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The Stubble Quail

wsdam — Fri, 16 Jul 2021 02:03:37 +0000

Coturnix pectoralis

Other names: Grey Quail, Pectoral Quail.

Distribution and Habitat

In the wild state, Stubble Quail are highly nomadic and the population in any one area can fluctuate widely depending on the rainfall that area has received. They are common in eastern and south-eastern Australia and coastal southern region of West Australia and present in lesser numbers in central Australia, the Kimberleys, Northern Territory and Queensland.

Stubble Quail prefer open grassland areas, more open then that adopted by the Brown Quail. They have adapted to stubble, cereal and lucerne crops and pastures but can also be found in native grasslands, saltbush or spinifex grasslands.

Their diet consists of seeds, green grasses, insects, caterpillars and small frogs. In cultivated areas, these birds prefer the seeds of introduced species of plants, including those considered weeds in crop pastures but in dry inland areas, seeds of native grasses are eaten. Although the numbers of Stubble Quail in some locations have increased secondary to clearing of woodlands and crop cultivation, much of their habitat has been destroyed by sheep and rabbits, so that overall numbers may not have increased. Ii is still the most common of the native quail in the wild and is hunted at certain times of the year.

When disturbed, they will first try to escape by running through cover, only flushing it desperate. They fly with a loud whirring of wings, just above the grass for approximately 50m, then drop to the ground and continue running. It is difficult to flush them twice.

Description

The adult Stubble Quail is 18 to 18.5cm in length, with the female usually being slightly larger than the male (as it common in the Coturnix genus). The sexes are easy to distinguish.

Both sexes are dark brown above with pale buff markings. The centre of each feather has a cream stripe running down it, giving the plumage a streaked appearance. In the male, the sides of the face and throat are light chestnut; in the female the throat is white and the sides of the face and neck ate pale buff with darker spots. In both sexes the feathers of the head and nape are black with buff tips and there is a white eyebrow and white line through the centre of the head. In the male the chest has a prominent black pattern with the rest of the chest and abdomen being white with a black central streak. The hen lacks the black chest patch, having a paler buff coloured chest with darker markings through it. Both sexes have a red-brown iris, black bill and flesh coloured legs and feet.

Voice

A three syllable clear whistle or a sharp clear “too-wheep”.

Nesting

The nesting season starts in September, hence the first broods usually hatch in October. The season extends into February with some late broods hatching in March. Breeding is heavily influenced by the amount of rainfall and in the inland of Australia, breeding can occur well into autumn. The nest is usually made in thick cover and consists of a scrape in the ground lined with grass. In this the hen lays usually 7 to 8 (occasionally as many as 14 have been found) pale yellow or light brown eggs, with dark brown blotches which she alone incubates for 18 days. The chicks are a buff colour with dark stripes running down the flanks and down the centre of the back

Avicultural Notes

Stubble Quail tend to be shy birds and will look for cover as soon as anyone approaches the aviary. It is therefore best to keep them in a largish well planted aviary. Spinifex grass or Johnson grass is well suited for providing shelter. It the aviary isn’t planted, it is important to provide them with an area of cover that they can get into or behind. Brush or hay stacked in the corner, stuffed with finer grasses provides good shelter. I have found that, with cover provided plus patience and bribery with plenty of mealworms, the birds will gradually become less timid. Young birds treated with daily live food and other tit-bits can become quite tame. If your birds are particularly flighty, it is advisable to clip a wing until they settle down to prevent birds hitting the roof of the aviary and scalping or even killing themselves.

In captivity the breeding season extends from September to January or February. They tend to lay more eggs than wild birds; usual nests consist of ten or so eggs but up to 15 may be laid. Eggs are laid at 48 hour intervals. Some hens may lay numerous eggs around the aviary, similar to some King Quail hens. This may reflect inadequate or unsuitable cover for the hen to hide her nest securely.

Although Stubble Quail have been known to raise young successfully on dry seed alone, green food should be provided (they seem especially fond of seeding grasses) and live food will be appreciated.

Summary

The Stubble Quail is a relatively cheap and very attractive addition to an aviary. They are generally quiet birds, require little special attention and can breed freely if given the right conditions. Unfortunately they have never been a high profile bird and are currently only kept by a very small number of aviculturists.

The post The Stubble Quail first appeared on The South Australian Avicultural Society.

Spastic Leg Paralysis of Parrots

wsdam — Fri, 16 Jul 2021 02:02:57 +0000

Spastic Leg Paralysis of Parrots is a disease that usually affects single birds amongst many in an aviary. It has also been called “Barraband paralysis” because Barraband (Superb) Parrots Polytelis swainsonii appear particularly prone to develop this condition. Similar conditions have been seen in a wider range of parrot species however, including Rainbow Lorikeets Trichoglossus haematodus and Cockatiels Nymphicus hollandicus (Cockatiel paralysis syndrome).

Spastic Leg Paralysis shows up as a sudden onset of paralysis of both legs. The degree of paralysis can vary from mild weakness with difficulty grasping the branch, to the whole limb being extended stiffly behind the bird, often with clenched toes. The birds’ general health is usually not affected and it will continue to eat well and behave in an otherwise normal way. The affected bird usually has difficulty maintaining its balance on the perch, has an unsteady (ataxic) gait and (in more severe cases) will move around the aviary floor on its hocks or by using its beak only.

