DEATH OF PARROTS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17230, 9 April 1930, Page 7

DEATH OF PARROTS

THE RESULT OF NEGLECT AN EXPERT'S COMMENT (Special to the Herald.) AUCKLAND, this day. Discussing the reported outbreak of psittacosis or "parrot fever," in Christchurch, Dr. J. Boyd, medical officer of health for South Auckland district, stated that although a large proportion of a consignment of 75 parrots brought to Auckland at the end of January had since died, others were stated to be in a perfectly healthy condition. Dr. Boyd said that efforts* were being made to trace all the birds which arrived in that consignment. Any parrots purchased during the last three months, men though appearing quite healthy, should either lie kept apart from other birds or destroyed. Only a small proportion of the consignment of parrots said to be affected was sold in Auckland. Mi'. J. R. Walker, the well-known Auckland bird fancier and authority on parrots, said he believed the birds had died from no more virulent disease than common colds. The mortality among Mexican parrots has always been very high, due to insufficient care being taken to prevent recentlv imported birds from catching cold. Mr. Walker stated that to his knowledge the only birds of the consignment in January'that had died in Auckland had been kept in exposed or draughty places. Mr. Walker emphasised the inadvisability of fondling parrots.