Quaker Craft: Poop on Tops

Dani invited Louie and I to her work this evening. She has been busy trying to catch up on all the work that has been piling up on her desk at Craft Line Counter Tops. I got to go because Louie can't live without me.

Dani put us quick to work. Louie got the easy job of filing away paperwork for Dani. Meanwhile I got the real tough job of shredding sensitive company documents. Fortunately, when you are a de bonne aire and handsome Quaker like moi you get the job done righ and speedy fast. I was done in, I'd say under twenty. It would have taken the average canary several hours (just to show you how quick I really am). Then I hung about the place. I got bored fast. I squawked and flew about the office a bit. Oh, and I made stinkies partout! First on Louie's shoulder, then on the carpet, then on the desk, then on a file folder, finally on Louie's pants. Well it's all his fault really. He let me bite into his Big Mac after all. Man that stuff is yummy but sure gives me the yuckies.

Dani is a hard worker. Louie is lucky to have a hard working momma at his side. I think she is a good chick. Although I enjoy chomping on her, my feathered hat goes off to her. This is for you Dani:

Lang Loy, Jo San!

Lang Loy, Jo San!

Good morning to all the lang loys at Bulwark Protective Apparel. Luis says that I have some friends reading my stories at work and these pictures are all for you. Thank you for stopping by and do write me a note if you have a moment.

“Kiwi, Kiwi..”

  
  

Survival of the Fittest: Not Again! Woe is POLAROID.

Here are some portraits of me and some of my friends taken with the marvel: POLAROID SX-70 Alpha 1 SE:

  
  

My favorite portraits of me have been taken with Luis' Polaroid instant cameras. He's got a nice collection of fold-down Polaroid SX-70s. I think he has 30 models, in fact. Not everyone here is as crazy about stuff as Luis is. He's crazy about a ton of stuff. Anyway, Polaroid fans all over the place were saddened by Polaroid's decision to discontinue the manufacturing of their legendary SX-70 Time-Zero film. The last run of this film was made in December of 2005. Any stock now on shelves or at suppliers will probably be the last we'll ever see of it. Sad to think that after over twenty years of supplying some of the world’s most innovative products Polaroid Corp. filed for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy on October 12, 2001. The company came out of bankruptcy in 2002 and in April of 2005 Petters Group Worldwide purchased the last of the failing Polaroid Corporation.

  

If you would like to read more, the internet is full of Polaroid information. Here are some excellent Polaroid art websites and info pages if you are curious:

Copy and paste the following links into your favorite broswer:
On Polaroid art:
http://svr84.ehostpros.com/~plrds84/index1.htm
http://www.melaniestephens.com/artgalltwo.htm
http://svr84.ehostpros.com/~plrds84/plrdpsp7.htm
http://www.leibo.net/polaroid/index.html
http://www.polarama.com/
http://p3designwork.com/pages/polaroid/polaroid_photography_main.html
http://www.melaniestephens.com/ag1aspentreeor.htm
http://www.robertmcclintock.com/polaroid-people.html
http://www.pola-art.de/Gallery/gallery.htm
http://www.flickr.com/groups/polaroid_/discuss/
http://www.aurelehardouin.com/
http://www.polaroidsfromtheroad.com/
http://1peuflou.site.voila.fr/
http://www.michaeldavidandre.com/

On Polaroid bankruptcy:
http://www-tech.mit.edu/V121/N53/53pol.53n.html
http://www.planetpapers.com/Assets/4467.php
http://www.scripophily.net/polcor.html

A Feathered Charm: A Brief Autobiography - Part II, by Kiwi Salazar

Luis had visited Gary Denolf several times in the Spring of 2004. Luis was looking to get part-time work at "Tiffany's on Whyte" so that he could work with birds. Gary had not committed the first two times but on the third time, in May, Gary announced that he was going away on vacation and was going to need some extra help while he was away. Luis was delighted.

