Bird Talk

Bird Talk was a bi-monthly publication intended for bird owners and enthusiasts, first published in 1982 by Thomas A. Bell. The magazine was initially released under Parrot Publications, Inc., with Dave Bonnot serving as the "Fledgling Editor" and Dianne Shannon as the "Fledgling Art Director". Despite experiencing early publishing difficulties, the magazine was offered to Fancy Publications, a small publishing company known for other animal-themed magazines like Dog Fancy, Cat Fancy, and Horse Fancy. Under Fancy Publications, Bird Talk underwent a design overhaul, and in April 1984, it was published with a renewed focus on providing bird care information to pet bird owners. This revamped issue introduced new columns such as "Watch the Birdie" and "Causes and Cures", with the motto "Dedicated To Better Care For Pet Birds". Laura Doering, the magazine's long-standing editor since 1998, continued to helm the magazine through its various iterations.

In the early 1990s, Bird Talk flourished with issues containing as many as 172 pages. However, over time, the magazine struggled, and by the late 2000s, issues were reduced to around 50 pages. In an effort to keep up with the digital age, Bird Talk launched a website, BirdChannel.com, in November 2006, which included features like interactive contests. One such contest, the "World's First Bird Dance-Off", saw bird owners submitting videos of their birds dancing, with visitors voting on the "Top Bird Dancer".

Despite its efforts to adapt, Bird Talk ceased its print publication abruptly with the September 2012 issue, to the disappointment of its loyal readership. Subscribers were directed to the magazine's related site, BirdChannel.com, as the sole source of the publication's information. However, the cessation of the print version was not well-received by all, with some subscribers voicing discontent at the publisher's decision to send them copies of Dog Fancy in lieu of Bird Talk.

In early 2018, Parrot Publications, Inc. purchased the trademark for Bird Talk with plans to revive the magazine. The company was successful in publishing new issues, with the latest issue released in May 2018. Unfortunately, no new issues were released after the January 2019 edition, and the magazine appears to have ceased operations entirely. As of now, the subscription page is inactive, and there have been no responses to email or Facebook posts, leading to the belief that the magazine is no longer in business.{{Categories}}