From the parrot's beak: 4/16 edition

- Kakapo no go: In a setback for kakapo conservation efforts, Invercargill (New Zealand) city councilors are putting the kibosh on a proposed kakapo chick-rearing facility. The tuatara, a lizard like reptile; would also have benefited from the project originally planned as part of the Southland Museum and Art Gallery. Cited are concerns about the viability of captive kakapo survival rates and (of course) money. "If we go ahead and do things here without considering the bigger picture we'd be setting ourselves up to have egg on our faces - it could even be kakapo egg," says Councilor Alan Dennis, although he did call the concept "visionary".

- Psittacine cinema: STAR WARS COCKATIELS: THE EMPIRE ... - YouTube -- Parrot fills in for 007. JAMES BOND AND MAGGIE THATCHER - YouTube

- Pollytics '16: A Sanders supporter watching last week's NY Democratic debate reports that one of her parrots, Bullwinkle, screams "stop it" and "shut up" when Hillary Clinton speaks- and soon the rest of the flock join in the squawking. She insists, "They aren't taking their cues from me. I'm sitting here doing my taxes. They are reacting on their own." Between this and Bernie Sanders' new sparrow friend. it seems like a lucky break fro Clinton that the feathered demographic can't vote..

- Just us: An Uber driver and his passenger get pulled over by some perhaps overly cautious Baltimore police. The driver gets nervous and begins to swear. As the passenger explains on Facebook, she tries to calm him down; mentioning "You've got two kids to get home to. And I have a parrot who needs me. We both chuckle and sit very still." And they were apparently sent on their way.

- Breed all about it: It's parrot breeding season south of the border and in many Central/South American countries baby birds are absconded from nests and sold roadside. Many of these parrots tragically die.

- Parrotrivia: In a "Perry Mason" episode titled "The Case of the Perjured Parrot" a parrot witnesses and names the murderer of his owner

- Quote o' the Week: Dog and cat people don't see eye to eye on a lot of things but the one thing they can agree on is there's nobody weirder than bird people - Facebook meme

- Hot Dates: (All times EST unless otherwise specified)

4/16-9/5: Birds from Down Under walk through exhibit at Roger Williams Park Zoo featuring some 400 Australian birds including budgerigars (grass parakeet), barrabands (superb parrot) and cockatiels that eat out of your hand. 1000 Elmwood Ave., Providence RI

4/16,17: Privateers' Days featuring Ruffled Feathers Parrot Sanctuary 10-7.Baltimore's Fells Point - Jackson's Wharf parking lot, 1401 Thames Street, Baltimore, MD. Aaaargh!

4/16: Sex and the Single Bird class. 11 a.m. Parrot Universlty, Pineville Towne Market at 321 So. Polk Street. Pineville NC -- Nourish to Flourish class. Phoenix Landing. 10-12. The landing, 31 Landing Place, Alexander, NC

4/17: Laurie Blomer Psychic, Medium and Animal Communicator event MSPCA at Nevins Farm. 10-2. 30% of proceeds will be donated to the MSPCA, Nevins Farm, 400 Broadway, Methuen MA

4/18-summer end: Aussie Aviary open for the season at Franklin Park Zoo. Interact with hundreds of colrful budgies; even handfeed with a seedstick inside their aviary. 11-4 weather permitting. Franklin Park Zoo, 1 Franklin Park Rd, Boston, MA

4/23: Earlybird Spring Fair 9-4 Mayborn Convention Center, 3303 N. 3rd St., Temple TX -- Parrot care information class. 10-12. Stahl Veterinary Services, 4106 Rust Rd., Fairfax, VA. (Satisfies Phoenix Landing adoption requirements.) --Toymaking class.11 a.m. Parrot University 321 South Polk St, Pineville NC

4/24: So You Want a Talking Bird? class. Parrot University 2 pm. 321 South Polk St, Pineville NC

4/24:- Ohio Bird Fair - Circleville Volunteer Fire Department, 129 Robbins Station Road, Irwin, PA - 10-4

4/27-30: Avicultural Society of America Avicultural Conference - Red Lion Inn, 221 N Lincoln St., Port Angeles, WA

- Found: Green and blue parrot, Reno, NV. Washoe County Regional Animal Services (775) 353-8900. -- Lost:Blue & gold macaw 'Georgia' Binghamton, NY. Call Jimmy J's Avian Rescue at (607) 621-0273 or (607) 206-6693 or the The Vestal Veterinarians & Animal Hospital at (607) 754-3933. -- Lost:Baby African grey- unweaned 'Segal' Bath, PA. (484) 281-3116 -- Stolen: African grey 'Coti' Miami, FL (305) 342-4127 or Mavis1616@bellsouth.net. -- Lost: Lilac Amazon parrot. Homestead, FL. Reward offered.(786) 452-4169