T H E P R E M I E R P E T & AV I A RY B I R D M AG A Z I N E

VO L 3 3 I S S U E 2 • A P R - M AY 2020

African
Parrots
RED-TAILED
Black Cockatoos

FINCHES

Yellow-fronted
Lineolated AMAZONS
Parrots SCARLET-CHESTED
PARROT Mutations
Nutritio
an Healt
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 contents
APR IL -M AY 2020 VO L U M E 33 I SSU E 2
FE AT U RES T H E P R E M I E R P E T & AV I A RY B I R D M AG A Z I N E
VO L 3 3 I S S U E 2 • A P R - M AY 2020

65
AFRICA’S PYTILIA FINCHES
90
AFRICAN PARROTS—
African
Parrots
By Peter Odekerken GENUS POICEPHALUS PART 2 RED-TAILED
Black Cockatoos
While the Yellow-winged Pytilia and the Melba Finch By Peter Odekerken
are popular avicultural subjects in Australia, Peter urges Peter examines the smaller Poicephalus, from the 21cm FINCHES
consideration of the less colourful Aurora, advocating Meyer’s to the 25cm Yellow-faced Parrot.
sustaining our stocks of less colourful foreign finches.

70 96
JOHN GOULD: HIS FAMILY AND LIFE
Lineolated
Parrots
Yellow-fronted
AMAZONS
SCARLET-CHESTED
THE BIRD GARDENS OF NAPLES, FLORIDA By Graeme Hyde PARROT Mutations
By Vickie Lillo Why did John Gould stand out from all the other 1XWULWLRè
This south Florida sanctuary is dedicated to parrot welfare ornithologists of 19th century England, and what was his DQÞ+HDOWâ
in captivity and conservation of wild parrots. Australian connection? O N T H E C OV E R

82
THE LINEOLATED PARROT
106
NUTRITION FOR COMPANION PARROTS—
YELLOW-FACED
PARROTS
PHOTO PETER ODEKERKEN

By Jade Welch PART 2

Easy to house and feed, small, quiet and beautiful, with a By Dot Schwarz
range of mutations, the Linnie could be the perfect bird Dot explores the feeding regimes of a range of bird
for most situations. keepers, as well as her own.

RE G U LARS

67
BREEDER
86
FINCH CHARM
103
WILD CORNER
110
MY GROWING
PERSPECTIVE Compatibility—Finch and Tie, the Magpie PASSION FOR

115
Red-tailed Black Cockatoos Softbill Species—Part 1 By Dr Claude Lacasse AVICULTURE
By Andrew Rankmore By David Pace Aidan is this year’s winner

73 94 104
ABOUT BIRDS
of the Syd Smith Memorial
Young Bird Keeper Writing
Competition. C L ASSI FI E D S
A PARROT’S LIFE PET PARROT Avian Epigenetics— By Aidan Ameer
Training for Conservation BEHAVIOUR Beyond Genes • For Sale
By Rachel Ward What Makes a Good
Starter Parrot?
By Kit Prendergast
112 • Bird Sales
• Avicultural Organisations

76 By Hillary Hankey
109 CONSERVATION:
• LPF: The Costs and
• Avian Veterinarians

HOOKBILL HOBBYIST
Yellow-fronted Amazons
By EB Cravens
100
THE WISE OWL
HOBBY HINTS:
The Benefits of Foraging
By Paul &
Rewards of Conserving
the Lear’s Macaw
By Dr David Waugh
Facing Armageddon Michelle Court • WPT: New UK Home for

80 By Dr Milton Lewis Seized Grey Parrots

By Carolyn Pradun
MUTATION
MUTTERINGS
The Cinnamon Scarlet-
102
AVIAN HEALTH
chested Parrot WITH DR BOB
By Paul Court & Sour Crop—Causes
Ray Chapman and Treatments
By Dr Bob Doneley
VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020 BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU • 63
 welcome C
F R O M E D I T O R & P U B L I S H E R S H E RY L L S T E E L E - B O Y C E
ORONAVIRUS HAS CAUSED MANY BIRD
events, mostly larger bird sales at time of print,
to be cancelled. The Federal Government’s
recommendation that events with a likely attendance of 500
or more be cancelled has already led to the cancellation of
this year's Sydney Royal Easter Show, the Gunnedah Bird Sale
and Expo and the Parrot Breeders & Exhibitors Society of
NSW Inc bird sale. The Canary & Cage Bird Federation
of Australia Inc has recommended that ALL bird events
scheduled prior to 14 June 2020, including shows, sales
and club meetings should be cancelled immediately.
Fortunately, Orange Bird Sale was held before this ban was
enacted and attracted a large number of birds and people.
It is even more pertinent than ever to take extra
precautions with hygiene on both a personal and bird-
keeping level at present. ABK distributes F10™ broad-
spectrum veterinary grade disinfectant, available in
concentration, wipes and hand gel. These products are
very effective if included as part of your daily cleaning
regime. For more information, we can email you a flyer—
email birdkeeper@birdkeeper.com.au with F10™ in the
subject line to find out more.
Sadly, we are being confronted with ever-increasing
challenges in our climate and environment—and now a global
virus for which, at the time of writing, there is no vaccine.
Like us, you no doubt missed reading the Wise Owl
column by Dr Milton Lewis in the last edition. He, his wife
Carol, and birds were evacuated in December due to the
threat of bushfires around their property. On page 100
Milton relates his confronting experience of preparing for
and battling the fire—no mean feat!
What does it cost to save threatened species from
extinction? It is very difficult to calculate, considering
the numerous factors and ongoing stakeholder and
environmental responsibilities. In the case of the
Lear’s Macaw, funding was divided into the following
Shery proportions: research 51%, protection 22%, social
awareness/education 16%, annual census 4%, meetings 4%,
and population reinforcement 3%. Discover more about
what has been achieved on page 112.
Many bird behaviourists also work with other animals,
particularly endangered species, to assist in their wild
POSTAL adaptation and survival rates—read more on some of this
unique and vital conservation work on page 73.
ADDRESS Many of our readers have been members of the Gould
League at some time in their lives. Established in 1909, the
CHANGE League honours John Gould, ornithologist and researcher
of Australian avifauna and mammals, who recorded and
PO Box 1252
Bongaree
QLD 4507 EDITORIA L CONS ULTA NTS Peter
Odekerken
RE GULA R CONTRIBUTOR S
Dr Milton EB Jade Hillary Kit Andrew
Lewis Cravens Welch Hankey Prendergast Rankmore
ADVERTISING AND MARKETING Sheryll Steele-Boyce
THE TEAM WRITERS Peter Odekerken, Andrew Rankmore, Rachel Ward,
Vickie Lillo, EB Cravens, Paul Court, Ray Chapman, Jade Welch, David Pace,
Hillary Hankey, Graeme Hyde, Sheryll Steele-Boyce, Dr Milton Lewis,
Dr Bob Doneley, Dr Claude Lacasse, Kit Prendergast, Dot Schwarz,
Michelle Court, Aiden Ameer, Dr David Waugh and Carolyn Pradun.
EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS ARE MOST WELCOME.
SUBSCRIPTION, ORDER & ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES
Telephone: 07 5568 0011 Email: birdkeeper@birdkeeper.com.au
www.birdkeeper.com.au
64 • BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020
published his findings in books still heralded to this day.
Graeme Hyde records the legacy of John and his artist
wife Elizabeth Gould on page 96.
Recently, the Gould League resurrected bird posters
from the archives and, to celebrate the United Nations
Year of Plant Health in 2020, they have produced a new
poster—a Crimson Rosella in a Golden Wattle tree—to
remind us of the importance of plant and animal health.
For more information, see www.gould.org.au or email:
gould@gould.org.au.
Over the last two issues of 2019, Jade Welch examined
the suitability of certain parrot species as pets. In this
edition, he introduces for consideration the lively but
undemanding Lineolated Parrot—a bird he says is equally
attractive as a pet or breeder subject—see page 82.
Continuing the subject of selecting the right pet for the
family, Hillary Hankey covers behavioural perspectives of
what you may be looking for as a pet. On page 94, she
puts forward numerous issues to consider in selecting
your special pet, including temperament, talking-ability,
cuddliness, vocalisation sounds, size, colouration and
feather dust output.
Red-tailed Black Cockatoos are endearing parrots but have
diminished in popularity recently… although other species
also ebb and flow in popularity at times. Andrew Rankmore
has bred this group and explains their management needs,
including details of the subspecies on page 67.
With increased popularity in keeping softbills, many finch
breeders are introducing this group into mixed housing
environments with finches, small parrots and ground-
dwelling species such as pigeons and quail … with mixed
success. David Pace has established a number of mixed
aviaries and presents his experience in compatibility and
breeding results, focusing on the inhabitants of each aviary
over a four-part series. See page 86.
The Syd Smith Young Bird Keeper Writers’
Competition winner this year is 13-year-old Aidan
Ameer. Congratulations Aidan—your prize is a 12-month
subscription to BirdKeeper Magazine plus an ABK $30
gift voucher! Aidan cares for a selection of mostly finch
species and in 2019 his African Firefinch male was show
winner in the Best Foreign Finch division and he was
awarded Best Junior breeder. Read his winning article on
page 110. Aiden shows a great passion and we wish you
well with your breeding program in the future.
Dr Bob Dr Terry
Doneley Martin
SUB- ART
E D IT O R D IR E C T O R
Dr Claude David Michelle Paul Ray Alison Melinda
Lacasse Pace Court Court Chapman Houston Leu
PUBLISHED BY ABK Publications advertising it deems to be detrimental
Postal Address: PO Box 1252
Bongaree QLD 4507 Australia
to the integrity of the publication,
Australian Birdkeeper Magazine
International Standard Serial Number COPYRIGHT It is an offence under the
ISSN 1030-8954 Commonwealth Copyright Act 1968 to
DISCLAIMER While every care is taken,
reproduce any part of the contents of this
the publisher accepts no responsibility
publication, including advertising artwork
for the content of advertising or editorial
material published. Articles represent the
and photography without prior written
views of the authors and not necessarily consent of the publisher.
those of the publisher. ABK Publications ©2020 ABK Publications.
also reserves the right to refuse any All rights reserved.
Yellow-winged or Red-faced
male Pytilia finch is a
sought-after species in
Australian aviaries

AU T H O R & PH O T O S P ET ER O D E K E R K E N

Africa’s
PYTILIA FINCHES
T
HERE ARE FIVE REPRESENTATIVES OF Typical Pytilia habitat along
the Pytilia genus found in Africa, south a South African river
of the Sahara Desert. In Australia we are
fortunate to have been able to keep three of these
species—the Aurora P. phoenicoptera, the Red-faced
P. hypogrammica, and the Melba Finch P. melba—also
respectively known in ornithological circles as Red-
winged, Yellow-winged and Green-winged Pytilias.
The fourth, the Orange-winged P. afra, was
virtually unobtainable when I lived in Africa for 13
years, even though its distribution bordered in part
on the Zimbabwe border with South Africa. The fifth
member, the Red-billed P. lineata is very similar to
the Aurora but has a red bill.

IN THE WILD
Distribution
The Red-winged, or Aurora, is found discontinuously
distributed through West Africa all the way to feeding on seeding grasses, generally in association
western Uganda. The Red-faced or Yellow-winged is with other birds, particularly waxbills.
found across a similar distribution. I have not found I have found them to be common, usually only in
a reference that indicates why the two species live pairs or in family parties, after the breeding season.
over the same range, as their ecosystems seem to be When they come in to drink, you will often find a few
very similar. birds, but it is noticeable that a waxbill such as the
The Melba is also found ranging discontinuously Southern Blue Uraeginthus angolensis is much more
from West Africa, more to the north of the social, and has greater numbers than the Pytilias.
aforementioned species, and then from Ethiopia
through eastern Africa down to the former
Transvaal, Natal across the northern Cape and up
into Namibia. It largely misses the wetter regions
of the southern part of Africa, adjacent to the
Congo rainforest.
The Orange-winged is found in mid-southern Africa
but seems to prefer wetter habitat than the areas
colonised by the Melba.
The Red-billed is endemic to Ethiopia and
Eastern Sudan.

Habitat
These birds are closely associated with bushy
thickets close to watercourses. Being Africa, these The Aurora Finch, not as
colourful as other members
thickets are invariably full of thorns and therefore of the Pytilia genus, is still
provide refuge from predators. Pytilias are often a worthy species in any
encountered on the ground between these thickets, collection

VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020 BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU • 65


This Melba male came in to
benefit from a leaking water
tank in Namibia
Melba male P. belli showing
red from the throat spreading
down into the chest
66 • BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU
I think this is due to Pytilias’ territorial disposition. suitable environment to keep and breed Pytilias. A
They seem to be less tolerant of fellow Pytilias. I am soil base means care has to be taken for disease, and
not aware of any of the species being considered worming the birds also becomes a consideration.
vulnerable or endangered. I would suggest that keeping one pair with other
unrelated species is the most appropriate.
Diet The Melba Finch is considered quite bossy and
Pytilias feed mainly on grass seeds but will take other Pytilias may not do well within the same aviary.
livefood, particularly when breeding. As termites lose However, depending on the size of the aviary and the
their wings when they disperse from a colony, they nature of your particular pair, exceptions can occur.
are consumed by Pytilias. No doubt they could also I find it amazing how often I read about keeping
hawk them in flight, but I have not witnessed this. African finches in conditions that exclude cold
They can be found on the edge of cultivations but weather. If you have seen these species in the wild,
generally avoid humans. They do benefit from the as I have, you know this is a ridiculous statement.
building of livestock troughs for cattle. However, in In many areas of the African continent (even in the
most cases wild birds don’t drink from the trough tropics), finches are found at high elevations where
but from small hollows produced by cattle hoofs and daytime temperatures can be very hot but often
filled by spillage or leaks. at night temperatures can drop below freezing.
Pytilias are host species for the Paradise Whydah I have observed birds in these situations with
Vidua spp., namely the Broad-tailed, Eastern, Sahel, myself shivering in the early morning before the
Togo, and Exclamatory. sun takes hold. The birds are well adapted to this
situation. However, the environment is dry to very
Breeding dry except after summer storms when, of course,
Breeding and nesting behaviour is similar within the the night-time temperatures are generally quite
genus. The male will hold a piece of nesting material high. So, please consider that it is protection from
in its bill—usually a stem of grass or a feather. This draughts and wet conditions that are the very real
is held high while the male bobs up and down circling problems associated with cold areas rather than the
the female on the ground, temperature itself.
with his tail angled
towards her. The female is Diet
more stationary but angles Pytilias should be provided with a good quality
her tail towards the male finch seed mix complemented with green food such
and, if impressed with as seeding grasses and, if you have a pair that will
the display, wavers her pick at broad-leaved greens, this should be available,
tail up and down, thereby however, this form of green food does not seem to be
signalling her acceptance of particular interest to Pytilias.
and allowing copulation. If Livefood is important, and successful breeding
this display is performed is unlikely without a constant supply of termites,
on a perch, males can bushfly pupae or small mealworms.
jump up and down, with In the spring and summer months, it is a good idea
their feet leaving the to sow your own patch of seeding grasses and, of
perch. Females have also course, you can add wild panic when we don’t have
been recorded holding a the drought conditions we experience in Australia.
piece of nesting material Supplying a good grit mixed with small bits of
but this does not seem to charcoal will be of interest to all finches. Clean
be common practice. water for bathing and drinking is essential. Egg
Breeding success is influenced by predation, and biscuit mix is a great source of protein, as is
storms, desertion, hosting whydah spp. and food germinated seed, fed throughout the year—but
availability. Nests are built with loose dry grasses essential while breeding. I know of no seed-eater
on the outside, grass-lined on the inside with soft than doesn’t look forward to their share. Some fruit
material such as feathers inside. They are usually can be provided—a thin slice of pear or apple is
located within a dense thorn bush. Sites that have appreciated by most pairs.
greater thorn density are more likely to be chosen
to protect the nest from predation. Studies in South Breeding
Africa suggest that Be sure to provide a substantial amount of dry,
success of bringing coarse grass as well as finer grass for lining the
chicks to independence is inside of the nest. Clean feathers, of coarse, are
less than 20%. Incubation eagerly sought-after. It seems that, as in Africa, pairs
is 12–13 days and the tend to breed after the summer rain. However, they
young fledge in about have been recorded to breed at other times. A clutch
21 days. It seems that of 3–6 white eggs is laid. Parents depend on livefood
Pytilias have a strong to rear the chicks.
pair bond. The nests have
a side entrance, which is CONCLUSION
generally quite large. There seems to be great interest in keeping
The usual clutch is 4–6 the Yellow-winged Pytilia and the Melba Finch.
white eggs. Certainly, they are more colourful than the
Aurora, but we must sustain our stocks of less
IN CAPTIVITY colourful foreign finches. After years of rumours of
Housing importation being allowed, I will believe it when we
A large well-planted see it—so it is up to all of us to keep our species in
aviary is the most healthy, viable numbers.
VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020
Red-tailed Black

AUTHOR ANDREW RANKMORE

breeder perspective
COCKATOOS

C. b. banksii male (left)

and female
RIGHT: C. b. macroryhnchus
(left) and C. b. magnificus
females
PHOTOS PETER ODEKERKEN

HISTORY
Red-tailed Black Cockatoos were once a must-have
species for anyone serious about parrot aviculture. They
are aesthetically very attractive—in my opinion, the most
striking of all black cockatoos available to Australian
aviculture. For many years, breeders and newcomers alike
aspired to success with the Red-tailed Black Cockatoo as
they were in demand and had a very low reproduction
rate—often laying only one egg at a time. This held their
price point high for many years. Calyptorhynchus banksii banksii
It was once common that any cockatoo breeder and/or Length: 60–70cm Weight: 660–780g
collector aimed to have a pair of each subspecies, as they The nominate subspecies is found predominantly in
varied in rarity and aesthetic features that allowed guests Queensland, with some birds crossing into the Northern
and visitors to notice even subtle differences. So popular Territory. However, sightings and reports suggest birds
were the Red-tailed and other black cockatoos that many tend to congregate around the east coast of the range
collections became solely devoted to them. This attracted over the wet season of December to January and move
the interest of wildlife authorities. Some of the biggest further inland for the rest of the year.
collections in Australia were dismantled or lost due to
seizures by these authorities—in some cases justifiably Calyptorhynchus banksii macrorhynchus
but in most cases not. Over time, these experiences Length: 55–60cm Weight: 700–850g
contributed to a feeling that black cockatoos in general This subspecies’ ranges the Northern Territory and
were not worth the hassle, stress, and expense. As a northern regions of Western Australia. It can also
result, by 2010 black cockatoos were out of favour. be found on several islands off the coastline of this
Black cockatoos did regain popularity in Australia around geographical area. An interesting visual comparison to the
2017, but this did not extend to the Red-tailed. The nominate subspecies—C. b. banksii—C. b. macrorhynchus
demand for, and subsequent rise in price of the Yellow have a noticeably deeper broad lower mandible, and a
and White-tailed species reflected a fall in their captive larger and thicker upper
population numbers, as many were exported overseas.
However, previous decades of smuggling meant there was
no lack of Red-tails.
mandible.

