For our main feature, we turn the focus on South Africa, and the critically endangered Cape Parrot – a South African parrot, says author Steve Boyes, to be proud of.  Steve is Principal Investigator of Cape Parrot Project, and he explains why the population of this enchanting little bird has declined so rapidly over the past 50 to 100 years, and what the Cape Parrot Trust and Working Group are doing to protect it.

Coincidentally, the Cape Parrot features in another of our articles in this issue, as Howard Blight relates a most unusual experience when a Cape Parrot flew in from the wild to spend a night in his home.

In our section entitled Making a Difference, we have two contributions as distant from each other as it’s possible to be. In The Blue Macaws of São Francisco do Perigara , Ana Maria Barretto and Pedro Scherer Neto tell us about their project to protect the largest known population of Blue Macaws in Brazil.  A whole world away, in Anderson, Indiana, Tim Lacy, describes how his rescue organisation deals with the intensity of an emergency rescue.

We return to the Hyacinth Macaws of Brazil with Carolyn and Omar Gonzalez, to hear about their visit to Neiva Guedes’ Projeto Arara Azul, to make a contribution towards saving these endangered birds.  In southern Brazil, meanwhile, Matthias Dislich is the staff veterinarian for the Foz Tropicana Bird Park, where breeding programs are helping to ensure the conservation of Green-winged and Blue & Yellow Macaws, amongst other species.

Still on the subject of Macaws, Robert Alison looks at the efforts being made to halt the decline in the population of Scarlet Macaws in the neotropics, and asks whether aviculture might be the answer.

Moving round the world to Australasia, Jessie Zgurski tells us of the evolution of the gorgeous Eclectus Parrot, and its unusual behaviour which sets it apart from other birds.  Australian photographer John Cooper had long waited for an opportunity to photograph another extraordinarily beautiful indigenous bird, the Superb Parrot, and – as his photographs show – the wait was well worth it.

For those interested in companion birds, Leslie Morán gives guidelines on how to feed your bird the best nutrition possible, and extols the benefits of the most nutrient-dense food on the planet – sprouts.  Peach-faced Lovebirds are Pauline James’ chosen subject, as she describes their breeding season and what to expect.

Still with companion birds, EB Cravens has a most unusual contribution – about his visit to the Division of Birds at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum.  He explains how donated specimens can provide valuable research material for museums, and, movingly, how proud he was to have three of his former pets providing what he calls a “life after life”.

We hope you find something entertaining and interesting in this issue, and look forward to receiving contributions of articles or news items from you, our readers, in the future.  Please send your contributions to: editor@pipress.org – they’ll be most welcome.

Gilly Lloyd