Rio 2 Teaser – The parrots are coming back and they’ll be dancing
Rio 2 may not be out until April 2014, but the first teaser has now arrived, which follows the time-tested idea of promoting kids film, which is to dispense with the story and just have dancing animals instead.
Here’s the synopsis: ‘In Rio 2, we find Blu, Jewel and their three kids living the perfect domesticated life in that magical city. When Jewel decides the kids need to learn to live like real birds, she insists the family venture into the Amazon. As Blu tries to fit in with his new neighbors, he worries he may lose Jewel and the kids to the call of the wild. Brazilian music legend and Rio executive music producer Sergio Mendes also returns along with composer John Powell. Rio 2 will feature new Brazilian artists and original music by Janelle Monáe and The Wondaland Arts Society, who also voices a role in the film.’
Carlos Saldanha returns to direct, with the voice actors including returnees Anne Hathaway, Jesse Eisenberg, Jemaine Clement, will.i.am, Tracy Morgan, George Lopez, Leslie Mann, Rodrigo Santoro, Brazilian singer Bebel Gilberto, Jake T. Austin and Jamie Foxx, along with new cast members Andy Garcia, Bruno Mars, Kristin Chenoweth, Rita Moreno, Amandla Stenberg, Rachel Crow, Pierce Gagnon and Natalie Morales.
Backyard Birding in Merida and Beyond – BIRD LORE: A TALE OF TWO …
Cherie Pittillo – zoologist, photographer, author – explores nature everywhere she goes. In September, 2012, she had recorded the 44th bird species to visit her Merida backyard in five years. Perhaps this is a surprise, for Merida is a concrete city of a million people – but not to Cherie. Join her as she shares information about her backyard birds and places to explore nature in the Yucatan Peninsula. Her monthly column features anecdotes about birding in Merida and beyond, while a weekly column will answer “What bird is that?” or “Where is that location?” Contact her: all4birdies@gmail.com All photos and text are ©, Cherie Pittillo.
Red-lored Parrot, Amazona autumnalis, Loro Cachete-amarillo (Spanish)
Merida finished her annual Carnival celebration this week.
Colorful costumes cascaded along Merida’s streets and even in trees.
Young Red-lored Parrots
Diverse music filled the early morning hours.
These revelers, the Red-lored Parrots are newer residents to the upper Yucatan,
Red-lored Parrots pair at palm nesting hole
while their native cousins, the White-fronted Parrots are official long-term citizens. Look at their white foreheads which can be seen when they fly.
White-fronted Parrot pair at nest hole in palm tree
Both species belong to the parrot group called Amazons. “Apparrotly” Christopher Columbus assigned the name “Amazon” to a green parrot that he brought to Europe after his trip from the New World.
Almost everyone I know shares a story or two about “their parrots.” In a city of a million people, how many know these gregarious birds that visit their yards are two different species?
Last week, I heard two screeching, young Red-lored Parrots in front of my casa while a pair of White-fronted Parrots twirled notes off their tongues out back.
Today I’ll concentrate on the Red-lored Parrots. Part Two will feature White-fronted Parrots.
How nice to find a species appropriately named because the lore(s) in the Red-lored Parrots refer to the space between the front of the eyes and above the base of the bill. Note the red lores of the Red-lored Parrot and the bluish blush on its crown.
Red-lored Parrot
In 2002 during Hurricane Isadora, seventeen or so Red-lored Parrots escaped from a large aviary in one of Merida’s neighborhoods according to bird expert and conservationist, Barbara MacKinnon. On Jan. 14, 2013, she observed a flock of 26 flying over Av. Colon and Calle 64, the largest number ever reported. Immature birds were first recorded in 2010 but the permanency of a new species to an area depends on producing young for twenty years.
One morning I heard a flock of ten squawking parrots in our giant tamarind tree. I sneaked up on our roof to watch as one bird transferred a multiple seed pod with its foot to its mouth, peeled off the outer covering of the multiple seed pod, and then squeezed out the fleshy, juicy pulp which dribbled down onto its chest feathers.
Red-lored Parrots with tamarind seed
Red-lored Parrots with tamarind seed pulp
These one foot long, one pound parrots eat other seeds, fruits, nuts, berries, buds, and even blossoms. Their diets are supplemented with leafy matter.
Males and females look alike and reach sexual maturity at three to five years of age.
They are monogamous and participate in mutual preening.
