falcon-Peregrines are favored by fal-
coners, and have been used in that sport for many centuries.
A Bird’s Eye View Page 5
In Memoriam, Dale Robert Gilkinson
February 20th, 1940 to March 5th, 2013
Dale was a long-time member and great friend to the West Valley Bird Society. Dale rarely
missed a meeting and was always lending a helping hand at our monthly get-togethers.
Thanks for all your time, support, and generosity—our club will miss you, Dale.
Dale was born in Chicago, Illinois and was an only child to Harold and Bertha Gilkinson.
He met his wife, Carol, at Valparaiso Lutheran University in Indiana where he graduated
with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1961. After the births of
their three sons, John, Paul, and Peter, Dale and Carol moved to California in 1968 and
soon thereafter joined the Hope Lutheran Church. Dale served on the Board of Education
at Hope Lutheran for many years and participated in the founding of Lutheran High, La
Verne. He worked as an aerospace engineer for Aero-Jet in Azusa, California for more than
25 years, working on strategic defense systems among other projects. Dale retired in 1995,
allowing him to participate actively in his hobbies of photography and raising and rescuing
birds. Dale was an award winning published photographer with the Photographic Society
of America and was actively involved in leadership of local photography and bird clubs.
Dale is survived by his wife, three sons, and five grandchildren.
A Bird’s Eye View Page 6
POORLY MADE TOYS – If you purchase toys with deep color it’s likely to be loaded with sodium. This WDL admin makes organic parrot toys to avoid all too common hazards to my own parrots as well as those that belong to friends. CEILING FANS – It’s a no-brainer as to what a ceiling fan can do to a free-flighted exotic bird. INSECTICIDES – Both aerosol and powdered, indoor as well as outdoor can cause problems even if labeled as being PET SAFE. Natural products such a Cinnamon can detour many of those nasty bugs! Sources of Indoor Air Pollution: Aerosol Sprays (Even pump sprays disperse droplets throughout your home.) Asbestos Radon Lead dust from sanding lead-based paint Art supplies, glue, correction fluid Dry cleaning chemicals Fabric deodorizers Air fresheners: spray, solid, plug-in, powder Shoe polish & waterproofing compounds Pesticides Cooking fumes Heated, non-stick cookware and appliances such as Teflon® Cleaning products Furniture polish (Use lemon oil instead.) Moth balls Pet dander, fur, feathers Perfume, hair spray, cosmetics Remodeling Products (Many are hazardous.) Scented and Gel Candles Don't depend on air filters and purifiers to remove toxic gases or fumes from the air. Be sure your home is adequately ventilated. Always follow manufacturer's directions when using products or appliances. Labels will usually not indicate whether products are harmful to birds because most products are not routinely tested on birds. According to an article in the Indoor Air Quality Review, problems associated with scented candles may result from the minute particulate matter dispersed by the candles. Essential oils and chemicals are added to these candles to create the scents. These are dispersed into the air as the candles burn. The inhaled particles are small enough to pass through the human body's 'filter system' (lungs) and become lodged in the tissues. The UC Berkeley Wellness Letter says, "Few studies have been done on whether burning or incense have any effect on human health. Most studies have simply looked at compounds released into the air. These include some potent pollutants including benzene, toluene, formaldehyde, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons. Nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide are also by-products of combustion. Burning candles can release fine particles as well as soot and even heavy metals from certain cores and pigments. Avoid candles with metal core wicks because they release lead. Keep rooms well ventilated." Because birds have complex and sensitive respiratory systems, I'd advise against using scented candles in closed areas where birds are present. There have been some reports of birds dying after exposure to scented or 'room freshening' can-dles. Remember, household products are not routinely tested on birds, therefore manufacturers cannot certify that they are harmful or harmless to birds. If you error, please do so on the side of caution. Information from the Long Island Parrot Society of NY, Inc. http://www.liparrotsociety.org/dangerous.htm and other sources on the internet such as http://exoticpets.about.com/od/basiccare/tp/birddangers.htm.
