Tag Archives: Macaw

Save The Parrots

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Blue-throated Macaw (Ara glaucogularis) by Lee

“Ten years ago I traveled to the Amazon Rainforest in Peru. That experience changed my life forever. Never will I forget the first time seeing a family of macaws flying high up in the sky above the canopy. It never dawned on me what people have done to destroy the rainforest and its wildlife until I got back. One day while passing by a pet store, I recognized a sound I had heard in Peru. It was the macaw, like the beautiful parrot I saw in Peru. It was confined to a cage with barely enough space to spread its wings fully open. Upon closer examination, I saw that its wings were clipped. This macaw was born in captivity, truly in bondage, because it would never have the freedom of the birds I saw in Peru.

One might say “Ignorance is bliss” and I would agree that the macaw has no clue what it is missing, but because it was meant to be free, and not captive, I believe there is a void and a longing to fly as birds are supposed to. Occasionally, the macaw in the store would try to pry open the cage, attempting to free itself, but it could not.

Dear Reader, we all are born in captivity like the macaw at the pet store. That captivity is sin. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23). How are we captive by sin? Sin separates us from the freedom that God offers to all of us. There is only one way to be set free, and that is through Jesus Christ, God’s Son. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (1 Timothy 2:5-6 KJV)

Blue-throated Macaw (Ara glaucogularis) Houston Zoo by Lee

Dear Friend, if you don’t have Jesus in your life, you are like that macaw, captive to sin, whether you realize it or not. Jesus Christ died on the cross to purchase you and set you free. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 3:16-17 KJV) He’ll set you free if you let Him, but just like caged birds are afraid to leave their cage, we are fooled that life is better in the cage. If you stay in sin, you’ll find out that sin only brings death, eternal destruction. “But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.” (Luke 12:5). That is the truth for those who refuse to let Jesus become their righteousness.

Jesus is the ONLY way to be saved and go to Heaven. “God alone made it possible for you to be in Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made Christ to be wisdom itself. He is the one who made us acceptable to God. He made us pure and holy, and He gave Himself to purchase our freedom” (1 Corinthians 1:30 NLT). God doesn’t want you to die in your sin, because He wants you to go to Heaven and not Hell. “Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.” (Matthew 18:14 KJV) God is holy and sin cannot dwell in His presence, that is why we all will be judged one day. Those who trust Jesus will be saved; those who refuse Him are still captive, and will go to eternal destruction. So how can you receive this forgiveness and have a relationship with Jesus Christ? You must realize you are captive to sin and confess and repent. “But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong” (1 John 1:9). “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out,… (Acts 3:19a KJV). Finally, believe, “For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). I know from experience this to be absolute truth. I know that if you make this decision, it will change your life forever, and it will be something you never regret. Please make this decision now, without delay. “Indeed, God is ready to help you right now. Today is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2 NLT).”

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189, and Moments With The Book

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More Good News Messages

Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo’s Parrots Plus

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Macaw Flyover Lowry Park Zoo 12-31-15 by Lee

Macaw Flyover Lowry Park Zoo 12-31-15 by Lee

You have seen many articles of our birdwatching adventures to Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, Florida. There are quite a few YouTube videos of the Zoo. Among some photos from our adventures, I wanted to share a few their videos. It starts off showing the Parrot Flyover with Macaws. Later in the video there are some baby Turacos. There are other animals shown.

For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: (James 3:7 KJV)

Violet Turaco (Musophaga violacea) by Lee at LPZ

Violet Turaco (Musophaga violacea) by Lee at Lowry Park Zoo

Here is a much better photo of a Violet (Violaceous) Turaco  (Musophaga violacea) that I took at the Brevard Zoo, Melbourne, Florida.