While the exact cause of Spastic Leg Paralysis is unclear, many affected birds show spinal cord damage or stroke-like damage to the brain, but not all affected birds show these changes. It is now thought that a deficiency in calcium and/or vitamins A, B1,2&6, D and E may be involved, especially as a dry seed diet is notoriously lacking in these ingredients.

Treatment for affected birds includes supportive care, ensuring birds can reach food and water easily, and vitamin supplements. The latter may have to be given by injection so the aid of an avian veterinarian is often required. While some birds can recover spontaneously, the problem can recur later. Obviously, the long term diet of both the affected bird and any aviary mates needs to be modified to include more fruit, green vegetables such as spinach and other vitamin and mineral supplements. Giving nothing but “Berocca” to drink for seven days has often achieved good results.

References

Macwhirter, P., Everybird, Inkata Press, Melbourne, 1987.

Olsen, G. and Orosz, S., Manual of Avian Medicine, Mosby, Inc, Missouri, 2000.

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The Red-capped Parrot

wsdam — Fri, 16 Jul 2021 02:01:44 +0000

Purpureicephalus spurious

Other Names: King Parrot, Western King Parrot, Pileated Parakeet.
Distribution and Habitat

The Red-capped Parrot inhabits the south-western corner of Australia, in close association with the marri tree Eucalyptus calophylla, which provides both nesting hollows and food. The bird’s peculiarly shaped slender, hooked bill is adapted to extracting seeds from the large hard seed capsules of the marri tree. The Red-capped Parrot also inhabits trees surrounding cultivated farmlands, parklands, orchards and alongside roads and watercourses, even into the suburbs of Perth. Unfortunately its frequenting of orchards has led to conflict with local fruit-growers.
Description

Length: 360mm

Male: The brightly coloured male has a red forehead, crown and nape, bright yellow cheeks and throat, a purplish-blue chest and light-green back. The rump and upper tail covets are also bright yellow, with red on the flanks, vent and under-tail. The long tail is bight green edged with blue and tipped white. The long slender bill is a bluish-horn colour and the legs and eyes are brown.

Female: A duller bird, the female has more green on the flanks and under-tail. In addition her red-cap may be tinged with green and her chest colour less vivid.

Immatures: Young birds have dull green heads and upper parts, a rust coloured frontal band and are generally duller in colour. The under parts are a dull red-brown, washed with violet blue lower down. Adult plumage is attained in males by the first complete moult when the birds are 12 to 15 months old. Young females may not acquire full plumage, especially the re-cap, until the second moult. Immatures also have an under-wing stripe, which persists in females but disappears in males after the first moult.
Avicultural Notes

Status: The Red-capped Parrot has not enjoyed great popularity in aviculture and has the reputation of being a flighty and timid bird. This reputation may have been earned from stock in the past being obtained mainly from legally taken wild birds. More recently, several aviculturists seem to be enjoying more success breeding this species and with more captive-bred birds, hopefully their reputation will improve.

Housing: A large aviary, 2-5m in length is recommended for this species. As they tend to be aggressive, they should not be housed next to other aggressive species such as rosellas or ringneck parrots. Red-capped Parrots enjoy bathing, so facilities for this activity should be provided.

Diet: In addition to a basic seed diet, the parrots should be provided with a selection of fruit, greens and vegetables, eucalypt and cotoneaster branches. The Red-capped Parrot used its feet to hold food.

Sexing: in addition to the above, females have a thin band of green feathers between the red cap and the eyelids. The red feathers of the vent are not as bright and have a broken outline, barred with pale green. This later is most obvious between 6 and 12 months of age and may be used to identify young females.

Breeding: Generally begins around October and birds have been known to breed in their first year. The courtship behaviour of the male is quite unique. He alights near the female, erects his red crown feathers, droops his wings to display his yellow rump and slowly raises his fanned-out tail feathers. During the display a harsh rattling “kurr-ak” is uttered.

Nesting: Logs or boxes may be used. Four to five eggs are laid and incubated by the hen for 20 days. The male feeds the hen during incubation and for a further 2 weeks. After this he feeds the chicks directly in the nest until they fledge at 5 weeks. Hand-raised Red-capped Parrots are reported to be very responsive and exhibit a high degree of intelligence.
Final Note

While not a beginner’s bird, the Red-capped Parrot would make an attractive addition to the more experienced aviculturist’s collection. To safeguard it’s avicultural future, It is important that this species becomes more established and available in aviaries.

References:

1. Lendon, A. Australian Parrots in Field and Aviary. Angus & Robertson Publishers, North Ryde, 1989.

2. Shephard, M. Aviculture in Australia. Black Cockatoo Press, Prahran, 1989.

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The Brown Quail – Coturnix australis

wsdam — Fri, 16 Jul 2021 02:01:06 +0000

Other names – Swamp Quail
Length – 175-2OOmm (6.89-7.87 inches)
Adult weight – 65-140 grams (females tend to be heavier).

Description – Cock – Upper parts dark brown marked with black and chestnut1 each feather with a central white stripe. Chin and throat light brown. Remainder of underparts lighter brown with black scalloping. Upper breast darken Eyes red, brown or yellow. Bill black or dark brown. Legs and feet yellowish.

– Hen – Similar to cock but more heavily marked with black and with less chestnut on the back.