Gary showed him around the shop. This and that, and that and this... The shop is a bohemian dreamland. "Tiffany's" carries the widest selection of colorful, eccentric stuff in town- everything from antique jewelry, to vintage signs and movie paraphernalia, to neon signs, to furniture, and whatever else fits through the front or back doors. Folks are always enchanted when they walk into "Tiffany's". Then they hear all the whistling and chirpping that goes on in the back and they fall in love with what "Tiffany's" is really all about: birds. This is precisely what happened to Luis.

Luis was introduced to the lovely Dorina- Gary's loyal employee and the hardest working lady in town. Dorina was busy- hard at work dusting and putting things in order as the shop had only up until recently been opened on the beautiful Whyte Avenue. Dorina deserved all the credit for getting us all in tip-top shape. Luis couldn't wait to get to work.

Luis walked over to my cage and Gary says, "This is Kiwi, a Quaker. He's a nice little bird but a bit temperamental." Ha! You would be too if you were locked up in a cage.

"Why is he so cheap," Luis asked. Ransom was set at $500.00.
"He's a secondhand bird," Gary said. "He belonged to a family but they sold him to me a few weeks ago."
"Why did they let him go?"
"They said he was saying bad words to the kids and couldn't stop him. An uncle taught him some Davey Jones talk and he has a dirty little beak."

I looked out at Luis and hissed and pecked at the cage. Who says I have a dirty beak? I'll bite him!

"Wow, he sure is mad," Luis remarked.

Lovely first impression...


During the next two months Luis would clean a lot of bird cages, sweep tons of seed husks off the floor and darn nearly get his finger pecked off by me and every locked up parrot in the shop. Ha! That's what he gets for locking us up! One day a young lady walked in with a friend. She was looking to buy a Lineolated Parrotlet. Luis had none for sale but he showed her about the place selling her all sorts of chew toys and food supplies. That's why Cliff called him "TROUBLE" - always flirting with the girls, he was. Anyway, she walked over to my cage, peered in and I said a few words to charm her a wee bit. She walked away shocked and appalled! What did I say, for Pete's sake?

"I think that bird just called me stupid," she went over and told Luis. He laughed outloud. I could hear him crisply from the other side of the store. Grrrr...
"You're lucky," he replied. "He could have called you much worse." The next time Luis came over to change my water I got him right in the Abductor Indicis - "Ow!" Served him right.

One day, out of the blue, Gary returned. Luis took him on the tour of the clutter-free "Tiffany's on Whyte". Dorina and Luis had finished cleaning the shop and it looked fantastic. Luis walked him into the aviary and strolling over to me, pulls my cage off it's hook.

"And how is Kiwi doing?"
"He's still as mad as ever," Luis replied. "He got me right here in the nook of the hand the other day. That is one grouchy little bird."
"He's not grouchy- he just needs to be let out every once in a while. Watch..." With that he opens my cage door, I walked out, climbed onto the top of the cage and said as brightly as I could, "step up!"
"Yeah," Gary said. "He's hand tamed. He loves attention. He just needs to be let out."
"What??? You mean Dorina and I have suffered that little beak for nothing? All he needed was to be let out? But you told me that he was mean."
"Did I? Must have been another bird 'cause Kiwi is a sweety. Try picking him up."
"Step up, Kiwi," Luis said and like an old friend cozing up to another friend, up I went. Like a feathered charm, Luis fell in love with me right there on the spot. I've been on his finger, on his shoulder, and in his home every since. Luis worked off my ransom (he got me for only $300.00 - staff discount) and after only six working days I got to go home to Salazar Manor.

That is how Luis and I met almost three years ago.

"Step up!"

A Feathered Charm: A Brief Autobiography - Part I, by Kiwi Salazar

Given Names: Kiwi Salazar
Sex: Male (presumed)
Age: 3 years
Date of Birth: December 13, 2002
Place of Birth: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Common Name: Quaker Parakeet
Other Common Names: Monk Parakeet, Grey-Breasted Parakeet
Scientific Name: Myiopsitta monachus (Myo = fly, psitta = parrot, monachus = monk)
Taxonomy:
Species: monachus
Genus: Myiopsitta
Family: Psittacidae
Order: Psittaciformes
Class: Aves
Phylum: Chordata
Kingdom: Animalia

Subspecies: There are four recognized subspecies of Quakers in the wild. These are:

1. Myiopsitta monachus monachus:
   Range: Southeastern Brazil, Uruguay and northeastern Argentina
   Wing length (measured from the bend of the wing to the tip of the longest primary): 14.1 - 16.1 cm
   Weight: 120 g
   Note: Largest subspecies of Quaker. Since most Quakers were exported from within the range of this subspecies most pets in the North America should belong to this subspecies.
   