Calyptorhynchus banksii
Andre
samueli
DESCRIPTION Length: 53–58cm Weight:
There are five nominate subspecies spread throughout 550–680g
different ranges across Australia. Physically, subspecies This is one of the smaller
vary in increments that are noticeable enough to aid in members of the Red-tailed
identification. Aesthetically, it is mostly the females that Cockatoo family, with some
provide clearer visual cues against reference pictures, while variation depending on
the males need closer scrutiny and size comparison against the location of the original
expectations of subspecies to be sure of their origin. founding population.
In Australian aviculture birds were often mismatched and Interestingly, C. b. samueli
captive hybridising occurred. This has made identification are found in five separate
Red-tailed Black
particularly difficult in some individuals as they don’t quite pockets of varying size Cockatoo
‘fit’. In such cases, it’s best to assume that the bird is a in more central latitudes C. b. samueli
hybrid and treat any breeding ambitions in that light. located from the east to PHOTO DAVID PACE

VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020 BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU • 67


C. b. samueli male
PHOTO BEN PEARCE
C. b. samueli female and
young one at nest in the
northern wheat belt. Unlike
C. b. naso, which only breed
very high in mature trees,
samueli often breed in
hollows only 2m high
PHOTO BEN PEARCE
C. b. graptogyne pair
PHOTO PETER ODEKERKEN
68 • BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU
C. b. samueli male. Samueli
feed almost exclusively on
the ground whereas C. b.
naso feed in the canopy—
one of the many behavioural
differences between the two
subspecies
PHOTO BEN PEARCE
C. b. naso family, juvenile
on left, parents—male and
female PHOTO BEN PEARCE
the west of the continent. They are generally dry, arid- HOUSING
loving birds, with only a single population pocket found Red-tailed Black Cockatoos require very sturdy and
reaching the coast of Western Australia. well-built aviaries to ensure they are safely contained.
Their powerful mandibles have the ability to chew
Calyptorhynchus banksii naso through wood structures in short order. Hence,
Length: 53–58cm Weight: 590–630g only steel structures are suitable. Our aviaries are
Another small subspecies, C. b. naso has a particularly constructed of 25mm x 25mm x 1.2mm galvanised
large mandible set in both size and breadth which aids in RHS with heavy-duty 2.5cm x 2.5cm (1in x 1in)
identification. The smaller body size and unusually large weldmesh that prevents the birds ‘eating’ their way
mandible sets this subspecies apart from others within out of their enclosure.
the genus. Found in the south-western corner of Western Our substrate is an earthen floor covered with
Australia, the subspecies was once wrongly grouped as grass. This allows the birds to contact ground, so an
part of C. b. samueli, which is confusing given the visually appropriate worming program is required. I do not see
obvious differences in mandible form. This species typically any great disadvantage with a concrete floor or a large
experiences very dry summers and quite wet winters. suspended design. Adequate ‘chewables’ such as logs
and large branches are supplied as a source of activity.
Calyptorhynchus banksii graptogyne Given the size and habits of the Red-tailed Black
Length: 50–55cm Weight: Cockatoo, a large amount of flight space is highly
550–600g desirable. Our experience demonstrates that this species
The smallest, and in may be kept in a variety of aviary sizes, but they did not
my opinion, the most come into breeding condition/behaviour unless the aviary
attractive of all Red-tailed was 6m long x 1.5m wide x 2m high. I am sure other
Black Cockatoos, C. b. keepers have had success with aviaries that are smaller in
graptogyne females are a one dimension or another, but I believe this to be a good
very colourful standout guideline for success.
in any collection. More
valuable than the other DIET
subspecies, C. b. graptogyne Red-tailed Black Cockatoos can be somewhat picky and
is generally harder to restricted in the types of food they accept. Typically, the
find in pure form. They birds have a significant love for sunflower and little else in
are found in a very small the seed department. We have tried sprouted mix, small
population pocket on the seed and mixed seeds with little success. Fortunately, the
southern border of South species’ needs in fat content allow this sunflower penchant
Australia and Victoria, to be a somewhat healthy dietary component if balanced
short of the coast. with vegetable and pelleted fare.
VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020
 We provide sunflower as a base diet five days in the
week, exchanging it for premium puppy dog biscuits twice
a week. These dog biscuits provide protein, vitamins and
calcium that is absent from the sunflower, and we have
found that the results in egg formation and viability have
been sound. In the early years, I did have some concerns
that the salt in the dog biscuit could create chronic health
issues. However, after nine years of use we are yet to
observe any negative effects. I put this down to the limited
amounts fed on a weekly basis. Hence, I would not advise
anyone to provide dog biscuits daily without consulting
your veterinarian first.
Vegetables are offered once a week in the non-breeding
season and this is increased to three times a week during
breeding. Typically, we find that frozen beans, peas
and corn are freely consumed and are easily prepared.
Alternatives and additions include carrot, apple and
limited amounts of sliced orange. Beyond this, we supply
occasional peanuts and almonds, but little else.
As a general rule, I believe Red-tails to be very hardy
birds with nutritional needs that are easily met, but one
must be conscious of avoiding their apparent willingness
to exist solely on sunflower. This will be most apparent in
any breeding results, with eggs being soft-shelled or very
small and abnormal, all key signs of deficiencies.
BREEDING NOTES
Red-tailed Black Cockatoos are relatively easily bred
once mature and settled in their surrounds. The most
important thing we have found is that they are well
bonded and compatible as a pair.
Breeding behaviour is very easily identified as the male
will constantly display with his tail, together with making
a constant ‘honking’ and other intrinsic noises. As with
most cockatoo species, the female is more reserved, and
the first indication she is interested in reproduction is nest
box activity and the start of a ‘sitting cycle’ that brings
on egg production. Once these signs become a constant
theme and occurrence, egg-laying is near and will be
defined by the female’s overnight stay within the nest box.
One egg will be laid and incubated for 28–31 days, after
which a yellow fluff y chick will emerge if all has gone well.
To successfully raise Red-tailed Black Cockatoo chicks
(with their parents), we supply a diet rich in cooked frozen
vegetables, sunflower, and the dog biscuits previously
mentioned. To get the calcium supplement into the birds,
recognise they are a bird. This makes them unworkable as
breeders in the future.
This imprinting can lead mature male birds to ‘mate’
human arms or hands. If paired with a female bird, the
male will chase and attack her when people are in the
vicinity. This is reflected aggression and behaviour to
human stimulus and makes any attempt to return the bird
to breeding duties futile.
While Red-tailed Black Cockatoos make wonderful pets,
they are limited in vocabulary and are highly unlikely to
learn any human words. Further, before purchase, one
must consider that they live for a very long time—about
50 years on average.
CONCLUSION
Red-tailed Cockatoos represent a time past in which
low thousands were kept and bred and they formed
the pinnacle of aviculture in Australia. They provided a
splendour and aesthetic quality to collections and in pet These books
circles that has long since gone and now they serve as a present excellent
curiosity in the collections that have them. research on
Today, due to lack of focus on them, except from the Australian
one prominent breeder in Queensland, birth rates are ‘black’ and ‘white’
seriously low and some subspecies may disappear from cockatoos in the
sustainability and availability permanently in the future. wild and their
I recommend Red-tailed Black Cockatoos to all captive care,
aviculturists as popularity and demand is likely to one day feeding and
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VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020 BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU • 69
 The Bird Gardens
o Naples, Florid
A U TH O R & PHOT OS VICK IE LILLO
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
My husband Gustavo and I have just arrived at the
South Florida sanctuary, Bird Gardens of Naples, a
rescue and rehabilitation centre for psittaciformes.
It is dedicated to captive welfare and conservation
of wild parrots, and home to all descriptions,
including macaws, cockatoos, Amazons and
parakeets. As we get out of our vehicle, I hear an
incredible amount of squawking in the distance,
followed by a cockatoo scream.
‘Wow! What a set of lungs,’ I comment, unaware
that this is natural and instinctive behaviour for all
cockatoos; one that shouldn’t be discouraged. Sadly,
we learn, it’s also the reason many animal-lovers end
Rosita, the Moluccan
Cockatoo, left, and Smurfy, up ‘turning over’ their precious birds to adoption
the Hyacinth Macaw, right, are centres like this one—unforgiving neighbours
two of the stars of the unwilling to tolerate that ear-shattering shriek.
bird gardens’ fundraisers Strolling into the outdoor waiting area where our
tour will begin, we are greeted by a volunteer, Jean
Curlin, who used to train hawks at the Conservancy
of Southwest Florida. She and the three ‘ambassador but donations to the charity are accepted and
birds’ that live with her are the main attraction at all encouraged to help keep the birds happy and healthy.
of the bird gardens’ official fundraisers. They are the
celebrities who bring in the endowments. They are
Rosita, the 33-year-old Moluccan Cockatoo Cacatua
moluccensis, with yellow under her wings; Smurfy,
15, an aptly named cobalt-blue Hyacinth Macaw
Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus; and the baby of the
group, five-year old Romeo, a Pied Blue and Gold
Macaw Ara ararauna. Jean shows off her well-behaved green leaves decorated by purplish veins—flourish
psittacines with the confidence of a proud mama.
70 • BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020
Many of the birds allow
visitors to handle and
interact with them
‘Rosita’s a grown woman. She’s trained; you don’t
have to reprimand her,’ she says. ‘Smurfy, he can
speak in full sentences, like, ‘You look marvelous’.’
She cradles the youngest macaw in her arms. ‘But
you still have to reprimand Romeo here; he has a
short attention span. Having birds is actually a lot
like having kids. They are jealous of one another.
When there’s another ‘child’ around, it’s ‘let’s see who
is the head of the sandbox’.’
A group has assembled and Jean introduces us to
curator Keri Lohrman, who is busy balancing Rosita
on one hand and Smurfy on the other. She explains
that since the 1992 Trade Act there is no more
importing of exotic birds. Hence, all of her ‘residents’
have come from either zoos, breeding facilities,
hurricane deliverance, or other sanctuaries, and
from pet owners who could no longer honour the
obligation to provide for their feathered friends.
‘We adopt out as many as we can. We keep the
sassy ones here and adopt out the people-friendly.
Sometimes they get a little testy,’ she explains.
Clearly a ‘birdie therapist’ in her own right, Keri
has learned to analyse the likes and dislikes of her
psittacines. Non-native species, she said, could not
be released into the environment, but are welcome
to spend the rest of their days happily pecking
at their food pellets and chit-chatting with their
buddies next door.
THE GARDENS
In season, the shelter offers two two-hour tours
a day but once summer hits that cuts back to one
because it simply gets too hot. The tours are free,
I feel as if we have stepped right into the tropics,
perhaps the rain and cloud forests of Central
America. Ferns, cabbage palms with fibrous
bark, laurel oaks, pines, and native cypress trees
abound, shading the enormous aviaries with their
fronds. Strawberry guavas provide fruit. Southern
Milkweed—60cm (2ft) stems of perennial grey-
throughout the grounds. Keri calls it ‘the best
plant on the property’ because it attracts Monarch loud and boisterous Patagonian Conures Cyanoliseus
Butterflies—those iconic pollinators of North patagonus, from the arid steppe grasslands of south-
America, with the bold orange, black and white central Argentina and Chile, that ‘burrow’ into holes
patterns warning predators of their toxicity. in the ground for nesting. Madagascan Greater
We pass a lovely area with chairs and a sign that Vasa Parrots Coracopsis vasa, deemed ‘so ugly,
reads: ‘Garden Rules…Listen to the Birds…Get they’re cute’, copulate like canines and, once ‘locked
Dirty… RELAX…Pull Weeds…Sip a Cold Drink… together’, can’t be snatched apart, while Quaker
Gather with Friends and Family…Enjoy the Beauty’. Parakeets Myiopsitta monachus, of Brazil and
Lounging on a nearby folded leaf sits a colossal Argentina, are known for their outstanding mimicry
Eastern Lubber Grasshopper, tawny and russet with and sociability.
distinctive black banding on its antennae, abdomen ‘You are allowed to feed the birds, but no peanuts,’
and thorax. We are cautioned that these colourful Keri instructs the visitors upon our approach to a
insects, part of the locust family, bite and spit. cage of Congo African Greys Psittacus erithacus.
Thus, we look, snap a photo and politely move on. A Indigenous to Ghana and Togo, these lovelies have a
royal-blue peacock struts by, showing off his regal white face, black nebs, grey feathers and a flamboyant
plumage of turquoise iridescence and demonstrating red tail. Records indicate these birds have been Scarlet Macaw—its bare
facial patch makes its feather
that, like the cockatoos, he too is capable of ear- kept since Biblical times and, due to their extreme
colours even more vivid
piercing screams. The teal-breasted peahen pays him intelligence, are called
no never-mind, instead moving hastily across the ‘the Einsteins of the bird
brick walkway, in the opposite direction. community’. The birds
are fed other nuts, but
THE BIRDS not peanuts which can
The path winds towards a large enclosure with a cause aspergillosis, an
Scarlet Macaw Ara macao, distinguished by its vivid acute respiratory disease
red, yellow and blue feathers and bare-skinned white caused by fungi.
patch around the eye and face. Found from Mexico ‘We used to spend $2000
to the Amazon, habitat destruction and unlawful a year on nuts alone.
capture for the international pet trade have thinned Now, they come from
its numbers in the wild. contributions and we get
Its companion here is another species of so many, we freeze them—
Neotropical macaw, a majestic Blue and Gold, Ara enough to last all year,’
ararauna, differentiated from the genera Psittacidae Keri said. Since no-seed
(the true parrots) by its significantly longer tail and diets are recommended
oversized beak. These favourites among aviculturists, by veterinarians, the
due to their remarkable beauty, talk-ability, and birds are fed a regimen of
great bonding with humans, are readily available
in the marketplace. But that doesn’t mean they are
for everyone. ‘It’s a lifetime commitment and a big Scarlet, Shamrock and
expense to keep these birds,’ Keri says of the reason Catalina (hybrid) Macaws have
there are so many to rescue. ‘The problem with all plenty of socialisation
of these birds is…basically, they live too long.’ With
an average life expectancy of 50–70 years, many
psittacines may well outlast their keepers.
‘Why do they all have to stay in cages?’ a little
girl from the crowd asks regarding the multitude
of enormous cages scattered among the abundant
greenery. Keri has the quick answer. ‘If they were all
roaming free, it’d be the Bird Gardens of Naples buffet!’
The assembled group manoeuvres from aviary to
aviary, undulating in and out among the enclosures
like a Chinese New Year dragon. Next up, the
Military Macaw Ara militaris. With a red tuft of
feathers just above the beak, followed by a hint of
lime green, then darker and darker olive-green
hues, this amicable macaw earned its name from
its shading of ‘military green’, similar to a parade
uniform. Interestingly, it also has an extreme
hankering for routine, such as knowing when it is
dinner time and when you will be home from the
office to play.
The curator leads us deeper into the enclave of
gargantuan coops, greeting all of the birds by
name. ‘That’s enough of that,’ she berates Chancy,
a Blue and Gold Macaw throwing a tantrum. She 70% pelletised food, with another 30% coming from
introduces us to a variety of parrots, many originally vegetables and berries. ‘Annually, we spend about
hailing from countries across the globe. Eclectus $24,000 on pellets. Our neighbours, Oak Farms,
Parrots Eclectus roratus, native to the Solomon donate the produce,’ Keri said.
Islands, New Guinea, and northern Australia, exhibit
extreme sexual dimorphism. The males flaunt a COCKATOO COUNTRY
brilliant emerald-green and their mates brandish In Cockatoo Country, dozens of these loud-mouthed
red with purplish/blue body feathers. There are also squawkers are waiting to greet us. To my untrained
VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020 BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU • 71
 eye, they all seem pretty illness; it won’t let you know it’s sick.’ In the wild,
much the same, with she explains, the hordes will kill the infirm. Survival
some notable crest of the fittest is the law and natural selection occurs
colour exceptions, but when the healthier members of the flock weed out
Keri knows their names, the weak. ‘When birds are sick, they actually force
their species, and all the themselves to eat more, so that they don’t appear
little nuances that make ill. This is true with your pet. The bird will hide
each of these spectacular (its affliction) until you find it one day, dead on the
white birds unique. Keri bottom of the cage’. She gives another example:
points out that raising ‘When my husband got Stage 4 cancer, Smurfy
the Umbrella Cockatoo started attacking him’. Just like its siblings would
Cacatua alba is a long- react towards an unhealthy member of the flock, the
term commitment. Blue Hyacinth had sensed her husband’s illness and
With the potential for was trying to eliminate him.
a 70-year life span,
this regal Indonesian FREE-FLIGHT ZONE
endemic requires a lot Keri announces we are nearing ‘everyone’s favourite
of supervision and a lot area of the gardens’—the macaw free-flight zone. This
of space. Endowed with is an outstanding sanctuary housing many specially
a sensitive nature and a bred birds. These extravagantly hued psittacines can
hatred of confinement, still procreate at 50–60 years old. All who wish to enter
Umbrella Cockatoos often the enclosure duck inside and Keri promptly secures
resort to self-mutilation,the hinge. Hybrids surround us. A Harlequin Macaw
chewing and plucking (Ara chloropterus x Ara ararauna), a cross between
out their own feathers, a Blue and Gold and a Green-winged, has the perfect
which can ultimately lead nomenclature, since the word ‘harlequin’ denotes both
to fatal infections. a joker and a variety of colours and patterns.
Sassy, the Blue-throated Just ahead, Tiki is singing. A Ducorps Cockatoo I am intrigued by Peanut, a Double Harlequin,
Macaw features in the
free-flight show Cacatua ducorpsii, this beauty has a notable blue eye generated by a pair of Harlequins. He is suspended
ring that almost matches the tincture on its beak, from a wooden swing above my head, and I raise my
a flat-lying crest, and lemony-yellow wing and tail hand, a bit sheepishly at first, to feed this stunning
undersides. As we inch closer, that recumbent comb parrot with some almonds which another visitor,
flares into an upright sail and the singing intensifies. Kaileigh, has brought with her and shared. She is
Like all of the highly-vocal Australasian members entertaining Froot Loop, a Shamrock hybrid Macaw
of the Cacatuidae family, Tiki thrives on social (Ara macao x Ara militaris) on her elbow. Elsewhere,
interaction with its feathered friends, as well as its a Blue-throated Macaw Ara glaucogularis has banged
human care-takers. against a section of tin grating at the bottom of the
The sweltering heat of a Florida summer is starting aviary and is now ‘dancing’ on a double figure-eight
to really kick in as we continue through the maze toy contraption and hollering. Keri nods, saying:
of gargantuan bird corrals, shaded by palm fronds, ‘Her name is Sassy … and she is’. A native to Bolivia,
willows and bottlebrush plants, all of which provide where the species is called Barba Azul (Blue Beard),
foraging material inside the enclosures as well. Sassy leans forward, as if to let us know that she
I love the names of a pair of Bare-eyed Cockatoos knows we’re talking about her.
Cacatua sanguinea and a Goffin Cockatoo Cacatua As we prepare to exit the free-flight area, an orange-
goffiniana—Moe, Larry and Curley (respectively), breasted Catalina Macaw hybrid (Ara ararauna x Ara
after American comedy icons The Three Stooges. macao) tries to nab one of the almonds from my grip.
This hybrid occurs naturally in the wild—when a
BIRD BEHAVIOUR AND HEALTH Scarlet Macaw mates with a Blue and Gold—this bird
As we move to another area of the gardens, Keri is a motley assortment of unbelievable colours, and I
explains that they try to keep flocks of birds together am completely enamoured.
but in some cases, like Allen, a Hawk-headed Parrot The tour is winding down and many visitors have
Deroptyus accipitrinus from Brazil, ‘he doesn’t play already headed towards the exit. We linger in front of
well with others’. As a result, he will be sequestered the coops housing different Amazons—Southern Mealy
away from other birds. He’s such an exquisite Amazona farinose, with feathers that look as if they’ve
specimen. Jade-green throat feathers tipped in red, been gently rolled in flour; Blue-fronted Amazona
grey-white crown and streaks in an otherwise dark- aestiva, with its distinctive turquoise patch right
brown face, all framing a magnificent display of above the beak; and the Double Yellow-headed Tres
elongated crimson neck feathers dipped in blue. It Marias Amazona oratrix tresmariae, from the islands
creates a fan effect, probably designed to help the off Mexico’s western coast—all jabbering raucously,
Hawk-head look more intimidating to predators in almost as if they sense our impending departure.
its natural habitat, the Amazonian rainforests of Keri tells us how she came to be at the gardens.
South America. Though Allen is one of my personal ‘When the local zoo closed down, I told my mom
favourites from the sanctuary, I can understand that I wanted those birds,’ she said. Her mother told
why these parrots with the ‘fight or flight’ instinct her that since she already had a camel, alpaca and a
are known to have behavioural problems and don’t horse, she would have to wait and ‘you can get all the
always make the best of pets. birds you want when you get older’. ‘And I did,’ she
Keri tells us that twice a year a vet comes out to laughs. Though Keri was in the breeding business
the gardens, and she speaks of the need to take your for many years, she said she left because ‘for one
own pet birds for an annual visit to the veterinarian thing, there are too many rescue birds!’
for a physical, including bloodwork, to check for You can find out more about the Bird Gardens of
bacterial infections. ‘In a flock, a bird will hide an Naples at https://birdgardensofnaples.org.
72 • BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020

