Birds For Dummies

Your one-stop guide to caring for your avian companion

Pet birds are intelligent, affectionate, and rewarding companions. No matter what bird you choose, you need to set up a happy home for him with the right stuff. You also need to keep your bird healthy by performing routine care and knowing what a healthy bird looks like and how he behaves.

This friendly guide describes the birds that make the best pets, explains how to select the bird that's best for you, offers tips on bonding with your feathered friend, and provides expert advice on feeding and environmental enrichment that will keep these intelligent pets engaged.

• Benefit from a full-color guide to pet birds
• Choose the right bird based on your budget and lifestyle
• Create a bird-friendly environment that minimizes noise and mess
• Bond with your winged pet

If you’re ready for your love of birds to take flight, this book has everything you need.

Introduction 1

Part 1: Getting Started with Birds 5

Chapter 1: Birds and Humans: It’s Only Natural! 7

Chapter 2: Narrowing the Choices 19

Chapter 3: Deciding on a Bird of Your Own 47

Part 2: Caring for Your Bird 63

Chapter 4: Preparing for Your Bird’s Arrival 65

Chapter 5: Starting Your Bird Off Right 85

Chapter 6: The New Art, Science, and Fun of Feeding Birds Right 107

Chapter 7: Beyond Food and Water: Bird Basics 129

Part 3: Keeping Your Bird Healthy 161

Chapter 8: How Birds Work: The Short Course 163

Chapter 9: A Preventive Care Approach to Your Bird’s Health 183

Chapter 10: Your Bird in Sickness — and Back to Health 201

Chapter 11: Lifelong Care for Your Bird 225

Part 4: Living Happily with Your Bird 243

Chapter 12: Behavior 101: Getting to “Good Bird!” 245

Chapter 13: Living in a Multiple-Bird Household 267

Chapter 14: Caring for Chickens and Other Backyard Poultry 283

Part 5: The Part of Tens 311

Chapter 15: Ten Bird Myths Debunked 313

Chapter 16: Ten Steps to a Healthy Bird 321

Chapter 17: Ten Questions to Ask When Buying a Bird 331

Chapter 18: Ten (Or So) Must-See Avian Websites 341

Chapter 19: Ten Best Birds for Beginners 349

Chapter 20: Ten Common Dangers to Your Bird’s Life 363

Chapter 21: Ten Disaster-Planning Tips for Bird Lovers 371

Appendix: Resources 377

Index 387

Brian L. Speer, DVM, is the owner and director of the Medical Center for Birds in Oakley, California, and an active member in and former president of the Association of Avian Veterinarians. Kim Campbell Thornton has been writing about animals since 1985 and is a recipient of multiple awards from the Cat Writers Association, Dog Writers Association of America, and American Society of Journalists and Authors. Gina Spadafori is the award-winning author of Dogs For Dummies and Cats For Dummies.

• Choose the right bird for your lifestyle
• Keep your bird fit and healthy
• Bond with your feathered friend

Let your love of birds take flight

When you take a bird under your wing, you find out that they're intelligent, affectionate, and rewarding companions. But to keep them—and you—happily chirping, doing your homework is essential. This book shows you how to arrange the cozy environment and stimulating lifestyle that will keep you and your feathered friend perfectly in tune. From choosing the right bird for you to knowing how to keep your bird healthy and bonding with your avian companion, you'll find everything you need to be the wind beneath your bird's wings!

Inside...

• Choose the best bird for you
• Understand avian biology
• Study and recognize species
• Know the science of feeding
• Find behavior solutions
• Decide whether to breed your bird
• Nurse a bird back to health
• Take care of multiple birds