I looked more closely and sure enough, the eyelid bristled with half a dozen tiny, pale spines. You almost needed a magnifying glass to see them, but that made no difference to poor Berk. She sat on her perch scratching and blinking like mad. They had to come out.

I grabbed some tweezers, wrapped Berk in a washcloth and got to work. I fastened on one of the microscopic barbs and pulled. And pulled. Out came Berk's Amazing Stretching Eyelid, but not the nasty little spine, which refused to budge. I began to perspire. "Hold on, Berk," I muttered. "I'll try again." I tried another spine. It, too, remained stubbornly anchored.

I had pulled as far as I dared. I was afraid that if I pulled any farther, I would pull Berk's eyelid clean off her face. So I stopped my attempts at first-aid and entered a full-blown panic. Cripes. Now what?

I called my veterinarian, who was kind enough to squeeze us in that afternoon. I figured Berk would have to go under the knife to resume cactus-free living, so you can imagine my delight when the vet succeeded where I had chickened out. Better schooled in the elastic properties of bird eyelids than I, she just kept pulling until the spines relented. And I am here to tell you that bird eyelids are amazing structures, able to expand many times their resting size with no apparent lasting ill effect.

The point of this story is that sooner or later, you will face some sort of avian medical emergency. Petey might break a feather and bleed, hurt a wing, or fly face first into a prickly pear. You might be able to handle it by yourself, or a trip to the good doctor may be in order. Whatever lies ahead, it doesn't hurt to know some basic first-aid. In this month's First-aid fundamentals for parrots we cover the gamut of possible emergencies.

The bird-centered vacation
I have a friend who's a train nut. He manages to work trains into every vacation he takes, whether it's a trip to an old railyard, a visit to a train museum or, the best get-away of all, an actual train ride.

The chance to watch birds, preferably parrots, often plays a big part in where I choose to vacation. I gravitate toward destinations that promise parrots, and leave disappointed if I don't get to see what I came for. Does Australia deliver? Even the city slicker has reason to hope. Read more in Australian vacation.

What bird are you?
Our bimonthly reader poll has tackled some serious topics. In January-February 2004 you voted on Petco's pet-care practices. Last issue, you voted on whether parrots should be pets. (The vast majority - 479, or 71 percent - said yes; 185 said no and five said only small species.)

This issue, let's have some fun, Barbara Walters style. If you could come back as a parrot, which one would it be? And why? See the poll box on this page (if it's not visible, try refreshing your browser.)

Shopping the 'net
The Internet has changed forever the way we do research. I can't (and don't want to) imagine writing without the Net as my library. Just as importantly, the Internet has altered in a fundamental way how we shop for goods and services. It puts at our fingertips products we might otherwise spend hours or days trying to locate the old-fashioned way. Who needs to squint at outdated Yellow Pages, dial phone numbers and drive to brick-and-mortar stores when the click of a mouse will do? I've found books, furniture, even a greenhouse over the 'net. I've also bought toys and organic nuts for my birds and, just for me, bird stationery.

In case you hadn't noticed, ParrotChronicles.com advertisers offer everything you could possibly need to keep you and your bird happy, ranging from the veriest of basics for the Feathered One (such as seed) to various and sundry items for yourself (such as poop shawls and bird objets d'art).

To make finding these goodies easier than ever, we've put together a new index called the Product Finder. The Finder lists bird-related products and services by category. Beneath each category, you'll find handy links to the advertisers that offer that product or service. Thinking of converting your bird to a water bottle? Compare wares at Bird Cages 4 Less, China Prairie, Chirp N Squawk, Doctors Foster & Smith and Windy City Parrot. Looking for a bird-themed jewelry box? Currently, Windy City Parrot has the market cornered.

Still can't find what you need? As a last resort, drop us a line at productfinder@parrotchronicles.com and we'll give it a shot. Now go out and enjoy the Internet the way it's meant to be - from behind a shopping cart!

Welcome, Cozzzybird!
A cage cover can help a bird feel more secure and sleep better at night. However, it can be hard to find a cover that fits well.

CozzzyBird makes custom cage covers to fit any cage, even dome tops, for a reasonable price. You can even have your cover monogrammed. Check them out!

-- Carla Thornton, Editor