A new wild fledgling
investigates the camera,
showing just how humanised
Káká can become
Trainin fo
CONSERVATION
W
HEN PEOPLE THINK OF ‘ANIMAL
training’, they generally think of birds and
animals trained to perform tricks, such
as dolphins leaping through hoops or birds flying to a
presenter in a show—entertainment-based behaviours.
However, when ‘training’ is instead thought of as ‘learning’,
a whole new world of applications opens. Over the past
50 years the animal training industry has progressed by
leaps and bounds in training animals for various purposes.
That includes willing participation in their own husbandry
and health care, training for search and rescue and, my
favourite, training individuals and groups of animals to
assist in their own species-level conservation.
There have been some wonderful examples of training
for conservation purposes, in particular by an amazing
pioneer in the field named Ken Ramirez. He has trained
wild chimpanzees to scream in unison when poachers
approach and trained polar bears to move away from
towns to better food sources and to avoid human-animal
conflict. He is currently working on modifying natural
elephant migration routes to avoid poachers. (You can find
more fascinating examples of what his work has achieved
at clickertraining.com/conservation_training.)
Dogs today are commonly trained to scent-detect
endangered species for monitoring purposes (for
instance Kiwi-locating dogs in New Zealand and the
A U T H O R R A C H E L WA R D C P B C P H O T O S P A R R O T L I F E
a parrot’s life
Rache
koala-detection dogs used in the recent Australian
bushfires). Researchers have even trained Quolls in
Australia’s Northern Territory to avoid poisonous cane
toads by using non-lethal but nausea-inducing doses of
‘cane-toad sausage’ before releasing the Quolls into the
wild. Cremona et al (2017) report that these Quolls
‘not only survived to reproduce, but their children and
grandchildren survived as well. Training a single cohort of
Quolls yielded a long-term conservation benefit’.
TRAINING PARROTS FOR SURVIVAL
When looking at any conservation project, a thorough
assessment of the short-term and long-term goals needs to
be conducted, so areas where training may assist individual
and generational survival rates are identified. This depends
on the species ethology, habitat, diet, threat status and
wild behaviour. With parrots in reintroduction or release
programs, common areas identified for conservation
training are anti-predator conditioning, increase of
pre-release fitness through increased flight activity,
avoidance of humans, habituation of tracking transmitters,
hands-off husbandry (such as training to approach remote
weight/feed stations), and training to eat a wild diet.
Parrots are frequently in captivity prior to release
due to translocation processes, captive breeding for
release, or rehabilitation for release projects.
VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020 BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU • 73

Wild food for training black
cockatoos at Kaarakin Black
Cockatoo Conservation Centre
® Registered Trademark © Golden Cob 2006
74 • BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU
RIGHT: A wild juvenile Káká is
exposed to various food types
to learn to identify them in the
wild. These are Flowering Gum
Corymbia ficifolia, which are
found in the region but are not
a native food source
Wild juvenile Káká at a
supplementary nectar feeder
During their time in captivity they often learn undesirable ‘species’ they identify with). All practicable steps need to
behaviour that will become a detriment to their wild be taken to avoid humanisation to begin with, otherwise
survival. Becoming too ‘tame’ or humanised is an obvious without active training to reverse these humanised
example and, in the case of young birds, they can even behaviours, the bird will likely not be released. Well
become imprinted (recognise humans as the parent or thought-out antecedents such as facility set-up, enclosure
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VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020
design and strict personnel training can mitigate these can make them quite bold at
issues, and are much easier to embrace than attempting to supplementary feed stations!
dehumanise or ‘re-wild’ a young parrot. To keep this from becoming
Sometimes a level of humanisation may occur with an issue in the future, we
young birds despite even the best husbandry practices. have been training the wild
Even something as little as humans being viewed birds with a cue to head to
frequently without posing a threat can change a bird’s a ‘stationing’ platform first
behaviour to a level that may be detrimental to them and when they arrive to the
their flock post-release. Every interaction that may modify feeding area while their food
wild behaviour needs to be considered, and replicating is being put out. This means
a natural environment and social structure as closely as the birds don’t crowd the
possible is very important to prepare birds for the wild. volunteers and interact with
them directly.
BLACK COCKATOOS
Some of the fantastic projects our team have been CONCLUSION
involved with have included conservation training for Training for conservation
parrots. During our previous six-year contract with purposes is a very powerful
Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Conservation Centre in Perth, tool to create behaviour
we implemented many protocols to reduce imprinting of change in an individual or
juvenile cockatoos in rehabilitation. We also taught flocks at species level because
of cockatoos which were building fitness for release to fly animals learn quickly from
‘laps’ to a hand cue to minimise stress, build fitness and modelling by conspecifics.
reinforce wariness towards humans. Sometimes we want to
One strategy is to build flocks of enough wild adults and teach natural behaviour or
naïve juveniles that the adults teach the young to behave modify a natural behaviour
like wild birds, often foster them and take over required to assist survival in our ever-
feeding. If you have too many juveniles together, the whole changing world (such as
flock (including the wild adults) often tame down too with the Quoll). Depending Wild Káká are taught to
much, so balance to the flock structure is important. on the project and the goals of the species in question, ‘station’ on this platform on
Black cockatoos in the south-west of Western Australia lateral thinking is needed to address problems that the arrival at the feed area, rather
than following the feeding
are reliant on their parents for up to 18 months due to animals are facing now, as well as those they may face into personnel
the difficult food sources they need to learn to break into the future. It is a task in problem-solving.
(primarily Marri Gumnuts Corymbia calophylla). This means Examples of possible conservation training applications
that providing juveniles with as much wild food as possible, for parrots in future could be training aversion to chewing
and adults to model foraging methods, significantly helps lead-containing items by New Zealand’s Kea, which often
with post-release success. suffer lead poisoning. Another may be training the highly
Although wild food training with the black cockatoos endangered Kangaroo Island Glossy Black Cockatoo
was generally passive, and learnt eventually via trial and population to eat supplementary food until their Casuarina
error and by watching wild adults, we helped speed up habitat regenerates after the recent devastating fires if the
the process with shaping. For example, we observed habitat cannot currently support them.
that most adults can remove the seeds from
a Marri Gumnut in less than two minutes,
so this became the benchmark to ‘sign-off ’
juveniles as they progressed in skill. Shaping
DNA Sexing with
involved using old and very open gumnuts and
putting the birds’ favourite treat (sunflower
seed) inside for them to find as part of their
DNA Solutions
enrichment activities. Gradually, we used less
open gumnuts (just the end open) until they
were successful with these. We then moved Simply post us 2 feathers or a blood spot on paper
to gumnuts we had cracked slightly to make Order your blood kits for only $0.50!
it easier, and finally progressed to the birds
breaking into a normal closed nut. Beak & Feather Disease Test: $30 per bird
DNA Sexing + Beak & Feather: $44.90 per bird
KĀKĀ AND KĀKĀRIKI
We are currently working with the amazing DNA Sexing with blood or feather samples:
Cape Sanctuary in New Zealand, helping with $14.90 each (for testing 10+ birds)
the wild Kākā and Kākāriki restoration project.
$17.90 each (for testing 1-9 birds)
Over the past 10 years the Cape Sanctuary has
rebuilt populations of Kākā and Kākāriki in the
Eggshell samples tested: $2.00 extra per bird
region (where they were previously extinct)
through translocation and breeding for release Express results in 48h: $9.90 extra per bird
projects. However, until habitat regeneration Bird certificates included in the price!
projects are complete, the populations still
require supplementary feeding to support
breeding and survival.
Wild parrots in New Zealand are naturally
curious and are known to approach people, so 1800 000 362
humanisation, although still something to be www.dnasolutions.com.au
mindful of, is less of an issue as it is part of the Operating since 1997, over 200,000 DNA tests performed
birds’ natural behaviour profile. However, this
VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020 BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU • 75
 A U T H O R E B C R AV E N S
hookbill hobbyist Yellow-fronted Amazons
Preparin Generation
fo  Happ Lif
Yellow-fronted Amazon
PHOTO JADE WELCH
I
T WAS BACK IN 1988 WHEN I WALKED
into Feathered Friends of Santa Fe, New Mexico,
and spotted a vividly green psittacine with an electric
yellow patch above her lores, sitting placidly on a perch
in a round chrome pedestal cage. The bird was on
consignment for $US400 with cage. She was immaculate.
I opened the wire door, stuck out my finger and said
‘up’. She stepped smoothly onto my hand and began to
preen behind her right wing. As I knew that calm, gentle
demeanor and pristine grooming are often clues to female
gender in mature Amazon Parrots, I sensed I had found a
female and bought her on the spot.
Tai, who I named after the I-Ching hexagram for ‘still
lake’, was to become my most cherished of Amazon
pets. She was quietly attentive, smart as a whip in new
situations, affectionate, with not a trace of roughness, and
tolerant of other birds in my space.
E As the weeks passed, we began going all over town
together. She would ride on my shoulder or on the back of
the front passenger seat of my old Volvo. She learned to hang
out in the front garden of my little rented Adobe house—
hidden among the leaves in the 4.5m (15ft) apricot tree
outside my kitchen window. Tai never was a talker, but she
was everything else the Yellow-fronted Amazon (aka Yellow-
crowned) is noted for being—non-noisy, non-destructive,
non-aggressive and sedately stunning in colouration.
I have raised and cared for 10 different species of
Amazon Parrots during my years in aviculture, and I admit
that Amazona ocrocephala ocrocephala is my favourite. I
have been keeping, and later breeding them, since that
beginning 15 years ago.
I prefer the common name Yellow-fronted over ‘Yellow-
crowned’ since my observations find that these birds have
a yellow patch on the head akin to the blue on a Blue-
fronted Amazon Amazona aestiva, not like the blue on a
76 • BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020
Blue-crowned Amazon. Yellow-fronts do not have yellow
crowns at all. April and I currently have a four-generation
family here at The Perfect Parrot. Last fall we finally lost
Tutu (‘grandmother’ in Hawaiian). She was a founder, wild-
trapped female who was nearly 60 years of age and had
produced offspring for 22 straight years in captivity before
I acquired her. She and Buddy, a domestic male who was
her second mate, raised another few clutches for me,
but were allowed to nest only every four years or so to
protect her health in her advancing years.
THE MATRIARCHS
One of Tutu’s sons paired with Tai while on loan at Dale
Thompson’s aviaries in California in 1991 and went on to
bear many offspring. Their first-year female, Tia Maria, is
our third generation in this matriarchal family tree.
Tia had her first chicks in the late 1990s after being
our dear household pet, a trained free-flyer (and the
best talker we’ve had!) for five years. Her first clutch
produced four healthy chicks, raised in the nest for six
weeks before we pulled them for human impressing and
handfeeding. We decided to keep the most likely female
as a pet and for future mating. She was our beloved
Tasha Lyn (fourth generation).
At age six, Tasha and Howdy her partner, had their first
baby Yellow-fronts—two adorable little parent-started
for five-plus weeks females. We kept Maya Moonbeam,
the youngest as our first fifth-generation chick. ‘Mooners’
is fully flighted, of course, and divides her time as one
of our house birds and out in the colony, learning from
all the other Amazons. She has gone on to produce her
own Yellow-fronted chicks with an adopted, unrelated
male. We have also kept several adopted Yellow-fronts
who have been rehabilitated here and paired up after
experiencing less-than-ideal conditions elsewhere.
 It is my practice to always hold back the females for the
next generation at our hobby facility. Not only do they
make wonderful pets during their 4–5 years of maturing
towards mating age, but the females are distinctly easier
to pair up with new gene-line males from other sources
with the onset of puberty and when nature begins to
call. Their bonding to humans is not as jealously intense
as that of human-impressed males. What’s more, having
females that are former pets works out supremely well
when clutches of chicks arrive, and keepers need to work
around the nesting area.
Tai, Tia and Tasha were much more tolerant of humans
during summer breeding than were their partners—which
is what I want, rather than males attached to human
keepers. And, having been raised by us, females do not
bolt in and out of the box in a flurry at even moderate
human disturbances, if we talk softly to them to let them
know what we are about.
That is not to say there is a lot of nest box monitoring
going on in our Amazon aviaries. Usually from the time
boxes are put up 90 days after the winter solstice when
daylight hours lengthen, none of us even sees the inside of
the nest box until eggs have been laid and hatched. There
is little reason to bother parent birds when your pairs
have been trained to do all the nesting/hatching/feeding
chores dependably. What reason do I have to startle
them by opening the box? Besides, behaviour of the male,
food being consumed, dawn and dusk nest-box peeping,
and other telltale signs let the proficient aviculturist know
what is going on without disturbing the birds. Parent birds
will become less protective as the weeks roll on and the
chicks feather out. We practice non-invasive aviculture as
much as possible—minus a quick peek if parents are out
in a nearby cage sunning or eating.
BREEDING
All our pairs are set up for breeding season in much the
same way. Their cages are 3–5m (10–16ft) long x 1.8–3m
(6–10ft) wide. All are now walk-ins, since we gave the
ground back to our parrots years ago. Some of the flights
are built with adjacent alcoves, attached hallways, even
‘tugboat’ towers to give pairs interesting corners and a
choice of perch spots out of view of one another. When
a pair ventures out into a side cage area following their
chick feeding, it is an easy task for me to close the access
door and then walk into the primary cage to clean the
nest box or begin socialising the oldest chicks.
Nest boxes are of untreated 5 x 25cm (2x10in) lumber,
built to approximately 17 x 25cm (7x10in) interior floor
space and from 60–122cm (24–48in) tall. The deeper the
box, the less often a female will run up the wire ladder
to check on outside noises or other goings-on. And the
thick lumber both withstands chewing over the years and
provides superlative temperature and sound insulation in
the aviaries.
All boxes are inside the flights. We must be a bit careful
with some pairs when we venture in to feed—although
April is allowed liberties by some of the males who will
come after me if I let down my guard for even an instant.
Sometimes I wear a baseball cap which the males know by
sight, but nevertheless stay away from.
Three to four weeks after boxes go up, our females
begin to spend more and more time within their confines.
Since boxes are removed in the off-season, we do not get
those anomalous ‘false breedings’ that can occur where
boxes are left up year-round and the weather patterns
change abruptly so that one bird decides to cycle. Rotted
log pieces, bark lengths, hardwood chips, green sticks and
the like are provided to be chewed up for custom bedding.
A few sprigs of rosemary and some young Eucalyptus
shoots deter ants and bugs and freshen the chamber.
When females begin to puff up above the cloaca, we
know eggs are being cycled. About this time, the females
will begin sleeping in the nest box—some before the first
lay, others at the second egg stage. We mark the date
when the females begin to set on a calendar. Hatch date
is usually 24–26 days later, depending on weather and the
female’s focus.
By placing an ear near the back of the box shortly after
morning feedings, we can hear day-one chicks begging.
It is a high-pitched, gravelly double-croak sound. With
experience, 2–3 different vocalisations can be extrapolated
by the keeper to keep count of hatchlings.
Sometimes females not seen for weeks will come
out of the box to feed on hatch day. Some males get
exceedingly protective on this day. All babies are left
with parents a minimum of five weeks, sometimes much
longer. In this way they turn into independent, non-
human-needy fledglings that have strong identities as
parrots. This also stops any double-clutching because
females satisfy their seasonal breeding needs. Large
production is not a goal here.
Infertility is rare in our Yellow-fronted Amazons since
we wait until psittacines are at least four years old to give
them a true box. Pairs are much more stable and ready
to be good parents the further past puberty they grow.
Males especially can better cope with just sitting while
their female is out of sight for weeks on end. In our best
pairs, the female controls the box so that the male does
not enter to play havoc with the egg chamber.
Young first-time breeders are not checked while setting.
If the eggs are infertile, I would still want her to sit to
term. If chicks hatch and an infertile egg is present, I
would prefer the female to push it out of the way (or eat
it as some wild parrots do) when she no longer needs
the stabilising bulk. It also allows her to learn about the
existence of infertile eggs.
YOUNG
Once taken into the
nursery, the baby Yellow-
fronts are kept in individual
clutches in large untreated
rattan or grape fibre
baskets with 4–5 dish
towels and a layer of
paper towels underneath.
A stuffed bear gives the
youngest chicks comfort
and a place to rest their
heads. A dark bath towel
covers all until the chicks
begin to peer out and grow
curious 2–3 weeks later
(by which stage they are 8
weeks old).
Feeding newly pulled
babies of 5–6 weeks can be
a bit difficult the first few
days until the birds decide
they like humans and get
comfortably trusting. I use a
15cc syringe to give smaller
amounts ‘round and round
Young Tiara flies into the
to babies’ inside the darkness of the basket for a day or bathroom at dusk to bed
so. It really helps to have your technique down so you can down in her nursery basket
feed right or left-handed, and back-handed when a chick PHOTO EB CRAVENS
faces away, and by feel only, for those birds that remain in
the dark recesses. The youngest chicks are the calmest,
as are those from truly ‘mellow’ pairs. In three days to a
week, all birds become acquainted with us and begin to
seek our loving touch.
VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020 BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU • 77