Violet Turaco (Musophaga violacea) Brevard Zoo by Lee

Violet Turaco (Musophaga violacea) Brevard Zoo by Lee

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Birdwatching Trips to Lowry Park Zoo
Lowry Park Zoo
Sunday Inspiration – Turacos
Musophagidae – Turacos
Houston Zoo – Vacation – Part 2 – Macaw and Turacos
Lord’s Avian Wonders – Can’t We Talk In Private? – Macaw

Gideon

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Houston Zoo – Vacation – Part 2

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From the last post, Birdwatching Along The Way – Vacation – Part 1, you know we arrived in Houston on Tuesday, the 5th. On Wednesday, we headed over to see their Houston Zoo. The weather was starting to turn “yukkie” and it was overcast. This made for making photos a challenge, at least for the outside exhibits. More about that weather later.

Houston Zoo 5-6-15 by Lee

Houston Zoo 5-6-15 by Lee

The Houston Zoo is a very nice zoo with lots of the Creator’s Avian Friends to check out along with the other Critters from the Lord. Not sure where to begin, so, let’s start with the entrance. As you can tell, it had been raining, but stopped in time for us to visit.

Houston Zoo 5-6-15 by Lee

Houston Zoo 5-6-15 by Lee

That fact, overcast skies, was the beginning of some of the challenges ahead. I have previously told of challenges with the fencing and cage material between us and the critters. Most of them are fine, but with birds, the bars or mesh can really get to be a challenge. Houston Zoo was loaded with those obstacles to keep me from getting any “perfect shots.” You photographers know exactly what I am referring to. Dan just gave me his “finished” photos that I can use and he was frustrated with how many didn’t turn out. Maybe I should just put all his up here and spare you the agony of seeing mine. :)

I informed him that many of the ones he isn’t going to let me use are better than most of mine. (He is a bit of a perfectionist.) Oh, the joys of a birdwatcher and a photographer marriage. Sure makes for some interesting discussions. Back to the Zoo.

Blue-throated Macaw (Ara glaucogularis) Sign Houston Zoo by Lee

Blue-throated Macaw (Ara glaucogularis) Sign Houston Zoo by Lee

When you enter the zoo, the first birds we saw were the Blue-throated Macaw (Ara glaucogularis). We have seen Blue and Gold Macaws, but these are not seen as often in zoos. The challenge began.

Blue-throated Macaw (Ara glaucogularis) Houston Zoo by Lee

Blue-throated Macaw (Ara glaucogularis) Houston Zoo by Lee

When I tried to zoom in the fence was still in the way.

Blue-throated Macaw (Ara glaucogularis) Houston Zoo by Lee

Blue-throated Macaw (Ara glaucogularis) Houston Zoo by Lee

Never say never. Not the best, but you can tell that they are Blue-throated Macaws. Yeah!

Blue-throated Macaw (Ara glaucogularis) Houston Zoo by Lee

Blue-throated Macaw (Ara glaucogularis) Houston Zoo by Lee

Blue-throated Macaw (Ara glaucogularis) Houston Zoo by Lee

Blue-throated Macaw (Ara glaucogularis) Houston Zoo by Lee

Don’t worry, I’m not going to do that for every bird I tried to get photos of. If I did, this would be a loooonnngggg post. I took over 800 photos just at this zoo. Many of those are the signs like up above. I do that so I can try to put the right name on the right bird. I used to try to write them down, but it is much easier to take a photo. plus the signs are usually near the bird and time taken.

Livingstone’s Turaco (Tauraco livingstonii) Houston Zoo 5-6-15 by Lee

Mine (can see the bars on it’s chest):

Livingstone's Turaco (Tauraco livingstonii) Sign Houston Zoo 5-6-15 by Lee

Livingstone’s Turaco (Tauraco livingstonii) Sign Houston Zoo 5-6-15 by Lee

Now a good one by Dan:

Livingstone's Turaco (Tauraco livingstonii) Houston Zoo 5-6-15 by Dan

Livingstone’s Turaco (Tauraco livingstonii) Houston Zoo 5-6-15 by Dan

The Livingstone’s Turaco “is named after Charles Livingstone an English missionary that lived in Africa.” The Turaco Family has 23 species and the Houston Zoo has at least 5 species. In fact, I added at least four new birds to my Life List of All The Birds We Have Seen in this family:

Fischer’s Turaco (Tauraco fischeri) HZ, Great Blue Turaco (Corythaeola cristata) HZ, Livingstone’s Turaco (Tauraco livingstonii) HZ, Western Plantain-eater (Crinifer piscator) HZ, Red-crested Turaco (Tauraco erythrolophus) and the White-bellied Go-away-bird (Corythaixoides leucogaster) which we had seen at the National Aviary. (Will see some of these again later in the trip).

