Parrot dissertation

[Chris Hahns]

Hey there,

I'm currently studying my degree in animal management and I have to come up with some dissertation ideas.

I thought since Ive got a hahns macaw I could do something with that. We also have an african grey at uni so maybe some comparision between the two...

Was thinking about how easily the two birds can aquire new words or their ability to be trained. Also could compare the difference between the birds and how this could affect their learning.

My hahns is 7 months old and has been at the pet shop for x months being around other birds and people a lot of the time and is often out of it's cage. Where as I have only ever seen the Grey in its cage as people are afraid of it as it is a bit nippy.

If anyone could give me some other ideas or anything related it would be much appreciated. I hope that with my new found passion for parrots i will really enjoy this work.

Thanks,

Chris.

[liz]

WHAT?

Welcome to the forum.

[sidech]

I would remain at a higher level. People generally don't know that parrots have not been domesticated for a long time and that they still have wild behaviors.

So you could talk about domestication of parrots and the difficulties of keeking these animals in our households, the lack of knowledge of people, which explains the high % of abandonment and so forth.

Just an idea. That would also serve the purpose of educating your peers and maybe avoiding mistakes down the line.

[Munchy]

What I wonder about parrots is... how our love for them is causing them to go extinct. I often wonder how other pet bird lovers feel about this issue. I did research before buying Disney and read an article where an expert on parrots said that absolutely they should be bred in captivity. So I bought Disney. And I love him so much. But If people didn't have the desire for a Half Moon (any parrot) conure as a pet they would remain in the wild and still be thriving. It is a catch 22. I see so many pictures on the net of parrots in tiny cages being treated horribly. I am not going to get into the abuses they take as that list is long. But seriously if there was not a market there would not be a problem.

I wonder how intelligent my bird is. But that might be to difficult for you to write a dissertation about. The book I read about the intelligence of Wolf Birds, Ravens, took years of study. Besides I already know he is far more intelligent than people would believe. I think all birds are. Science requires proof to the point of ignoring common sense.

What about how parrots see the world? I am currently reading a book about how dogs perceive the world titled "Inside of a Dog, What Dogs See, Smell, and Know". Reading it makes me wonder how parrots see the world. But that might be to difficult as well.

There is precious little information about parrots that you could choose almost anything and have it be a worth while dissertation.

What about? species of birds that are naturally found on different continents living with each other in the same household? I've learned some will kill each other, while others will get along?

Anyhow, lots of things and ways you could go with parrots the field is so open.

[liz]

Rambo is 20 years old and is equivalent to a 6 year old child with a speach impediment.
Myrtle is 1 1/2 years old and equivalent to a 2 year old child still baby talking.

Both are rehome/rescues. Though I have much going on in my life, they are the center of my universe.

If people would stop buying from breeders and pet stores the little beings would all get good homes. The birds that are kept in awful environments and treated worse than dirt would have value and be sold to someone who would love them.

My kids know what I say. They were not trained - they learned just like my human kids did. They know what they say and with the words they have they rearange them to tell me things and ask me questions. Rambo once yelled "HELP - HURRY HURRY". The neighbors cat had come in the cat door and did not belong here. While trying to get the cat to put it out he was yelling "CATCH IT - PUT IT OUT".

Okay - I'm riled up. Sorry. I didn't mean to dump on you but my feelings run deep when it comes to critters that are not being treeted like the little beings that they are.

[Chris Hahns]

Thanks for your input

[Cage Cleaner]

I agree with Munchy. Keeping it on a higher level than a simple compare contrast, or something more grand-scale that something so specific and specialized than hahns vs cag would make it more interesting, and easier to write as well.

I think that doing a dissertation centered on parrots would be a great opportunity to write about something environmental, either centered on endangered species, or nutrition, or medicine. It allows for a lot more room to write. I don't see any of the original topics taking up the number of pages a dissertation would require without being highly redundant. But I may be wrong.

How long does it need to be?