Fledglings are moved off
the syringe onto soaked
food from the hand at about
10 weeks
PHOTO EB CRAVENS
Alita perched in our
Casuarina trees learning
to eat pods
PHOTO EB CRAVENS
For bird
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78 • BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU
Fledging from the basket is accomplished with similar
baskets, so chicks have a place they recognise and wish
to fly to. This begins at 10–11 weeks of age. Nibbling on
greenery, millet sprays, papaya, etc begins about week
nine. Male birds are precocious and generally show their
gender by being the first to explore.
As fledging indoors progresses, the parrots are
introduced to the outside aviary. Here they learn
advanced flight skills, social
behaviours among the flock
and eating lessons from the
Australian parakeets and
other psittacines in and out
of the colony flights.
Weaning occurs at about
16 weeks old, but most
fledglings still want a sunset
crop full of warm mush
pellets or organic wheat
bread or monkey biscuit
well past 20 weeks. The
birds self-feed, as by this
stage we have long since
moved them off syringe
and to hand mush from
a dish they recognise.
Maintaining this habit keeps
the birds’ baby-like a few
weeks longer and strongly
aids the transfer to a new
home if this takes place.
Some chicks left with
parents to be weaned and
fledged, go through similar
development. Handfeds that
fly well and eat well can be
placed with other parent-
raised birds for added
learning and socialisation.
We monitor the chicks to
ensure no animosity occurs
when differing clutches are
allowed to mingle outside.
FEEDING
Yellow-fronted Amazons, like many South American
hookbills, eat a tremendous variety of raw and green
foods. They must have exercise to burn off any excess
body fats. Ripe fruits can be too sugary and hype them up.
We like to feed green-ripe and concentrate on fruits with
pips, which they soon learn to love. Veggies in shredded
or grated form, fresh and green stems to masticate, are
essential to balance their intake.
Wet foods, sprouts and cooked grains are a must,
especially when pairs begin nesting and feeding babies.
If a nesting pair likes a nestling food like corn cob or
pomegranate seeds, they receive 3–4 helpings a day until
they move on to another favourite. Too many pellets may
cause improper eating habits in some birds; they also may
slow growth of young neonates by drying the chick’s crop.
The idea that Amazons can be sunflower junkies and get
fat easily is sometimes overplayed. Our experience with
INCA incubators
brooder
© BK
©A B
VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020
former overweight ‘perch potatoes’ is that when they
are given an exciting life and good raw food, they drop
the overeating habits like a hot sweet potato (pardon the
pun!). We feed rice/lentil/corn/bean mixes, soaked and
cooked and mixed each morning fresh—except on very
rainy days when birds do not want wet foods. Pellets are
served with the morning feed. Afternoon feeding is nuts
and quality seed mixes of different kinds. Pairs with babies
in the box get wet foods as many as five times a day. The
nourishments they choose are given in extra amounts, as
we trust our pairs to know their nesting food needs.
FLOCK PERSONALITIES
Each one of our Amazons has evolved a different
personality. Some are ‘loners’ in the colony. Some are very
tolerant of all other flock members. A few like only the
members of the opposite sex.
Tasha Lyn, for example, is a bit different from all the
others. She was raised in a season in which we had 10
Yellow-fronted babies from three generations. Therefore,
her aviary fledging experiences were among a rowdy group
of her contemporaries. She never quite got the deep
fondness for the house and car and her human family as my
other pet Amazon girls did. This difference manifested in
a boisterous level of outdoor activity which had us totally
baffled as to which gender Tasha was for nearly two years.
At the Perfect Parrot we do not routinely sex our young
parrots, feeling instead it is fun to observe closely and
guess the gender, learning more by not knowing until it is
absolutely necessary. Normally this means that by the time
they are two we are certain which gender we have kept.
In Tasha’s case, though morphologically appearing female,
she was very large (445g at full-flight size) and assertively
rough in her play, with a high position in the colony
pecking order. Tasha turned out to be the first handfed
Yellow-fronted for which I ever had to send in feathers for
sexing because I was unsure!
Another reason Tasha is unusual is that one year ago,
after the breeding season was over and the Amazons were
all flocked in the main planted flight, she stole Howdy, who
for six years had been the partner of a producing female.
Howdy and Tasha began sleeping together and the former
partner would be pecked away by Howdy. Of course, we
just let it all happen naturally since Howdy had been force-
paired without any choice years ago.
FREE-FLYING
Tai was my first Amazon Parrot trained to free-fly and
return home. Tia followed in her footsteps, and Alita did
likewise. But I have learned over the years that flying bulky,
straight-flapping, adolescent green parrots outside is a
heart-rending experience. I have never lost an Amazon
mind, but I have been up all too many nights without sleep,
praying to be able to find the ones that decided they would
rather camp out in the woods than return when I called
before dusk. The one negative of parrots allowed time out
with full wings is that the more experience they get, the
more they tend to expand their territory. And the wider
the expanse of territory, the more danger of them being
startled, flying yonder and getting lost.
We have also found that, as they get older, Yellow-fronted
Amazons seem to become more conservative, with less
desire to go out of their comfortable sleeping trees in the
aviaries, less wish to ride in the car and visit, etc. Keeping
them inside and working to improve cage space and habitat
for them, with many trees, bushes, grasses, branch perches
and hanging logs seems to work best for all of us. Wish I
could afford to do a half-acre (0.2ha) aviary over the entire
mango orchard but we now have 7.6m x 3.6m (25ft x 12ft)
colonies populated with other parrot species to train birds
in the principles of getting along.
VOCALISATION
A special thing about working with Yellow-fronted
Amazons is studying their vocalisations. Years ago,
when I still had Blue-fronted A. aestiva and a Red-lored
A. autumnalis autumnalis species, I noticed a
phenomenon with my fledgling Yellow-fronteds.
When they hit the 16-week mark and began to learn
vocalisations in greater detail, the youngsters were
naturally making a combination of calls from all the
Amazons I kept on site. What’s more, the male chicks
in particular liked to mimic the loudest sounds in
the colony, so they naturally began to take after the
Red-lored squeals and the Blue-fronted screeches—
not good.
One of my fondest feelings for my family tree comes
from the fact that these Amazons, as a rule, are not
screechers. Their loudest alarm calls tend to be more of a
shout—distinctly less piercing in decibel level than others
like Double Yellow-headed Amazons. In fact, Tia, my pet,
went over two years before she ever uttered a warning
squawk at all, preferring to shout ‘EB’ or ‘out’ when she
wished to be loud. Only when I had a friend baby-sit Tia
for two weeks while I traveled for a speaking engagement
did Tia learn to squawk—and then it was a mimic of
my friend’s Moluccan Cockatoo Cacatua moluccensis.
Fortunately, that noise has faded from her working
vocabulary now that she is mature and integrated into
the flock.
Tia’s mate is ‘Yoga,’ aka ‘Killer’ because he will run or
jump or flap to get to me for a vicious neck or arm bite
whenever I am not looking. Killer was an incubator-raised
male (which I learned to my chagrin after purchase) and is
by far the most dysfunctional member of the family.
Killer flies poorly even after years out here. He is afraid
of many other birds, even the young ones low on the
pecking order, and he bites his partner if I show too
much attention. He came to me with a vocabulary of
swear words directed towards men, which we cured him
of by teaching him the love of singing! Killer produced
chicks on an annual basis, but he is basically useless
as far as conservation goes—that is the passing on of
any truly cutting-edge A. ochrocephala traits to his male
gender offspring.
And conservation is what it is all about with my
matriarchal family tree. I believe everything we do
in aviculture and pet-keeping should find a common
denominator with world avian conservation. Hence,
my decision to limit my Amazons to one specific
subspecies. This has purified the vocalisations going on
in my aviaries to a very high degree. New fledglings are
quickest of all (especially the parent-fledged ones) to
pick up the most subtle noisemaking of their elders. For
example, there is a specific shower/rain sound which
only wild-trapped Tutu and her first mate Ompah made.
It was learned by Luna, their first parent-raised son, and
since then has been passed from bird to bird so that my
entire group of handfed Yellow-fronts has now stopped
most of their human gab during showers and makes
Tutu’s bathing vocalisation. Conservation in aviculture
is a whole other topic for an article but, essentially, we
are talking about a bird-by-bird commitment to maintain
and increase all wild savvy and survival skills in each and
every parrot we keep.
PET CHARACTERISTICS
It is sheer wonderment to live with a pet Yellow-fronted
Amazon in your environment. The correctly raised
Surinam Yellow-fronted is very much like a Yellow-naped
Amazon Amazona auropalliata, even down to the dark
nares, feet and toenails. Some Yellow-fronted individuals,
such as Howdy, even show a yellow head marking back
off the forehead towards the back of the skull, suggesting Yellow-fronted Amazons
links with nape species. These parrots also tend to be are popular pets
PHOTO JADE WELCH
larger in skeletal structure and perhaps may be captive
remnants of a geographical race.
Our babies also sport a talking ability to rival the nape.
All Yellow-fronts may talk, but without the babbling and
screeching tendencies of the Yellow-headed Amazons
A. o. oratrix. Fledglings also love to sing opera. I believe
a Yellow-fronted has been known to win the national
talking contest.
To my mind, the Panama Yellow-fronted is more
like the Double Yellow-headed Amazon, having
shriller vocalisations and often a horn-tinged beak,
feet and toenails.
Behaviour-wise, our fledglings are totally touchy-
feely. They like being on backs and snuggling under bed
covers and having heads scratched for hours. They are
slimmer and more agile than many large Amazons, as
we bring them up with full flight and bouncy limbs and
lots of variable strength exercises. Should any wing-
trimming be demanded by new owners, they would be
minimally clipped very gradually over several weeks,
so the bird remains confident and active. If my chicks
cannot fly halfway across a room with 4–5 clipped outer
primaries, and land on a slick vertical broom handle
or 2 x 4 doorframe, then we have failed in our baby
training. What’s more, with the ongoing debates about
wing-trimming, over the years I have noticed an increase
in the number of bird owners who are now allowing
indoor flight for their new pets.
There was a time when I worried that bringing up all
our fledglings in an outdoor, green and lush, stimulating
environment might make them despondent or upset
if they were shipped to new pet homes. This has not
proven to be the case. To a bird, our Yellow-fronteds
have made the transition to new keepers with curiosity
and flair. Routinely, a well-prepared 16–20-week-old
Yellow-front will emerge from its professional shipping
box halfway across the country, step onto a new
owner’s hand, accept a treat, play with a new toy and
start preening. It appears that the preparations we
make outdoors with giving our handfed babies ‘a quality
childhood’ remain with them after the move to a new
household.
VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020 BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU • 79
 AU T H O R S P A U L C O U R T & R AY C H A P M A N P H O T O S M U R R AY M A C P H E R S O N
mutation mutterings THE CINNAMON
Scarlet-cheste Parro

Cinnamon Scarlet-chested Parrot male

T
HE CINNAMON SCARLET-CHESTED
Parrot is a reasonably new addition to the world
of mutations in Australia. It is the result of the
hard work and nous of breeder Murray Macpherson, who
first identified it and spent the time to develop it.
About 10 years ago, Murray was breeding his Scarlet-
chested Parrots Neophema splendida and noticed some
strange-looking progeny in one of the nests. Alongside two Cinnamon Parblue male
normal-looking birds were two birds that were different.
As the birds developed, they showed signs of being a Tracking back, it shows that the original pairing was a split
Cinnamon mutation—plum eyes, lightened body colour, male to a Normal female.
brown feather shafts, brown flights etc. The two lighter
birds were females. Murray then set out to prove the OUTCROSSING FOR STRENGTH AND VIGOUR
mutation. For it to be Cinnamon, it had to be proven to Murray then went through the painstaking process of
be sex-linked, which it was. outcrossing to ensure the strength of the breeding stock
Being sex-linked, you can have visual or Normal females of his newly discovered mutation. This process is required
and split or visual males. There are no split females. in all good breeding programs but is particularly relevant in

Paul&Ra Cinnamon Blue (‘White-fronted Blue’)

Scarlet-chested Parrot pair, male on left
the development of a new mutation. It was vitally relevant
when it comes to the Scarlet-chested Parrot because
Scarlets are known as a ‘soft’ bird. They can’t tolerate
drafts of any type and can go downhill really quickly when
ill or run down.
As with all sex-linked mutations, the pinnacle is to
produce a visual male. This produces your best pairing
Cinnamon and Cinnamon Pastel on right, outcomes and also allows you to increase your numbers
both young and unsexed quickly, with certainty around exactly what you produce
80 • BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020
in the nest genetically. It is also the quickest way to average percentages based on over 100 eggs laid. You
increase your genetic diversity in your breeding program could have luck go your way—but then again, you
by putting a coloured male over a different, unrelated may not. A good example was seen in the first nest of
female every year. Cinnamon that Murray produced. That pairing should
But producing a coloured male takes time, planning produce 25% Cinnamon females, 25% Normal females,
and good old luck from the genetic and breeding gods. 25% split Cinnamon males and 25% Normal males, but
Because of the way sex-linked mutations work, you need a he was lucky enough to get two Cinnamon females in
minimum pairing of a split Cinnamon male to a Cinnamon one nest.
female to have any chance of producing a visual male. Murray has developed not
In short, a split Cinnamon male x Normal female will only Cinnamon males, but
produce 25% Cinnamon females, 25% Normal females, also produced Cinnamon
25% split Cinnamon males and 25% Normal males. The series birds in the White-
males will all look like normal birds, so are classed as fronted Blue, Parblue and
possible splits and require test breeding to ascertain Seagreen forms, as well
whether they are split or not. as Cinnamon Dark Factor
The next best pairing is a Normal male x Cinnamon and Cinnamon Pastel
female. This will give you certainty around what you combination mutations.
produce, with all females being purely Normal and all Cinnamon Pastel is the
males being split to Cinnamon. That brings you to your first of its kind and there
pairing of a split Cinnamon male x Cinnamon female, will undoubtedly be other
producing 25% Normal females, 25% Cinnamon females, first-combinations produced
25% split Cinnamon males and 25% Cinnamon males. The here in Australia over the
next pairing would be Cinnamon male x Normal female. next few years.
From this pairing, all females will be Cinnamon, and all This beautiful mutation
males will be split Cinnamon. has now progressed to
The final pairing you could have is Cinnamon male x the point where it is being
Cinnamon female. This will give you 100% Cinnamon bred in multiple collections
progeny in males and females. Be aware, however, I am in Australia and can well
never a fan of putting Cinnamon to Cinnamon with this and truly be classed as
mutation, as there is a tendency to lose size and vigour. established. However, it still
The two best pairings for your overall breeding has the potential for many
program—which should include as much emphasis on more colour combinations.
size, health and vigour as on producing numbers—is Through Murray’s hard
either Cinnamon male x Normal female, or split work, he has developed
Cinnamon male x Cinnamon female, as both of these a strong and viable new
pairings can contain a Normal bird, ensuring the mutation but it has taken
A young Cinnamon Pastel
continued strength of the line. patience and diligence in maintaining excellent strength Seagreen bird, sex not yet
and vigour in his breeding program. That’s a decent confirmed
IN PRACTICE feat with any bird, but particularly with the Scarlet-
Please note that the outcomes listed above are genetic chested Parrot.

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VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020 BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU • 81

 Wild-type Green (left) and
Cobalt Lineolated Parrots

A U TH O R & PHOT
H OT OS JJAA DE W E LCH

Th
LINEOLATED PARROT
Looking for a small exotic parrot species to It is important to look at the bird’s health, size,
age and vitality when making a selection. Do your
keep or breed? research, particularly on the genetics of these birds,
because if you are looking for a particular outcome
Want something that doesn’t make a lot of noise? when working with mutations, you will require
Want a species that can be kept as either a pet certain colours.
or for breeding? Are you cutting down on the Starting out with inferior stock is a disaster
number of birds you keep and wanting something waiting to happen and can hamper breeding results
to work with? Living in anything from a unit among other things. Additionally, what may seem
to a house on acreage? If you’ve answered yes like a bargain can end up being the bird you most
to these questions, then the Lineolated Parrot often take to the vet, so up your cost goes. It is
Bolborhynchus lineola is for you. important to speak with a number of breeders and
view stock before purchase if possible.
Once rare in Australian aviculture, Lineolated Another important factor is ensuring that you have
Parrots are now held in good numbers thanks the right sexes and unrelated birds before breeding.
to dedicated breeders. The range of colours and Some rely on visual sexing but this species is not
combinations available has also increased in sexually dimorphic so DNA sexing is recommended.
recent years and added to the species’ appeal. The
following profile will tell you a little more about the HOUSING
many pluses of the Lineolated Parrot, or Linnie, as Lineolated Parrots do not require a large living space
many know it. and can be housed in a variety of cage or aviary
designs. Some breeders keep single-sex colonies in
THE BASICS large aviaries before selecting the pairs they wish to
The wildtype Lineolated Parrot is green with black breed with and moving them to breeding cabinets.
barring—with a big personality. Measuring just A suspended aviary 1–2m in length x 90cm
16cm in length, these birds occur from Mexico, square will comfortably hold a single pair. A
down through Central America and into the conventional aviary may also be used. Some
northern parts of South America, in countries such breeders have been known to keep their birds in
as Colombia and Venezuela. The range includes large planted aviaries with other species such as
drier, open woodland and montane forest. They live finches and Neophema parrots, with mixed results.
in small to large flocks and family parties and have a Be warned, these birds may take to the plants with
pleasant nature and are not overly confrontational, gusto and shred all that is within. Compatibility
nor are they a loud species. with other species will depend on the species kept,
size of the aviary, number of feed stations, nest
SOURCING STOCK boxes provided and more.
With the increase in numbers of Lineolated Parrots A walkway attached to the rear of the aviary will
bred, the price has come down in Australia. come in handy, particularly as these birds are little
However, the price for some mutations remains pocket rockets. Once they get out, they are swift
high. With the imbalance of sexes not being such an flyers, and not easy to get back inside. As Lineolated
issue these days, it allows the breeder to purchase Parrots roost in a nest box all year, it can be located
multiple birds and allow them to self-pair for best either on the outside of an aviary at the rear or
breeding results. inside the aviary under cover. Hanging the box on
While the Lineolated Parrot is a small bird, there the rear of the aviary allows you easier access in
appear to be individuals that are smaller than the norm. the walkway. The box also comes in handy when
82 • BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020
predators such as goshawks are about, as the birds to breed. The reasons
will often use it to retreat into. Pet birds will also are many and varied
appreciate a box to sleep in. and some included
incompatibility within
FURNISHINGS pairs. The issue of
It is important that these birds are given quality incompatibility was hard
perches, such as those from Eucalyptus trees. Dowel to overcome in the early
perches may be fine for show boxes, but long-term stages as there was an
they can create issues. imbalance of sexes, with
To prevent these birds getting their heads stuck, females being produced
and to keep vermin out of any aviary or cage, it is in much lower numbers
important that the barring is not spaced too far apart than males.
and that any wire used is of good quality and small Fast forward to today Suspended aviary suited to housing a pair of Lineolated Parrots
in aperture. Not only will vermin potentially attempt and the imbalance is not
to kill these birds but they can also put the birds off such an issue and the cost
breeding, so keeping a clean area around the aviary per pair has come down
is also important. dramatically. This greatly
These birds enjoy moving about in foliage, so benefits those who wish
will appreciate a regular supply of branches such to purchase a number of
as those from Eucalyptus, Callistemon, Grevillea birds and let them self-
or even the Gold Cane Palm. Lightly spraying the pair to produce the best
foliage with water before it is put in the aviary will results when it comes to
really give the birds something to enjoy. They get breeding.
about the wet foliage rubbing between it before Lineolated Parrots breed
perching to preen themselves or one another. In at any time of year within
addition, they enjoy chewing the branches provided. Australia. They will breed
Both pet and aviary birds will appreciate a supply indoors or outdoors.
of quality toys. Rope toys and happy huts can pose Breeders both here and abroad have kept these birds Two-chambered nest box—
used for roosting all year
dangers as birds have been known to ingest fibres indoors in breeding cabinets with good results.
from both. These must be watched for deterioration The upside to keeping birds within a bird room for
or, if in doubt, not used as all. A play gym with plenty breeding is that it is easier to control temperature
of areas to climb about is also beneficial for this and daylight cycle and, thus, influence breeding.
species when kept as pets, as are swinging perches. A range of nest boxes is used by Australian
breeders, such as the standard Budgie box, a
FEEDING Neophema box, or even a double compartment box.
Lineolated Parrots are not fussy when it comes to The idea of the double
what they eat. However, they do require a varied compartment box comes
and nutritious diet. Poor diet can lead to ill health, from Europe and has
poor breeding results and a shortened lifespan. They given many good results
have a voracious appetite, particularly when young for small parrots. Some
are in the nest. Some breeders maintain them on an issues found in early
austerity diet for most of the year before introducing stages appeared to be
a richer and more varied diet to induce breeding resolved with the use of a
activity. A lot of what these birds will eat comes double compartment box.
from what they are weaned onto when young, so As males will often sit
Chilli is enjoyed by
introducing a varied diet early is important. with females during incubation, Lineolated Parrots
A daily supply of fruits, vegetables and sprouted this gives them a second chamber
or soaked seed should be offered and will quickly without the male getting in the way.
be investigated by these birds. In addition, a small A concave bottom to the nest box is a good idea
quantity of either a pelleted diet or dry seed mix to prevent chicks developing splayed legs. Nesting
can also be supplied. Fresh water is a must, and materials used include fine saw dust, wood shavings
where pellets are fed, these birds (like many other and a combination of saw dust and peat moss. A clutch of hatchlings
species) will add the pellets to their drinking water, Females will work the material to their liking. 2–3 days old
fouling it. Once in breeding mode
Other foods accepted are egg and biscuit, seeding and close to laying,
grass heads, flowering plants such as Grevilleas and females can develop a
Callistemon, as well as weeds such as chickweed. swollen vent, which is a
Some breeders feed egg and biscuit on its own while sign they are not far off
others add it to their fruits, vegetables and soaked laying the 2–5 eggs they
or sprouted seed mixes. Egg and biscuit mix is also produce. They incubate
offered by some breeders when young are in the nest. these eggs for about
Live food such as mealworms are consumed in some 20–21 days and, provided
collections and may be offered to these birds, but they are not overly
consumption depends on the individual. disturbed, make
good parents. These
BREEDING birds quickly become
These diminutive parrots will reach sexual maturity used to nest inspections
at just six months of age. However, it is advisable which gives the breeder
to wait until the birds are about one year old before peace of mind when
breeding them. Within Australia, in the early stages, candling eggs, leg-
Lineolated Parrots were found by some to be hard ringing chicks etc.
VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020 BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU • 83
 Mutations in Lineolated Parrots

