"Spix's Macaw tells the story of a unique band of brilliant blue birds - who talk, fall in love, and grieve - struggling against extinction. By the second half of the twentieth century the birds had become more valuable than heroin, worth thousands of dollars on the black market. In 1990, only one was found to be living in the wild and an emergency international rescue operation was launched, calling on private collectors to come forward with their birds to mate with the last wild Spix's." "In a breathtaking display of stoicism and endurance, the loneliest bird in the world had lived without a mate for fourteen years, outwitting predators and poachers. Would he take to a new companion? Like humans, Spix's Macaws can't be forced to love, but the stakes were as high as they could be: the survival of one of the world's most beautiful birds."--BOOK JACKET.

Why Parrots? Why Aviculture? By: Tom Marshall After Tom Marshall returned from his work with the Peace Corps in the Philippines and restarted his teaching career, he has nurtured his love of parrots. His fascination began with a large green Amazon parrot that was gifted to him by another teacher with no instructions for care for this intimidating bird. He began reading all he could about parrots and finally started to hit it off with his avian friend after six months. Why Parrots? Combines personal anecdotes and experience with important information about personal responsibility for parrots as well as the importance of conservation of these fantastic creatures’ habitat so that future generations can continue to enjoy their beauty and intelligence.

Recognised internationally as one of the world?s most accomplished and talented aviculturists, published author and speaker, Rick Jordan has produced the perfect companion for anybody interested in macaws, be it as a pet or as breeders.Featuring spectacular full colour photography throughout, this 136 page soft cover title is packed with valuable and highly useable information.Set out in three sections:Section 1: Breeding Macaws (including aviary design and construction, nutrition, breeding, incubation and handrearing, diseases and disorders).Section 2: Macaws as Pets and Companion Birds (including housing, feeding, health aspects, behavioural problems).Section 3: Species: Blue and Gold Macaw, Scarlet Macaw, Buffon=s Macaw, Military Macaw, Green-Winged Macaw, Red-Fronted Macaw, Hyacinth Macaw, Blue-Throated Macaw, Severe Macaw, Red-Bellied Macaw, Illiger=s Macaw, Yellow-Collared Macaw, Blue-Headed Macaw, Red-Shouldered (Hahn=s) Macaw, Red-Shouldered (Noble=s) Macaw. Captive Rarities: Spix=s Macaw, Lear=s Macaw. Gone Forever: Glaucous Macaw, Cuban Macaw.

From the creators of Ice Age and Epic, Rio 2 flies into theaters in April 2014. Join Blu, Jewel, and all your favorite Rio characters for a wild adventure perfect for young fans! When Linda and Tulio spot a blue Spix's Macaw deep in the Amazon jungle, Blu and Jewel pack up their family and fly off to help locate more of their species. Jewel is eager for the kids to know more about life in the wild, but Blu is a little overwhelmed. The jungle is full of surprises. There are new friends to meet, new places to explore, and some cool, new jungle grooves! Rio 2: The Junior Novel retells the whole exciting story and features eight pages of full-color images from the film!

"Parrots of the Wild is an exhaustive compendium of information about parrots, from their evolutionary history to their behavior to present-day conservation issues. A must-have for anyone interested in these amazing creatures." —Irene M. Pepperberg, Professor at Harvard University and author of Alex & Me: How a Scientist and a Parrot Discovered a Hidden World of Animal Intelligence—and Formed a Deep Bond in the Process "If you like parrots then you'll love this book. From their evolutionary past to their modern-day love lives, Parrots of the Wild presents a suitably captivating read. I thought I knew a lot about parrots--until I delved into these pages." —Tony Juniper, author of What Has Nature Ever Done for Us? and Spix’s Macaw: The Race to Save the World’s Rarest Bird Parrots of the Wild explores recent scientific discoveries and what they reveal about the lives of wild parrots, which are among the most intelligent and rarest of birds. Catherine A. Toft and Tim Wright discuss the evolutionary history of parrots and how this history affects perceptual and cognitive abilities, diet and foraging patterns, and mating and social behavior. The authors also discuss conservation status and the various ways different populations are adapting to a world that is rapidly changing. The book focuses on general patterns across the 350-odd species of parrots, as well as what can be learned from interesting exceptions to these generalities. A synthetic account of the diversity and ecology of wild parrots, this book distills knowledge from the authors’ own research and from their review of more than 2,400 published scientific studies. The book is enhanced by an array of illustrations, including nearly ninety color photos of wild parrots represented in their natural habitats. Parrots of the Wild melds scientific exploration with features directed at the parrot enthusiast to inform and delight a broad audience.

A passionate natural history of extinct and endangered bird species from around the world.

Joseph M. Forshaw, one of the world’s leading authorities on parrots, calls attention to the threats they face: they are one of the most endangered groups of birds, with a growing number of species nearing extinction. The main threats arise from habitat loss through deforestation and agricultural development and from the taking of birds for the international live-bird trade. Vanished and Vanishing Parrots brings together information on species that have become extinct in historical times with information on species that are in danger of becoming extinct to increase public awareness of the plight of these magnificent birds. Vivid colour plates by the wildlife artist Frank Knight draw attention to the spectacular species that we have lost or that could be lost. Forshaw’s work gives us fascinating insight into these endangered and extinct parrots. Vanished and Vanishing Parrots will be a valuable reference for scientific, ornithological and avicultural organisations, as well as individual lovers of birds and of illustrated natural history books.