   
2. M. m. calita
   Range: Western Argentina
   Wing length: 13.6 - 14.4 cm
   Weight: 100g
   Note: The size difference is the best way to tell this from M. m. monachus. If your bird is small it may be this subspecies or M. m. cotorra (see below).
   
   
3. M. m. cotorra
   Range: Southeastern Bolivia, Paraguay and southern Brazil
   Wing length: 13.1 - 14.7 cm
   Weight: 100g
   Note: This subspecies and calita are very hard to distinguish. M. m. cotorra supposedly is brighter green above and have less yellow below than calita.
   
   
4. M. m. luchsi (a.k.a. the Cliff Parakeet)
   Range: Central Bolivia, geographically isolated from all other subspecies
   Wing length: 14.6 - 16.3 cm
   Note: This is best told from the others by its distinctive plumage. The gray of the breast is uniform, not scaled. On all other subspecies the breast feathers are darker gray in the center with a lighter border giving the breast a scaled appearance. In addition, the gray on the forehead is whiter and extends to the mid crown in M. m. luchsi. The band on the upper abdomen is also purer yellow.
   This bird gets its name because it builds its stick nests on cliffs in the deep valleys where it lives. This bird has recently been considered a different species Myiopsitta luchsi the Cliff Parakeet by Collar 1997
   

Average Lifespan: 30 – 35 years Natural Range and Habitat: Native to sub-tropical and temperate South America. Countries of origin include: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Introduced Regions: Due in part to the generalized nature of their diets, their hardy biology and adaptability non-native Quaker populations are common throughout the globe. Either through accidental or deliberate release of pet birds feral Quaker populations can be found in countries such as U.S.A., Canada, Spain, England, Japan, Italy, France, Germany, Belgium, Kenya, Bermuda, Puerto Rico, and the Bahamas to name a few. Identification: Size: Average Adult: 30 cm (12 inches) Coloration: In their natural color Quakers are not sexually dimorphic (one can not tell the male from the female through mere physical characteristics). Both male and females have predominantly bright grass-green bodies. Primary, secondary, tertiary flight feathers and tail feathers are also turquoise green to bluish-green in color. Short French-grey feathers cover the face and extend down to the upper abdomen and further on to the vent. Yellow-green feathers cover the lower abdomen down to the pants. Quakers sport yellow-green and French-grey feathered pants. Quaker bills are a tawny orange color with no visible cere. Color mutations exist. These include: lutino, blue-cinnamon, albino, pied and cinammon. These mutations are exploited by the pet trade and are not generally common in wild populations. Diet: In the wild, Quakers are predominantly seedeaters. These include seeds from the Poaceae, Asteraceae, and Cyperacea families as well as sunflower and maize. Other common foods are: rice, fruits of various kinds, insects, millet, barley, vegetation (leaves, flowers, etc.), nuts, and berries. Husbandry: Quakers are sexually mature at one to two years of age. Quakers are the only parrots known to build nests (all other parrots lay eggs in the hollows of trees). Male Quakers build nests consisting of three chambers: first, an incubation room (the deepest room in the nest) where eggs are laid, incubated and where chicks are fledged, second, a middle room or “living space” where chicks live after their first month and until they leave the nest, and third a “porch” area where the parents guard the nest. Quakers are famous for their nest building skills. These parrots are also known for building their nests in large colonies where mating pairs simply add to existing nests. The resulting colony resembles large apartment complexes with separate apartment units. The nests are built from twigs, leaves, small braches, and any suitable building material available. Egg clutches on average range between four to eight eggs with chicks hatching after 23 to 26 days. Chicks are fledged and leave the nest after only 6 - 8 weeks. Like many parrots Quakers begin to nurse their next clutch four weeks after their previous clutch is laid. They are prolific breeders capable of breeding all year round in captivity. Quakers as Pets: Quakers make excellent pets. As members of the psittacine family of birds Quaker are highly intelligent, capable of learning and adapting to any home environment. Like all psittacines they are social birds that enjoy companionship and spending as much time as possible with their adopted human flock. Ranked third only after African Greys and Amazons Quakers are fantastic talkers. Often these birds need only hear a sound once before adapting a limited vocal chord biology to mimic the perceived sound pattern. Although mimicking abilities wane after their second or third year some birds are reported to continue to learn words and short phrases into old age. It isn’t always the case but it is generally true to say that the larger the horn the louder the honk. Being small parrots Quakers are generally not very loud although they can cause a raucous when upset or when in need of some attention. Most vocalizations are moderate ranging from natural calls to practicing human and other foreign sounds at tolerable tones- often practicing for hours until being satisfied with the Memorex- uh-hum, Quakerex copy. The pet market delivers a wide range of foods for pet parrots. Although in the wild Quakers are largely seedeaters in captivity the best nutrition is provided by pelletized or “extruded” diets. These ensure that pets receive the same nutritional content in every bite. A well-socialized, well-fed and well cared for Quaker is less likely to develop social, physical and/or psychological problems. These include: biting, screaming, feather plucking, extreme shyness, extreme territorialism, and a large variety of nutrition related maladies. With an abundant source of energy and a contagious joie de vivre Quakers make enjoyable pets. They are affectionate, celebrated acrobats, escape artists and all around clowns who enjoy interacting in every aspect of human life. They are not cage birds. Sensitive pet owners include their Quakers in many of their day-to-day activities.