DF Darkgreen

Lutino

Normal wild-type (left) and Turquoise

Turquoise SF Greywing

Mauve Creamino

84 • BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020

 There appears to be a difference in fledging times Within Australia, a raft of mutations and
recorded between breeders. This is likely the result combinations are available such as Lutino,
of factors such as diet, nutrition and quantity Greywing, Turquoise, SF Dark Green (Jade), DF
of food fed, as well as weather and temperature. Dark Green (Olive), SF Dark Turquoise (Cobalt),
Handrearing hatchlings is difficult, and unless DF Dark Turquoise (Mauve) and SF Violet and DF
necessary, the chicks are best parent-raised and Violet. The Violet factor has been combined with
removed at about three weeks to tame up if being other mutations such as Turquoise and Cobalt, and
reared to be pets. the Lutino and Turquoise have been combined to
Allowing pairs to rear their own young is important produce Creamino.
and, when young are in the nest, parents are usually With age, some birds
very attentive. Breeders will at times take the first begin to display yellow
clutch and let the birds rear the next. You will note feathering, originally
thought by some to be
with Lineolated Parrots that if the first nest fails, it
a pied. However, so far
is often only a matter of weeks before the pair goes to
nest again. it has been established
If pairs are not compatible or continue to fail to through multiple
nest, it is wise to separate them and allow them to attempts at breeding
that this is likely a
re-pair with other birds. If a bird continues to fail or
displays bad traits such as egg-breaking or feather- sign of age, or in some
plucking young, despite being repeatedly paired with cases diet, or another
others, then it is wise to remove this bird from your unknown factor. A true
breeding program. Pied will be sought-
Outcrossing is essential to maintain vigour after once bred and
and size and record-keeping is vitally important. established. Overseas the
Wildtype green birds are available and can be used to Misty mutation is now
strengthen mutations. It must be noted that many of established in Europe
the wildtype greens are split to Turquoise. and two other mutations
Young Lineolated Parrots
are being worked on, including a possible
PETS Cinnamon and what may be a Fallow.
There are many qualities that make these birds ideal Showing is another aspect to keeping Linnies.
pets. They are easy to house and feed, small, quiet, Overseas, clubs are dedicated to breeding and
can talk (although not very clearly) and there are showing, attracting hundreds of entries. Standards
now a number of colour mutations and combinations and point systems have been developed for colours
available. To me, the wildtype green is equally as including the wildtype.
beautiful. In addition, Linnies can easily be kept
in units and townhouses, as mentioned earlier in CONCLUSION
the article. Now that the Lineolated Parrot is held in enough
Since numbers have increased in Australia, more numbers in Australia, it has become much easier
Lineolated Parrots have made their way into people’s to obtain. This is a species that offers a lot to those
homes. They are a bird that enjoys company, so it who keep them as either pets or breeders. Being a
may be preferable to purchase two birds of the same species that is not at all demanding, and suited to a
sex if you don’t wish to breed. At one stage it was wide range of circumstances, you might just
predominately males making their way onto the say they are the perfect bird for most situations.
market due to the imbalance in sexes but now we are Now that the species is established, it is up to us
seeing both sexes, and both make great pet birds. all to ensure that we do not let it go backwards
and that we maintain quality birds through
MUTATIONS AND SHOWING proper breeding.
Whether you are a fan of mutations or prefer the
wildtype green, there is a place for both. Wildtype ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
green birds are essential for outcrossing to maintain With thanks to Johan Kortenray, of the Netherlands,
size and vigour. Mutations in the species are a who has assisted many Australians over the years,
drawcard for pet owners, breeders and mutation including myself, with the breeding and genetics of
enthusiasts alike. the Lineolated Parrot and Parrotlets.
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VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020 BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU • 85

finch charm A U T H O R & P H O T O S D AV I D P A C E
Diamond Firetail feeding her
chicks—two pairs produced
50 chicks within this mixed
collection

Compatibilit
Finch and
Softbill Species
This article is the first in a
PART 1

4-part series examining the

compatibility of finch,
Davi softbill, quail and small
parrot species housed
within a communal aviary.
Rather than repeat common generalisations, I
thought I would use my own bird collection as a
case study, documenting the successes, mistakes
and failures of my own mixed collections held ABOVE AND BELOW:
within four breeding aviaries in South Australia Aviary One—the subject
between January 2018 and January 2020. of this case study

RIGHT: Grenadier Weaver

female inspecting a nest.
Despite a promising start,
no breeding occurred

86 • BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020

‘What species can I keep together within the same aviary?’ Crimson Finch:
This question arises regularly on social media and has 2 Pairs—29 Bred
appeared in countless articles over the decades. Many Two-pair Experiment—
factors are at play in deciding what species can coexist in Two pairs were initially
one aviary, and there is no one single answer. introduced in June 2018.
Factors which come into consideration include aviary Both pairs settled in, with
dimensions, design and the manner in which the aviary is one pair becoming more
furnished, through to the temperament of individual birds dominant. Initially both
in the collection. In the past, many books and articles have pairs fledged chicks, with
attempted to provide a guide, making generalisations of pair A producing nests of
what species are likely to be compatible. However, with two and four, while pair
B produced nests of one
the popularity serge in softbills in recent years, there is still
a great deal to discover. and three. This all occurred
between September and
AVIARY ONE December 2018.
Species and Housing In early 2019, I noted the
Aviary One was initially stocked to feature Grenadier alpha male stepping up his
Weavers and Diamond Firetails—species that I had kept level of aggression, chasing
and bred in my aviaries when I lived in Victoria. The aviary the second male about the
is 6m in length x 3m wide. The height varies from 2.4m aviary. The result was the
in the rear to 3m at the front of the open flight. Half the loss of the second male
aviary is protected from the elements and half completely several weeks later, although
open, with fine 6.5mm rodent-proof mesh. there was no conclusive
The aviary is planted with indigenous species including evidence that death was
Kangaroo Wattle Acacia paradoxa, which has grown to the caused by the alpha male. It
full height of the aviary. Clumps of Mat Rush Lomandra coincided with a period in
longifolia provide an understorey. The shelter has fine, dry which a local Sparrow Hawk
red sand, while the open areas have pebbles, river stones was in the neighbourhood. Spinifex Pigeons spend a
great deal of time on the
and small sandstone boulders for birds to perch and sun To compound issues, the dominant male’s partner
aviary floor, hence a feeding
themselves on. The rest of the aviary is mulched. The succumbed to egg-binding. station is required on the
shelter walls are lined with dry brush, and most nesting Thankfully, the dominant male accepted the spare ground
occurs in this section. female as a mate and this pair has produced nests of 4,
5, 4, 3 and 3 over a 12-month period. In total, 29 chicks
Diet and Feeding Stations have been produced within this aviary over an 18-month
Due to the number of birds and species held, this aviary period.
contains several feeding stations. Two stations are free- Interestingly, the aggressive
standing, with one providing a dry finch seed mix, while male has not displayed
the second contains a sprouted seed mix, softfood and any aggression since the
some live food (mealworms). The largest feed station is passing of the second male.
a pull-out drawer measuring 1.5m x 35cm. This contains It is worth noting that no
dry seeds (red panicum, white millet, plain canary and grey aggression has ever been
sunflower, which are all fed separately), cuttlebone, baked displayed to other species
eggshells, maggots, mealworms, Wombaroo™ Insectivore within this aviary.
Mix with the addition of hard-boiled eggs, and oiled red
panicum. An extra feed station on the floor in the shelter Grenadier Weavers:
contains a dry mix, easily accessed by the Spinifex Pigeons, 3 Males & 4 Females—
which can be used by any seed-eating species. None Bred
I find multiple feeding areas allow all birds access to food Nothing!—Initially two
in the event of an alpha individual driving others away. males and two females
were introduced into this
COMPATIBILITY STUDIES aviary in December 2017.
Diamond Firetail: 2 Pair—50 Bred The males were in full
Diamond Success—A total of 50 chicks bred from colour and I was confident
both pairs. Clutches ranged from 2–5. In fact, six clutches they would breed, as I had
contained five chicks. Both pairs regularly fledged young bred Grenadier Weavers
within a fortnight of each other. One pair consumed previously in Victoria.
mealworms when young were in the nest. The other pair However, the season
only consumed maggots when rearing chicks. A week after continued without any
fledging chicks, the male would drive the female about the attempt by them to breed.
aviary in much the same way male parrot finches drive The males did not chase the
their mates—a sure sign that they were gearing up for females and did not even
another clutch. The Diamonds bred most months of the attempt to weave a nest.
year but did take breaks during June–August. One female even started to Crimson Finch male—
display some of the colouring of a male, indicating that she despite past reputations,
Painted Finch: 1 Pair—14 Bred must have been quite old and possibly beyond breeding this is an ideal species for
Slow and Steady—This single pair fledged five clutches of age. To make matters worse, one female ‘vanished’, leaving mixed collections
1, 2, 2, 5 and 4, totalling 14 chicks. When fledging, Painted me with only two males and one female.
Finch chicks spend a great deal of time on the aviary floor. After the 2018 season, I was able to obtain an extra
I was initially concerned about possible compatibility pair from a Queensland breeder and two females from a
issues with the ground-dwelling Spinifex Pigeons but they Victorian breeder. I now had three males and four females
coexisted peacefully. and hoped for success in the 2019–20.
VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020 BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU • 87

White-browed The season started promisingly, with males displaying
Woodswallow—sadly,
at each other and even a beautifully built nest! However,
all eggs proved infertile
that’s where it all stopped. The nest was pulled apart and
the season came and went. Such is aviculture.
White-browed Woodswallows:
1 Pair—None Bred
Hopes Dashed—A pair of White-browed
Woodswallows was introduced in early 2018. During the
following spring a nest was built and incubation occurred
but nothing eventuated. The following season, the same
pattern was repeated on three occasions. Each time, two
eggs were laid and the female would sit for the full term.
In each case the eggs were infertile.
The male, according to the literature, is meant to share
incubation duties, but my male does not. Although he is
attentive to his mate, I suspect the addition of a second
pair could enhance the chances of success next season.
White-browed Woodswallows have demonstrated
no aggression to other species in this aviary. They have
a voracious appetite for live food, so consider this if
contemplating this species as they could outcompete
other species in this regard. Having said that, Grenadier
Weavers are always first to the mealworms, while White-
browed Woodswallows are second. In addition to live
food, this species also feeds on insectivore mix and nectar.
Superb Blue Fairy-wren: 1 Pair—6 Bred
Superb Result but a Compatibility Issue—November
2018, I introduced a pair of Superb Fairy-wrens. The pair
settled in but would not produce young until November
2019, when a clutch of three fledged. Another clutch
of three fledged in January 2020. This pair has been
compatible with most aviary inhabitants.
However, the male wren and male Jacarini displayed
a great dislike for one another while they were both
breeding. The Jacarini pair fledged a single chick and
shortly afterwards the male Jacarini ‘vanished’. I suspect
that one should exercise caution when housing these
species together.
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88 • BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020
This Superb Blue Fairy-
wren male clashed with a
breeding Jacarini male
Jacarini: 1 Pair—1 Bred
Initial Success Then Loss—As discussed, one chick was
produced and the breeding male was lost. The female
remains in the aviary at present but will be removed when
she can be caught. Anyone having kept this species in
a large planted aviary knows that is a tough task. From
this experience, I will avoid housing the Jacarini with the
Superb Fairy-wren.
Spinifex Pigeons: 1 Pair—4 Bred
A Comedy of Errors—My first pair of Spinifex Pigeons
arrived in April 2018. They arrived as a DNA-sexed pair
with certificates. However, before too long it was obvious
they were in fact both males, as both birds bowed and
displayed. One bird was swapped for a female and in April
2019 the first two chicks appeared. After surgical sexing,
one was kept while the other was swapped for another
surgically sexed bird of the opposite sex and this young
pair was introduced into another aviary.
The original breeding pair produced another two
chicks in June and, contrary to stories that this species
is finicky and are poor sitters, I seemed to have the
‘dream’ pair. It was only when these last two young
birds were sold that my experience with Spinifex
Pigeons took a nose dive!
Several hours after disposing of the young Spinifex
Pigeons, I was sitting watching the aviary and noted the
remaining birds were spending all their time separated.
The pair was generally always close together, so this was
unusual. I checked on their leg rings and noted the male’s
blue metal ring but suddenly saw the ‘female’ had no
ring. I was hit by the gut-wrenching realisation that I had
sold off the breeding female, which had inadvertently lost
her identification ring! All my breeding birds are rung,
which I find is vital in ensuring they can be distinguished
from their offspring. I learnt a valuable lesson—always
check carefully that adult breeding birds have not lost a
leg ring.
The ‘young bird’ as you can guess turned out to be a
male. Its father is the alpha of the two and they coexist
on Phone 0429 457 615
or garyfitt@bigpond.com
and will remain together until a female is obtained.
The young male will then be transferred to an aviary
containing South Australian species at the school I work
at in Adelaide.
Compatibility-wise, this species mixes beautifully with
the finches and softbills and they have displayed no
aggression to even the youngest finch or wren fledgling.

Rock Parrots: 1 Trio First Breeding Season &

2 Pairs Second Season—20 Bred
Trio and Multiple Pair Success—Three Rock Parrots,
comprising one male and two females, were introduced
into this aviary in January 2018. By January 2020, both
females had successfully fledged a total of 20 chicks.
One triple-clutched in season 2018/19, while the
second double-clutched. A young male was introduced
prior to the 2019/20 season and the two pairs each
double-clutched.
Rock Parrots seem to be free-breeders. My only issue
was the loss of chicks in nest boxes during extreme heat
conditions (over 42ºC) in December 2019. This caused *The next article
the loss of five chicks that would otherwise have been will explore the
raised. Nest boxes were placed on the ground and this successes, failures
saved some chicks. and the down-right
No aggression between the pairs was evident murderous behaviour
and there was certainly no aggression to the other Female Rock Parrot with chicks. Twenty chicks were that has occurred
aviary inhabitants. successfully bred over two seasons in Aviary Two.
Species include
CONCLUSIONS (Spinifex Pigeons—due to my own error, White-browed Napoleon Weavers,
With the exception of the breeding male Superb Fairy- Woodswallows, Jacarinis and Grenadier Weavers). Black-throated
wren and breeding male Jacarini, compatibility within Young birds are always removed to a comfortable Finches, Scrub
this aviary has generally been positive. The results have holding aviary once independent to avoid overcrowding. Wrens, Honeyeaters,
reflected some excellent breeding results (Diamond Ultimately, the key component in any mixed collection is Painted Button
Firetails, Rock Parrots, Spinifex Pigeons, Superb Fairy- to keep fewer species and fewer birds. ‘Less is best’—this Quail and others.
wrens and Crimson Finches) as well as some frustrations is always the challenge.

