Parrots of the Wild: A Natural History of the World’s Most Captivating Birds Hardcover – Illustrated, November 16, 2015

Cathy Toft was a high school friend of mine. Even at that time she had a keen interest in nature as well as a way with the written word. Tragically, she passed away from cancer almost 5 years ago. I purchased the book in part as a tribute to her, but also because I now live on a rural property in Australia and am surrounded by beautiful parrots of various types. Although Cathy and I had reconnected on Facebook a couple years before her death, I did not have the time to question her on all that I, as a layperson and amateur bird-watcher, wanted to know about my beautiful neighbours. Her book has given me such pleasure, not only because is a fascinating, beautifully-written and scholarly treatise on parrots world-wide, but because it lives on to inform and delight readers in a way that would have made Cathy proud. Now as I watch the sulfur-crested cockatoos, galahs, rosellas and king parrots who visit our feeder, I feel as though I know them so much better, thanks to this wonderful book. One thing I did not see, however, is the fact that virtually all sulfur-crested cockatoos are left-handed: a fact that was proven by lab studies here in Australia but is also obvious to the keen back-yard birder. Cathy would have had such fun visiting here: almost as much fun as we as readers have in learning about the lives of wild parrots through the book that she and Timothy Wright have so delightfully written.

This is the most comprehensive, laypeople-friendly text I can find on the evolutionary roots of parrots and how ancestry was determined. It describes parrots' supposed distant ancestor and how various species are related (the latter contains some surprises!). By summarizing over 2,400 scientific studies, this book also provides information on everything one could possibly want to know about parrots in the wild. This is all valuable information to parrot caretakers (like me) who want understand parrots and do everything we can to meet the needs of parrots in captivity. For instance, I've come to an understanding about what various species are looking for in their food and why - yes, I know why my parrot flings the seemingly "good" parts of fruit everywhere, discarding them in search of the "baby plants" within!Other topics covered include rare species in some of the most isolated areas, visual perception and feather structure, vocal and cognitive problem-solving abilities, social and mating behavior (including development according to life stages), reasons for the population decline and extinction of various species (including details on critical nesting requirements), and conservation efforts. The only topic which I hope to see included in a future edition is the topic of their sleep and circadian rhythm, as I understand that many species inhabiting tropical areas of the world require more than the 8 hours a day that people (including many parrot owners) take for granted as the norm. All in all though, I can tell that this book was an ambitious undertaking and greatly appreciate it!

Seems like one of the few books on wild parrot behavior - actually studied in the wild, which I like about it. (And there might be fewer opportunities to do in the wild anymore, now that most parrots have reached critically endangered status in their ranges now). I'm still reading it, but so far, am impressed with the humane concern about the big difference in their natural, wild behavior - being able to fly for miles & living in social groups as bonded monogamous pairs with their offspring until the offspring disperse into juvenile groups to continue lifelong learning to live successfully & find their lifelong mate; how some species of both the females & the males pick out together possible nesting sites in tree hollows after investigation; how social & highly intelligent parrots are. And some examples of how crippled these same birds are at the hands of humans - even in the best aviaries since they can only fly a few wingbeats instead of the miles they do in the wild. Humans can never provide all the companionship & things to do a highly intelligent creature such as a parrot needs in order to thrive. So I hope this humane approach stops the exotic bird industry in its tracks and helps parrots to survive in the wild where they belong.

I write books, which use traits and behaviors of animals as illustrations for human connection skills (sales, building rapport, etc.). While humorous and light-hearted, the books are based on meticulous research. When I began work on Lessons from the Parrot, I ordered a number of books dedicated to the parrot tribe. Parrots of the Wild, by Toft & Wright, was among them.I have to say, Parrots of the Wild is, by far, the best resource on parrots (at least for my purposes). The authors found a perfect balance between readability and scientific detail. This book is jam-packed with fascinating information, including the references to back it up. Of the 35,000+ pages of animal books in my library, Parrots of the Wild is in my top five favorites.If you're looking for accurate, scientific details about parrots presented in a format that is accessible to non-biologists, look no further. This is your book.

The cover makes the promise of a book with beautiful photographs, but this is not a coffee-table book. Writing is at a scholarly level, but useful and actionable information for pet owners is included throughout. It has helped me recognize patterns of behavior and diet to be able to make better predictions about likes and dislikes, stages and personality.

I'm not an ornithologist, but this book seems to me to be good, recent science, especially with its genetically-current evolutionary information. What's more, it's a physically beautiful book with color photographs. The author appears to love parrots.