Red-lored Parrot pair preening
Nests are usually located in tree cavities especially palm trees. Three to four eggs hatch in about a month. Young leave the nest in about one to two months and lack the red on their foreheads.
Adult Red-lored Parrot in flight with young
Although they range from Mexico to Ecuador and Brazil in forest edges, semi-open areas, and farm land, “our” parrots are commonly seen in the early morning as they announce their flight with loud screeches, screams, and squawks especially along Paseo de Montejo, the Santiago colonias, and even at Immigration headquarters.
Their socializing sounds and glimpses of green add an element of jungle, of wildness in Merida even without Carnival!
Link to last week’s column with details about a pair of Red-lored Parrots: http://www.theyucatantimes.com/2013/02/backyard-birding-in-merida-and-beyond-chain-saws-and-homeless/
DISCLAIMER: References do not agree on information about this species. Here are my resources: A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Central America, macaulaylibrary.org, http://www.selvaverde.com/lang/en/blog/index.php/2009/07/red-lored-amazon-parrot-amazona-autumnalis/Costa Rica Rainforest Lodge, and http://rosamondgiffordzoo.org/assets/uploads/animals/pdf/Red-loredAmazonParrot.pdf
Share this:
Parrots have an ‘intense dislike’ of dance music, says new study
December 24, 2012 17:37
The birds preferred the likes of UB40 and Joan Baez
- More Various Artists news, reviews, videos and tour dates
- Buy Various Artists music from Amazon
-
- Various Artists news RSS Feed
Photo: Victor Frankowski/NME
A new study has found that parrots have an ‘intense dislike’ of dance music.
In findings published in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science – via The Telegraph – researchers found that a pair of African grey parrots had wide ranging tastes in music, but both hated dance music.
The birds, from a popular breed of pet parrot, both bobbed their heads along to rock and folk, but were left distressed by electronic dance music.
Dr Franck Péron of the University of Lincoln, said: “The birds clearly showed preferences. One preferred the rhythmic and one preferred the classical.”
Music in the rhythmic category included U2, UB40 and Joan Baez whilst Bach was one of the classical artists played to the birds.
He said that the birds were not keen on the music by The Prodigy and The Chemical Brothers.
He explained: “The electronic dance music was not appropriate for them. We had the radio on in the office and when it was a very fast beat, they started to scream; not in a friendly, communicative way but in a distressed, scared way. They seem to like pop music when there is a voice.”
- Previous: Bono calls Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’ the ‘most perfect song in the world’
More News
“+b[0].line1+’
- ‘+b[0].line2+” “+b[0].line3+’
- “+b[0].visible_url+’
’}else{if(b.length1){c+=’
Ads by Google
‘;for(a=0;a“+b[a].line1+’
’}}}}}}c+=”;document.write(c);return}google_ad_client=”pub-6852032732218605″;google_ad_channel=”{$tag}”;google_ad_output=”js”;google_max_num_ads=”2″;google_ad_type=”text”;google_language=”en”;google_encoding=”utf8″;google_safe=”high”;google_hints=”";google_ad_section=”default”;google_feedback=”on”;
// –
Money needed for op to save parrot’s sight
PARROT rescuers Paul and Christine Forman have launched a bid to save the sight of one of their beloved birds.
Guinness is one of the birds they care for at Safehaven Parrot Refuge in Twyning.
-
BELOVED: Paul Forman with Guinness the parrot who needs expensive operations to stop her going blind
She has almost lost the sight in one eye and the other is failing too.
The blue and gold macaw needs a £3,000 cataract operation on November 26. And Guinness will probably need a second cataract operation on her other eye, which will cost another £3,000.
As the couple battle to cover their annual running costs of £12,000, paying for Guinness’ operation threatens to eat into the charity’s reserves.
They had hoped to keep the money for future improvements to the building that houses the refuge.
Mr Forman, 65, now hopes people will help raise the money needed to prevent her from going blind.
He said: “It’s such a shame. She’s a wonderful character.
“She says things like ‘here you are’, ‘hello’, ‘goodbye’ and ‘come on’ whenever she wants me to pick her up.”
The bird, thought to be aged between 40 and 45, was brought to the refuge in 1998. She had previously been in Blackpool after someone there brought her back from the Amazon on a cruise ship.
Mr and Mrs Forman care for 27 parrots and two ravens.
Mrs Forman, 66, said: “We’ve never had a bird needing to have medical treatment like this. We’re hoping the operations will give her the gift of sight.”