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Note: The information posted on The Long Island Parrot Society website while for the most part was well written grammatical errors were corrected herein and The Winged Defense League Administrator up-dated the original material as it’s a little dated. Additional important material was listed on Sally Blanchard’ site https://companionparrotonline.com/Dangers.html. It a super website and I highly recommend you drop in to look around. She’s an amazing aviculturist and an asset to exotic bird owners! (Thanks to all those that contributed to this valuable article)
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Barn owl babies at California Wildlife Center, 2/2013 , volunteer photo credit Leslie Lentz Compliments of: Ciao, Angela Cancilla Herschel in SoCal “Being kind is more important ..than being important. ~ “Any good animal trainer knows the science of positive reinforcement includes...people too. ~ California Wildlife Center, volunteer wildlife warrior www.cawildlife.org
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Lauren Cheney Jennifer Portillo
CLICK HERE
Www.ReptacularAnimals.Com
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What You Need to Care
for a Pet Bird
Pet Bird Care Supplies By Alyson Kalhagen, About.com
Guide Planning on adopting a new pet bird? If
you are, and this is your first bird, then odds are that you don't have the necessary
supplies on hand to care for your new pet. Before bringing your new feathered friend
home, it's important that you assemble everything that you'll need to properly care
for your pet in advance. That way, you'll be able to make your bird's transition into
your home go as smoothly as possible,
without having to worry about leaving the bird alone while you run out to get sup-
plies. Use the checklist below to make sure that you've got all of the key ingredients to
caring for your bird on hand before you bring your pet home. Doing so will make
your bird's arrival much more comfortable for everyone involved.
Have a proper bird cage. Some new bird owners may think that they
can worry about getting a bird cage the day that they bring their bird home, but
waiting until the last minute is not a very good idea at all. For one thing, it is helpful
to have a cage already set up for your bird
when you get him or her home, so that you can place the animal directly in its new
home to become acclimated. Keeping your bird in a carrier for a prolonged amount of
time while you fumble with cage assembly and location can put additional stress on
what is already likely to be a rather upset creature -- moving to a new home is a
very big deal, and having your bird's new cage set up and ready to go can help ease
the trauma of the transition for your pet by giving it a safe refuge.
Have a variety of food handy. (Continued on page 10)
A Bird’s Eye View Page 10
Meet the Owners Judy and Bill Lantz are licensed clinical laboratory scientists and owners of Par-
rots Naturally. Together they breed and lovingly raise more than 25 species of
parrots.
Having an array of tasty foods and bird treats on hand can be a good idea for when you bring your bird home. When stressed, birds can decide that they don't want to eat as
much as they normally would, which can lead to health concerns. Having a variety of dif-ferent foods on hand to offer your new pet will increase the chances that there will be a
treat that your bird just can't say "no" to, helping to make sure that your bird's calorie in-take doesn't suffer due to the stress of his or her move.
Provide plenty of toys. Go shopping for bird toys several days before you bring your pet home, and arrange them
in your bird's new cage. Having some shiny new toys to play with can comfort a stressed bird, and offer them much needed mental stimulation that will help make their transition
into your home an easier process. Assemble a bird first aid kit.
Accidents can happen at any time, including the first day you bring your bird home. Hav-ing a bird first aid kit on hand from day one is imperative to making sure that you can
provide the best quality care for your pet in the unfortunate event of an emergency. If
you aren't familiar with where to acquire a bird first aid kit, you can learn how to make your own bird first aid kit at home.
Allow plenty of time for your bird to adjust. It may seem like an odd thing to list here, but one of the most important things to have
for your bird's arrival at your home is time to spend socializing and reassuring your new pet. You should start forming a bond with your new bird as soon as
he or she comes home in order to help your pet transition into living in your home. Birds are extremely social creatures who crave and
thrive on companionship -- doing things to make your bird feel comfortable in your home will greatly reduce the amount of stress
that the transition puts on your new pet, and will set you up for a great life-long relationship with your feathered friend.