Further on-line reading:
http://www.brooklynparrots.com http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=15&cat=1840&articleid=2389 http://www.holisticbirds.com/Hbn02/spring02/pages/quaker1.htm http://invasions.bio.utk.edu/invaders/monk.html http://www.duke.edu/~djb4/Monk%20Parakeets.htm

The Bird Next Door

Ta-dummm! Fellow bird lovers please say, "Awwww..." to the loveliest chiquita Quaker in the northern hemisphere: Maguey. Maguey lives across the way from us here at Salazar Manor and she came by to say hello earlier this evening. She resides at Perla Estates and is the sole heiress to the entire Perla booty- sorta like Paris Hilton except way cuter. More on Maguey mas tarde... after I finish my fantastic autobiography. Vamonos!
Oh, by the way, that is Dani with her: Luis' wife. AARRGGHH! I'll bite her later.

The Dream of Daedalus

What's this kids? Is this the beautiful, the dazzling, the most magical form in all of creation? The dream of Daedalus? Vestment of the gods? Coveted finery of the ancient Andean kings? Filament of grace and salvation of the dromaesaurs? But ofcourse! Yes kids, only the finest garb in the Garden Eden- a bird feather. Not just any bird feather. It is a Quaker feather. Step up soon for a lively history of the feather. Only here at "Kiwi and Friends". SQUAWK!

Oops! I sqawked again...

Squawk! We are having technical problems with my URL DNS numbers. I have been looking forward to posting tons of images off site but my domain names haven't resolved yet and so here I am waiting. For the mean time here is a picture of Luis and I. I love that guy. He buys me the best treats ever.

Hello world! Here I am.

Hello to all fellow animal lovers.

My name is Kiwi Salazar. Today, on this fine, crisp March afternoon I begin my first ever writing adventure. On this Blog I will be sharing zoological information, biographies, stories and anecdotes regarding myself and my friends here at Salazar Manor. There is a marvelous variety of critters living under the loving hospitality of my caretakers Luis and Dani Salazar. We include four species of parrots, two species of tortoises, four species of catfish and six species of African cichlids. Thank you for visiting and please return often as I will be sure to post flocks of pictures shortly this week. Step up!!!