Can Small Dogs Be Picked Up By Hawks and Birds of Prey?
Image via Ronnie Howard/Shutterstock.comBy Kerri Fivecoat-CampbellBirds of prey such as hawks and owls attacking very small pets is uncommon, but there are reports of such incidents.Before Nancy Pistorius brought Minnie, her 8-week-old, 1-pound Yorkshire Terrier home this past March, she had never seen any birds of prey near her Lawrence, Kansas suburb. However, it wasn’t long after Minnie arrived at the Pistorius home that a hawk began hovering above it.“One of the first times I had her ou[Read More]
Chicken Coops for Backyard Chickens
The following content may contain Chewy links. PetMD is operated by Chewy. Raising chickens in urban and suburban areas has become very popular in the last 18 years. Chickens are great companions and can provide you and your family with eggs and natural fertilizer for your garden. Chickens require a shelter or a coop that provides adequate space, protection from the elements and predators, and good ventilation.[Read More]
Backyard Chickens 101: Raising Chickens for Beginners
The following content may contain Chewy links. PetMD is operated by Chewy. Over the last 18 years, chickens have become increasingly popular as pets in suburban and urban areas. Historically, the domestic chicken is believed to descend from the red jungle fowl in southern China and Indonesia. Today, there are hundreds of chicken breeds around the world. Some are primarily used for egg or meat production, and some are kept as pets for their aesthetic, like the Silkie chicken.Chickens can pr[Read More]
How to Clip a Bird’s Wings
By Laurie Hess, DVM, Diplomate ABVP (Avian Practice) Note: Before attempting to clip a bird’s wings, an owner should be sure to have a wing trimming lesson from an experienced trimmer, such as a veterinary professional, bird trainer, or breeder. Like human hair and pet fur, bird feathers are shed and regrown regularly. Birds lose their feathers in an orderly, sequential process, rather than all at once, so that in the wild, they are never rendered flightless and subject to predation.The f[Read More]
How to Trim Your Bird's Nails and Live to Tell the Tale
Some of the best things about having a bird for a pet is holding it on your hand, letting it hang out on your shoulders, even on your head, and listening to it chirp and chatter in your ear. Birds, like humans, have nails, and when their nails get too long the experience can be annoying, if not painful, when the bird digs its little nails into our skin. Fortunately, this is relatively easy to remedy, but you will need to plan ahead and have all of the tools necessary for the task.Prepare fo[Read More]
Top 10 'Talking' Birds
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First Edition of John James Audubon’s Birds of America Book Sold for $9.65M
John James Audubon’s “The Birds of America” book has long been one of the most treasured books of natural history. The National Audubon Society explains, “Printed between 1827 and 1838, it contains 435 life-sized watercolours of North American birds (Havell edition), all reproduced from hand-engraved plates, and is considered to be the archetype of wildlife illustration.”There are thought to only be 13 complete sets remaining of the original first editions of the book, so when one recentl[Read More]
What Are Lovebirds?
The following content may contain Chewy links. PetMD is operated by Chewy. [Read More]
Feeding Birds
Wild bird enthusiasts often provide food to attract birds to their local outdoor environment. This allows the birds to be observed up close. Different types of wild bird foods may attract a variety of species. Offering various types of feeders with a mixture of food and water sources combined with perching options will bring a variety of birds year-round.[Read More]
How Long Do Parakeets Live?
The following content may contain Chewy links. PetMD is operated by Chewy. Parakeets are great beginner birds for any pet lover that is interested in exploring birds as companions. As with any pet, life expectancy of a parakeet should be considered before adding one to your feathered family. Parakeets are charismatic and social birds but can require a lot of attention.[Read More]
The Effect of Free-Range Cats on the Lives of Birds and Wildlife
A recent study published in the journal Nature Communications looked at the impact of free-ranging cats on wildlife in the United States and concluded that "free-ranging domestic cats kill 1.4–3.7 billion birds and 6.9–20.7 billion mammals annually. Un-owned cats, as opposed to owned pets, cause the majority of this mortality. Our findings suggest that free-ranging cats cause substantially greater wildlife mortality than previously thought and are likely the single greatest source of anth[Read More]
Top 10 'Talking' Birds
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Is Songbird Fever a Threat to Your Cat?
I visited a farm this week and had the opportunity to watch their “barn cat” hunt. The object of her attention was a bird. Despite this little lioness’s obvious prowess, the bird escaped unscathed. I was happy for the bird, but also relieved that the cat had potentially dodged a bullet. I’m talking about a disease that goes by the intriguing name “songbird fever.”Like many animals, songbirds (cardinals, chickadees, finches, sparrows, etc.) can become infected with Salmonella bacteria. Som[Read More]