Top 3 Baby Birds
By Anton Souza
Each one of these adorable birds is special in its own way. When you look at these little bundles of cuteness, with their big eyes and quirky fumblings, there is no denying that they will melt your heart.
"Quaking" For Quakers
"Baby quakers have very large, round heads and big, dark eyes," said quaker breeder Nancyjane Bailey of New Jersey. She explained their heartwarming first weeks. "They go through a stage (at about 5 weeks) where they are absolutely enchanting. Most of their feathers are in, they tend to keep their head feathers fluffy -- which emphasizes the large, round, fluffy head -- and their tails remain short. Often, a little down peaks out from their feathers. They are still very chick-like. They quickly pass from this stage into looking more like a parrot than a chick."
Amy Baggett of Florida agrees that these birds are among the cutest. She shares her home with three energetic and talkative quakers -- Henry, Pickle and Cucumber -- along with many other exotic birds. "I think all baby birds are cute, but out of all my babies, and we have everything from finches to macaws, the quakers are my favorite."
Her description matches what many see as the universal appeal of all babies: "They just have those big eyes, those chubby little cheeks and little round bodies. They also make little cooing sounds when you hold them, and they love to cuddle right up under your neck."
Rosemary Wilson shares her Alberta, Canada, home with a 1-year-old quaker, a 1-year-old masked lovebird and a 4-year-old Pacific parrotlet. "These three birds would all have my votes for the cutest baby birds I've ever seen," Wilson said. "All of them get along famously and are incredibly cute and snugly. These birds are my family, and I've changed for the better because they're in my life. Every day, they show me love and support and humor in the things I do."
Quakers also "quake" when they are babies. Bailey described this precious phenomenon as "begging for food (or attention) by bobbing their heads, wings and bodies up and down quickly. Some say that is how they got their common name. It is very endearing, and some birds will retain the behavior into adulthood," Bailey noted.
*See the April issue of BIRD TALK for the full article.