Yes! Of course, birds are animals. Birds are very distinct animals having unique features which are prevalent among all of them. All birds are classified as members of Kingdom Animalia. Birds came under phylum Chordata and class-specific to birds is called Aves. Class Aves have beaks, feathers, lay eggs, and are warm-blooded. Birds are very important for our environment and are present in different breeds.
There are 5 main kingdoms of living organisms, named Plantae, Animalia, Monera, Protista, and Fungi. A bird is not a fungus, not a plant. Organisms under Protista and Monera are very tiny like algae or bacteria. So, the only kingdom left for birds is the kingdom Animalia. People get confusion to add birds under Animalia kingdom because according to them, animals mean typical mammals.
This kingdom involves all the tiny insects and birds of all sizes. From tiny invertebrates to large vertebrates, all living creatures come under animals. A large group of animals is categorized into some groups called classes. A class of birds is called Aves. Animals in this class are having feathers, beaks, lay eggs, and are warm-blooded. It is now well evident with examples that all birds are animals.
My first pet
Doodle is my first ever pet. He is an Alexandrine parakeet parrot. His scientific name is Psittacula eupatria. It is known as an Alexandrine parrot and is usually of medium size. In the local language, these are called raw parrots. I adopted him almost 13 years ago.
He is a green-colored, medium-sized parrot having social types of communication skills. He is a beautiful, charming, and intelligent bird. Like some species of parrots, he can copy human sounds, which makes him an excellent choice as a pet. Having a pet parrot is a blessing.
Importance of Parrots
Approximately, 350 recognized species of parrots are there, which are still alive. Unfortunately, several species become extinct due to the devastation of habitat and trapping of birds for trade purposes. Parrots are mostly loyal, talkative, and play full birds. They learn different tricks and are much motivated to exhibit their entertainment skills. Alexandrine parakeet is the favorite among the fancy birds. Due to its growing status with bird breeders in the last few years, it is of great importance in the pet trade system.
Natural Habitat
Parrots of this type are present in tropical and subtropical continents including south Asia, Southeast Asia, central and south America, Africa, and Australia. These are present in agricultural lands, forests, mangrove forests, and woodlands.
But Doodle is living with us at our home for the past 13 years. In the daytime, he moves freely in our residential area and backyard lawn and at night, takes rest at his cage which is much wide and ventilated.
Life span and breeding period
The average life span of parrots ranges from fifty to ninety-five years. The breeding period of Alexandrine parakeets is from November to April in a normal range. Females lay 2 to 4 white eggs. The incubation period is usually 24 days. Until 3 to 4 months after birth, babies are dependent on their parents to take off their care.
Feeding and care
Depending on the height and extended tail feathers, the Doodle has a cage of 14 inches in length which is more than enough to accommodate him. He lives in a peaceful mood if alone, but can be aggressive for other birds. He has a powerful and big beak, so we keep smaller birds out of his reach to avoid any type of danger. The diet of parrots must include a pelleted type diet, vegetables, fruits, nuts, etc.
Doodle loves to eat chocolates, snacks, dry fruits, green chilies, guavas, mangoes, and noodles. In drinks, he prefers fresh juices, cold drinks, and sometimes tea. I offered him food and drinks with the help of his favorite spoon and he enjoys it a lot. Ingredients, color, shape, and texture of offered food resulted in nutritious appealing, which is very healthy for birds.
Nature and behavior
Doodle is talkative, playful and has a dictionary of impressive vocabulary including names of a few family members and whistling habits. Unlike other species, these types of parrots are loyal and mostly develop bonds with their favorite family members. They are much more efficient to learn playing tricks. They are loving after having someone’s constant attention.
They always need an individual who gives them much of his or her time. They love human gatherings around and try to amuse them with their tricks and vocals. In the case of doodle, that person is me, he is quite attached to me and feels more comfortable when I am around.
An experienced caretaker will enjoy their company more as compared to a beginner. The novice man feels trouble at the start to handle and communicate with Alexandrine parakeet.
Sounds and vocals
Doodle sometimes produces an energetic and much deeper screech, to get others’ attention or to show his presence. He has an excellent command of mimicking others and can copy any produced sound around him. Parrot as a pet usually mimics his owner’s speech.
The vocal characteristics vary among different species, some are loud, few are quiet. Some extraordinary parrots can even speak the human language with time. Mothers of baby parrots along with raising, taught them to mimic, at their initial age. Doodle praises himself in many ways throughout the day, by speaking “Doodle good”, “happy doodle” and “mithuu”. He used to speak words like who, noor, honey, papa, etc.
Unlike some other talkative parrots who themselves know how to make sentences, Doodle only repeats our casual and praising words. If he gets negligible attention, he started talking to his reflection in the mirror. According to me, he assumes another parrot is in front of him. It’s quite amusing to watch doodle taping on the mirror with the help of his beak and spreading his beautiful wings around.
Health and fitness-related common conditions
These are relatively healthy and immune birds usually because of their versatile and healthy diet. A clean and oxygenated environment also contributed to their health to some extent. They can be susceptible to some infections including proventricular dilatation syndrome (PDD), aspergillosis, polymyxovirus, candidiasis, psittacosis (parrot fever), and other bacterial infections. As a veterinarian, I usually treat my pet with certain antibiotics for bacterial infections, antifungals for fungal infections.
In case of viral infections, supportive therapy and immune booster diets are highly recommended. If you suspect your bird is ill, immediately consult a veterinarian and adopt recommended treatment. A healthy lifestyle contributes to almost negligible risk of disease outbreaks.
Conclusion
Due to the process of hunting and disturbance in ecological balance, some birds are receiving extinct. Birds dependent on the water including swans, ducks, penguins and many more are decreasing in number due to water pollution.
Flying birds including kiwi, snowy owl, hooded grebe, African grey parrot, and many others are diminishing day by day due to fewer forests, polluted environment, and hunting. Therefore, as a part of nature, we should take steps to save these birds from extinction and to increase their life expectancy.
Birds are essential assets of our ecosystem and its maintenance, so we must keep them safe and sound. We should enhance native plants and recover the natural habitat for birds. Birdhouses and gardens should be maintained organically for the efficient and excellent run of the natural ecosystem.
