A Century of Parrots by Rosemary Low

Description

A Century of Parrots is unique book by Rosemary Low that relates the history of parrots in the 20^th century and is full of amazing facts and photographs that will keep any parrot lover turning page after page. 

The most charismatic of birds, parrots started the twentieth century as popular companions for those who could afford them.  In their native habitats some island parrots had suffered serious declines but in general parrots were thriving.  Next to nothing was known about their lives in the wild.  One hundred years later the picture had changed dramatically – for the worse.  A mania for keeping parrots as pets had spread throughout the developed world.  This resulted in millions of parrots being trapped from the wild every year with a high mortality and shocking cruelty and inhumane treatment.  Parrots in their natural habitat were not having an easy time of it, either.  Destruction of tropical forests had accelerated to an unprecedented rate.  By the end of the century approximately one in four of the 540 or so species of parrot were at risk of extinction.

A Century of Parrots tells the story of the trappers, dealers and smugglers, also the collectors, who contributed to the decline of so many parrot species.  However, during the last two decades of the 20th century countless parrot conservation projects and field studies were initiated.  Conservation education programmes and parrot eco-tourism also played their part in arousing awareness of the value of parrots and forests in native people.  Significant advances in knowledge of parrot biology and conservation had been made, and species were discovered that were previously unknown to science.

During the course of a century the profile of parrots was raised from bird-brained mimics to avian masterminds; furthermore, as flagship species of the tropics, the presence of macaws and other parrots was protecting hundreds of thousand of square miles of rainforest.

284 pages. 300 photographs. Hardback