Sacred Works of Nature

The lovebird or rather lovebirds, for there always seems to be two of them popping up together. This animal represents Valentine’s Day like no other. This small brightly plumed parrot is intelligent, witty and apparently in love. They mate for life and when part of the pair dies, the other seems to become depressed. They feed each other, although it is somewhat unromantically regurgitated food they are passing off onto one another, making it look like they are actually kissing. The nine known species of  lovebirds are from Africa and wear green and blue feathers on their bodies and a different color on their heads. The peach-faced lovebird is popular with pet enthusiasts. In Geoffrey Chaucer’s 14th century poem, « Parliament of Fowls », his talking bird characters  gather together to choose their mates in a that verse goes like this:

« For this was on Saint Valentine’s day,

When every fowl comes there his mate to take,

Of every species that men know, I say,  

And then so huge a crowd did they make, »

Were they lovebirds? The World Parrot Trust is the leading charity that works to help magnificent parrots all over the world. Have a look at the great work they do around the world and maybe make a donation: https://parrots.org/

TIti monkeys are found in Brazil and the Amazon basin where they are tree dwellers that rarely come down to the forest floor. Titi monkeys can live to be some 20-years-old and they mate for life. They are very vocal monkeys and their vocalisations are highly complex, pairs of titis have been known to engage in « duets » with other pairs of titis.  The Shaldon Zoo and Wildlife Trust works actively to protect small endangered species in the wild and is part of a managed  European breeding program for the red-titi monkey (Plecturocebus cupreus). Have a look at the great work they are doing and maybe make a donation: https://www.shaldonwildlifetrust.org.uk/

©Trish Valicenti for The Gourmet Gazette