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VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020 BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU • 89

A U TH O R & PHOT OS PE TE R ODEK ERKE N
African Parrots
Genu Poicephalus
Meyer’s Parrots are difficult
to sex, although generally the
male has a more robust beak
Red-bellied Parrots pair,
male on right
90 • BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU
PART 2
F
OLLOWING PART 1, I NOW ADDRESS
the smaller Poicephalus species. These, in
my opinion, are true miniature parrots,
particularly the Meyer’s Parrot Poicephalus meyeri,
at only 21cm in length. The Meyer’s also has the
largest distribution of all the Poicephalus species and
six recognised subspecies. They range through the
central regions from the former northern Transvaal
north to western Ethiopia and Eritrea.
Not much bigger is the Brown-headed Parrot
P. cryptoxanthus, which is found along the east coast
of Africa, from Kenya in the north to Moçambique in
the south. The Ruppell’s Parrot P. rueppllii and the
Red-bellied Parrot P. rufiventris are slightly larger
at 22cm long. The Ruppell’s Parrot is found on the
western side of the continent, from Luanda, Angola
into Namibia.
The Red-bellied Parrot is found in Somalia,
Ethiopia, south through eastern Kenya into
northern Tanzania. We then see the Senegal Parrot
P. senegalus, again slightly larger than the previous
species, and found in the bulge region of West Africa.
The last two species in this group of smaller species
are the Yellow-faced Parrot P. flavifrons and the Niam
Niam Parrot P. crassus. Yellow-faced Parrots are in very
limited distribution in Ethiopia and bred in captivity in a
few countries. At 25cm in length, the Yellow-faced is the
largest of what I call the ‘small Poicephalus’. The Niam
Niam Parrot has a small distribution in west-central
Africa—I am unaware of its presence in captivity.
VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020
Brown-headed Parrot feeding
on Combretum flowers at Senegal Parrot of the nominate
Letaba, Kruger National Park race found in West Africa

The Ruppell’s Parrot female is more colourful

Rare mutation of the Senegal Parrot than the male, showing blue in its plumage

VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020 BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU • 91

 Senegal Parrot race P. versteri—also known
as the Red-bellied Senegal Parrot
92 • BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU
Rare Blue mutation and wildtype Meyer’s Parrots
IN THE WILD
Status and Habits
The smaller Poicephalus seem to prefer woodlands
and open savannah. The exception is the Ruppell’s
Parrot, which is found in the drier semi-arid habitat
created in Nambia and southern Angola due to
lack of rain. The Niam Niam Parrot inhabits moist
savannah and gallery forest within this ecosystem.
These small Poicephalus are usually found in pairs
in the breeding season and then in family parties.
They can congregate in small flocks at abundant feed
trees and are known to feed on millet crops. Most
forms rely and associate in baobab trees which are
common in dry regions within the African mosaic.
They tend to roost in the same hollow every night
and can fly reasonable distances to food sources but
tend to be sedentary in their habits.
The Yellow-faced Parrot inhabits high elevations,
and above 1800m can be common in Juniper and
Podocarpus forests. At elevations higher than
2900m, it is found in Hagenia trees. It also inhabits
light woodland interspersed with ficus trees. I
have seen Brown-headed Parrots feeding in ficus,
taking the seeds rather than the fruit pulp (like the
Fig Parrots in Australia and New Guinea). I have
also witnessed these parrots feeding on nectar and
flowers of the Combretum spp., which are common
along the watercourses in the Kruger National Park
and elsewhere in South Africa. The African Sausage
Tree Kigelia pinnata is a food source for the Meyer’s
Parrot. The nectar-rich flowers bloom at night but
can still be utilised during the day. The long heavy
pendulous fruit has large quantities of seed which
are relished by many bird species, particularly
parrots. Africa is the land of Acacia trees, so they also
provide seed for these parrots.
The calls of these parrots are similar and are a
series of unmusical notes and screeches.
VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020
Breeding
Nesting months vary within the enormous
distribution throughout Africa. Clutches of 2–4 white
eggs are laid in tree hollows. Often these hollows
can be utilised after barbets and woodpeckers. The
parrots modify the nest by excavation to suit their
requirements. Baobabs are commonly used for nest
sites and the Red-bellied Parrot has been recorded
breeding in terrestrial termite mounds as well as
tree hollows. Incubation is approximately 24 days
and fledging at 8–9 weeks old.
IN CAPTIVITY
I have seen three species of these smaller parrots
in Australian collections and it seems that they are
doing quite well. So, hopefully, we will be able to
establish these interesting and lovely birds.
Housing
A suitable suspended aviary would be 3m x 0.9m
x 1.2m high—a little longer for the larger Yellow-
faced Parrot.
I have found my female Meyer’s Parrot to be the
dominant sex in my pair, with the male being careful
around her. However, this may be due to the female
being handreared and the male parent-reared. I don’t
really have parrots as pets, but I must say this female
was an extraordinary bird that loved to interact
with me. I feel that the small Poicephalus could be
wonderful pets.
Feeding
A quality small parrot mix is the perfect basic diet,
with a little additional sunflower when breeding.
The latter would be best supplied germinated,
by soaking the seed—keep in mind to not supply
soaked seed that has been contaminated by
fungal growth.
 I supply fruit and vegetables to all my birds. Apple,
pear, grapes, corn, a salad leaf mix and celery seem
to be the favourites. I also frequently provide a
frozen vegetable mix obtainable from supermarkets—
defrosted, of course. Fresh young Eucalypt branches
for chewing are appreciated and create an interest
to occupy the birds. An egg and biscuit mix provides
additional protein. I usually use Passwell™ Parrot
Softfood instead of egg and biscuit. Again, I
must mention that all my parrots look forward to
Arrowroot biscuits, given generally in the afternoon.
Naturally, this diet is not provided every day but
given where I think one or two of the items should
be provided on that day, and others are offered
rotationally throughout the week.
In the breeding season the birds get more
choices to offer their chicks, but fresh corn is
provided most days to feed to their offspring.
Clean water for drinking and bathing is vital. their opponent. It is beneficial to have double wire The Yellow-faced Parrot from
Keep in mind that because many parrots love to partitions between most parrot pairs for peace of Ethiopia has become available
dunk their food in water, it can foul, especially in mind. Poicephalus will fight with neighbours and in aviculture in recent years
very hot weather, so be prepared to change the results can be missing toes, or worse.
water regularly. I get great pleasure in allowing birds to parent-
rear. I am not an advocate for handrearing, only
Breeding doing so if circumstances change and a helping hand
It seems most types of nest box would be accepted. is required to get the chick to independence. I also
If the pair is not interested in the box, it may be believe that if you keep on interfering with parents,
as simple as moving the box within the aviary or they will become problem pairs that could start
offering another type of box. damaging eggs. I think that the young reared and
These parrots are best housed in separate pairs as taught by their parents are more valuable in terms of
they can be aggressive, most notably in the breeding breeding potential.
season. They all exhibit postures threatening a There is no better time in an aviary than
rival by lifting their wings over their backs, gaping, watching parents feeding or preening their fledged
tilting their body forward, sleeking their plumage young or just calmly sitting side by side with them
and walking deliberately with a slow gait towards on a perch.

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VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020 BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU • 93

pet parrot behaviour A U T H O R & P H O T O S H I L L A RY H A N K E Y

Cockatiels are often referred to as ‘starter birds’, but can be demanding pets as well,
with their loud voices, messy lifestyles, and need for space and plenty of toys

Wha Make 
Good Starter Parrot?
F
OR SOMEONE NEW TO THE WORLD OF
parrots, thinking of bringing in an animal suited for
social living that is incredibly intelligent, often has
complicated dietary needs, a loud voice, and destructive
beak, there is no end to the number of conflicting and
passionate voices out there offering advice. Considerations
cages, fresh food, and many other accessories. (And yes, if
you know me and my strategy for a happy parrot lifestyle
and less screaming and biting, I mean cages plural!) While
these macaws do live longer than the smaller psittacines,
parrots as a family are generally long-lived.
‘Starter parrot’ as a label tends to imply easier or less

Hiar include ability to talk, colour, size, voice timbre, age,

history…What are the acceptable or best measuring
sticks to use in order to find the best bird buddy to bring
demanding, but this may not be the case. Cockatiels,
lovebirds, Budgerigars and small conures range from 15–30
years in lifespan. They can be just as demanding as their larger
into our lives for the next several decades? counterparts in terms of needing time and resources. And
The answer lies not in what others think we should while their home environments may not be as expensive,
or should not do, but what our needs and those of our they still need large ones, and they do go through toys.
family are. Armed with this information, you might find it They can also be surprisingly noisy. Although perhaps
easier to tune out the impassioned but sometimes over- not quite as loud as larger birds, they can offer more
the-top and destructive voices on social media. constant noise. For those not used to having phone
calls, television time, family dinners, apartment life and
THE MYTH OF THE ‘STARTER PARROT’ other social time punctuated with constant chatter,
When a prospective buyer says that their
favourite parrot is a Blue and Gold Macaw Double T Bird Harnesses
and they have always wanted one, they are Take your tame companion
often told to start with something smaller bird outside safely. ly.
and less demanding. Larger macaws and Proudly Australian Made SIZES
cockatoos are extremely demanding of time Ph Pam or Margaret TO FIT
and resources. Their price tag is often the Ph/Fax: (02) 4758 6564 COCKATIELS
TO MACAWS
least expensive part of their lives—they pammarg@bigpond.com m
need a constant flow of enrichment, large www.birdharnesses.com m ABK©

94 • BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020

smaller parrots can be extremely disruptive. And, in my
experience, they are just as messy as larger parrots.
Neither are smaller parrots birds to be ignored or
rehomed once we have gained some skills and gotten
our feet wet in the world of parrot cohabitation. It can
be difficult and even dangerous having small and large
parrots in the same home due to the sheer size difference
between various parrot beak and toe sizes. Extra measures
of management are needed to ensure safety in this regard.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?

So, what are you looking for in a parrot? What matters
to you most? Temperament, talking-ability, cuddliness,
vocalisation sounds, size, colouration, and feather dust
output are all viable classes to assess when looking at our
lifestyle and what parrot will be the ‘best fit’.
For example, I wouldn’t look at an Eclectus or a
Psittacula species like an Indian Ringneck if I expected a
parrot that liked head scratches. If having a parrot that
mimics human speech is something I was looking for as an
engaging member of my family, I need to choose a species
of parrot known for this quality.
Doing objective research based on qualities and
characteristics, as well as hanging around the actual birds
themselves, can provide critical insights for long-lasting
success. Parrot adoption organisations, parrot aviaries, and The multitude of suggestions are hard to vet, and sometimes Adding an older parrot to
parrot-owning friends can offer wonderful experiences passion is mistaken for authority. Where networking, an existing household pet
and advice. Whether or not to adopt or shop, as the industry-specific periodicals, and parrot clubs were once or flock can be extremely
challenging and risky. It’s
phrase goes, is entirely up to you and the topic of an the norm, we have moved into a new space in which free difficult to predict how each
entire article. There are many parrots needing homes, but opinions can be thrown around like rice at weddings and bird will react, and adding a
if you are new to the world of parrots, taking on a parrot paying for professional expertise is no longer our first impulse. bird of the opposite sex can
with a complex history may do as much damage to you as Full research is vital to make such an incredibly upend a harmonious dynamic
it will to the parrot. important decision as adding a new companion to your
home, particularly one that could last for the rest of
MANAGING OUR EXPECTATIONS your life. Spending your time in the presence of parrot
While we may look for certain traits in our feathered
friend which we think will suit our homes and lifestyle, that
doesn’t always mean that we have perfect vision for what
will be successful. For instance, cockatoos and even macaws
are known as ‘cuddlebugs’ and ‘love sponges’, but offering
them constant cuddles and full-body petting every time we
are with them without building other beneficial skills for
independent play can lead to major issues down the road.
Other unmet expectations can be more subtle. For
instance, apartment living with any parrot can be a
challenge. When I am approaching a client’s home in an
apartment complex, it’s usually not too hard to figure out
which unit is theirs—even if they have only a Cockatiel or
lovebird. Are there some people that can live with an entire
room of Sun Conures or an Umbrella Cockatoo without
a single complaint from the neighbours? Yes, and I have
done it. But the problem here is not that it can be done,
but that these species have such a high risk for failure in
these set-ups, that the parrot parents who go on reporting
their successes on a broad platform such as social media,
encouraging others to do likewise, may not be fully aware
of or able to share all of the variables that led to their
success. Nor is it possible for many people to replicate this.

WHAT IS THE ANSWER?

As we have moved into acquiring free information via
social media, we have run into several associated costs.

UVA & UVB

Bird Lamp and Tubes
professionals before bringing a parrot—
even your second or third one—into your
Some expectations are
perfectly understandable
when assessing the viability
home can be one of the most valuable
Implementing these lights into your of a species for your lifestyle
expenditures you make. Investing resources but encouraging some
bird’s daily life aids in improving
feeding and breeding behaviour in this way will shape the way that you think behaviour, like too many
Call Anthony on 0481 332 329 or about your companion’s behaviour and snuggles and insufficient
independent play, can lead
©ABK

Find us on Facebook training, which will set you up for a lifetime

Arcadia Reptile and Bird Australia www.arcadia-aust.com.au to problems
of relationship success.
VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020 BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU • 95

AUT HOR
G R A E M E HYDE
A Synopsis of the Birds of
Australia and of the Adjacent
Islands, published in 1937–
1938 is unlike all Gould’s
other illustrated work. The
73 bird head illustrations by
Elizabeth Gould are exquisite
96 • BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU
Painting of John Gould with
a specimen of Count Raggi's
Bird of Paradise, 1878.
ARTIST HENRY ROBERT
ROBERTSON, 1839-1921
John Gould
Hi Famil an Lif
O
F ALL THE PROMINENT AND WIDELY
experienced ornithologists living in England
in the 19th century, the name John Gould
became the best known. His humble beginnings
as a 13-year-old apprentice gardener in the Royal
Gardens at Windsor Castle contrasted greatly to so
many other avian enthusiasts of his era who came
from affluent families. Many of them graduated
university in medicine or theology and then
chose not to follow their profession but instead to
become amateur naturalists—in particular, active
ornithologists who lived a gentleman’s life.
THE EARLY YEARS
John Gould was born on 1 September 1804 in
Lyme Regis, a small fishing village in Dorset on the
south coast of England. His father was a gardener
and, despite his educational and social barriers,
through hard work, natural ability, enthusiasm and
determination, John Gould gained recognition. By
the time he was 21 he had set up his own taxidermy
business in London. Here he eventually made both
his name and fortune.
Due to the incredible number of animal specimens
arriving at the London docks from overseas, animal
dealers and taxidermists were kept busy with the
natural history craze flourishing in the UK. In 1828
Gould became Curator and Preserver to the Museum
of the Zoological Society of London, and in 1829 was
famously commissioned to taxidermy King George
IV’s giraffe.
A study of Gould’s long professional career makes
it abundantly clear that no other ornithologist,
before or since, exceeded the number of his
discoveries or the superb quality of his folio
publications, especially The Birds of Australia
on 1 December 1840. The final parts of this book
were the result of his highly successful 19-month
trip to Australia in 1838–1840. He spent time in
the field studying, describing and organising the
illustration of Australia’s hitherto unknown and
unnamed avifauna. The entire project, produced in
folio size format, published in 1848 was beautifully
illustrated with 681 colour plates at a cost to
subscribers of £115. It is claimed as the finest of
John Gould’s 18 major publications.
In 1938 in a special tribute to his work, Neville
W Cayley, the doyen of 20th century Australian
ornithology wrote, ‘Amongst writers on natural
science John Gould stands alone. The amount and
quality of his work are unsurpassed, his writings will
ever be a source of reference and inspiration, and the
beautiful illustrations remain unchallenged.’
VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020
JOHN AND ELIZABETH
Little is known about Elizabeth Coxen except that
she was born on 18 July 1804 in Ramsgate, England,
the sixth of Nicholas and Elizabeth Coxen’s nine
children. She was considered ‘an educated young
woman, with experience as the governess of a
prosperous family living in St James St, London’.
One biographer believed John Gould ‘had discovered
the perfect partner to fulfil his publishing ambitions:
Elizabeth was determined, intelligent, educated,
practical, obedient and she possessed the one
attribute he most desperately lacked, she could draw’.
Gould met Elizabeth in 1828 and they were
married in St James Church, Piccadilly, London, on
5 January 1829, both aged 24. It is on record that,
‘In marrying Gould, Elizabeth entered a household
dominated by ornithology but brought to it her
own invaluable contribution as a draughtsman. She
painted birds with great care and delicacy and made
an attempt to portray them in a like-manner at a time
when they were usually portrayed in stiff profiles’.
THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY
At the same time, Gould was fortunate to meet
Nicholas Vigors, an outstanding UK naturalist and
co-founder of the recently formed Zoological Society
of London. Vigors was looking for a taxidermist
for the society’s museum and Gould was chosen as
the society’s first curator and preserver. Gould’s
multi-oriented life was becoming more professional
and extremely busy, resulting in his eventual
appointment as the museum’s Curator of the
Ornithological Department.
At that time he was not recognised as a person
with special avian knowledge or as a professional
zoologist. However, following attendance at his first
meeting of the Zoological Society of London on 12
July 1832, he gradually became well known through
his presentation of papers on the vast number of
bird specimens he was receiving from Australia. His
astute business acumen enabled him, by naming
each species after himself, to ensure the name
‘Gould’ became established within zoological and
aristocratic circles—even though he hadn’t discovered
any of the species he described. In one meeting of
the ZSL in 1836, he described 27 different species of
Australian birds!
The success of his first major publication, A
Century of Birds from the Himalaya Mountains,
January 1830–1832 (a folio-size volume set, in
partnership with Nicholas Vigors, who wrote the
text, and Elizabeth as the artist), set the trend for
15 titles in the same format that he published from
their London home. Between 1832 and 1837 John
Gould published a five-volume work titled The
Birds of Europe which added to his credibility as an
ornithologist and successful publisher of natural
history books.
On 26 January 1838 Gould advised the committee
of the Zoological Society of London of his resignation
as he planned to leave in the spring for Australia
and would be absent for two years. Thus, began the
valuable Australian connection with John Gould.
EXPERIENCING AUSTRALIA
Elizabeth Gould’s two brothers, Stephen and Charles
Coxen, had migrated to New South Wales in 1827
and 1834 respectively, and were granted land as early
settlers at Yarrandi in the Upper Hunter region. They
became wealthy pastoralists, employing convicts from
England who were described as ‘servants’.
As Gould made his feverish preparations, obviously
with much enthusiasm and some trepidation, his
training as an ornithologist by Nicholas Vigors
and his membership of the Linnean and Zoological
Societies, gave him the confidence for the hazardous
sea voyage to Australia. Leaving their three younger
children at home with their maternal grandmother.
John and Elizabeth Gould sailed from England in May
1838 in the Parsee, a small 349 ton barque. With them
were their eldest son John Henry aged 7, a 14-year-old
nephew William Henry Coxen, who they had fostered
when his father died in 1825, a male and female
servant, and ornithologist John Gilbert. Gilbert, who
had worked with Gould in the Zoological Society’s
museum for five years, became an outstanding
zoological collector for John Gould prior to Gilbert’s
tragic death in Australia on 28 June 1845 during an
expedition with explorer Ludwig Leichhardt.
The Gould party arrived safely in Hobart Town, Van
Diemen’s Land on 18 September 1838. Gould had
already been in contact with Sir John Franklin, an
esteemed naval man who had been appointed the first
Governor of van Diemen’s Land. Sir John was also
interested in natural history, and the families became
friendly. In time the Goulds were invited to stay with
the Franklins in a wing of Government House.
Gould’s plan was to spend as much time as
possible in the Australian countryside studying
Australia’s diverse and amazing birdlife. It began
immediately, in the main street of Hobart. Then,
accompanied by the servant James Benstead, he
devoted his time to Van Diemen’s Land and adjacent
islands for several months.
When John was out in the field studying Australian
birds, Elizabeth stayed with the Franklins in Hobart.
She gave birth there to son, Franklin, in May 1839.
On one occasion she wrote to her mother in England,
‘I find amusement and employment in drawing some
of the plants of the colony, which will help to render
the work on Birds of Australia more interesting… I
trust we shall be enabled to make our contemplated
work of sufficient interest to ensure it is a good sale’.
After about four months, John Gilbert went to
Western Australia, where he followed natural history
pursuits for nearly a year. Gould travelled to South
Australia and joined Captain Charles Sturt, the
Surveyor-General, on the first exploratory expedition
from Adelaide to the Murray Scrubs—an incredible
experience for both Sturt and Gould.
With the Coxen property as his base in the Hunter
region, Gould as a diligent and determined zoologist,
did a lot of valuable field work both by walking and
horse riding in a large area of virtually unknown
country. He was greatly impressed by Gilbert’s
record in the field. It is a tribute to Gilbert that
he discovered so many Australian birds and was
author of many field notes quoted by Gould in his
publications. The Australian Museum in Sydney
had been open for three years and while in NSW,
Gould visited it.
RETURN TO ENGLAND
Upon returning home to England, Gould was
incredibly fortunate in choosing the recently
developed method of lithography—the original form
of planographic or surface printing—that was used
by one of his colleagues, Edward Lear, an excellent The Mammals of Australia,
draughtsman who later became one of his artists. compiled and published
As this printing method offered a new freedom for 1845–1853, features 182
hand-coloured lithographs by
both artist and printer, Gould used it for all future Gould and Henry Constantine
colour plates, enabling him to employ specialist Richter. Gould’s descriptions
colour artists to complete all the plates to the same of Australian mammals,
excellent standard. including 45 for the first time,
is almost as important as his
The husband and wife team—John sketching contribution to Australian
the species in pencil and Elizabeth executing the avifauna
drawings—plus Gould’s outstanding text on all the
species that he compiled in their London home,
combined to make The Birds of Australia a mammoth
publication. In the words of Alec Chisholm, noted
Australian ornithologist and natural history
author, ‘The total number of colour plates in the
eight volumes is 681, and the whole production is
undoubtedly the greatest of Gould’s 18 major works’.
The irony of the Gould publishing empire is,
that despite the long-held claim John Gould never
painted a bird in any of his 18 major publications, he
is still regarded as the outstanding bird artist of the
19th century!
Gould studied Albert’s Lyrebird during his travels,
describing and naming it in honour of Prince Albert,
Queen Victoria’s husband. It was published in the
Proceedings of the Linnean Society, London, on
February 5, 1850. He had to choose from the Prince
Consort’s five common names—Francis, Albert,
Augustus, Charles and Emanuel.
In the preface to the Handbook to the Birds of
Australia, a two-volume work published in London in
1865, containing 1290 pages, Gould wrote: ‘Nearly
20 years have elapsed since my folio work on The
Birds of Australia was completed. During that period
many new species have been discovered, and much
additional information acquired respecting those
comprised therein; it therefore appeared to me that The Handbook of Birds of
a careful resume of the entire subject’ [in octavo Australia, published in 1865,
format] ‘would be acceptable to the possessors of is an elaboration of Birds
of Australia in Gould’s final
the former edition, as well as to the many persons contribution to Australian
in Australia who are now turning their attention ornithology
to the ornithology of the country in which they are
resident.’
The Handbook is a major updating of the text
of The Birds of Australia and is Gould’s final
contribution to Australian ornithology. It is still
considered useful for anyone interested in the
science of ornithology in our country.
RECOGNITION FOR THE GOULDS
Sadly, Elizabeth Gould died on 15 August 1841,
aged 37, from puerperal fever. It was five days after
the birth of their eighth child. Following her death,
Gould appointed Henry Richter (1821–1902), to
continue the colour illustrations for The Birds of
Australia, of which Elizabeth had completed 84.
Richter completed 595 of the 597 lithographs
required for the project.
VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020 BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU • 97