Suggested Reading Choosing a Healthy Baby Bird
Why Birds Aren't Good Pets for Everybody
Good Birds for First Time Owners
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A Bird’s Eye View Page 11
The WVBS will be there!
DON’T MISS IT!
CLICK BELOW
Madeleine Franco is an award-winning business writer/presenter and the founding president of the Southern Nevada Parrot Education, Rescue and Rehoming Society (SNPERRS; www.snperrs.org). She is also a member of the board of directors of The Wasatch Avian Education Society (Utah). Made-leine is an avicultural hobbyist who tends a flock of approximately 30 non-breeding, highly platonic and interactive pet parrots and cockatoos. Made-leine is the owner/operator of Premium Pine Cones, LLC (www.premiumpinecones.net), specializing in remedies, refeathering aids, toys and playful diversions for parrots that pluck, but would like to kick the habit. Don’t miss Madeleine on May 17, 2013, 7:30 at The West Valley Bird Society In Granada Hills, CA
A Bird’s Eye View Page 12
Birdkeeping Naturally EB Cravens February ‘13 I was over visiting at my auto mechanic’s house the other day when I heard a distinct Pyrrhura parrot screech from within. Being the bird fix addict that I am, I naturally knocked on the back door and was greeted by a young boy with “Meatball” the Green Cheeked Conure on his shoulder. I was not impressed with that name, but then to each his own I guess. What bothered me most was that the conure’s daytime home seemed to be a small plastic bin about seven by twelve inches in size, and that its bottom was covered with cardboard and a whole heap of chewed up white styrofoam pieces. “This is a no-no,” I began. “Styrofoam is toxic. It has killed parrots.” Our veterinarian in Santa Fe, NM treated a baby Umbrella Cockatoo some years ago, that was being raised in a foam cooler when it ingested small pieces of same. It promptly impacted its digestive tract and died. The tiny food dish in the bottom of the crate was filled with all quinoa seeds. “Nope,” I went on. “Quinoi is not digestible and healthy for parrots unless it is cooked, or some say sprouted.” Well one thing led to another and we got to talking about how old was the psittacine, where was he from, plus the care, feeding, and so forth. Turns out, Dominic was just watching the bird for a while as Jackie, the real owner was away shopping. Shortly thereafter she returned and I began answering her many questions about avian maintenance. She had run out of food, hence the quinoa substitute, and had stopped by a grocery store to buy a box of that old-fashioned boxed parakeet seed. Heck, I did not even realize the Hartz Mountain people still marketed that stuff. This prompted a whole range of discussion about where the best bird seeds were avail-able on our island, how to recognize and test freshness by hull sheen and sprouting, and, of course, about the importance of wet, cooked, raw, sprouted and soft foods for hookbills—including vegetables and fruit with nutritious pips intact. I invited Jackie and her pet over to visit April and I the next morning during aviary feeding time, and lo, and behold at nine a.m. she and her green cheek and a cousin showed up at the farm. It took over an hour to familiarize them with the way we keep and feed our parrots, the importance of branches and greenery, the many nutrient items available in the surrounding farmers’ markets and health food stores. We loaded her up with some prime small hookbill seed mixes in-cluding buckwheat, hemp, red millet, canary seed, etc. Then we gave “M.B.”(my coined name for Meatball considering he was staying at a Mercedes Benz mechanic’s house!) an introduction into about ten fresh green chewables gathered in the gardens and orchards—he was definitely not accustomed to greenstuffs, but did go for those barky, crunchy, woody things that satisfied the wrongfully-pointed styrofoam gnawing urges. At the end of the visit, Jackie thanked us and said she would be changing the ways she cared for M.B. in the future. April and I can only hope that she has the time and resources to do so properly… The rest of the day thereafter I got to thinking. How can persons presume to acquire a pet parrot when they have not the slightest idea how to correctly take care of it. M.B. the green cheeked was actually in his fourth home in under eight-een months, having been raised, then sold to a store, then bought by a first owner before Jackie got him off of