Parrots – August 2026

Summary

Parrots August 2026 (Issue 343) is the final edition. After 32 years and 343 issues, editor John ends publication because of ongoing health issues, with Rosemary Low's "End of an Era" at p6. Designer David Ransom retires after 22 years, succeeded by Victoria Wren.

An African Grey Parrot (Psittacus erithacus) takes the cover, for Hand-rearing Greys by Sonny Stollenmaier at p14. The contents run from foraging at p12 through red palm oil at p20, Hong Kong cockatoos at p24, Brazil's blue icons at p26, stunting at p30, Little Corellas at p34, Ground Parrots at p38 and a new cockatoo population at p44.

The Think Parrots Show, founded in 2012 at Woking Leisure Centre, grew into the UK's top parrot event at Kempton Park racecourse, Middlesex. The eMag CD offers 14 years, 2009-2022, at £9.00 down from £19.

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Content Guide

▸ End of an Era

p.6 · End of an Era — Rosemary Low
Rosemary Low writes the farewell. After 32 years and 343 issues, the magazine closes because of the editor's ongoing health issues. Designer David Ransom retires after 22 years and is succeeded by Victoria Wren. A 32-year run is the number that measures what a magazine meant. Read the farewell before the last issue is filed away.

The Think Parrots Show
The Think Parrots Show was founded in 2012 at Woking Leisure Centre and grew into the UK's top parrot event, held annually at Kempton Park racecourse in Middlesex. Community shows are what a magazine leaves behind. Look up one parrot event near you before the year ends.

▸ News and Features

p.8 · Pet parrots can ruffle neighbours' feathers — Rachel Teng
The cover strand on pet parrots and neighbours. Noise is the complaint that ends urban parrot keeping. Talk to one neighbour before you get a loud bird.

p.10 · Inherited — a Toyota and African Grey! — Tracy Hanes
A reader inherits an African Grey. Inherited birds are the rehoming nobody plans for. Ask one owner what happens to their bird if they die.

p.12 · The importance of foraging for psittacines — Rafael Zamora Padrón
Loro Parque's scientific director writes on foraging. Foraging is the behaviour captive parrots most need. Change one feeding method this week so your bird has to work.

p.14 · Hand-rearing Greys — Sonny Stollenmaier
The cover feature: breeder Sonny Stollenmaier specialises in African Greys and calls hand-rearing "a pure joy." Hand-rearing is the practice the hobby argues about most. Ask any breeder how its chicks were raised before you buy.

p.19 · Two macaws reunited with owners after weekend escapades — Alianna Kendall-Brooks
Two macaws escaped over a weekend and were reunited with their owners. Escapes are the accident every parrot owner dreads. Check one recall behaviour this week.

p.20 · The Holistic Parrot — Red palm oil vs coconut oil — Leslie Moran
Leslie Moran compares red palm oil and coconut oil. Oils are the supplement owners add without evidence. Ask your avian vet before you add any oil.

p.24 · Hong Kong expands nesting support for cockatoos — Lisa Lock
Hong Kong expands nesting support for cockatoos. Urban nesting support is conservation that works in cities. Look up one city nest programme near you.

p.26 · The blue icons of Brazil — Rosemary Low
Rosemary Low writes on Brazil's blue macaws. Brazil's blues are the macaws most at risk. Name one before you read.

p.28 · Feathers Together
The charity page, "Our charity is not really about parrots — it's about people." Rescue charities are the work magazines only report. Support one parrot charity this year.

p.30 · The dangers of stunting in hand-fed parrots — Eb Cravens
Eb Cravens covers stunting in hand-fed parrots. Stunting is the hand-rearing risk buyers never see. Weigh one young bird every day while it is being fed.

p.34 · Spotlight on Species — Little Corellas: plentiful in Australia!
Little Corellas get the species spotlight. Common species teach as much as rare ones. Compare one corella's range with your own bird's.

p.38 · The ongoing monitoring of Ground Parrots in Australia — David Waugh
Loro Parque Fundación correspondent David Waugh reports on monitoring Ground Parrots in Australia. Ground Parrots are the least visible parrot in the world. Read one monitoring report before you judge the threat.

p.44 · New population of endangered cockatoos discovered — Grace Heathcote
A new population of endangered cockatoos is found. New populations are the best conservation news there is. Name one place a new population might hide.

▸ Books, Offers and Publishing

Rosemary Low's CAIQUES
Rosemary Low's CAIQUES book is offered at £14.95 plus £3.25 UK postage, paperback, 86 pages with 25 colour photographs, with 20 copies found in stock. Contact 01623 846430 and Rosemarylow.com. A rediscovered stock of 20 is the detail collectors care about. Order one before they go.

eMag collection CD
The Parrots eMag annual collection CD offers 14 years, 2009-2022, with 12 digital issues on each CD, at £9.00 down from £19 in the UK and $12.00 down from $25 in the USA and Canada, working out at 75p or $1.00 an issue; 2010 is sold out. Fourteen years of the magazine for £9 is the archive the closure makes priceless. Buy one CD before the offer closes.

Nutrition and sprouting
A nutrition book with more than 30 healthy recipes is promoted, by Karmen Budai with Dr Karen Becker, Dr Stephanie Lamb and Dr Jamie Abete. Sprouting mix has a 2-3 day growing cycle, with a kit of 2oz grapefruit seed extract (GSE) and 1lb or 5lb organic sprouting mix from Critter Connection, PO Box 60482, Reno, NV 89506, USA, on (001) 775-800-1231. Thirty recipes is the number that makes a diet book useful. Sprout one batch this week.

Contact
Parrots is published by Imax Visual Limited, West Building, Elm Grove Lane, Steyning BN44 3SA, UK, on 01273 464777. The US office is Margo Rose on 800-294-7951. Check any offer before the magazine closes.

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Editor's Take

The closure is the reason Parrots August 2026 (Issue 343) matters: 32 years and 343 issues ending on health grounds, Rosemary Low's "End of an Era," David Ransom retiring after 22 years and Victoria Wren taking over, and the Think Parrots Show growing from Woking Leisure Centre in 2012 to Kempton Park racecourse is a magazine saying goodbye properly. Eb Cravens on stunting in hand-fed parrots is the most useful feature, Leslie Moran on red palm oil against coconut oil the most practical, and David Waugh on Ground Parrot monitoring the conservation that outlasts the title. Weakest is the source: several features at p6, p8, p12, p24, p26 and p44 survive as titles only, so no body text can be quoted, and no stunting figures or population counts survive. The CAIQUES offer at £14.95, 86 pages and 20 copies, and the eMag CD at 14 years for £9, give more hard detail than the features. Buy this for the farewell and the archive offers; the features are a contents page.

Strengths
• Closure gives 32 years, 343 issues and health reasons
• Ransom gives 22 years and Victoria Wren succeeds
• Think Parrots Show gives 2012 and Kempton Park
• CAIQUES gives £14.95, 86 pages and 20 copies

Weaknesses
• Several features have no body text
• No stunting figures or population counts
• Much of the issue is offers and advertising

Verdict: Recommended — the farewell and the archive CD, features thin.