To help, phone 01684 850466 or email christine@safehavenparrotrefuge.co.uk.
MIA names new album ‘Matangi’
November 5, 2012 19:41
The release of her next LP has been delayed until 2013
- More MIA news, reviews, videos and tour dates
- Buy MIA music from Amazon
-
- MIA news RSS Feed
Next
Previous
Photo Gallery: MIA
Photo: Pamela Littky
MIA has named her forthcoming new album ‘Matangi’.
Speaking last night (November 4) at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the singer and rapper explained that the title refers to her own birth name, Mathangi, and also a Hindu wisdom goddess. “I was searching for parrots on Google and I found Matangi, who is parrot green,” she said.
Spin reports that MIA declined to discuss the content of the record with the audience, but showed fans a ‘mood board’ which featured two green parrots. She explained that the image was about “spirituality on the Internet as it happens.”
The record will now no longer be released in December, as originally planned. MIA told the audience that she was going to India “to add more stuff to it.”
Of the sound of the album, she said: “It’s not ‘I want to be trendy’. I just want to make music that makes sense.”
Earlier this year MIA described her next album as sounding like Paul Simon ‘on acid’. The singer made the comment on Twitter, after telling fans she would answer 10 questions about the follow-up to 2010′s ‘Maya’.
When asked how many tracks would feature on the new album, she said: “its still in the making -could be 5 it could be 15 depends on what sounds good in my bros CAR.”
She added that there would be no collaborations on the record and the LP’s producers would be “ones that dont act like fame whore coloniser”.
She went on to Tweet one of her favourite lyrics on the record: “truth is like a rotten tooth u gottu spit it out!!!”
- Previous: Val Kilmer smashes guitar, saws amp and cuts hair on stage with Black Lips
- Next: Queens Of The Stone Age, Gaslight Anthem, Alice In Chains to play Download Festival 2013
More News
“+b[0].line1+’
- ‘+b[0].line2+” “+b[0].line3+’
- “+b[0].visible_url+’
’}else{if(b.length1){c+=’
Ads by Google
‘;for(a=0;a“+b[a].line1+’
’}}}}}}c+=”;document.write(c);return}google_ad_client=”pub-6852032732218605″;google_ad_channel=”{$tag}”;google_ad_output=”js”;google_max_num_ads=”2″;google_ad_type=”text”;google_language=”en”;google_encoding=”utf8″;google_safe=”high”;google_hints=”";google_ad_section=”default”;google_feedback=”on”;
// –
Dave Nordstrand: Parrots gone wild
<!–Saxotech Paragraph Count: 11
–>
Each time I gaze into the tip-tops of those towering palms rooted between the Rec Center and the Steinbeck Library, I’m reminded of some of the stranger creatures ever to visit Salinas.
They were a noisy and demanding bunch, who flew clad in gold and feathery green, much like Rio’s “Carnival.”
People had noticed the unusually brightly colored birds. Turned out they were parrots gone wild and also a bit daffy. The real kind of parrot, too, like you might glimpse in the South American jungle canopies. This was 20 or so years ago, and I wrote a story about them.
Many had already appeared in Pacific Grove. The birds in Salinas seemed of a maverick flock. They had migrated into the area and were, as I recall, hanging out in the palm trees. Sometimes that space resounded like the banks of the Amazon.
Over in Pacific Grove, many residents had quickly withdrawn the welcome mat. Turns out the parrot chatter was keeping them wide awake at night and during their afternoon nap time. One distraught PG resident reported 50 shrill green birds occupying his trees.
How and why the parrots — they can live to be 40 years or so — arrived is not certain. One theory holds that several owners, over time, accidentally left cage doors and house windows open. Seeing a path to daylight, the birds had escaped. The earliest escapees had been reported roughly seven years earlier. They’d survived in the wild by eating seeds from yard feeders and berries from bushes. They’d nested in vacant holes in the trees.
Serious downsides existed to buying the wild birds, experts told me at the time. The stress of trapping them in their homelands and shipping them to the United States killed thousands. The other consideration was fruit. Parrots love it. If they suddenly multiplied in the wild, they could pose a threat to fruit crops.
The parrots’ presence, in other words, could have been a problem.
But the parrots vanished. What happened to them remains a mystery. I haven’t seen or heard of a single one on recent trips to Pacific Grove, and I haven’t seen any in the tall palms by the Steinbeck Library.
