When you put down your little backyard ecosystem with flowering bushes, a tree and a patch of grass, you might have hoped for a better class of animal visitor than moles and the odd rabbit. But we just need to look heavenward and there is an astounding variety of birds that flit in and out, hoping to be seen only by people who want to, badly enough. The Discovery Channel keeps zooming in on little birds and animals and using human emotions to describe all that they get up to. Is it possible for the casual animal lover to see all these emotions on display in the antics of our backyard birds?

Bird courtship is about the most rewarding area to deal in for the watcher of backyard birds. Mating season for birds is the colorful in the year, a time when birds sing and dance around each other hoping to find the best possible mate. Even the common species you find around your backyard, woodpeckers, orioles, buntings, cardinals and others have fascinating mating behavior. Even people unfamiliar with birds tend to recognize the woodpecker's courtship ritual, noisy as they are: they drum out a beat around lose roof tiles, rain gutters and such in a really noisy way. Among the cardinals, the ritual happens around how the male brings tasty morsels to feed the coquette he fancies. The gravity-defying hummingbird weaves wonderfully complex patterns flying around the female. In their varied individual ways, these birds do their very best to win a smile of approval from the ladies they set their cap on.

Once partnerships have been established and an egg is on its way the hectic activity begins of birds staking out territory and building individual nests. Some birds, the nighthawk for example, do not even bother to build nests; they will just hop on to your roof, find a non-sloping surface, and set their cargo down right there. But the birds that build cute little nests are much more fun. The hummingbird has that well-known cocoon-like creation made out of straw and mud; sparrows and pigeons have untidy-looking little nests of sticks, and odds and ends; they make up for their humbleness with endless sentimental family play though. Some birds have taken to the 21st-century, and scavenge for modern household waste to carry over to their construction sites. Discarded napkins, rubber bands, shredded paper, the odd piece of shiny tinsel and jewelry, have all been found in nests built on the roofs and trees around homes by backyard birds. Of course it would be no use building a home if a bird were not willing to defend it. Birds can often be remarkably territorial; some birds, the robin for example, have trouble standing the sight of any other robin in the entire plot of land. But they can be very welcoming of their friends, once the nesting season is over with. Sparrows happen to be much less ambitious, and don't mind other sparrows building in the vicinity. You should try to see birds of every feather sing and dance around their domicile, to advertise that no one is to have ideas about their area.

After this, begins the actual hatching process and all the wonderful family drama that ensues. The parents anxiously keep guard all the time; if you want to lean in for a closer look, make sure you don't touch anything. Parent birds are known to often inexplicably abandon their hatchlings if humans disturb them. Feeding the hatchlings of your backyard birds might seem quite adorable: but that really is a strict no-no. Sometimes a parent birds seems to keep their fledglings half-starved; but that is only to make sure that they work up the motivation to go out and forage for themselves.

An important part of gazing at our backyard birds is to know where to draw the line with your passion. Just the thought of knowing that your home gives shelter to a few little flying angels can be precious; as long as you leave well alone, there is no reason why the whole family cannot participate.

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Written by Brenda Briggs using tags: backyard birds, Birds, online pets, pet birds, Pets

Your new parakeet will spend most of his time in his cage, so the parakeet cage you choose for your pet is of great importance. Choosing the right bird cage for your parakeet will ensure that he feels comfortable and secure in his new home. Here are some important points to keep in mind while you're looking for the best cage.

If you want a happy parakeet, make sure you get the largest cage you can afford and have space for. Make sure your bird has room to move around and fully expand his wings. You don't want him poking his delicate feathers through the bars when he stretches his wings.

Parakeets tend to be more active than larger parrots. If you plan on keeping your bird in his cage 24/7, then the cage will need to be large enough for your parakeet to exercise. The minimum recommended cage size if you have one bird is 18" wide x 14" deep x 22" high.

You should also take into consideration the shape of the parakeet cage. A rectangular cage is preferable to a round cage. Your parakeet will feel safer in his cage if he has corners to perch in.

You should also consider the material the cage is made of. You'll want a metal cage made of stainless steel or brass. A parakeet will destroy a plastic, wooden, or bamboo cage.

Some cages are painted, and this is not good because paint can chip off and it could be harmful to your parakeet. Powder-coating is okay since this method chemically bonds the color to the metal. Also be sure the cage is free of lead and zinc.

You'll also need to consider how much space there is between the bars of the cage. Make sure the distance between the bars is less than 1/2" so your parakeet doesn't get his head stuck between the bars. Most cages have vertical bars, but if you can find one with horizontal bars, your bird will be able to climb up and down the sides of the cage.

Consider how easy the cage will be to clean. Many parakeet cages have trays in the bottom that can slide out for easy cleaning. It's also preferable if the cage has a grate at the bottom so droppings can fall through to the tray and your bird won't be in contact with the mess.

Check the size of the cage doors. How easy is it to place your hand inside the cage to remove toys and food and water containers when they need to be cleaned? The cleaner you can keep the cage, the healthier your parakeet will be.

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Written by Caroline Kearns using tags: Bird Cages, parakeet cages, parakeet houses, parakeets, pet birds, Pets