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Tacogirl Belize blog Est. in 2007

You came to the right blog for Belize Resources and Information.

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Be Kind Belize Parrot Fact Sheet

by tacogirl 26/05/2010
written by tacogirl 26/05/2010
San Pedro Belize beach pictures

As many of you know protection of wildlife is very important in Belize and Education goes hand in hand with that. We must join together and help educate children – adults and anyone who visits Belize about the value of our precious wildlife and ecosystems so that we keep the natural beauty of Belize intact. Thanks to Colette of Be kind Belize and the Belize Bird Rescue for providing the following information about Parrots.

Be Kind Belize Parrot Fact Sheet

Is it illegal to own a parrot in Belize?

Yes, unless you have a license. In Belize, it is illegal to own any species of indigenous wildlife without a license. The law protecting wildlife in Belize is called the Wildlife Protection Act of Belize.

Belize Bird Rescue

What is the problem with keeping parrots as pets?

Firstly, almost all parrots kept as pets in Belize were stolen or poached from the wild illegally. To stop this illegal trade in Belizean wildlife it is important that we do not participate by buying or keeping the birds. Poaching is one of the main reasons our wildlife in Belize is disappearing. Secondly, most people don’t know how to care for parrots correctly. They are highly intelligent and social birds and need constant companionship and stimulation. Keeping them in a small cage with no companionship for long periods is very cruel. Remember, that to get that parrot as a pet, the nest is destroyed. Very few survive and even if they do, they end up having a short and miserable life in a cage. Very few parrots in Belize live past the age of 10 although they should live for over 50 years.

Why do we have to protect the parrots?

The yellow-headed parrot is now endangered, and yet hundreds of chicks are stolen every year in Belize for the pet trade. Blue-headed parrots are likely to become endangered soon and many others will be threatened before long if the poaching continues. Talk to your elders and ask them how many parrots there used to be in Belize. The change is huge and is partly due to loss of habitat. We have to stop chopping down our rainforests and stop stealing their eggs if we want our grandchildren to be able to see parrots in the wild. Also, imagine how much tourism Belize would gain if we had a healthy population of parrots living in our rainforests.

What do I do if someone tries to sell me a baby parrot?

Remember what you have learned here. So the first thing is that what they are doing is illegal. Also, consider that anyone who would be willing to raid a nest and steal baby birds does not love Belize and does not love wildlife as the nest will have been destroyed and several parrots probably died in the process.

Anyone who buys a baby parrot like this is, in effect, buying stolen goods. But these goods are the wonderful nature of Belize being stolen from our children’s future.

You can do the right thing and report the person to the Forestry Department on 501 822 1524.

How many species of parrot are there in Belize?

There are 11 species in total. Some are unique subspecies, which is even more of a reason we need to protect them.

Ara Macao (Scarlet Macaw)

(the following three are closely related)

Amazona Oratrix or Yellow-headed Amazon (endangered)

Amazona Ochrocephala (subspecies belizensis) (Yellow-crowned Amazon)

Amazona Auropalliata (yellow-naped Amazon – a visitor to Belize)

Amazona Farinosa (Mealy or blue-head Parrot)

Amazona Autumnalis (Red-lored or yellow-cheek parrot)

Amazona Xantholora (Yellow-lored Amazon)

Pionus Senilis (white-capped or white-headed parrot)

Amazona Albifrons (white-fronted parrot)

Pionopsitta Haematotis (Brown-hooded parrot)

Aratinga nana (Aztec or Olive-throated parakeet)

I’ve heard that people have to cut their parrot’s wings so that they don’t fly away.

If wing clipping is necessary, it is very important to get proper advice as doing it incorrectly can permanently injure the bird. If you cut the wrong feather, the bird could actually bleed to death. Contact Belize Bird Rescue on 501 822 1145 for advice on how to cut wings safely.

Belize Bird Rescue

What size should a parrot cage be?