Sexing – Adults may be sexed with relative ease by visual differences. Hens also tend to appear somewhat larger than cocks. Difficulty exists when individuals or different colour morphs are compared. Three colour morphs exist namely brown, grey and red. All hens are of the brown morph but cocks may be of either of three colour forms. Red morph cocks predominate in the north and In arid areas. Grey morph cocks are rarer in Australia but common In mainland New Guinea. This variation between cocks will also affect the degree to which sexual dimorphism is shown in an area. Juveniles will attain adult plumage at 10-12 weeks of age.

Hatching – The newly hatched chick is golden brown with two dark stripes down the back and a thin chocolate brown line running back from the corner of the eye. The depth of colour of the newly hatched chicks may give some indication of sex with the darker chicks usually being young cocks (and therefore showing similar differences to adults).

Distribution and Habitat – This species is found in New Guinea, Australia, Lesser Sunda Islands, Fiji and New Zealand (in the latter two it Is an introduced species). It is generally resident but inland birds may be nomadic. Birds have also been recorded as migrating from southern Papua New Guinea to Northern Australia.

In the wild this species occupies a variety of habitats ranging from Eucalypt woodlands to rainforest. Its only requirements are that the area contains regions of dense grass or herbage In moister areas. Riverbanks and roadsides are popular and this is where they are commonly seen as they move out into open areas to feed.

Subspecies – Four Australian subspecies are recognised. These are:

C. a. australis – This Is the nominate form found throughout mainland Australia. The cock of the brown morph Is as described above. Red and grey morph cocks have a predominance of their appropriate colour replacing part of the chestnut on the back and sides.

C. a. ysilophora – This subspecies still causes some confusion. Also known as the Swamp Quail, this subspecies Is considered larger, more clearly marked and has a yellow Iris. It is generally documented as a form restricted to Tasmania but recent studies have shown that individuals in the mountainous areas of Papua New Guinea also show these characteristics.

C. a. queenslandlcus – This is a subspecies recognised from the Cape York Peninsula, Queensland. It is considered smaller than the nominate subspecies.

C. a. cervinus – This subspecies is recognised from the Kimberley region, Western Australia and is considered smaller, paler and redder than the nominate subspecies.

Only the former two subspecies, C. a australis and C. a. ysilophora are known to exist In aviaries in their pure form.

Housing – Although somewhat bulky, this species is considered suitable for a mixed collection of finches, softbills, pigeons and doves and small parrots. Only In large aviaries greater than 10m2 (108 feet9 floor area, should this species be mixed with other quail or colony bred as they can be particularly territorial. This can also be a problem if housed with ground nesting pigeons such as Squatter Pigeons. When I have had these species nesting together, the Brown Quail tend to dominate and may drive the pigeons off the nest. This species looks most attractive when housed in a lightly planted aviary. When introduced into an aviary, some individuals of this species may be flighty and this will often result in scalped birds if measures are not taken to avoid it. Prior to releasing your new purchase into the aviary, it is wise to clip both the primary and secondary feathers of one wing to restrict the power of flight. A cover or plant growth, grass or dried brush will also reduce the nervous tendencies of these birds. Unless the individual birds are known to be quiet, it is generally unfair to the birds to expect them to feel secure in open parrot-type aviaries. The call of this species is generally unobtrusive but the mating call Of the cock can be penetrating if two cocks are kept within earshot of each other and continually point out their territories to each other. Occasionally this species may call at night, but I am yet to associate this with any greater risk of cat attacks as is often suggested.

Feeding – In the wild, this species forages in open areas and light undergrowth for seeds, insects and greens. In the aviary, a commercial small seed mix (such as Finch, Budgerigar or Small Parrot mix) is adequate for a maintenance diet when supplemented with greenfeed. This species will tend to scratch the seed out of shallow containers so seed is best supplied in a deep l00mm (4 inches) container or in a shallow tray covered 50 (2 inch) plastic trellis mesh. White ants, mealworms or maggots (gentles) should be fed daily during the breeding season. Other foods that will be readily accepted by this species include coarse laying mash, dotterel mix, and turkey starter crumbles.

Breeding – Nesting may occur at any time of the year, however August to May Is the peak breeding season. Some pairs may be erratic in their breeding and several successful nests may be followed by a period of inactivity.

Nests are built on the ground usually in a secluded site against a grass clump or In a corner under shelter The nest is little more than a scrape in the ground lined with grasses pulled in from the immediate surroundings of the nest area. Some pairs will unfortunately lay their eggs all over the aviary floor. This generally can be related to a lack of privacy and the provision of more grass clumps or tea-tree branches placed in the corners may help.

The post The Brown Quail – Coturnix australis first appeared on The South Australian Avicultural Society.

The Blue-winged Parrot

wsdam — Fri, 16 Jul 2021 01:59:03 +0000

By Gerry Solly

Distribution

The Blue-winged Parrot (Neophema chrysostoma) inhabits the whole of Tasmania, the islands of Bass Strait, the whole of Victoria and the South-eastern portion of South Australia. The northern extreme of the range being roughly a line drawn from Gawler in South Australia through Broken Hill in New South Wales to the Victoria-New South Wales border on the east coast.

Description

The Blue-wing is approximately 200 to 225mm in length, which is about average for all the Neophema groups. The upper surface is olive green, the underparts yellow, the wings are blue with black flight feathers, the nose-band is blue.