Craig’s List. How can this sort of thing still be happening in 2013? Who is responsible for selling such helpless handfed birds into pet homes without giving actual information about caring for them appropriately? It makes me almost want to weep. I realize as the market for large parrots, macaws, cockatoos, amazons, and the like shrinks, that conures are picking up the slack for many profit-oriented commercial breeding establishments. Why just this week someone sent me an interview with that Voren man in Florida boasting on about how he was such an important “capitalist” taking eggs to incubate from breeder birds as they were laid; and then selling off the pairs when they stopped producing—anonymously so his name was not on
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MON - SAT 9 am - 7 pm SUN 11 am – 6 pm
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A Bird’s Eye View Page 14
Remember—please send photos of your bird to the editor at [email protected]. Do you have a nice story about your bird? Please send those in also. The club collects old magazines which we sell at the Bird Mart. Please bring anything you are done with to the next meeting. Just give them to a Board Member. This is your newsletter. If you have any articles to share, please send them to me at [email protected]. Why not just write a little something about one of your birds - something cute it does, etc. Carl
WHEN WHERE SIGN UP NOW
Parrots Naturally 19224 Ventura Blvd. Tarzana, Ca. 91356
1 block East of Tampa
SUNDAY March 3, 2013
FROM 11:00 AM TO 2:00 PM
When you sign up in advance you will be personally introduced
to parrots in the program and have
a volunteer to guide you through the
adoption process.
Call Judy at 866 parrots
A Bird’s Eye View Page 15
them, of course. He did not have time to get to know his hundreds of pairs of parrots; instead is getting set to retire he said. Sad. Perhaps it’s time for we true psittacine lovers, we who cannot separate compassion and respect and responsibility from the keeping of live animals, to become more proactive in our stand for the birds. Maybe we need to go into more pet stores, flea markets, bird marts, and online and voice firmly that this kind of unconscious buying and selling without con-cern for the aftermaths has gone on long enough. Craig’s List, curtail the advertisements for birds that pose as adoptions but in reality demand dollars; big box stores, desist in buying and selling those barely-old-enough-to-eat-on-their-own cockatiels that spend day and fluorescent-lighted night in a sterile plexiglas enclosure consuming millet and water and waiting to be taken home by some unsuspecting novice ten-year-old with no real avian experience or knowhow. You reve-nue-minded breeders, please quit the charade of being so high and mighty about your accomplishments in aviculture, and face the fact that many of you are after all the explicit reason aviculture is so terminally ill in this country. Yes, it’s 2013 now….it’s time to stand back and observe closely what has really been accomplished for posterity, and how it will be judged forty or fifty years hence.
Hmmmmm… EB
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Ree Ree, enjoying a Spring afternoon
sitting out on the patio. Ree Ree is in
regular attendance at the WVBS.
Photos by Edwige Scott Owner, Gail..
A Bird’s Eye View Page 16
March 14, 2013
PREHISTORIC BIRDS MAY HAVE USED FOUR WINGS TO FLY Roughly 150 million years ago, birds began to evolve. The winged creatures we see in the skies today descended from a group of dinosaurs called theropods, which included tyrannosaurs, during a 54-million-year chunk of time known as the Jurassic period. Why the ability to fly evolved in some species is a difficult question to answer, but scientists agree that wings came to be because they must have been useful: they might have helped land-based animals leap into the air, or helped gliding creatures who flapped their arms produce thrust.
As researchers continue to probe the origin of flight, studies of fossils have shown that theropods–particularly coelurosaurian dino-saurs, which closely resemble modern birds—had large feathers on both their fore limbs and hind limbs. However, extensive evidence for these leg feathers didn’t exist in the earliest birds. But now, a new examination of fossils reported today in the journal Science reveals several examples of this four-winged anatomy in modern birds’ oldest common ancestors.