Hopefully, they migrated south to their homeland. My wish is that they’re enjoying their final years in a comfy jungle canopy condo and that Pacific Grove and Salinas, if recalled at all, are just a fading birdbrain memory.
Dave Nordstrand is a staff writer for The Salinas Californian. His column appears Wednesday and Saturday in Central Coast Living. Contact him at dnordstrand@thecalifornian.com.
Puerto Rican Parrot Genome Sequenced Thanks To Plain-Old-Fashioned Door …
(Photo : Wikimedia Commons) The Puerto Rican Parrot is the last remaining native parrot species to the United States, and is facing an uphill battle. Scientists took to local communities to better understand the bird.
Pirate lore may have helped introduce them to America, but there is only one remaining species of parrot that is native to the United States: the Iguaca, or the Puerto Rican Amazon, more commonly known as the Puerto Rican Parrot. Sad thing is, this green beauty is endangered, but a grassroots campaign has helped raise the funds to sequence its genome for future generations.
The effort was made possible by donations from Puerto Rican communities and the staff and students from the Biology Department of the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez.
Like Us on Facebook
While the end goal of the project was to preserve the Puerto Rican Parrot, it also proved that local efforts can go a long way in preserving heritage – even at the genomic level.
“We are very proud of our project and even more proud to be part of a local community dedicated to raising awareness and furthering scientific knowledge of this endangered bird,” said Dr. Taras Oleksyk who oversaw the Puerto Rican Genome Project.
“Community involvement may be the key for the future of conservation genetics, and many projects like this are needed reverse the current rate of extinction of birds across the globe.”
And they did it with some plain old door-to-door knocking.
The project was largely funded by various events such as art and fashion shows and by donations from local businesses and people.
So what did they find?
“When we compared our sequence of our parrot, Iguaca, from Rio Abajo to other species of birds, we found that she had 84.5 percent similarity to zebra finches and 82.7 percent to a chicken, but her genome was highly rearranged,” said Dr. Oleksyk.
The scientists aren’t planning on cloning the rare parrots, but rather trying to preserve its heritage for future generations, and they have proved that you don’t need a huge government grant or research fund to carry out such a task.
10 Things to Know for Friday
By The Associated Press
Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about Friday:
1. OBAMA: ONLY FDR’S CHALLENGES WERE GREATER
The U.S. needs “common effort, shared responsibility and the kind of bold persistent experimentation” that Roosevelt employed, the president says.
2. WHO DREW BOTH TEARS AND CHEERS AT CONVENTION
Former Rep. Gabby Giffords, still recovering from being shot in the head, led the Pledge of Allegiance to an emotional response.
3. HOW ‘DREW’S LAW’ CLEARED THE WAY FOR CONVICTION
Change in Illinois allowed circumstantial and hearsay evidence in Peterson’s trial for the murder of his third wife.
4. IT’S OK TO PUT THE PEDAL TO THE METAL IN TEXAS
The 41-mile-long toll road between Austin and San Antonio will have an 85 mph limit, highest in the U.S.
5. NOW INVESTORS WILL BE WATCHING JOBS
After stocks jump to four-year highs, the U.S. releases the latest unemployment numbers.
6. THE NEW KINDLE TAKES AIM AT APPLE
Amazon’s high-end Fire HD, with more storage and two Wi-Fi channels for faster transfers, is built to rival the iPad.
7. WHY MAMMOGRAMS COULD BE DANGEROUS
A new study indicates their radiation might increase chances of breast cancer for some high-risk young women.
8. WHERE OTHERWORDLY TIRE TRACKS ARE VISIBLE
NASA rover Curiosity’s trails on Mars have been photographed by a satellite circling the planet.
9. A GADHAFI SON HAS AN UNLIKELY SUPPPORTER
An Israeli actress and model who says she had a romantic relationship with Seif al-Islam Gadhafi wants Libyan authorities to release him.
10. WHAT’S IN BERNANKE’S PERSONAL PORTFOLIO
Disclosure documents show the Fed chairman’s holdings favor no-frills investments seen as safe: annuities and Treasury securities.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Bob’s Work Party
On June 23rd, a group of people gathered together to help an avian rescue organization, called Bob Dawson’s Macaw Rescue and Sanctuary. The sanctuary opened in 2005 with 25 macaws and now supports 400 parrots strong. Bob, a humble, honest man, asks for nothing in return for the care of the birds rendered to him. Instead, he shoulders the responsibility for every individual between himself and his wife, Carol. He rarely asks for help. In fact, he did not ask for help when the community learned he was having a recent problem with raccoons. Ever grateful, he found it difficult to grasp the temerity of community that have come out to help for the third time.