Sexing

The Blue-wing is the hardest of all the Neophemas to sex. As with the Elegant (N. elegans) the blue nose-band is the surest method of sexing these birds. It is usually broader and darker on male birds. However, it is possible to get bright females and dull males which look identical. In this case I go by the black of the flight feathers. In the case of the male these are an intense glossy black, while those of the female are a duller grey-black.

Immatures

The young are a dull version of the hen and take about six to nine months to attain full colour. It is almost impossible to sex immature birds.

Breeding

Blue-wings nest later in the season than the other Neophemas. They rarely go to nest before mid-November and sometimes as late as mid-December. If a pair double broods the second nest is seldom before late January. As a consequence many young are lost in the nest due to the high temperatures prevailing at this time – December and January temperatures are usually in the 30-35 degree Celsius range.

Clutch sizes vary between four and six eggs, the usual number being four or five, six being very rare. Good birds in top condition usually have 100% fertility. It is uncommon to find an infertile egg, unless the birds have been inbred. The hen sits extremely tightly. It is often hard to get her to leave the nest if you want to inspect the eggs. I have had to lift hens off on many occasions when inspecting the nest. They do not seem to mind this as they return to the nest as soon as the aviary is vacated. The eggs take about twenty days to hatch. The young spend three to four weeks in the log and take another two to three weeks to become independent.

I have found that the Blue-wing is the only Neophema to prefer logs hung at an angle. I give all my parrots a choice of logs when they first go to nest, one at an angle and one vertical. All the other Neophema species invariably choose a vertical log, but I have only had one pair of Blue-wings do so.

Diet

As with the other Neophema species the staple diet consists of canary seed, millet (white and Japanese), pannicum, hulled oats and sunflower. They show a preference for the oats and sunflower. This tends to make them fat, but as it does not appear to interfere with their breeding capabilities or affect their life span I give these seeds to them as they want them. They also consume large quantities of seeding grasses in season and much silver beet and milk thistle during the rest of the year. Large amounts of green-feed are consumed when feeding young.

General

Blue-wings tend to be flighty birds and go into mad panic if frightened. This seems to be a natural quirk of this species, as I have found hand reared young very friendly until released into an aviary, they then quickly become as wild as those raised by the parents.

Except for Elegants, they get on very well with birds in adjoining aviaries. I have housed them with Bourkes (N. bourkii) with quite good results. This is probably because Bourkes go to nest as early as September and the Blue-wings not until two months later, thus there is no competition for logs.

Bathing is a favourite occupation. As soon as I place fresh water in their dishes they are in it. They also like to get under a fine spray from the hose.

I offer my birds the following logs:

Vertical 450 to 500mm in length with a 50mm hole 60mm from the top.

Angular 600 to 700mm in length with a 50mm hole 60mm from the top. Both ends are closed and the log hung at an angle of 25 to 30 degrees from the horizontal.

I use nesting material consisting of 50% peat moss, 25% coarse sawdust (not shavings) and 25% sifted dirt. This is mixed and left to stand for six to twelve months before being compacted into the bottom of the logs.

Reprinted from the January 1979 edition of Bird Keeping in Australia, the official publication of The Avicultural Society of South Australia Inc

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Avian Influenza (also called Bird Flu) An original article

wsdam — Fri, 16 Jul 2021 01:58:12 +0000

By Josie Pyle

The World Health Organization has reported an outbreak of Avian Influenza in birds in Asia. Millions of birds have been infected as have a small number of people, who were infected after close contact with chickens in Vietnam and Thailand. There is no evidence as yet that the virus has spread from person-to-person. 19 out of 25 confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza have resulted in death, 12 were under 18 years and 7 were adults. All human cases have been reported from two countries, Vietnam and Thailand.

Avian influenza is a viral disease of birds. There are many strains of avian influenza virus that cause infections of different severity and some strains may be associated with severe disease and high mortality in poultry, as well as transmission to humans. Avian influenza A (H5N1) is the strain of the virus currently active in South-East Asia and is highly lethal to poultry. The virus can survive in faeces, on feathers, eggs or meat.

Avian influenza viruses can infect more than poultry.

Avian influenza viruses can infect a wide variety of birds – more than just domestic poultry. Avicultural species including pheasants, partridges, quail, pigeons, ducks, geese, guinea fowl and ostriches are susceptible, as well as wild birds. Some migratory waterfowl, sea birds, and waders are infected with AI viruses, but do not show signs of the clinical disease.

Avian influenza viruses usually only infect birds but theoretically avian influenza viruses could spread to any species susceptible to influenza viruses such as pigs and horses. In practice, this type of spread is extremely limited.

The clinical signs of avian influenza in birds.

Clinical signs vary greatly and depend on many factors but highly infective avian influenza can cause sudden death, swelling of the head, ruffled feathers, diarrhoea, haemorrhaging, nervous signs and respiratory distress. Any signs of sickness or sudden death in a substantial part of a flock should be reported immediately to the appropriate authorities.

The spread of avian influenza

The principal means by which the AI virus initiates outbreaks in domestic poultry is by wild birds, particularly ducks, contaminating food or water supplies and subsequent spread of the virus by the movements of infected live birds or contaminated feed, equipment and materials.

Migratory birds are a potential risk of introducing exotic avian influenza viruses to Australia.