Modern birds have two types of feathers: vaned feathers that cover the outside of the body, and the down feathers that grow underneath them. Researchers studying the approximately 120 million-year-old fossils of 11 primitive birds from the Shandong Tianyu Museum of Natural History in China found that one type of vaned plumage, also known as pennaceous feathers, was neatly preserved in skeletal fossils of these specimens, along each creatures’ hind limbs. After this find, the researchers must have been flying high: The feathers of birds’ wings, known as flight feathers, are long, stiff and asymmetrically shaped pennaceous feathers, similar to those found in the fossils. When fanned together, pennaceous feathers form the broad surfaces of birds’ wingspans—without these surfaces, birds cannot stay aloft.
Pennaceous feathers, which are composed of many flattened barbs, existed in some winged dinosaurs. Finding them on the hind legs of early birds suggests that before birds used two wings to fly, they may have depended on four. Over millions of years, however, birds gradually lost the feathers on this extra set of wings. The study adds to existing theories that suggest the first birds flew with four wings. Examination of a primitive bird fossil from the Archaeopteryx genus in 2004 revealed long feathers on the animal’s back and legs, which would have aided its gliding ability. Two years later, another study of the crow-sized animal, which lived about 150 million years ago, reported that the prehistoric bird’s feathers resembled those on modern birds’ flight wings.
One of the more complete skeletons examined in today’s study actually showed hind-limb pennaceous feathers along the bone of each leg. The longest feather stretched almost two inches, which is remarkable considering that the legs they covered were between one inch and two and a half inches long. In fact, specimens from a group of birds called
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A Bird’s Eye View Page 17
Phone: 818-883-3007 FAX: 818-883-4177
21731 Sherman Way Canoga Park, CA 91303
Handfed Babies Cages Toys Food Boarding Grooming
EVERYTHING YOUR BIRD COULD WANT!
Fenix Crocks and Feeders, Inc.
Crocks, Cages & Birds
Corporate Office and Warehouse 32685 Briggs Road Menifee, CA 92584
Tel: (951) 679-8412 Fax: (951) 679-7972 Cell: (951) 453-5193
E-mail: [email protected]
Worldwide Website: http://fenixresearch.com
Ron & Cyndie Norcutt Representatives
Enantiornithes, which externally resemble modern birds, showed symmetrically paired large feathers preserved along their hind leg bones. Such feather arrangement is present in modern birds’ wings. Researchers speculate that the second set of wings might have provided extra lift or created drag in the air. They might also have helped birds maneuver their airborne bodies. If these hind wings indeed served a functional purpose in fight, they will earn an important place in bird evolution. Bird movement is characterized by a combination of feathered arms for flight and legs for walking on land. This study suggests that if walking legs, present in birds today, developed after these feathered hind legs, then the loss of feathers on the back legs—and thus an extra pair of wings—reflects a period of change during which the arms became specialized for flight and the legs, for locomotion. Today, leg feathers are less well developed than wing feathers—they are usually much smaller and fluffy—and they serve as protection and insulation for the leg. These fluffy bits are sparse too—instead, the legs are covered in scales, which form only if feather growth is inhibited. Studies of modern birds show how this works. As chicks develop from embryos
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MARK YOUR CALENDERS! The West Valley Bird Society will be exhibiting again this year. it’s loads of fun! Come help out at our booth and you’ll get free parking and free admission! More fun than a barrel of monkeys! BE THERE!
Everything you need to know for a happier, healthier pet!
April 19-21, 2013
OC Fair & Event Center
Show Hours: Friday: 10am - 6pm • Saturday: 10am - 7pm • Sunday: 10am - 6pm
CLICK HERE
A Bird’s Eye View Page 20
Become a published author.! We wel-come your own personal stories, articles, tall tales! Amaze us and your friends with your creative writing skills. You can do it! And don’t forget, if you are pub-lished in our newsletter, you ’ll receive $5 in free raffle tickets. Does it get any better than that?
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We Buy Birds Ÿ We Sell Birds Complete Bird Supplies
Frank Miser, Sr. 8990 Cerritos Ave.