According to those who love parrots and want to see them in the wild, every cage is too small and no cage is too big. The size of cage depends on the size of the bird, whether or not his wings are clipped, whether he’s indoors or outdoors, whether or not you socialize with your bird and how many birds there are in the cage.

As a guideline, a red lored, inside the house with clipped wings could be reasonably happy with a cage 3′ x 3′ x 3′ provided he had time outside the cage every day and plenty of toys to occupy him. The same bird kept permanently outside, without his wings cut will need a flight cage of at least 6′ x 6′ x 10′ long to retain his sanity, and even that is not a given. (10’x10’x10′ would be much better)

You will need to think carefully about what to make your cage out of – a bored parrot will demolish wood, plastic or bamboo in a few weeks. The mesh size needs to be appropriate for the size of bird. Chicken wire is totally unsuitable as the mesh is too small for parakeets and white-fronteds, and too flimsy for anything bigger. Consider using an existing structure, for instance a wall of your house, as one side of your cage.

Special thanks to Belize Bird Rescue from which this fact sheet was adapted.

Belize Bird Rescue

Related

tacogirl

Laure Norton grew up dyslexic and was very challenged by the school. She never dreamed she would move to Belize and become a writer. A year after her move to Ambergris Caye, Laurie became an entrepreneur and professional writer starting tacogirl blog in 2007. Since then she has helped many people plan their vacations or move. She also has been published in Great Destinations Belize Guidebook, Moon Guide to Living in Belize, Insight Guides, Island Magazine several times and USA Today. Currently Laurie resides in downtown San Pedro and enjoys being a "city girl" on a tropical island.

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6 comments

raven e 18/03/2015 - 8:54 am

i have a parot that looks exactly like that 🙂

Reply
kay 27/05/2010 - 6:36 am

Last week I got the thrill of my life, when half-a-dozen Red Lored Parrots visited my farm in Succotz, to dine on the ripening sapotes and mangoes… I stood rooted to the spot, (and got a nice crick in my neck, ouch, but I was afraid to move and scare them away!) For an hour, I was mesmerized by their brilliant colors, noisy chatter, and flickering hops from branch to branch… I swear, there was a bit of tears in my eyes from the beauty…

Reply
Nikki 27/05/2010 - 3:20 am

Thanks so much for posting this. Every day we hear of more baby parrots being taken from their nests. It’s heartbreaking.
To report poachers call the Forestry Dept on 822 1524 and ask for Andre or Rasheda.
Bob – I hope you get time for a visit to the mainland on your travels – Chili would LOVE to meet you!

Reply
Bob The Parrot 26/05/2010 - 7:19 pm

Bob says….”Fly Chili Fly”……

Reply
Be Kind Belize 26/05/2010 - 6:55 pm

Hi Bob,

I’ve made sure that this message gets to Chili, the beautiful Red Lored Parrot in the picture. Chili was rescued from an unsuitable home. Chili, like so many other parrots had been poached from the nest as a baby and sold as a pet. Chili is now learning how to fly free.

Reply
Bob The Parrot 26/05/2010 - 5:37 pm

Hello cutie..I saw your picture on the blog, my name is Bob The Parrot and I am on tv with Joey Stevens. Maybe we could spent some time together when I come down for Lobsterfest in June!? Mabe we could share some crackers, or better yet a martini….