Transmission to humans occurs predominantly through the handling of live infected birds or close contact with them and their excretions.

Is Australia safe?

There have been five outbreaks of avian influenza in commercial bird flocks in Australia, all of which were successfully eradicated. The last reported case was in 1997 in Tamworth, NSW. Avian influenza can be carried by migratory bird species that could infect wild birds in Australia. It is highly probable that contact between wild birds, particularly ducks, and poultry was the cause of the avian influenza outbreaks in Australia in the past.

What is Australia doing about avian influenza?

Animal health authorities have had contingency plans in place for many years to minimise the impact of an outbreak of avian influenza in Australia. Commercial poultry farmers have well-developed biosecurity systems which have been strengthened in recent years. Poultry farmers are on high alert and are backed up by diagnostic facilities and response plans the equal of anywhere in the world.

Australian Government agencies with responsibility for issues such as animal and human health, quarantine and border protection have been closely monitoring and will continue to monitor the current South-East Asian avian influenza situation.

What can I do as an aviculturist?

Good biosecurity, so as to maintain a barrier between domestic birds and wild bird populations, is the single most important factor in reducing the risk of an avian influenza outbreak. Apart from preventing contact between wild and domestic birds, the water supply must also be treated, or from a known safe source.

When cleaning aviaries or poultry yards appropriate precautions such as gloves and face-masks should always be used.

Any suspicious sudden deaths, especially involving a large number of birds should be reported immediately.

Avian Influenza Hotline: 1800 675 888

The post Avian Influenza (also called Bird Flu) An original article first appeared on The South Australian Avicultural Society.

Red-crowned Kakariki – Our Most Fertile Pair

wsdam — Fri, 16 Jul 2021 01:57:25 +0000

By Gordon and Joyce Paech

We agree with Mark SHEPHARD, in his book “Aviculture in Australia”, that a much more appropriate name to describe the two varieties of Kakarikis held in aviaries in Australia are Red-crowned and Yellow-crowned, instead of Red-fronted and Yellow-fronted. Both have a red frontal area. Yellow-crowned Kakarikis have a red frontal area with a yellow crown on the head and faint yellow behind the eyes. The Red-crowned Kakariki has a red frontal area to the eyes and a red crown on the head with red behind the eyes. Therefore, the distinguishing colour is on the crown and not on the frontal area of the head. Mark SHEPHARD’s book has a very good section on Kakarikis. We would suggest that aviculturists contemplating keeping one or more pairs of Kakarikis to acquire this book. It also has excellent coverage on other birds and subjects relating to aviculture.

Now to our most fertile pair of Red-crowned Kakarikis, which may be of some interest. We have kept and bred Kakarikis for over 10 years with some failures and some successes. This particular pair have been our most successful breeders. Upon viewing this pair in the aviary, they look no different than the other 7 pairs in our other aviaries, but they must have decided to show the other pairs how to get down to some solid breeding. At nine months old they fledged their first clutch, and in 26 months from the time of their first clutch fledging, 12 clutches were raised with a total of 61 young birds of their own fledged in that time. All were healthy, strong birds. The parents are now enjoying a well earned rest but they still look fit and healthy.

Breeding Results for One Pair

Young
Raised Date
Fledged

Remarks
2 30 Jul 87 Parents 9 months old. Some eggs not fertile.
6 14 Oct 87 Started to lay in with young. Accepted another nest box.
Male finished raising all the young.
6 12 Dec 87 Gave another nest box. Male finished raising young.
4 25 Feb 88 Gave another nest box. Male finished raising young.
6 22 Apr 88 Gave another nest box. Male finished raising young.
5 21 Jun 88 Gave another nest box. Male finished raising young.
6 29 Aug 88 Gave another nest box. Male finished raising young.
7 31 Oct 88 Gave another nest box. Male finished raising young.
6 27 Dec 88 Gave another nest box. Male finished raising young.
2 28 Feb 89 Female helped raise young. 3 eggs not fertile.
5 10 May 89 Female helped raise young. 3 eggs not fertile.
6 21 Aug 89 Female helped raise young. 3 eggs not fertile.
Total 61 26 Months Now enjoying well earned rest. Both parents still fit and healthy.

How we housed and fed this pair of Red-crowned Kakarikis may be of interest. But although the housing and feeding may have helped in the breeding and raising of the young, we are of the opinion that one has to be lucky and strike the right pair to have that much success in breeding. Some pairs never breed or refuse to raise their young, and some pairs will only raise a few and then decide to rest, sometimes resting for 12 months or more before starting to breed again.

This pair shared a reasonably large aviary with one young pair of Princess Parrots. The aviary length overall is 5.2m of which 2.1m is shelter area. The shelter has a corrugated iron roof, two sides and back are V crimp iron, the ceiling and top half of the walls are lined with Hardiflex. The gap between the ceiling and roof iron is insulated with Rockwool bats. The remainder of the aviary is open flight. The aviary is 1.5m wide and 2.1m high. The floor is natural earth covered with coarse washed concrete sand.

