hybrid birds a problem?
I am now a senior and must come up with a senior project topic. I am really interested in doing my topic on something relating to birds. Our project must be arguing a topic or proving a point. I figured that "Hybrid birds" might make a splash since macaws are now on the top 100 endangered birds list due to just that. However, I cannot find enough relevant information for an 8-page paper. If you guys can give me some other ideas relating to domestic birds, it would be most appreciated. I already have a mentor in an exotic bird shop. If you have any real information on the hybrid bird debate, please post the website addresses. I am desperate. Thanks guys!
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I'm going to give you a couple links that might be of some help. The problem is most sites have breeders posting the most and of course, they are not going to say anything negative about hybrids. Hybrids, wrongfully in my opinion, command a pretty high price. Way too many people buy a bird because of it's beauty while having done no research and having no idea what is involved with these birds. The more beautiful and colorful the bird, the more likely it is to end up in a very bad situation. They are not decorations. They are wild exotic animals that require a commitment that few people are willing to make. I think it's wrong to ever mix any type or species with other than it's own kind. Just like the "designer dogs" that are the current rage. Call them by all the cute names you like, they are still mixed breed mutts. The thing with the Macaws is, there is no way to predict which personality type will come through in any given chick. It's Russian roulette, at best. I have a rescued Catalina Macaw and I can speak from first hand experience as to just how unpredictable they can be as compared to the pure bred Macaws. Some days she is as sweet as the most lovable Blue and Gold. Other days she is as nippy as can be. And a Macaw "nip" is not to be taken lightly. In my opinion, this kind of breeding is totally irresponsible. It's not being done for any benefit to the bird or the species. It is being done for one reason only, the almighty dollar. I hope this information will help you out. Good luck with your report.
http://www.upatsix.com/chats/macaw-connection/topi...
http://animal-world.com/encyclo/birds/macaws/Hybri...
This is a much debated topic. Google hybrid birds and look at the photographs. Some crosses are very difficult to recognize if they have been bred back to one of the parent species. For example Scarlet X Greenwing bred back to either a Greenwing or Scarlet. One breeder claims that the extinct Cuban Macaw was a hybrid and set out to prove it by breeding Scarlets to Severe macaws. He claims that the off spring look like Cubans. I have not seen them, but I do know that some pet shops sold the chicks as Cubans. To my knowledge no testing was done to confirm his claims.
You should also read up about the last Spix macaw in the wild. When there was no other bird of his own species to breed with he paired up with a female that was of another genus. Look into what happens when birds of different genus are paired. Not just different species. While there are a few breeders who promote hybrids most conservationist strongly disapprove.
Do your own homework,not steal from random strangers-online.
& there's very little done=NO MARKET!
Your macaw blather is WRONG.