This is Venezuela's national bird. It is one of the 1417 bird species humans have seen in my country. You see a short video one of them having lunch here. It is a pity people still keep birds in cages.
Wikipedia on the troupial.
UPDATE: And here more beautiful pictures of Venezuela's fauna.
It is actually illegal to keep them in cages. But then again, that law has been flouted forever.
ReplyDeleteHi, Robert. Where is it illegal? I just know it is bad, I have no idea about laws on cages. In Venezuela you see people selling birds in cages everywhere, even in Europe.
ReplyDeleteI don't remember how things are in North America. I do know import of foreign birds is very restricted in Europe and most tropical specials should not get in but people criminally go around that.
Anyway I have always thought it is very sad to keep birds trapped.
It is particularly bad, I'd say criminal, when people keep in cages birds that are rare and possibly facing extinction.
I don't think that is the case of the troupial yet. I have been told, though, that the bird population in general is suffering a meaningful reduction in many areas in Venezuela (well, like in many other places around the world).
One of the most beautiful day-to-day experiences I have in Venezuela is when I wake up to the song of different birds...the whole year around. Of course, that is only possible close to green areas.