Anaheim, CA 92804 Phone: 714-527-3387
Fax: 714-527-7636 (Closed first 2 weeks in July)
Frank Miser, Jr. 12200 Magnolia Ave. Riverside, CA 92503 Phone: 951-278-0878 (Closed first 2 weeks in August)
Open 9-5 Tues.-Sat. - Closed Sunday, Monday, and Holidays
Business and Commercial Insurance Specialist Commercial General Liability
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Carl Arrechea, Agent 21032 Devonshire St, 209 (818) 772-7014 Chatsworth, CA 91311
www.BayOrr.com
A Bird’s Eye View Page 21
A fossil of a prehistoric bird from the enantiornithine genus shows feathers on its hind legs—
evidence of an extra pair of wings. Courtesy of Xiaoting Zheng et al/Science
and grow into adults, feathered legs can be transformed into scaled legs, or vice versa, by altering how certain genes are expressed. The recent revelation about feathers on birds’ hind legs suggest that a similar genetic, and more permanent, change might have occurred early in bird evolution, according to lead researchers. This shift triggered the loss of birds’ hind wings, pushing the creatures down an evolutionary path that would allow them to fly with just two.
Read more: http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/science/2013/03/prehistoric-birds-may-have-used-
four-wings-to-fly/#ixzz2O99BR8r4
Follow us: @SmithsonianMag on Twitter
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A Bird’s Eye View Page 22
14041 Burbank Boulevard (Hazeltine and Burbank)
Van Nuys Since 1975
Discount Cage and Supplies Handfed Baby Birds
Open Daily 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Featured in: “LA Magazine”
“Buying Retail is Stupid”
Studio Rentals Grooming
Photo by Richard Sidey in the Smithsonian Magazine Two Newly Hatched Gentoo Penguin Chicks in Antarctica.
A Bird’s Eye View Page 23
Frank W. Lavac, MS/DVM, DABVP - Avian Medicine (Board Certified) Pernilla Edstrom, DVM Michelle Jack, DVM, Anne Dueppen, DVM Jim Schulke, DVM, DABVP Maryam Alemzadeh, DVM
Mealworms & Crickets
A Bird’s Eye View Page 24
By sponsoring a NEW MEMBER, you get
a chance
to draw from our Raffle Table.
2013
March new members
Membership up for Renewal?
Check date on mailing label!
Membership questions, changes, corrections?
Contact Fred Lucas at [email protected].
Members are asked to donate to our refreshment table each month.
Memberships run for 12 consecutive months.
WVBS Membership / Renewal Application Please print clearly
Today’s Date: _______________________ New Member Renewal I am applying for the following Membership (check one). Individual – annual dues $ 35 Family – annual dues $ 40 Senior Individual (65 +) – annual dues $25 Senior Family (65+) – annual dues $30
Receive the Newsletter by E-mail or add $20 to receive it by mail. Free Copies of “A Birds Eye View” Newsletter are available at monthly meetings!
Or, please consider one of the following if you would like to do a little more for West Valley Bird Society: Platinum – Lifetime Membership -- $ 350 Silver Supporter – annual dues $ 125 Gold Supporter – annual dues $ 250 Bronze Supporter – annual dues $ 75
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Would you like to participate in WVBS volunteer activities? Yes No Possibly
Note: the success of the Club depends on the volunteer efforts of members/bird lovers!
I am enclosing a check in the amount of $ __________________ for the Membership selected at the top.
Please make check payable to: West Valley Bird Society Mail to: P.O. Box 8221 Northridge, CA 91327-8221
We greatly appreciate your interest in the West Valley Bird Society, and hope to see you at the meetings!
Complete this section only if you have checked “Family,” “Senior Family,” “Gold,” “Silver” or “Bronze” Membership:
Spouse’s/Significant Other’s Name: ______________________________________________________________ Birth Month: ______________
Children’s Name(s): ____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Bird Interests: (Check all that apply)
Companions / Pets Rescue / Adoption Collector Breeder Wild Birds Avian Medicine Other: _________________
?