Fischer’s Turaco (Tauraco fischeri) Houston Zoo by Lee

White-bellied Go-away-bird (Corythaixoides leucogaster) Houston Zooby Lee

White-bellied Go-away-bird (Corythaixoides leucogaster) Houston Zooby Lee

The Go-away-bird reminds me of a verse:

But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” (Matthew 14:16 NKJV)

Western Plantain-eater (Crinifer piscator) Houston Zoo

Western Plantain-eater (Crinifer piscator) Houston Zoo

Ross's Turaco (Musophaga rossae) Houston Zoo by Lee

Ross’s Turaco (Musophaga rossae) Houston Zoo by Lee

Red-crested Turaco (Tauraco erythrolophus) by Dan

Red-crested Turaco (Tauraco erythrolophus) by Dan

Great Blue Turaco (Corythaeola cristata) Houston Zoo

Great Blue Turaco (Corythaeola cristata) Houston Zoo

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Birdwatching at the Cincinnati Zoo I

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Cincinnati Zoo from Phone

Cincinnati Zoo from Phone

“Remember to magnify His work, Of which men have sung. (Job 36:24 NKJV)

Yesterday, we had the pleasure of checking out more birds of the Lord’s creation at the Cincinnati Zoo. The weather and the temperature were great and the birds were quite content to let us watch and photograph them. It has been over 45 years ago since we visited this zoo. Needless to say, it has changed and the most striking was their beautiful landscaping throughout the zoo.

Statue at the entrance to the Wings of the World exhibit.

Statue at the entrance to the Wings of the World exhibit.

When we arrived at the Wings of the World area, We were greeted by several birds and a neat statute of a child holding a bird. This shows how some of the landscaping was used around the zoo.

Statue at Wings of the World exhibit. Close-up

Statue at Wings of the World exhibit. Close-up

Wings of the World Aviary is divided into several different habitats and types of birds.

Wings of the World Aviary - Cincinnati Zoo 9-5-13

Wings of the World Aviary – Cincinnati Zoo

As you enter, you are greeted by Macaws, Screamers and a Laughing Kookaburra.

Southern Screamer

Southern Screamer (Chauna torquata) Cincinnati Zoo 9-5-13 by Lee

Southern Screamer (Chauna torquata) Cincinnati Zoo by Lee

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Southern Screamer (Chauna torquata) Cincinnati Zoo 9-5-13 by Lee

Southern Screamer (Chauna torquata) by Lee

Macaws

Dan photographing the MaCaws Cincinnati Zoo

Dan photographing the MaCaws Cincinnati Zoo

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Parrots - McCaws by Lee

Parrots – McCaws by Lee

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Hyacinth Macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus) Cincinnati Zoo 9-5-13 by Lee

Hyacinth Macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus) by Lee

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Cincinnati Zoo 9-5-13

Blue-and-yellow Macaw (Ara ararauna) Cincinnati Zoo by Lee

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Scarlet and Blue-and-yellow Macaws by Lee

Scarlet and Blue-and-yellow Macaws by Lee

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Scarlet and Blue-and-yellow Macaw

Scarlet and Blue-and-yellow Macaw

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Kookaburra

Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae)

Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae)

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Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae) by Lee Cincinnati Zoo 9-5-13

Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae) by Lee

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Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae) by Lee Cincinnati Zoo 9-5-13

Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae) by Lee

This is just the beginning of our visit to the Cincinnati Zoo. Look for more articles about some really neat birds like a Mousebird, Bee-eater, Bishop, Penguins, Murres and more.