Nest boxes for all our Kakarikis are made of wood or chipboard 12 mm thick or more. Box dimensions are 175 x 175 x 450 mm long with a 60 mm entrance hole in front near the top end of the box with a short dowel perch. The nest box has an inspection door located just below the middle of the box. It can be partly left open on hot days for extra air ventilation when young are in the nest box. Coarse sawdust or saw shavings and peat moss are slightly dampened and pressed into the bottom of the box. The box is suspended with a wire handle about 60 cm long. The wire handle is hung onto a gutter bolt or strong screw fixed to the back or side of the aviary shelter at a 25 or 30 degree angle, making sure the nest box is in the coolest part of the aviary shelter and about 60 cm down from the roof of the shelter.

If young are in the nest box it is very important (and we cannot stress this enough) that on very hot days the nest box with its young must be unhooked from its bolt or screw and placed on the floor in the coolest part of the shelter. Make sure that the hot sunlight does not shine on the box or near it at anytime. It is always several degrees cooler on the floor, and on extremely hot days it is also wise to wet a hessian bag and place it on the top and back of the box. This gives a cooling effect like the old fashioned water bag. Also partly open the inspection section at the bottom of the box to create a through movement of air. The parents will attend to the chicks on the floor. The box can be re-hung after sundown when the temperature has dropped. The young chicks can overheat in the nest box very quickly. Overheating is fatal to Kakariki chicks. It can be very disappointing to have a clutch of 5 or 6 lovely young in the nest box, and it only takes one hot day for them to overheat and all the young may die, when a little extra care could have saved them.

Kakarikis are not great seed eaters. We supply a small seed mixture in one deep container, such as a large plastic ice cream container. They love to scratch their seed around and, having a deep seed container, there is less chance of having seed scratched out over the floor. The mixture we supply is 2 parts Canary Seed, 2 parts Jap Millet, 1 part White Millet, half part Panicum, half part Linseed. Also in another deep container is Grey Stripe Sunflower and Safflower. We supply less sunflower seed when the birds are not raising young.

Each day they receive a small portion of freshly sprouted small seed mix and freshly sprouted sunflower seed. We prepare a fresh batch of sprouted seed each day, and do not let the seed become rancid or mouldy. Also we remove from the sprouted seed trays any seed that has not been consumed from the previous day. Larger portions of sprouted seed are given when the birds are feeding young. One freshly picked silverbeet leaf is supplied to each pair every day. Fruit, especially apple, once or twice a week, fresh corn on cob when available, any green or ripening grass seeding heads that are available, also grass stems to chew, also the green seeding head of silverbeet. When collecting grass be sure that it has not been sprayed with weedicide.

In conclusion we think that most aviculturists would derive enjoyment, as we have, by having one or several pairs of Kakarikis in their collection as they are very interesting little parrots, unafraid of humans, becoming very tame and inquisitive. Sometimes their activity is entirely unusual. We hope to relate an unusual activity at some later date. Another good reason to have one or several pairs is because they breed almost any time of the year, which gives an added interest in the aviaries by them often breeding when most other parrots are resting.

There must be other aviculturists that have had some success in breeding as we have. Let’s hear from you in these columns because that is what aviculture is about. The successful and sometimes unsuccessful keeping and breeding of birds.

Reprinted from the January 1990 edition of Bird Keeping in Australia, the official publication of The Avicultural Society of South Australia Inc.

The post Red-crowned Kakariki – Our Most Fertile Pair first appeared on The South Australian Avicultural Society.

Bob White Quail (Colinus virginanus virginianus) I

wsdam — Fri, 16 Jul 2021 01:56:36 +0000

By H. O. King

Distribution: Eastern United States of America.

Description: Cock. White throat and white eyebrow stripe which extends downwards to the neck. There is a black band running through the eyes and bordering the white of the throat. The back upper breast and wings are rust-brown with yellow and brownish-yellow spots. The breast is brownish-yellow and white with narrow black stripes. The crest is barely visible. Hen. Is lighter in colour, has the throat bright buff and the black markings are less defined. Length 9 inches.

This is one of three Bobwhite Quail and is one of the most popular in Avicultural circles. In the native state Bobwhites increased for a century or more as they virtually followed the plow, west across America. They were well suited to the mixed habitats of the early American small farms. Today there are Bobwhites to be found in some city parks and along rivers bordering and meandering through many cities and towns. This quail got its popular name from its call of Bob-white! Ah, Bob-white, Bob-Bob-White.

Nesting requirements are simple and all that is used is a scrape in the ground and a bit of straw or a few leaves to line the nest. In the wild the nest would be very well camouflaged. That, added to the habit of the hen to sit very tightly, they are extremely difficult to locate. The nests are usually under scrub or in tall grass and a cover dome is constructed and a side entrance which makes it hard to locate. This fact may account for the Bobwhite’s reluctance to sit on their own eggs in Australian aviaries as they are usually kept in open flight aviaries, often as terrestrial dwellers in Parrot aviaries devoid of any natural cover. The usual clutch varies between 12 and 20 eggs, which are white or cream coloured and lightly speckled with brown. Incubation takes 23 days. Nest building and incubation are usually carried out by the hen alone but should she die or be killed, the cock may take over and carry on with the incubation and rearing of the young. It is usual for this species to be double brooded.

The young quail, like their close relative the pheasant, are capable of some flight when only one week old, but usually hide in the undergrowth when disturbed and remain there until “All Clear“ is sounded. These birds are reluctant to be in areas where it is cold and/or damp and, even in the wild, will wait until the sun is well up before venturing out into the grass that is now dry of dew. The birds usually sleep on the ground in a group in a circular pattern facing outwards. This is a good defence against being approached by any predator without their having noticed, to ward off or confuse any would be attacker. The quail will all “explode” up and out at the last minute causing confusion as to which one to chase. This method of sleeping also means added warmth for each other.