A Bird’s Eye View Page 25
Contact
President: Diane Racey 818-244-2230
For more information About upcoming speakers
Information: 818-244-2230 or 626-335-2964
Third Sunday of the Month—2PM
No charge for guests.
Please join us!
PEAC has several wonderful parrots in need of loving, permanent homes, and has a short waiting list for entry in their parrot foster program. Check out www.petfinder.com for details. Monthly seminars are in San Diego and Wildomar (near Temecula); seminar details and on-line registration at www.peac.org. Please check the website for topics, times, and directions.
Please contact PEAC at [email protected] or go to
the website www.peac.org for more information.
Meets Fourth Tuesday
of each month 7 p.m.
American Legion Hall
5938 Parkcrest Street (South of Carson & East of Woodruff Ave.)
Long Beach For Information call: 562-881-9847
My prints are 11" x 17" mounted and signed at
$30.00. Note cards are 5" x 7" blank inside at $5.00
each. - Marie Sansone www.mariesansone.com
Meeting at the Bahooka Restaurant at 4501 N. Rosemead Blvd,
Rosemead CA 91770 on the third Sunday of this month at 2pm.
Visitors welcome - come early for lunch.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10, 2013
WLABC WELCOMES DR. RANDY HARWOOD
“The Beautiful Backyard Birds of
the Palos Verdes Peninsula” The “Beautiful Backyard Birds of the Palos Verdes
Peninsula,” is a photographic look at wild birds and
other wildlife Randy has photographed in his yard in
Rolling Hills Estates.
A Bird’s Eye View Page 26
Do you have something you would like to buy, sell, trade or are looking for a wish list? Contact Carl at [email protected]. Ads are free to WVBS members.
There are so many birds needing homes out there. If you are
considering another bird, please think about adopting one. Call
one of these rescue/adoption groups. They all have many
wonderful birds just waiting for someone to come and take
them home. Many of these groups have websites - take a look!
Fine Feathered Friends Foundation - 310-541-2468 -
Myrna, Parrots First - 866-248-7670, ext. 5937 -
www.parrotsfirst.org, The Lily Sanctuary - 714-442-
9474 - www.lilysanctuary.org, Friends of Parrots
Rescue & Adoption - 310-459-0166, PEAC -
www.peac.org - 619-287-8200, Parrot Rehabilitation
Society - 619-224-6712 - www.parrotsociety.org, and
Southern Nevada Parrot Education, Rescue &
Rehoming Society - www.southernnevadaparrotrescue.org,
Santa Barbara Bird Sanctuary - 805-565-1807 or 805-
969-1944, www.sbbird.org.
HF Whiteface Cockatiel (Most Mutations) and HF Yellowsided Greencheek Conures 2 available now. Available for adoption HF Princess of Wales Parakeet to a good home. Has a short upper beak due to in nest injury. Contact Dale 1-626-335-2964
Red-bellied Parrot babies - handfed and so sweet. 818-489-2276.
Wishing you happiness and good health on your Birthday and all the days after.
We are looking for a home for ring-neck doves. The owner turned them into us in October. They need a good home. Please contact: Lorna Campbell, Rescue Coordinator, Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA. 626-792-7151, ext 116 www.pasadenahumane.org
19582 Ventura Blvd
Tarzana, CA
(Capri Plaza Shopping Center)
Bob Buesching
Tamara Clements Tanya David
April Foss
Howard Gaberson, PhD
Rob Gordon
Rachel LaBrum
Kristin Moon
Jim Porter Charlie Slezak
Gigi Slezak
Stephanie Wallace
Scott Young
A Full Service Veterinary Hospital since 1976 Dr Yoko Tamura, 15 experience treating Birds
19582 Ventura Blvd, Tarzana, CA 91356
Citron Cockatoo named Sunny. 18 years old. Needs new home
to the right person. Very sweet bird. Contact Trish Pettinelli (818) 212-8383
A Bird’s Eye View Page 27
General Meetings 7:30 p.m., 3
rd Friday of each month at Granada Pavilion,
Auxiliary Hall, 11128 Balboa Boulevard, Granada Hills, CA 91344. See map to the right. www.granadapavilion.com
Board Meetings 7:00 p.m on Thursday, 1 week preceding the General Meeting. Location is CoCo’s Restaurant, 18521 Devonshire St, Northridge, CA (Reseda & Devonshire). All members are welcome. Please confirm with Lauren at 818-727-1594 or via e-mail [email protected] since meeting dates and times are occasionally changed.
