Customer Reviews

The Complete Parrot

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Very readable and entertaining. Clearly the work of a bird-lover. Some readers have criticized the book for the very characteristics that make it a joy to own. This book is not a "how to" or a guide to basic parrot care, of which there are several on the market. It is, rather, a general discussion of parrots, with more information on the parrots that are better known to the author. The photographs are wonderful, and some of the stories are quite amusing. The author began as a parrot owner during a time when not much was known about these wonderful companion birds. He is honest about his experiences, and these can help people who are new to parrot ownership now. There are not a great many books available to the parrot owner, and if one wishes to be reasonably well informed, it is advisable to read most of the available field. In doing so, this will be one of the most delightful experiences.

Although "complete" is an overstatement, "The Complete Parrot" provides information on the personalities, abilities, care, and history of about 85 species of parrot, not including subspecies. It is also generously illustrated with color photographs of most of these birds. There are short chapters on Getting Started, Longevity, Training, Nutrition, Grooming, Avian Medicine, and Breeding. But these chapters are overviews of these subjects more than comprehensive how-to guides. The bulk of the book is dedicated to describing the birds. There are chapters on: African Greys, Amazons, Australasian Parrots, Cockatoos, Conures (only the most common species of conure are covered), Eclectus, Lories, Lovebirds, Macaws, and some additional Smaller and Unusual Parrots. The book seems to be intended as more of an exploration of the characteristics and delights of parrots than as a how-to reference. This probably explains why the sections on each species are not organized into breeding, housing, diet, history, etc. subsections. These topics run together. This does make it difficult to relocate something you have read, but it gives the book a more prosaic and narrative style, which I believe was the author's intention. I think any bird lover will find the information in "The Complete Parrot" interesting, but it would be most helpful to those who are trying to decide which species of bird to buy, or if bird ownership is the thing for them at all. The author gives more details about the personalities and abilities of more species of birds, in themselves and compared to each other, than I have ever seen in one place. He also relates his personal experiences with birds, as well as those of other bird owners. And he frequently gives some interesting history of the species. This information, along with the nice color photographs, will really help you chose a bird that is right for you. If you are considering a conure, you'll need a book dedicated to conures for more detailed information on the many species available.

Recommended for anyone who likes interesting bird stories and lovely bird pictures, but especially to those who are wondering which species of bird they should get.

The Complete Parrot is a wonderful book in every way. This book provides colorful pictures useful in deciphering any parrot of your choice, comical anecdotes that contain miscellaneous bits of useful information,and is easily read by any newcomer of the parrot fancy. Being a well-rounded piece of literature,the book may by itself give any person a significant understanding of the psittacine birds.

Arthur Freud paid a desktop publisher a lot of money to make his book visually appealing. However, she should have paid the same desktop publisher to write his book for him because the paragraphs and structure of the book are vague and unclear.

"Neville Cayley (What Bird Is That?--A Guide to the Birds of Australia, 1972 ed.) notes that in the wild these parrots favor rain forests, where they feed on nuts, seeds, and fruits, usually nesting in large tree hollows at heights of up to seventy feet. Males have an interesting call, which sounds to Cayley like a casually uttered "Quork!" while females generally emit a piercing whistle."

In the same paragraph, the topic starts with environment and ends with the Eclectus' calls. The previous paragraph talked about emotional needs and feather plucking and the preceeding paragraph talked about late 19th century / early 20th century breeding records.

This book is very confusing to read because there doesn't seem to be any structure. Frued, in the "Parrot Family" section breaks down the book by species, but that's the end of the organization. In order to find out peculiar behavior patterns, nutrional needs and cage requirements, the reader must wade through every single sentence before a relevant piece of information appears. Chances are, that piece of information is not his, but rather one of 101 sources (I counted the bibliograpy entries) that give their opinion on the subject. This book reads like a ninth-grade research paper.

If you don't have the time to wade through garbage, then this book is definitely not for you. If you do have the time to sit down and read it, then I recommend any of the other 101 books and periodicals Frued sites in this book.

This book is a great resource tool for me to look up specific questions I have about my pet parrots!

Although the book has interesting photos and some mildly interesting anecdotes, I found any information discredited by the fact that a full page photo of a Quaker parrot was mislabeled as a gray cheek parakeet. Although these birds have similar colors, the size is vastly different. Doesn't anyone proofread anymore?

Arthur Freud paid a desktop publisher a lot of money to make his book visually appealing. However, she should have paid the same desktop publisher to write his book for him because the paragraphs and structure of the book are vague and unclear.

"Neville Cayley (What Bird Is That?--A Guide to the Birds of Australia, 1972 ed.) notes that in the wild these parrots favor rain forests, where they feed on nuts, seeds, and fruits, usually nesting in large tree hollows at heights of up to seventy feet. Males have an interesting call, which sounds to Cayley like a casually uttered "Quork!" while females generally emit a piercing whistle."

In the same paragraph, the topic starts with environment and ends with the Eclectus' calls. The previous paragraph talked about emotional needs and feather plucking and the preceeding paragraph talked about late 19th century / early 20th century breeding records.

This book is very confusing to read because there doesn't seem to be any structure. Frued, in the "Parrot Family" section breaks down the book by species, but that's the end of the organization. In order to find out peculiar behavior patterns, nutrional needs and cage requirements, the reader must wade through every single sentence before a relevant piece of information appears. Chances are, that piece of information is not his, but rather one of 101 sources (I counted the bibliograpy entries) that give their opinion on the subject. This book reads like a ninth-grade research paper.

If you don't have the time to wade through garbage, then this book is definitely not for you. If you do have the time to sit down and read it, then I recommend any of the other 101 books and periodicals Frued sites in this book.

A must for any parrot fancier--from the novice to the expert. Through up to date facts and enjoyable anecdotes, learn about the many species of parrots who share our world.

Besides being a beautiful book, the author shares his experiences with the parrots who have touched his life.

There are profiles of many species, fantastic photos, and my favorite section: Parrot Potpourri which is full of interesting parrot-related tid-bits.

I recommend adding this book to your avian library.

The layout and the pictures are nice, but the content is confusing and poorly organized. There are too many citations from other books and periodicals. In order to find any useful information, the reader must go through every single sentence. There is no quick or easy way to find the answers to any specific questions. Also,in the book, Freud admits to failing at providing for his once large flock.