The Gouldian Finch was
described by John Gould in
1844 as Amadina gouldiae,
in honour of his deceased
wife Elizabeth
PHOTO DAVID PACE
Wood Duck painted by
Elizabeth Gould and published
in Birds of Australia 1972
Edition
New Holland Honeyeater
painted by Elizabeth Gould
and published in Birds of
Australia 1972 Edition
A TASTE OF GOULD’S WORK
Certainly, Gould’s excitement upon seeing Australian
birds in the wild is evident in the Handbook, and the
following extracts convey some of his enjoyment:
98 • BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020
Orange-bellied Parrot
PHOTO DAVID PACE
Gould lived with his family in their five-storey
Georgian terrace house at 20 Broad St, Soho, for
several years after the tragic death of his beloved
wife. In 1869 they moved to Bedford Square,
Bloomsbury Street and John purchased next door on
Great Russell Street, converting both into one house.
All the publishing and natural history items were
located in the Great Russell Street building and the
26 Charlotte Street section became the private family
living premises.
Elizabeth’s outstanding contribution, which
generated the success of John Gould’s major
publications, was estimated as ‘more than 600
drawings and paintings made from [both] specimens
and live birds in Australia’.
Of all the birds bearing Gould’s name, the most
widely known around the world is without doubt the
Gouldian Finch Erythrura gouldiae. In Elizabeth’s
honour he wrote, ‘It was with feelings of the purest
affection that I venture to dedicate this lovely bird to
the memory of my late wife’.
Gould himself died in 1881. He left as his legacy, a
priceless collection of 12 395 specimens, as well as
his publications and the knowledge he had shared.
He chose as his epitaph: John Gould the Bird Man.
In the 1972 facsimile edition of Handbook to the
Birds of Australia, Allan McEvey, curator of birds at the
National Museum of Victoria for 30 years, wrote that
the publication of The Birds of Australia ‘was perhaps
his greatest work in scope, personal enterprise and
pioneering quality, and its groundwork was shared by
his artist-wife, the loyal Elizabeth Gould…The essential
status of the Handbook emerges from its historical
position; it looks back to the beginning of Australian
ornithology, summarising the known, and forward
to the great Catalogue by Sharpe and others…offers
pleasing samples of natural history prose of the 19th
century which, verbose or not, reflect the dignity that
the age expected of its science.’
Hubert M Whittell OBE, in The Literature of
Australian Birds (1954), acknowledged the great gift
John Gould had given to Australian ornithology.
‘From 1837, when he produced his first work on
Australian birds, to the day of his death in 1881,
Australian ornithology was dominated by John Gould;
it may be said that practically every new Australian
bird discovered during this period passed, in some
way, through his hands’.
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo
Calyptorhynchus funereus xanthonotus
‘It is plentifully dispersed over all parts of Tasmania,
where it evinces a preference for the thickly wooded
and mountainous districts; and is always to be
observed in the gulleys under Mount Wellington,
particularly in the neighbourhood of New Town.’
Wood Duck Chenonetta jubata
‘During the early days of the colony of New South
Wales, it was very common on the rivers near
Sydney, particularly on the Hawkesbury…It presents
a very pleasing appearance while flying up and down
the brooks in flocks of from six to 30 in number,
and is equally interesting when perched in small
companies on the branches of fallen trees which have
found a resting-place in the beds of the rivers and
water-holes.’
Orange-bellied Parrot Neophema chrysogaster
‘Although the present bird is not so elegant in form,
nor graced with so brilliant a frontal band as several
others of the [Neophema] group, it has received an
ample compensation in the rich orange mark that
adorns the under surface, a character by which it may
be distinguished from every other known species.’
Beautiful Firetail Finch Emblema bella
‘Tasmania may be considered the principal habitat
of this species, for it is universally and numerously
dispersed over all parts of the island suited to its
habits and economy…I generally observed it in small
communities varying from six to a dozen in number,
searching on the ground for the seeds of the grasses
and other small plants which grow on the plains and
open parts of the forest. It also frequents the gardens
and pleasure-grounds of the settlers, with whom it
is a favourite, few birds being more tame or more
beautifully coloured.’
Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes
‘The chasteness of its colouring, the extreme
elegance of its form, and the graceful crest which
flows from its occiput, all tend to render this pigeon
one of the loveliest members of its family…Its flight is
so rapid as to be unequalled by those of any member
of the group to which it belongs; an impetus being
acquired by a few quick flaps of its wings…Upon
alighting on a branch, it elevates its tail and throws
back its head, so as to bring them nearly together, at
the same time erecting its crest and showing itself
off to the utmost advantage.’
New Holland Honeyeater
Meliornis novae-hollandiae
‘… it is one of the most abundant and familiar
birds inhabiting the colonies of New South Wales,
Tasmania, and South Australia: all the gardens of the
settlers are visited by it, and among their shrubs
and flowering plants it annually breeds...The
strikingly-contrasted markings of its plumage,
and the beautiful appearance of its golden-edged
wings, when passing with its quick jumping
flight from shrub to shrub, rendering it a most
conspicuous and pleasing object.’
Superb Lyrebird Menura superba
(now novaehollandiae)
‘Were I requested to suggest an emblem for Australia
among its avifauna, I should without the slightest
hesitation select the Lyrebird as the most appropriate…’
REFERENCES
Australian Museum. Gould and his contribution
to science; John Gould: books and illustrations;
History of Australian Museum. Museum Website.
Chisholm, AH 1966, ‘The Story of Elizabeth Gould’,
Australian Dictionary of Biography. University
Press, Melbourne.
Chisholm, AH 1966, ‘The story of John Gould’,
Australian Dictionary of Biography, University
Press, Melbourne.
Datta, A 1997, John Gould in Australia: letters and
drawings, Melbourne University Press, Carlton South.
Ebbs, H 1987, The John Gould Collection; from his
EDITOR’S COMMENT
The Gould League History
The Gould League is recorded as Australia’s oldest
environmental education organisation, established in 1909
and honoured by having then Australian Prime Minister
Sir Alfred Deakin as its first president. It was devoted
to bird protection, prevention of egg theft, promoting
education about birds, and campaigning for the formation
of bird sanctuaries.
One of the league’s main sponsors was the Royal
Australasian Ornithologists Union, now part of BirdLife
Australia. The league had considerable success during
this period, particularly in publishing educational material
and in activities including field days to introduce the
public to birdlife.
According to a 2011 Sydney Morning Herald report of
those early years, ‘Members—mostly school children, who
joined for life for a penny—signed the Gould League Pledge, conservation group. From 2012, the Gould League also
‘to protect all birds except those that are noxious, and to offered forest education services to Victorian schools,
refrain from the unnecessary collection of wild bird eggs’. The
movement spread rapidly. Within a year branches had been
formed in more than 1000 schools. At the league's peak in
the late 1950s, membership had reached about 155,000.’
Time Brings a Broader Focus
After the 1960s, the league focused more on overall
environmental education, and the more general name
Gould League was adopted, without specific reference
to birds. The league basically blazed the trail for
environmental education in Australia, promoting its
teaching in schools, publishing material, establishing field key ongoing message it says is: ‘We can all do something—
study centres and organising excursions.
Numerous independent state Gould League organisations a program to become better educated, take action, inspire
have existed over the past century. Only the Victorian
and Western Australia (Herdsmans Lake Wildlife Centre) charities like Gould League. Everyone can take action!’
leagues survive. The New South Wales league announced
its closure in 2011, just after celebrating its centenary.
When formed in Wellington in 1910, it had reportedly
been virtually the only organisation involved in educating
children about nature, the bush and native animals, but it
GOULD LEAGUE PUBLICATIONS
In the late 1920s, celebrated Australian author,
artist and ornithologist Neville Cayley wrote and
illustrated the bird guide What Bird is That?, which
was published in 1931. For a long time it was the
most popular bird identification guide, and remains
a comprehensive and authoritative reference. As well
as a member of the Gould League, he was council
member of the Royal Zoological Society of New South
Wales (president 1932-33), the Royal Australasian
Ornithologists' Union (president 1936-37), and the
Wild Life Preservation Society of Australia.
personal library. Ebes Douwma Antique Prints &
Maps, Melbourne.
Gould, J 1972, Handbook to the birds of Australia
(Facsimile Edition). Lansdowne Press, Melbourne.
Sauer, Gordon C 1982, John Gould: the birdman,
Lansdowne Editions, Melbourne.
Coxens of Yarrandi, 2017, Free Settler or Felon website,
Australian Dictionary of Biography. Wikipedia.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Thank you to Andrew Isles Bookshop for the supply
of details and images of John Gould’s published
book covers.
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo
was believed other groups and the Education Department painted by Elizabeth Gould and
now filled these roles. South Australia, Queensland and published in Birds of Australia
1972 Edition
Tasmania leagues have also closed.
The Gould League Today
In the 2000s, the Victorian Gould League states it won
numerous national and international awards for innovation
and excellence. It began the state’s Sustainable Schools
pilot with government funding and involved over 1000
schools in a Waste Wise Schools Program, as well as
establishing a Community Multicultural Gardening Project
in schools.
In 2008, with Etech, the Gould League launched
Sustainability Wiz, which it claims as the world’s first
international online climate change education program,
and partnered with Liverpool Plains Land Management
Inc, a NSW-based sustainable agriculture and nature
taking over the Toolangi Forest Discovery Centre, which
had been threatened with closure.
And celebrating 110 years in 2019–2020, the league
has introduced new workshops and courses for
teachers, business and the community around the ‘Blue
Economy—100 innovations inspired by nature with zero
waste that in 10 years can create 100 million new jobs’.
Over one million Australians have reportedly been Gould
League members since it began. Children, families and adults
make up the current 300-strong membership base, still
supporting the organisation’s legacy. The Gould League’s
be that plant a tree, protect a species, reduce waste, book
others, become carbon neutral, donate to environmental
References: https://www.gould.org.au/about-us/history/
and https://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/
down-binoculars-as-bird-league-calls-it-a-day-after-100-years-
20110401-1crk2.html
In 1934, the League published Gould League
Songs and Poems, focussing on bird content and
including photographs and two colour plates by
Neville Cayley. The songs were written mainly
about Australian birds and set to the music of
well-known British folk songs. Bird poems and
articles about birds and Gould League matters
were included.
In 1935, Feathered Friends was published. It was For more information
illustrated with numerous photographs and full-page see www.gould.org.au
colour plates painted Neville Cayley and copies were or email:
given to every public school in NSW. gould@gould.org.au.
VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020 BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU • 99
the wise owl A U T H O R & P H O T O S D R M I LT O N L E W I S B S c ( H o n s ) P h D
FACING ARMAGEDDON
A
S I SIT AT THE LAPTOP WRITING MY
Wiseowl column, the sound of pouring rain
on the corrugated iron roof is so loud that I
can’t hear anything else. It has been like this for the
past 12 hours. Weather forecasts are telling of more
than 200mm for each of the next two days, with floods
looming around the lower end of my property. That
is why I built the birdrooms on piers! Australia has
always been a land of extremes but you have to live in
it to really understand the consequences and the gut-
wrenching psychological trauma.
My story for this edition is personal and starts on 21
December last year with the fires that began to take
hold across the south coast of New South Wales. The
landscape was dry, with cracks appearing in the ground,
not a blade of green grass anywhere and the trees were
dropping sheets of bark like moulting canaries shedding
feathers. We had not seen rain for months and it
appeared the land was at death’s door.
It was going to be another hot day, with temperatures
forecast to go over 40ºC again, accompanied by very hot,
dry northerly and westerly winds. It is a combination of
weather features that can only lead to one thing—a very
unpleasant day. Hot days are, unfortunately, becoming
quite frequent where I live, and the peak heat of the day is
not just a few hours around lunchtime or early afternoon
but extends into the late evening.
HOT DAY PRECAUTIONS
Milto I now have a series of precautions that come into
effect when these weather conditions are forecast.
I start the day very early by opening the birdrooms
to allow as much cooler night air as possible to flow
through the cages. This allows the birds to start the
day as comfortably as can be achieved. When outside
temperatures hit 25ºC—
and this has been as early
as 9am—I again shut the
windows to keep cooler air
inside the room. The blinds
are closed to prevent as
much heat as possible from
entering through the glass.
I really wish these windows
were double glazed but the
walls of the buildings are
insulated to the maximum
degree.
Water baths are hung
on all the cages and all
the birds are given fresh
green vegetables, such
as Asian greens, to help
with hydration. As the day
Fire dominated the horizon
to the south as the fires progresses, I place cobs of frozen corn in all the cages,
raced toward us accompanied by a frozen freezer brick. My birds are
accustomed to this procedure and now sit on the frozen
blocks or bathe and drink from the cool condensation
pooling on the block. In the mid-afternoon I change all
the drinking water to provide a cooler drink. This hot day
procedure appears to work very well and I rarely observe
birds showing any signs of heat stress.
100 • BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020
WHERE THERE’S SMOKE…
This was how 21 December started, but it was to
progress into a very different and more sinister scenario
in the afternoon.
By mid-afternoon the expected 40ºC had come and gone
and it was now 45ºC. The birds seemed to be managing
the heat well. However, as I walked down to check on their
wellbeing, I was horrified by the sight of a huge plume of
black smoke a few kilometres south. This was particularly
bad because having checked the weather report numerous
times that day, I knew of the expected southerly wind
change to come. You really do not want to see a fire so
close in the neighbouring forest with a predicted wind
change that will direct it straight at your house.
In these situations I am not a person prone to panic but
there were some very evident surges of adrenalin coursing
through my body as I gauged the situation. I rang the
Rural Fire Service (RFS) to make sure they were aware
of the forest fire. They informed me that it was at least
10km from my house and numerous fire units had been
despatched. That was good news but I have had a lot of
experience with fires, so it was time to start being ready
for what may eventuate with the southerly change.
As the horizon filled with more and more black smoke, I
rang my wife and told her of the situation and warned her
that I may need her help soon. I set the sprinkler system
around the margins of the house and started watering to
make sure the ground was sufficiently moist well before
there was need for concern. My birdrooms are down
the bottom of the block (the southern end), and built
predominately of timber, so that was a major concern. To
help if a fire situation arose, I had installed sprinklers on
the roof. However, I was concerned that if my neighbours
all commenced watering at the same time, there would
not be enough pressure to maintain water coverage. To
aid this I used my power washer to wet the outer building
walls for about 5 minutes every half hour. This was very
efficient and, after a few applications, the timber became
saturated enough to remain moist.
My worst fears were eventuating and by 3pm, day had
turned to night and the wind was bringing the blaze directly
towards our property. It was a southerly change alright,
as 75km/h winds gusting to 100km/h shook us and tore
trees apart. Little did we know the fire had also created a
pyrocumulonimbus fire storm directly over the top of us!
(These fire-induced storms can spread fire through lightning,
lofting embers and generating severe wind outflows). I have
never seen anything more terrifying in my life and really did
think this was the end. At this point the police arrived and
told us to leave. Quick calculations were in order because I
had 200 canaries and eight dogs to move—NOW!
FIGHT OR FLIGHT?
The situation was bleak and I needed to take decisions
that until this point were nothing more than options in
my head and on the fire plan. The timing was not great
because some of my canaries were still breeding and were
on either their final clutches of eggs or with nestlings.
The choice was leave them in the cages, and perhaps the
birdroom could be saved, or catch them and be sure of
their safety.
So, I caught all the birds—stressing that was 200 birds,
in a record 15 minutes—and shipped them over to my
mother’s house where the fire was unlikely to reach.
Inevitably, I had to throw away clutches of eggs but the
females with nestlings were packed in show cages with
their nests in the floors. I just hoped for the best. The
dogs were also moved to kennels at the veterinary clinic
where my wife works. It is a good thing that they are well-
trained show dogs and were not worried about the rush
into the car and the drive into town.
The removal of the animals was a huge mental relief that
allowed me to critically consider the next part of my plan.
I elected to stay with my neighbour and fight whatever
came at us. We were well equipped and it was not a hasty
decision. My neighbours own a water-carrying business, so
our next move was to shower both properties with literally
truckloads of water. I also had 50,000 litres of tank water in
addition to the town supply and a generator to run the fire
pump if the power or general water pressure failed.
The looming black clouds had given way to a sky of
deep red and mauve. As the wind blew across the yard, I
managed to stay upright and watch for the ember attack
that was now beginning. The crazy thing was that the
temperature with the southerly wind had dropped from
45ºC to just 19ºC, accompanied by stinging black rain.
Not a heavy shower but sooty, black and very unpleasant.
In fact, it was so nasty that a few days later I realised all
my vegetables had been burnt where the water droplets
had landed. I was well equipped as far as clothing, with
proper firefighting trousers and jacket, as well as eye
protection and mask, but it was something I had never
experienced in previous fires.
Eventually, as the wind subsided a little and the fire
storm seemed to lose a little of its ferocity, I could hear
the sound of large aircraft. Then, out of the smoke and
chaos, I could see planes dropping loads of water and
retardants at the edge of the fire, which was now at my
neighbour’s southern boundary. You may remember that
when I phoned to report the smoke I was told that the
fire was 10km away. My stomach was in my mouth as I
watched to see if the flames could be held at that point
now that there was a break in the ferocious weather.
Aircraft worked for hours, which seemed like eternity from
my perspective. Eventually the power of the fire front was
smothered enough to reduce the immediate threat. A long
night was ahead and I knew there would be no sleep as I
kept watch over the embers still falling. As the glow of the
sun disappeared, the glow of the fire front remained and I
could now see the full extent of the blaze across the horizon.
Several new fires to the east of the original blaze
had appeared following the ember attack. As the night
proceeded, these small plumes of smoke and their
associated glow grew larger. As the wind changed to
come from the south-east, we found ourselves again in
trouble. Overnight these fires crept closer and closer,
until in the early morning we had flames along the eastern
side of another of my neighbours, and about 300m from
my house. To our great joy the helicopters and aircraft
arrived to rescue us at first light. They stayed all day until
it was again dark, apart from the glow of the flames in the
remaining spots that refused to be extinguished.
A UNITED FRONT
It had been a very difficult 24 hours but, as can often be
the case in difficult times, our small community came
together and solidified our resolve to beat the problem.
In a street meeting at around 2am, as everyone in the
street watched over a dozen firefighting units putting in
backburns, we started to talk. I had a spare firefighting
pump but no hose, another neighbour had a spare hose,
another an extra trailer with 2000 litre IBC containers.
Together, our six houses built a fire response unit before
lunchtime the next day. We arranged a Facebook group
to keep us all in contact and shared the vigil of watching
for flare-ups and, just in case, shared handheld radios for
added security in communication.
Over the next two weeks all of this preparedness was
essential in keeping us safe. Our group responded to
several fires that had entered yards along the street, and
had them extinguished before the RFS could respond. In
fact, several RFS volunteers said that our group was the
best prepared that they had ever seen. They were satisfied
that we were more than capable to cope while they were
at other fires.
Still, that was not the end to our ordeal. Again, I
evacuated my birds and dogs on 31 December as day
turned to night from a blaze that came up on the western
side of the horizon. We watched for weeks as fires
continued to flare, even within the already burnt area, and
suffered through two more pyrocumulonimbus fire storms.
Our eastern edge is a Casuarina swamp, and the fire in Part of our defence was to
this area had gone underneath the carpet of Casuarina thoroughly saturate the yard
needles and continued to cause trouble. Helicopters and with water
planes water-bombed for weeks before the final plumes of
smoke withered to puffs that were not worth the effort
to investigate.
THE WASH-UP
The lasting effect has been that both my wife and I are
now very anxious and search the sky for smoke whenever
we hear a helicopter. It is impossible to look into the sky
and enjoy the sight of clouds because we question if these
are simply ‘clouds’ associated with rain or smoke from
another fire.
We had a fire plan but really never thought it would be
needed since we live on the edge of suburbia and had not
seen even a hint of fire near us in 15 years. Friends who
have been there for 40 years had never had their property
threatened before.
We were told that to be truly out of trouble, at least
200mm of rain needed to fall and, as I conclude the writing
for this article, it appears the miracle has happened. I tell
myself that we were really lucky. And there is an element
of that, but we also made very sound decisions and
options to cope with numerous different scenarios.
THE BIRD TOLL
The swamp near the house
I think the most important decision was to move my continued to burn for several
birds. If I had allowed the birds to stay, I think the thick weeks before eventually
heavy smoke would have caused fatalities. As I previously being flooded by rain
mentioned, moving the birds also reduced my stress in
knowing that, no matter what happened, they were safe.
Yes, it was rushed and difficult to throw away clutches
of eggs, but I have since heard of other people that
unfortunately lost their entire collections.
You may wonder how my birds coped with all the
trauma of the evacuation and associated stress. The
majority of adults were fine, although they did start their
annual moult a little earlier and it appears to be lasting
longer than previous years. Up until the fire I had been
having a good breeding season with just over 120 young
on the perch from 25 pairs—which is about average for
my birdroom. Unfortunately, and I think this is because
of the thick smoke throughout December and January,
there have been a few losses (23 young). This is not
surprising, given that canaries have always been used as
early sentinels for air quality, and even my wife and I have
suffered with continual coughing.
Surprisingly, many of the nestlings that were
unceremoniously shuffled with their nest and mother into
a show cage, survived. I guess this is testament to years
of selecting stock that were good parents and would
continue to feed even in the worst of situations.
VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020 BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU • 101
avian health with dr bob AU T H O R & PH O TO S D R B O B D O N E L E Y B V S c FA N Z C V S ( Av i a n M e d i c i n e ) C M AVA
Sour Crop
Causes and Treatments
E
VERY YEAR BIRD VETS SEE YOUNG,
handreared parrot chicks with the owner’s
diagnosis of ‘sour crop’. By this they mean the
crop is slow to empty (or not emptying at all) and the
chick is decidedly unwell. Often, when we see them,
the owner has already tried home remedies or over-
the-counter products such as Nilstat®, and seen no
improvement.
These chicks are usually very underweight and badly
dehydrated by the time we see them. Bringing them
back from the brink is often difficult—and occasionally
impossible. We also see adult chickens with a similar
problem. Although usually due to other causes, the
outcomes are similar.
In this article, I want to discuss what ‘sour crop’ is, what
causes it (which can then help us to prevent it) and how it
should be treated.
THE CROP
Running from the mouth to the proventriculus
(stomach) is a thin-walled oesophagus capable of
stretching to a diameter proportional to the size of the
food particles swallowed. Midway along the oesophagus,
at the base of the neck, is the crop.
The crop is an enlargement of the oesophagus
found in many (but not all) birds. It is very prominent
in parrots, pigeons and chickens, very small in most
passerines, and not present in birds such as ducks,
emus, and ostriches. It serves as a food storage area
for birds that eat rapidly and then move to a safer area,
giving food time to pass further down the digestive
tract. Birds that eat constantly all day, such as finches,
have no need for a crop.
There are few, if any, glands in the crop other than a few
mucus glands that produce a lubricating fluid to help the
passage of food. The crop therefore has a minimal role in
the actual digestion of food.
CROP STASIS
Sour crop is better described as crop stasis—a slowing
or stoppage of the passage of food through the
gastrointestinal tract. The crop generally empties in 4–6
hours. When this fails to happen, the mucus produced
in the mouth, oesophagus and crop accumulates and
mixes with the food in the crop. This causes distension
of the crop with doughy material or fluid. This is most
commonly seen in pre-weaning parrot chicks, but it can
also be seen in adult birds, including chickens.
This food and fluid act as a natural incubator to grow
bacteria and yeast, which often begins to ferment. This
gives off a characteristic smell, giving crop stasis the
common name of ‘sour crop’. All birds with sour crop
have crop stasis, but not all birds with crop stasis will have
sour crop.
EFFECTS
Because neither food nor fluid is moving through the
D Bo gastrointestinal tract, affected birds rapidly become
dehydrated and lose weight. Kidney failure may result,
as well as secondary bacterial and fungal infections, all
of which worsen the situation and may eventually lead
to death.
102 • BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020
This caique’s stunted growth
is possibly due to inadequate
handrearing skills leading to
weight and dehydration
CAUSES
There are quite a few possible causes of crop stasis. It is
sometimes easier to work through them if we break them
down into several larger groups—diet, crop problems and
generalised illness.
Dietary Problems
Dietary problems—cold or watery food, food that settles
out, chronic overfeeding, overly dry food or foods high in
sugar such as fruit and dairy products—can be common
in young parrot chicks, especially when they are cared for
by novice handrearers. In chickens it is occasionally seen
when they eat large amounts of coarse, fibrous material
such as grass. Poor hygiene in the bird’s environment and
food preparation, as well as failure to clean excess formula
from the skin or mouth of handreared chicks, can lead to
the ingestion of spoilt food.
Crop Problems
These include foreign bodies (such as wood shavings and
cotton fibres), crop burns (due to super-heated food such
as from the microwave), and bacterial or fungal infections
(often after inappropriate and prolonged antibiotic use).
Generalised Problems
Systemic illness (such as severe renal disease and viral
infections), stunting, chilling, lead or zinc poisoning, or
dehydration, can also lead to crop stasis. In chickens,
for example, it is not uncommon to see crop stasis in
hens with severe reproductive disease such as ovarian or
uterine cancer, yolk peritonitis, or uterine infections.
SYMPTOMS
Affected birds show general malaise (sleeping a lot,
feathers fluffed, loss of appetite), weight loss and
reduced growth rates. Young chicks often refuse to
eat or have a poor feeding response. There may be
regurgitation/vomiting, often after palpation of the
crop. Crop emptying times are increased, the crop may
be distended with fluid and mucus, and the crop wall
becomes thickened.
More subtle signs include thin toes and wings, indicating
weight loss, thickened saliva in the mouth, and sometimes an
over-sized head relative to the body, indicating stunted growth.
 Tie,

