July 25, 2008
Every once in a while we will be approached by a customer who wants to know where the free birds are. It always conjures for me the time I walked from my old Village apartment to the financial district and stumbled on a bird shop in long ago Tribeca. A clerk emerged from the front door to the shrieks of parrots and cockatiels. He shakily lit a cigarette and said to me: "It's as bad as it looks."

But today the question was if we had any free bird books. Now that made me wonder if we had any bird books at all. Kneeling for the first time to properly examine our pet section I actually found a few guidebooks for the hobbyist. And none for more than $3. Oh hell, the next customer can have the entire lot for a dollar! And we'll throw in the Canadian section as a bonus.
--Peter Miller

[If you want a soundtrack to this blog, we recommend Freebird's house band: Hatebeak.]

ROLLER CANARY HANDBOOK by Haig Sarkisian
Haig first discovered the canary at age 11 and has been in love ever since. The Roller is a variety originating from the Harz Mountains of Germany ("the cradle" where "the Roller canary rocked"). He argues that "as household pets they are unsurpassed" due to their beautiful birdsong, which is deeper than other breeds such as the Triller, the Chopper, the Waterslager, or the Timbrado. Apparently they like to bathe and sing in the sunlight. Being a book for potential breeders, Haig focuses on the nature of the bird boxes, the temperature to keep them in, and their diet. He advises to look at their "excreta" for any change in their eating habits: "The white (urine) and dark (feces) portions take on an ideal appearance with the assimilation of greens." There's also the fierce canary circuit, in which birds are scored competitively on their warbling: "The 100-point standard has been the forerunner in scoring changes. Over the years, hollow roll, bass, gluck, water tour, schockel, flute, and hollow bell have all been designated as major tours and assigned various point values."

MACAWS by Loren Spiotta
Loren minces no words, admitting that some macaws are just downright "nasty," advocating against involvement with a problem bird. But they can make excellent pets nonetheless: "The macaws have a harsh high pitched call that is often very irritating to the human ear. Fortunately, however, these birds don't give voice all day long. They usually screech only in the early morning or later in the evening. Bored and frustrated macaw will also scream to get attention. The contented bird is much more peaceful."

A STEP BY STEP BOOK ABOUT COCKATIELS by Anmarie Barrie
Who knew they were the second most popular species of parrot? "The cockatiel will benefit from exercise. There are no accounts of a housebroken cockatiel. Droppings are likely to be found around the flying area. Also furniture and other items may be chewed as the bird explores."