Dear Reader,

It's February, and Punxtsutawney Phil (for those of us in North America) says there are six more weeks of winter. But that's all right. At Flock Talk we carry on, all year long. And according to most of you, we seem to be carrying on quite well. Last month we asked you to fill out our survey, which you did, thanks very much. And the survey says...you are most interested in receiving Flock Talk to stay informed about the work of the Trust, and to learn about conservation efforts in the field. More about the results below.

Also in this issue: talking about social networking, new forum topics to discuss at www.parrots.org, a Meyer's Parrot profile and the Get a Grip Parrot Exercise Grid - just the thing for all those podgy parrots. Have a look.

Desi Milpacher, Flock Talk editor

In This Issue

> Flock Talk Interview: Mike Bowles and Loretta Erickson
> Species Profile: Meyer's Parrot
> WPT Partner: Steve Martin and Natural Encounters, Inc.
> Networking for Parrots
> Product Profile: Get a Grip Enrichment Toy
> Survey Says!
> See what's new at www.parrots.org
> Test Your Parrot IQ

Flock Talk Interview

Mike Bowles and Loretta Erickson

For photographer/naturalists Mike Bowles and Loretta Erickson seeing parrots flying free in California is completely natural. Loretta saw her first feral (non-native) parrot over 25 years ago, re-discovering them again in the late 1990's. She also acquired a young Amazon parrot named Sydney who became a treasured house mate with herself and fellow photographer Mike Bowles. These were all events which would lead her inexorably toward the life she has now - a life filled with photographs, parrots and compassion. Read the Interview »

Species Profile

Meyer's Parrot

Genus: Poicephalus Species: meyeri Where found: parts of: Cameroon, Chad, Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Zambia, Mocambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Transvaal, Namibia, Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Meru and Republic of S Africa. Status: Least Concern, however, since 1981, 75,387 individuals have been traded on the international market. Wild Population: not recorded More Information »

WPT Partner

Steve Martin and Natural Encounters, Inc.

Steve Martin is a soft-spoken man who has accomplished very big things - all for animals. His affinity for animals began when he was introduced to parrots at the age of five. Since then, almost everything he has done has been with or for animals, most recently with  Natural Encounters, Inc., an educational company which employs over 20 professional animal trainers, and Natural Encounters Conservation Fund, Inc, a group committed to raising funds for conservation projects worldwide. Steve Martin is a dedicated Trustee of the World Parrot Trust, and Natural Encounters is an enthusiastic partner in support of our work. Natural Encounters, Inc. »

Networking for Parrots

Spreading the Word About the Trust on the Internet

Do you use Facebook? MySpace? YouTube? A lot of people do. Social networking has become the thing to do. For the WPT, too! We recently posted our organization on Facebook, where 200 more friends have joined our cause. And we are planning to include our information at other networking sites around the world. It's a great way for you to relate with others who support the Trust. Please check it out. It's just one more way of helping out - and reaching out - from wherever you are. WPT profile on Facebook »

Product Profile

Get a Grip Enrichment Toy

Take a first glance at EStarbird's Get a Grip mesh hanging toy and one is reminded of the Outward Bound obstacle courses, whereby a person scrambles up and down a net with too-wide holes, with one's feet rocketing through the openings, hands straining to reach the next rung...well, you get the picture. Thankfully Get a Grip is actually a whole lot more fun for your feathered friend, and not the least bit demoralizing. Made of untreated Abaca rope, a natural fibre, this netting is designed with the acrobatic lifestyles of parrots in mind. And an outlet for all those acrobatics is just what the doctor (vet?) ordered.

Get a Grip at the WPT worldwide eStore »

Survey Says!

Your Response to Our Flock Talk Survey

Last month we asked you to take part in our survey to find out...well, how we're doing. A survey like this gives us a good idea of what you like or dislike about Flock Talk, and how we can give you the best, most informative publication.

With that in mind, we asked you questions about the content, frequency of publication, layout and overall satisfaction with our newsletter. We're pleased to report that those of you who took part were generally pleased with what you've seen so far. We also received some great suggestions, such as adding more updates about conservation in the field and WPT work (which we will do as they become available), past and upcoming events involving the Trust, and content for kids. You've also asked for more parrot care information, and greater depth of information on the status and habits of parrots in the wild. All of these suggestions are greatly appreciated, and we anticipate using a lot of them in the future.

Thank you for your participation and positive comments. Your feedback is a large part of what keeps us going. Keep up the good work! Things are always better when we work together.