These birds are omnivorous but up to 80% of their diet consists of vegetable matter. They live up to 9 years of age in captivity but in the wild would be lucky to reach 5 years.

The post Bob White Quail (Colinus virginanus virginianus) I first appeared on The South Australian Avicultural Society.

Breeding Galahs

wsdam — Fri, 16 Jul 2021 01:55:49 +0000

By Muffy’s Mum

Last year l achieved my greatest ambition, to breed Galahs. That may not so wonderful, until you stop to think that nearly every Galah in captivity in Australia is a family pet in a small cage. Nearly all of them were born wild, and taken from the nest as babies, or trapped in nets. Just because they are so common in the wild, aviarists tend to ignore these beautiful and intelligent birds. Galahs are rarely bred in captivity here, so I would like to share what was for me a very exciting experience.

I kept Galahs for several years, and had even had eggs in 1980, but the birds had been scared off the nest by car thieves. So, last year with a new high fence and padlocks everywhere, and lots of advice from friends, we carefully prepared the logs. These were about 1.2 m long, and about 35 cm in diameter. Both ends were sealed off and a hole about 10 cm in diameter made near the top. A mixture of peat moss, saw dust and sandy soil was put in to a depth of about 30 cm from the base, then the logs were hung in the shelter of the aviary at an angle of about 45°. Enough room was left at the top for us to inspect the logs when necessary.

At the time, we had two pairs of Galahs in the aviary, and three logs, so that they had a choice of nesting sites. My breeding pair have chosen the same log each year. When they are ready to lay, the other pair were separated from them because the nesting birds tend to give others in the aviary a hard time. Of course, it is easy to tell if you have a pair, because in adult birds the cock’s iris is dark brown, and the hen’s iris is red or pink, and they indulge in mutual preening.

In July, the cock was often seen displaying on the log they had chosen. He would raise his crest, spread his wings, and screech loudly! They were seen mating several times a day, and during her pregnancy the hen looked scruffy and climbed everywhere instead of flying. Galahs are the only Australian cockatoos to line their nest with fresh gum leaves, so they were given plenty of gum boughs. Galahs also chew off all the bark for quite a distance from the entrance hole but nobody quite knows why. The cock did most of the nest preparation, and was seen biting off sprigs of gum leaves and taking them into the log. Silver beet was also used, and several gum nuts were placed in the nest with which to surround the eggs during incubation. Both birds spent a lot of time in the log, preparing the nest.

During August, the hen started to lay but became egg-bound with the second egg. However, we brought her inside and kept her warm and she passed the egg during the night, and she was returned to the aviary the next day. In mid-September, three white eggs were laid, and incubation started after the second of the eggs was laid, the hen sitting at night and both birds taking turns during the day. The incubation period was thirty long days and during this time both birds were rarely seen together. The cock was more aggressive than usual, especially when I approached the nest.

At last, in mid-October, we heard the unmistakable sound of a baby Galah being fed and jumped for joy! The three chicks were hatched at two-day intervals, and were soon clearly heard crying and being fed. At birth, they were 5 cm long, bright pink with no down, and grew 2 cm’s in the first week. As the chicks grew, the parents spent less time in the log during the day, but the hen still sat at night until they were fully feathered, while the cock sat on the log, guarding his little family.

At two weeks of age, the chicks started to show pin feathers, then their eyes opened, and by four weeks of age they looked like prickly little Galahs! At five weeks of age, they were two-thirds grown, and when I peeped into the log, the three little birds would raise their crests and “Huff” at me! Then the babies started to climb up to the entrance hole and peep out, and we spent many happy hours watching them. At six weeks of age, the babies liked to sit at the entrance hole with their heads and shoulders out. They were seen preening themselves and were heard to practice flapping their wings in the log.

Most Galahs are very wary of trying new foods, so I feed mine this diet all year round, just increasing the quantities when they have young ones to feed. Each day they have seed mixture, almonds and peanuts in the shell, boiled maize, apple, silver beet, sweet corn, and occasionally a cabbage leaf, carrot, peas in pods, or a sunflower head. Of course, cuttlefish is always available to them. Their favourite food was seeding grasses, so they were given a big bunch of these twice a day.

At six weeks and four days of age, the first little Galah left the nest, very early in the morning. He was very unsure of his feet and wings, but his two very proud and protective parents took good care of him. The other two left the nest at two-day intervals, and their parents were kept busy feeding and teaching them all to climb and to fly. A few days after leaving the nest, the youngest one developed problems with his feet, probably the result of some deficiency, and although I even took him to work with me and fed him every three hours, he died in my lap that night. But the other two babies were doing well, and were soon no longer babies but just smaller, paler editions of their parents.

By nine weeks of age, the young ones were eating a few seeds but were still being partly fed by their parents. They were even learning to squawk with husky little voices. By twelve weeks of age, the young ones were almost completely independent, but the hen, who was a motherly soul, still liked to fuss over them.