Also:
Anhimidae – Screamers Family

Psittacidae – Parrots Family

Alcedinidae – Kingfishers Family

Cincinnati Zoo

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Macaw – The Beautician

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Macaw – The Beautician – by a j mithra

Geophagy, or the phenomenon of eating mineral bound clay is not exclusive to macaws. Even Australian Cockatoos have been documented to seek out clay for medicinal and remedial purposes.

Over the centuries the ancients have known of the healing properties of the so-called, edible clays. Civilizations as culturally diverse as the Essenes, Chinese, Mayans and Anasazi practiced clay healing. In the southwestern deserts of the USA and Mexico, fabled medicine men regularly trekked up to 100 miles to their prized caches of living clay….

GOD remembers that HE created us from dust…

That is the reason that JESUS used clay to create a fresh pair of eyes for a blind man…

He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight. (John 9:11)

Today, clay is being rediscovered not only for mud baths and facials, but also as a topical application for a plethora of human skin problems including: acne, sunburn, Eczema, Psoriasis, and warts, coupled with internal usage, usually 650 mg of 30 – 60 mesh material in capsules or tablets, taken twice daily, in-between meals, steady testimonials stream-in to beauticians, practitioners and health consultants alike, about the reduction of wrinkles, sun spots, varicose veins, and heavy metal accumulations in the vital organs. Several physicians have gone on-record commenting about the positive affects clay, particularly montmorillonite, has had on temperament, and the psychology of certain troubled individuals.

Macaws eat clay from certain river banks from morning 6 am till about 11 am..

Like how some of us spend hours with the beautician and at the gym, yearning to look young and beautiful..

How many hours, or minutes do we spend with the eternal Beautician? Look what happened to Moses after spent 40 days with GOD in Mount Sinai…

And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him. (Exodus 34:30)

Looks like GOD owns a beauty parlor too…Isn’t it?

Yellow-crowned Amazon, Blue-headed Parrot by Kent Nickell

Yellow-crowned Amazon, Blue-headed Parrot by Kent Nickell

Now you have to decide if you really need to go to the beautician, or stay still at home and worship the LORD, so that, the eternal beautician would start beautifying your body, mind and soul..

It is almost axiomatic that behind every illness, malady or deformity, there is a mineral deficiency of one type or another. One of the finest clays for parrots and people alike, is montmorillonite. It is used in pet foods, human supplementation, for livestock and extensively in agriculture. Every member of the food chain benefits from it. Montmorillonite is rich in silicon, one of the most prevalent elements found in the heart and key to the structural integrity of plants and bones because of the synergy it creates with calcium and phosphorous….

Here are some beauty tips,

But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4)

It (HIS commandments) shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. (Proverbs 3:8)

It also contains an impressive amount of oxygen, about 50%, due to all of the various oxides found in the clay’s other minerals. On the other hand air is only about 21% oxygen…

If clay contains oxygen, we, whom GOD took from the clay should have oxygen which gives life..

Do we really have JESUS – THE LIFE – THE OXYGEN?

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

Galah (Eolophus roseicapilla) by Ian

Galah (Eolophus roseicapilla) by Ian

The benefits of clay licking enhanced fertility, increased survival rate of young, fewer psychological abnormalities due to stress,  malnutrition, confinement and lack of natural sunlight, more beautiful appearance over all and healthier birds. The Macaws seem to know the importance of clay to live a wrinkle free life…

How many have overcome spiritual deficiency, through our lives? If GOD had taken us from the miry clay, it means, that we should have the qualities of clay? Do others get strengthened through our lives? Do we heal people by our words? Do we bring stress on others’ lives, or give everyone a wrinkle free life? GOD has created, called and commissioned us to heal and not hurt…

How are we?

Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. (James 3:10)

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:8)

Have a blessed day!

Your’s in YESHUA,
a j mithra

Please visit us at: Crosstree

Lee’s Addition:
The Parrots are in the Psittacidae Family and the Galah is from the Cacatuidae Family (Cockatoos). There is one more family, the Strigopidae (New Zealand Parrots). All three families make up the Psittaciformes Order.

The Gospel Message