DISCLAIMER and EDITORIAL POLICY
The West Valley Bird Society and its Editor assume no responsibility for omission of advertising or article material. Letters, articles, and editorials do not necessarily represent the official views of the club. They are presented for your information. We believe a wide variety of viewpoints are thought provoking and educational. WVBS assumes no responsibility with respect to quality or health of advertisers claims, birds, merchandise, or services whether sold, raffled, traded, or auctioned by this club or its members. With the exception of All Rights Reserved, copyrighted, and/or Reprinted with Permission articles, permission is given to avian organizations in our Exchange Program to reprint articles for non-profit use. Reprinted articles must state “Reprinted with permission of the West Valley Bird Society.”
The West Valley Bird Society Inc. is a qualified tax-exempt corporation under IRS Code Section 501(c)(3). MISSION STATEMENT
West Valley Bird Society offers education about birds and bird related topics and provides a forum for networking with people having similar avian interests.
Kristin & Mark Moon Delora & Eugene Stalnaker Patricia & Karl Volger Dj & Bert Blanchette Dianna & Richard Stokotelny
Diane Bock Laureen Mitchell Rose Blume Audra & Steve Silon Linda Buesching Jack & Grace Elliott
Platinum Lifetime Members
Charlotte Nierenberg Nancy Vigran
Carol Haley Dale Thompson
Honorary Lifetime Members
WVBS membership runs for a period of 12 months starting from the month that you join. The date listed above your name on the mailing label is the month and year your membership expires.
Buy, Sell, Trade ads are free to WVBS members. The fee to non-members is $5.00 per issue. Bulletins are mailed to all WVBS members and various clubs and businesses. Ads run for one month only and need to be resubmitted each month.
How to contact the editor: [email protected]
PAID ADVERTISING SIZES AND RATES
Business Card $5/Month or $35/Year 1/4 Page $20/Month or $200/Year 1/2 Page $35/Month or $300/Year Full Page $60/Month or $500/Year Set-up charges for NON-COPY READY ad $30
Rates are subject to change without notice. Ads must be camera ready
or .pdf, .psd, .jpeg, or .tiff format. Contact the Editor at 818-667-6342
or e-mail to [email protected]
Gold Supporter Members
Sigrid & Aspen Pittman
President Lauren Cheney 818-727-1594
V. President Cheryl Bean 818-716-5065
Secretary Linda Anderson 805-577-7525
Treasurer OPEN
Membership Fred Lucas 818-887-6416
Hospitality Hazel Lampe 818-299-7980
Parliamentarian Dj Blanchette 818-262-4517
Advertising Grace Elliot 661-263-9727
AFA Rep Linda Buesching 661-803-1416
Refreshments Dawn Camacho 818-676-1333
Past President Patricia Volger 310-980-3635
News/Web Carl Arrechea 818-667-6342
2013 Officers and Directors
A Bird’s Eye View Page 28
First
Cla
ss M
ail
to:
West
Valle
y B
ird S
oci
ety
P.O
. Box 8
221
Nort
hridge, CA 91327-8
221
ww
w.t
hew
est
valle
ybirdso
ciety
.com
Friday A
pril 1
9th
, 2013, 7:3
0 p
.m.
Join
us f
or t
he f
un!
EVERYONE B
RING A
DISH!