Sonya Brewer, who owns many parrots and has property herself, visited Bob shortly after the attacks occurred. She found Bob distraught and beside himself as he lifted an amazon who was badly injured into the house to give it reprise. She said, “He looked like a man defeated and took each hit personally,” on her facebook account. The community respnded. Helping his projects advance faster than initially planned: pole barns, bigger flights, protective metal sheeting, hot wire, traps, cameras. His phone rang off the hook between people asking about the condition of the birds or about helping out with donating needed items or time.
On this fateful day, about 20 volunteers showed up to help pull weeds, spread wood chips, frame a barn and pour cement. Racheal Keeler, who came during a previous work party said, “[Bob] is doing a service to the community. It’s the least we can do to help.” Racheal, a remarkable person herself, provides dogs for prison inmates as therapy animals. John Fogle, a bird groomer for Inca’s Secret Parrot Toys brought himself and the shop’s owner, Lisa Brandmeier along. Bird owner and volunteer, Melanie Noryes commented, “If I am involved with birds, I’m part of the problem.” She paused as she hefted more wood chips, “I should be a part of the solution.” Her son and two other children participated as well, grabbing rakes, shovels and wheelbarrows. The youngest, Rory Goodrich, lost his first tooth that day.
Arriving at the property was amazing itself. Tall fir trees, reminiscent of the rainforest, echoed calls of parrots instead of robins. African Greys, Cockatoos, Macaws, Conures and Amazons were seen between trees in clearings. Some were protected by emus or cleaned by pheasants. The birds had plenty of fresh food, toys, branches and perches for the 20-40 animals housed in each aviary. Hot wire had already been installed on the critical enclosures attacked by raccoons. The theme for this party was barn raising and planning for the second annual event, Bob’s Benefit BBQ for the Birds. Monies raised fund three local parrot rescue groups in Washington: Bob’s, Zazu’s House and Mollywood.
Bob indicated that most grants for 501 (c)3 parrot rescue organizations fund compensation to groups who adopt out. In Bob’s case, the organization does not adopt any birds out as a board-agreed goal. Essentially, birds arrive to live in the forest with others of their kind. They learn to become flighted and socialize with each other until the end of their days.
His usual attrition a year is 1-2%. These unusual attacks by raccoons have been difficult for Bob because they appear to damage or kill birds only for sport. Controlling them comes at a cost. For the sanctuary, the majority of the funding comes from Bob and Carol’s full time work outside of the sanctuary. When asked if he charges a fee for incoming animals, Bob responded, “I don’t ask for money. The birds need a place. I take on that responsibility.”
As dark clouds rolled in, thunder pounded and then rain saturated the worksite, the volunteers headed indoors. The birds, in the meantime, rejoiced by bathing in the rain. Inside, food brought by volunteers and Carol’s pulled pork brought in lively conversation. Sonya manned the BBQ and the kids chattered like birds at the table. Everyone was disappointed they could not get back out and work that day, but they all know another work party is just around the corner.
Special thanks goes out to the following volunteers that day: John Fogle, Racheal Keeler, Maline Noryes, Lisa Brandmeier, Sonya Brewer, Steve Brewer, Russ Campbell, Rebecca Wells, Josh Dawson, Arika Newlun, NAncy Newlun, JordeGoo (Jordan), John Fogle, Philip Goodrich, Rory Goodrich, Debbie Goodrich, Carol Dawson and, of course, Bob Dawson. Represented amongst the volunteers: NWEBS bird club (Northwest Exotic Bird Society), The Parrot Lady Educational Entertainment, Inca’s Secret Parrot Toys, Bird Feather, family, friends and community service volunteers. With your help, unwanted parrots have a place to call home.
Psycho Bird #2
Recent Posts
Categories
- about parrots
- african grey parrot
- bird parrot
- birds parrots
- for parrots
- grey parrots for sale
- of parrot
- of parrots
- on parrots
- parrot bird
- parrot breeding
- parrot cage
- parrot cages
- parrot decorations
- parrot facts
- parrot food
- parrot for sale
- parrot information
- parrot rescue
- parrot species
- parrot supplies
- parrot toys
- parrot training
- parrots for sale
- parrots online
- parrots wallpapers
- rainforest parrots
- the parrot