The two young Galahs are now a year old, and very loved family pets, while their parents are busy again with their three young ones, hatched mid-September this year. It has been even more exciting this year for me, because as the result of a car accident I have spent a lot of time at home, and I have been able to watch it all more closely and add to last year’s notes and photos. My other pair of Galahs also went to nest this year, and laid two eggs, but being only young and this their first attempt at breeding, they didn’t sit on the eggs enough to hatch them.

So if any of you would like to try to breed Galahs too, I hope my notes may be of help, and even though you will not make much money out of it, you will get a big thrill out of doing something that so few aviarists attempt, so I wish you the very best of luck!

Reprinted from the November 1982 edition of Bird Keeping in Australia, the official publication of The Avicultural Society of South Australia Inc.

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The Yellow-rumped Mannikin

wsdam — Fri, 16 Jul 2021 01:54:59 +0000

By Mark O’Connor, Mount Gambier

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The Yellow-rumped Mannikin

By Mark O’Connor, Mount Gambier

Introduction

Mark, the author of the following article, has been interested in aviculture since about 1990. Now at age 12 he has enjoyed considerable breeding successes with his birds. His main involvement has been with finches although he also keeps some Bourke Parrots (both normal and Rosa). He can readily identify most species of birds, including some of the rarer foreign parrots and is more than capable of citing the price of many birds without enlisting the help of a price list.

Description of the Yellow-rumped Mannikin (Lonchura flaviprymna)

This solid finch in my opinion would rate as one of the most attractive Australian finches. With its chestnut-brown wings, creamy buff underparts, straw yellow rump, greyish head and bluish grey beak, it has always been a firm favourite of mine. Young Yellow-rumps come out as a dull brown colour.

Sexing

As usual, the cock bird is the prettier of the two, and although difficult to sex, there are some variations that you can go by. The cock bird’s head is usually of a lighter colour and the upper mandible is slightly larger. Compared to the female, the cock seems to have an overall brighter coloration. As far as I’m concerned, the best way to sex them is that the cock will crow and the hen will not. I have used this way with a fair amount of success.

Feeding Requirements

My Yellow-rumps enjoy a variety of seeds including red pannicum, niger, canary, a general finch mix and canary tonic. During the breeding season my birds get plenty of silverbeet, broccoli, soaked seed, apple, termites and mealworrns (fed once a day). I don’t know of anyone who has bred the Yellow- rump without some form of livefood, so it is just about essential if you want good breeding results. Yellow-rumps should always have a good supply of fresh water for drinking and bathing purposes. My birds always get cuttlefish, shell grit and egg and biscuit. Whenever possible the Yellow-rump should have seeding grasses as they are something the Yellow-rump really likes.

In the Aviary

From my experience, the Yellow-rump is extremely docile. I have never observed the Yellow-rump interfering with other birds whether they be young or old, or other bird’s nests. It is a good bird for a mixed collection of other Australian and foreign finches, except they should not be housed with either other Australian mannikins or munias, as they may hybridize. I have only tried breeding them as a three pair colony and never as just single pairs. My birds have bred successfully this way so I intend sticking with it. Yellow-rumps are usually a very hardy bird, but as with other birds they should have an adequate sheltered area and the aviary should be as draught-free as possible.

Housing

Being a comparatively large finch, the Yellow-rump likes a lot of room. My Yellow-rumps are housed in an aviary which is 4.5m x 4.5m x 2.1m high. My colony of three pairs share their aviary with the following: two pair of Hecks, one pair of Yellow-hooded Siskins, one pair of Blue-faced Parrot-finches, one pair of Orange-breasts, one pair of Fires, one pair of Cubans, one pair of St. Helenas, one pair of Emblemas and one pair of Rosa Bourkes. There have been no problems arising from this combination and the only birds that haven’t produced young so far are the Blue-faced, the Yellow-hooded Siskins (although they are on the nest at the moment), and the Rosa Bourkes (who also currently have eggs). They like a bit of sunshine (which is a bit of a problem here in Mt. Gambier!), so a few sheets of fibreglass on the roof doesn’t go astray. My aviary has a sheltered area which is 2.1 metres long by 4.5 metres wide and 2.1 metres high. Half of the front is covered with fibreglass. This lets light in and stops draughts. The front is planted with the following plants: Kunzias, Melaleucas, Bamboo, Acanthus, Fuschias and various little grasses.

Breeding

Yellow-rumps usually breed all year round, except they have a break during winter. The Yellow-rump will usually build either in grasses or brush. Mine have only ever nestled in the brush which lines the inside of the sheltered area, about one metre above the ground. I have never noticed them breeding in cane baskets or any other nest receptacles. They make a small, round nest with no entrance tunnel and feathers are used for lining the structure. Swamp grass and other fine grasses are used in the nest construction. My birds have bred twenty three young from four nests, so they usually have about six young per nest. The babies come out a dull brown colour and aren’t usually good fliers. The parents look after the babies well, and the Yellow-rumps once out of the nest usually live. I have noticed other members of the colony looking after the babies as well.

General Comments

Although not an overly popular bird, for reasons which I don’t know, I think they are ideal finches to keep for the following reasons: they are docile, hardy and free breeders. They never interfere with other bird’s nests or young and are colourful as well.

Reprinted from the January 1994 edition of Bird Keeping in Australia, the official publication of The Avicultural Society of South Australia Inc.

The post The Yellow-rumped Mannikin first appeared on The South Australian Avicultural Society.