What's in the issue

A special focus on avian health and wellbeing this week, and we start with a look at the amazing neural system that gives birds their matchless balance and manoeuvrability: the so-called “bird gyroscope”. All birds rely on the efficient working of this to function properly – and its secrets are only just being discovered. Still under the “wellbeing” heading, contributors describe the “triumphs and disasters” they’ve known with their birds’ health issues and their own approach to solving them. Keepers of canaries, budgies, finches and softbills will have plenty to learn. On top of that, we visit the white stork project at Cotswold Wildlife Park, dip into the zany world of official bird names, ponder the fate of our precious bird-mag collection, and meet some avian stars from Argentina!