From the parrot's beak: June 8 edition

- Red Letter Day for Scarlets: US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) "Proposed Rule: Endangered and Threatened Species: Scarlet Macaw; Listing": deadline for public commenting is 11:59 pm, June 6. American Federation for Aviculture is asking FWS to consider domestic scarlet macaws in the U.S. and either exempt them from interstate commerce laws in the U.S. or allow state-to-state sales. Their view is that restriction on captive breeding is counterproductive to the preservation of the species.

- Pollytics Flashback: Yasha the parakeet's candidacy papers to run for regional councillor in Mazur, Belarus in 2014 were approved by a local electoral commission. His stump speeches were typical campaign fare, including "Where is money?" and "I want to go to the council chamber" and his slogan was "Yasha is good." Yasha did suspend his campaign, however; as "being a regional councillor isn't very prestigious", according to owner/campaign manager Kanstantsin Zhukousk and besides questions of a bird as candidate might have led to a penalty for electoral fraud.

- True Colors: A photo of a bizarrely colored cockatoo surfaced last week on social media, confirming Australian reports that wild multi-hued sulphur crested cockatoos were mysteriously showing up in parts of Australia alongside the normally all white ones.. "It is most likely something environmental, but someone would need to research this.I'm thinking epigenetics rather than traditional Mendelian genetics," says Society of Parrot Breeders & Exhibitors, Inc.marketing director Linda Rubin, She specifies up leucistic mutation and nutritional deficiences as possible causes for the multi-hued morphing.

- Help the Tejano Parrot Project in Texas; currently seeking photos of 1st year red-crowned parrots and yellow-headed, red-lored, and lilac-crowned Amazons from a breeder in order have something definitive to work with while in the field trying to ID. Especially important are facial shots showing iris color and amount of red on faces. Bill color and (lack of) wear could be indicative of younger birds. Also useful photos of captive hybrids if the parentage is known. Email simonkiacz@gmail.com

- Summer isn't all beaches and bbqs. It's bugs, too; and our feathered friends' messy habits don't help matters. Fortunately, there are ways of battling the creepy crawlers. "Birds and Bugs" is the June The Pet Gazette Page 8 article by George Sommers.

- Psittacine cinema: Sopranos parody THE PARROT - FINAL EPISODE - YouTube -- Discover the Oasis Sanctuary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuwFSCI9ZD8&feature=youtu.be

- Quote o' the Week: Dogs come when they are called. Cats take a message and get back to you later. Birds shred the message and poop on it -Facebook meme

- Parrotrivia: Dexter invents a robot parrot to flatter the little genius and his scientific work in the cartoon series "Dexter's Laboratory" but the scheme backfires when the parrot starts saying the wrong things to the wrong people in the wrong voices.

- Hot dates:

6/4,5,6: Animal Behavior & Training Workshop featuring Lara Joseph. Sylvania, OH.

6/4: Great Buffalo Bird Fair - Leonard Post, Jr. VFW, 2450 Walden Ave., Cheektowaga, NY 9-4 $5; un der 5 FREE.- - Maryland Budgerigar Society Show - Travel Lodge Winchester , 160 Front Royal Pike, Winchester, VA 10 -5 - - Tim Vogle's Southeastern Exotic Bird Fair - Atlanta State Farmers Market, 16 Forest Pkwy, Forest Park, GA 30297 - 9-4 pm both dayss -- Parrot 101 class. 2 pm. Parrot University. 321 South Polk St, Pineville NC

6/5: Fun with food class. 2 pm. Parrot University. 321 South Polk St, Pineville NC

6/6: Deadline day (11:59 pm) for relisting of scarlet macaw on Endangered Species List. See story above.

6/11: Force free Parrot Training seminar with Barbara Heidenreich. 9 am. The Marten House 1801 W. 86th St. Indianapolis, IN. -- Richardson Exotic Bird Mart/ABE Lovebird Show $4 admission 411 W. Arapaho, Richardson, TX

6/12: Massachusetts Cage Bird Association Mart- Elks Lodge, 40 Old Ferry Road, Lowell, MA - 10-3 -- Avian Health and Medicine class. 2 pm.Parot University. 321 South Polk St, Pineville NC -- Caring for the Whole Parrot class. 1-3. Satisfies Phoenix Landing adoption requirement. C. Leight Estuary Center, 700 Otter Point Rd., Abingdon/Otter Creek, MD.

6/14: Providing for your parrot after you're gone. Free webinar.1:30-2:30 EST. (This webinar will be recorded for future use if you are not available.) Click here to register: https://www.anymeeting.com/AccountManager/RegEv.aspx?PIID=EC55D786854A30

- Lost: Peach faced lovebird 'Elliott', NYC, NY. (619) 672-8331 -- Lost: Two Call or text ☎ (401) 497-3785 -- Found: Quaker parrot, Green Bay, WI. Call or text 920-246-9254.-- Lost:Nanday conure 'Marco' Essex, MD. Reward. (410) 240-0720 -- Found: Parakeet, Long Island, NY. (516) 860-4570.