NN update on our Hyacinth Macaws with pics

[Bluedog]

Some of you haven't been here long enough to remember our three hyacinths that we donated to the Phoenix Zoo about 6 yrs ago. The assistant veterinary director there at that time, Dr. Curtis Eng, used to be our avian vet back in IN. He also had two of our Vosmaeri Eclectus (Ruby and Oz) as his personal pets. We knew that the Zoo had a fantastic hands on, outreach program and used various animals for impromptu meet and greet on the grounds and fund raising efforts. Hyacinths crave attention and love being with people...very much like our Newfs. We also did not want our birds to be used in a breeding program, but to continue to be socialized and trained.

Dr. Eng has since gone on to the LA Zoo is chief veterinarian there, but we have been keeping in touch with the Phoenix Zoo and the progress Sampson, Caesar and Cleo have made there. Bill just heard from the avian director last week, and he sent a couple of pics a few days later.

Hi Bill,

All three Hyacinths are doing well. Cleo is most involved with our stage show and takes donations from guests for our conservation fund. Caesar is currently learning the same donation behavior and will serve as her relief, as well as continue to pop around the zoo with staff for our impromptu animal discoveries program. Sampson has made good progress with his circle flight training. Unfortunately his main trainer is leaving us at the end of the month, so we will need to transfer the behavior to another trainer for completion.

I'll have to pull some pictures together for you. I will get them out this week.

Josh Crabtree

Cleo perched on the stage with her trainer:

Caesar on the left, Sampson on right with their former trainer Dillon

 

[OhioNewfie]

Thanks for sharing the pics - I've always thought that Hyacinths are the most beautiful birds. Also sounds like the zoo has good programs that compliment the bird's needs.

 

[R Taft]

Awesome.............They are so clever and doing a great Job, You must feel like a proud parent Ronnie

 

[Julie Fred]

Beautiful birds!

 

[twright1231]

Beautiful. We previously owned a pair. They are just awesome to look at!

 

[Leonard and his bud Snuffles]

Wow! That is fantastic.

 

[dee]

Awesome, Nancy! Bet you and Bill were very happy to hear how they were doing! Beautiful birds!!!!!!!

 

[Tug]

That's Fabulous!

 

[Faye]

beautiful birds

 

[CMDRTED]

They really look nice, I did have a Greenwing, and Blue & Gold, a Umbrella, and a Blue Front, as well as trained birds at a local bird place. I do have one question, I've only handled one Hyacinth, and it looks like their beaks are a little long and should be trimed. Just curious, is that normal? I would not let my Greenwing and Blue & Gold get that long w/o a trim.

 

[Erika]

wow!!!!!!

 

[Tricia2]

Glorious birds! I wish I knew more about keeping birds, I'm really ignorant about it but I think they are wonderful.

 

[newfy]

Fantastic looking macaws!
we have a blue & gold, Billy, 27 yrs & a cockatoo, Spike along with our pack of dogs! Smart they are, the dogs are afraid of the parrots, except that crazy Tiki, until he gets his nose bit off.

 

[Bluedog]

They really look nice, I did have a Greenwing, and Blue & Gold, a Umbrella, and a Blue Front, as well as trained birds at a local bird place. I do have one question, I've only handled one Hyacinth, and it looks like their beaks are a little long and should be trimed. Just curious, is that normal? I would not let my Greenwing and Blue & Gold get that long w/o a trim.

You're right Ted. Their beaks are a bit longer than one would normally see in a pet bird. Quite a few years of growth there...Sampson is 14, Cleo 13, and Caesar about 10 or 11. The majority of pet macaws, not all, will have their flight feathers clipped to prevent free flight and escape. As a result they need to have their beaks trimmed so as not to inhibit pulling themselves up from the ground or onto branches. All three of the birds have full flight feathers now, and have a natural habitat that allows flight. However they do have two walk in cages (about 6' H x 6' L x 4' D) that we donated along with the birds, that they use occasionally if they need to be separated. As long as there is no problem with eating or grooming or a broken tip that needs filing down, the beaks can be left natural. Nails are a bit longer than I would have kept them too. The look is more of what you would see in the wild.

Quite an array of birds you had Ted. Beautiful Blue and Gold and Umbrella newfy! We've had several others over the years as well. Our first was and African Grey...great talker, mean as all get out. We also had a Med. Sulfur Crested, talk about a dust factory with Cockatoos. LOL! We bred and hand raised Vosmaeri Eclectus about 17 yrs. ago...had two pets (the above mentioned Ruby and OZ) and one breeding pair. Also had a pair each of Hahn's Macaws and Hawkheads (BTW Ted, we named them Ethel and Fred and Ricky and Lucy ) Also had a pair of Plum-head Parakeets, that our daughter still has today...they are about 16 yrs. old. Had several budgies and cockatiels over the years as well. No birds here now..they were mostly Bill's interest, although lately we've been missing having birds in our life.

 

[newfy]

We also had a Greenwing, Brandy, swho we had to give up to a parrot rescue due due agression problems once she matured; Brandy was a large greenwing, she crushed my wifes fingers 1st, the next time she bit into her nose, requiring plastic surgery, needless to say we could not keep her; she also was a feather picker & had to have surgery to close a hole in her crop, a very jealous bird, was the youngest of all 3 we had, she is about 12 yrs old now.