Reply

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Corey Holm
04:38 25 Feb 20
I take the seniors from our academy to Belize every year for their senior trip. One of the first people I contact when... I start planning the trip is Laurie with TacoGirl Belize. She knows the island of San Pedro better than anyone else out there. Trust me, I have looked. If you are looking for the best restaurants, hang outs and shops then Laurie help plan your vacation.read more
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Carol Taylor
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Love Taco Girl Blog @LaurieNorton! I've been reading this blog since I started visiting Ambergris Caye in Belize almost... 10 years ago. It is filled with helpful up-to-date information and recommendations that I wouldn't necessarily find on my own. Laurie Norton's knowledge and extensive network on the island provides her with the ability to share perks/discounts/coupons with her readers, which come in handy year after year. Things on the island change daily - new businesses pop up constantly and LaurieNortonstays on top of these developments. Whenever I plan my return trip to the island, I always check her blog first - and I recommend you do the same. Trip Advisor ain't got nuttin' on Taco Girl!read more
Heidi
Heidi
20:01 20 Feb 20
Laurie's blog is my official “go to” source for tourist and local information on San Pedro. Of course, it’s... always nice to see her guides on “what to do” in San Pedro, but I also appreciate her “insider” advice and human interest stories on what it’s like living as a local on the island. There is so much information it's amazing! Thank you Laurie!!!read more
Nick Goodman
Nick Goodman
21:23 30 Nov 19
I am considering a move to Belize and I have serendipitously found tacogirl.....what a treasure! She is full of great... advice, helpful hints.....knows everybody on Ambergris Caye and has a thousand useful recommendations and suggestions. Whether you are planning a vacation or relocating, you should make use of the many services she has to offer…..read more
KellyDivePhotography
KellyDivePhotography
20:58 30 Nov 19
I’m so pleased to see tacogirl's blog on Google. Laurie's blog is my official “go to” source for tourist and... local information on San Pedro. Of course, it’s always nice to see her guides on “what to do” in San Pedro, but I also appreciate her “insider” advice and human interest stories on what it’s like living as a local on the island. I especially enjoy her guest articles, providing a different perspective of all things San Pedro. Her tipping quide is a classic, and don’t forget her Tropic Air flight code and on-island discounts. You’re not up-to-date with what’s going on in San Pedro if you’re not regularly reading tacogirl's blog.read more
Sandra Godfrey
Sandra Godfrey
15:58 23 Nov 19
I have known Laurie (Taco Girl) for several years. She has been a wealth of good information for me in all of my... pursuits in Belize. I highly recommend her for any services you may require.read more
William Jones
William Jones
13:39 06 May 19
Do yourself a favor. Read this BEFORE any trip to San Pedro - Ambergris Caye or Belize in general. Not saying “do... what everyone else says”, but Laurie has frank and honest info which will make your stay in country a little more fun, a little more informative, and often at a great cost savings. Best thing: it’s unbiased, honest, and factual. Personal note: thank you for your personal tailored help in answering mine (and my wife’s) questions.read more
Kimberly Robinson
Kimberly Robinson
18:28 03 May 19
Taco Girl (Laurie) is amazing. She has so much knowledge about Belize and has great connections with many of the... businesses in Belize. Because of her connections she is able to offer many perks and discounts that you wouldn't have been able to find otherwise. She is super responsive and I always go to her for all my travel needs. From golf cart rentals, to spas, to places to eat. She's got the inside scoop on all!read more
Michael Rieck
Michael Rieck
20:22 21 Apr 19
Since 2003, my wife and I have been to Ambergris at least once a year to experience the fantastic diving. About twelve... years ago we me Tacogirl on a blog giving us discounts on golf carts, local airfares, and restaurants. Over the years we have grown a friendship and I look forward to her weekly blogs about he changes on my favorite home away from home. The island changes every year, and she always shows you what to see, do, and eat.read more
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ABOUT ME

I took the plunge and moved to San Pedro Town on the Island of Ambergris Caye, off the coast of Belize, Central America. Originally from Canada, I made the life-changing move to escape winter for good (in 2006) after one three week vacation.

If you have any questions or want Belize discounts, Contact me.

SPARKING MY DESIRE

3 childhood memories that shaped my desire to move to Belize from a young age.Sailing in the Virgin Islands, seeing a rainbow out the window of an island hopper as we flew from Virgin Islands to Puerto Rico, Christmas in Hawaii and many trips to Florida.

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