AU T H O R & P H O T O D R C L A U D E L A C A S S E DVM, MANZCVS (Australian Wildlife)

wild corner
There may be a decrease in the volume and frequency of
the bird’s droppings.

TREATMENT
If the problem has only just begun and the chick is still
bright and has a good feeding response, you may be
able to manage this at home. The crop will need to be
emptied with a crop needle or feeding tube, and then
gently flushed several times with warm water until the
the Magpie
recovered fluid is clear and all the food in the crop has
been removed. Once this is done, small feeds of warm
water can be given until the crop is emptying well.
Diluted handrearing formula can then be given over a
few meals, gradually thickening it until it has returned to
normal consistency and the crop is emptying well.
If the chick does not respond to this treatment quickly,
or if it is quite sick when first detected, veterinary help
will be required. The crop may require surgery to empty
it, and the chick will need to be given fluids by injection
until it is well hydrated and the crop is emptying well.
Samples of the chick’s droppings and fluid from the
crop will be examined under a microscope to determine
if an infection (and what type) is present. Chronically
distended, non-responsive crops may require support
with an elastic sling (‘crop bra’) or, as a last resort,
crop reduction surgery to remove part of the crop and
restore the normal anatomy.

CONCLUSION
Crop stasis, or ‘sour crop’ is a common problem, but
nearly every case is different in its cause and response to
treatment. Be very wary of trying home remedies as the
time wasted waiting to see if they work means the chick is
likely much sicker by the time veterinary care is sought.
Tie, the Magpie

T
This crop sling has IE, A JUVENILE MAGPIE, PRESENTED AS
been fitted to assist a quite thin and weak, with a strange linear
non-responsive crop object stuck around his beak. Once he was
anaesthetised with Isoflurane, it was clear that the foreign
object was an old hair tie! The hair tie had gone around
Claud
his neck and inside his beak in a figure-of-eight shape. It
was now digging deeply into the sides of his beak, creating
deep wounds in the corners of the mouth.
By looking at the amount of necrotic tissue present, the
poor bird had been stuck this way for quite a while. The
hair tie was cut and removed and the wounds flushed and
debrided. The bird received antibiotics (Enrofloxacin) and
anti-inflammatories (Meloxicam) orally twice a day for the
first week. Tie had difficulty eating at first, with quite severe
bleeding occurring every time the beak was opened.
However, with regular cleaning and debridement, the
wounds in the corners of the beak slowly healed over
a two-week period. Tie was then placed
in an aviary to build his flight strength
for a week and released where he was
originally found.
It is unknown how Tie ended up with a
hair tie stuck this way. I can only hope it was
not a malicious act but just bad luck.

BASIC HEALTH AND

DISEASE IN BIRDS
112 Colour Pages $30.75 plus P&H
Available from ABK at
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VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020 BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU • 103

about birds... AUTHOR & PHOTOS KIT PRENDERGAST BA BSc (Hons)
AVIANBeyon
EPIGENETICS
Gene
T
HE TRAITS OF ANIMALS, INCLUDING
birds—what they look like, how they behave—are
determined not just by what genes and genetic
variants an individual inherits, but also by how these genes
are expressed. Genes can be turned on or off, altering when,
Ki where and how much of the gene product is produced. This
is one way in which variation is produced above the level
of the particular DNA sequence of an animal. Epigenetics
describes molecular mechanisms that alter how the DNA is
expressed, and therefore alter the traits of organisms—their
phenotype (physical appearance)—without any changes in
the underlying DNA sequence (ie without genetic mutations
altering the genotype).
Often the traits we see in birds are not solely due to
their genes but an interaction between their genes and
the environment. This happens from the very start of
development. Every somatic (non-reproductive) cell in an
individual bird (and most animals) has exactly the same genes.
However, as cells divide as an embryo develops, epigenetic
modifications (which are still coded in the DNA) tell cells
encountering different environments within the embryo
to turn genes on/off, leading to differentiation of cells and
tissues. Hence the resultant bird has distinct populations of
skin cells, heart cells, muscle cells etc which do different tasks
even though all the cells in the body are genetically identical.
Specific environmental conditions, such as when an animal
experiences stress or a particular nutritional environment,
can cause epigenetic changes, where molecules bind to the
DNA and influence how the DNA acts.
TYPES OF MODIFICATIONS
DNA is made up of molecules called nucleotides. Each
nucleotide contains a phosphate group, a sugar group
and a nitrogen base, of which there are four—adenine
(A), thymine (T), guanine (G) and cytosine (C). Genes are
104 • BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020
Splendid Fairy Wrens
Malurus splendens are
model organisms for studying
behavioural ecology, and
would warrant investigation
into the role epigenetics plays
PHOTO JAKE MANGER
PART 1
sequences of these nucleotides that code for proteins.
There are also non-coding regions of DNA that molecules
bind to which regulate gene expression (known as
enhancer, promoter, silencer and insulator regions), as well
as various other non-coding regions,
Epigenetics are biochemical mechanisms that stably alter
gene expression by affecting either DNA transcription—
the ‘reading’ of the DNA code—or translation into
proteins that the DNA codes for. A number of epigenetic
modifications can change the way DNA is expressed.
Methylation
One of the most common means of epigenetic
modification is through the methylation of DNA at
cytosine bases. This involves the addition of a methyl
group (–CH3) to a nucleotide, usually a cytosine (C) as
the epigenetic mark. This methylation usually occurs in
regions of DNA that special proteins bind to in order to
promote the initiation of gene expression.
Methylation usually interferes with this process,
preventing gene expression, and methylated genes are
therefore said to be ‘silenced’.
There are a number of other epigenetic DNA
modifications, all of which involve long-term epigenetic
memory, in that the changes that occur remain through
subsequent cell divisions throughout the animal’s life.
Histone Modification
DNA is in the form of long strings called chromatin. The
chromatin is wound around histones, which are a type of
protein that act as a spool, allowing the chromatin to be
compacted down and fit into cells just 6 microns across or
less. Stretched out, the total DNA from just one cell is 2m
long—imagine multiplying that by the billions of cells in a bird’s
body, the total DNA content would be kilometres long!
 Epigenetic modifications impact the way that chromatin
wraps around the histones, influencing how accessible
particular regions of DNA are to being expressed.
Histone modifications include the addition of an acetyl
group at lysine residues, and methylation (addition of
methyl groups). Histone acetylation is associated with
the activation of genes because it reduces the affinity
between the histones and the DNA, opening up the DNA
to be accessed by proteins that initiate or enhance gene
expression. Histone methylation can either promote or
prevent gene expression. Both acetylation and methylation
of histones is reversible, so these changes are not
permanent and provide short-term epigenetic effects that
can be reversed after a few cell division cycles.
Although well studied in mammals (mainly mice and
humans), studies on birds have been rarer and, of those,
most have involved looking at DNA methylation.
WHY IS EPIGENETICS IMPORTANT?
Epigenetic changes can be good or bad for birds and other
animals. Because epigenetic changes can be induced by
changes to local environments, they can allow birds to
adapt to changing environmental conditions over their
lifetime. In contrast, adaptation by natural selection can
only occur through chance beneficial mutations occurring
or being present, and being inherited from one generation
to the next.
Epigenetic change has particular relevance in dealing
with climate change which, due to the high CO2 emissions
caused by human activities (fossil fuels, land-clearing,
livestock production), is occurring at a rate that can
exceed the ability of populations to adapt by natural
selection. Although there is little evidence for it at present,
if environmentally induced changes are adaptive and can
be inherited not just across time within the cells of a
bird, but from generation to generation, this could allow
populations more lasting adaptation to environmental
changes like climate change.
Epigenetic markers can also give us insights into
how birds cope under different conditions, since
different environments will lead to different epigenetic
modifications, in turn generating different traits at the
whole-organism level.
STUDIES IN BIRDS
Birds are the most successful group of vertebrates on
the planet, with >10,000 species (over twice that of
mammals). They exhibit a huge variety of forms and
behaviours and inhabit a wide range of environments.
It therefore makes sense to look at epigenetics in this
important group of animals. However, most studies to
date have focussed on mammals (humans and mice) due
to our egotistic interests in our own species, and the
humble mouse being used to study diseases in order to
understand how they work in humans.
Birds are often model organisms in the search for answers
to traditional ecological and evolutionary questions. This
is due to their diversity and adaptations, their global
distribution and their freedom of movement meaning
they can experience various environments. Because
they lay clutches of eggs, the incubation and rearing
environment can be readily manipulated, making them ideal
for study. Birds can also be tracked over time and over
generations, allowing the investigation of epigenetic effects
across the lifetime of individuals, and the possibility of
transgenerational inheritance of epigenetic marks.
Epigenetics is important for all animals that have
genetic sex determination through sex chromosomes.
Unlike mammals, in which females have the same sex
chromosomes (XX) and males are different (XY), in birds
it is males that have the same sex chromosomes (ZZ),
and females are different (ZW). Having heteromorphic Chickens exposed to
sex chromosomes creates a problem, because the sex stressful, crowded, high-
that has two copies needs to compensate for having an density conditions lay eggs
with higher testosterone
extra ‘dose’ of the gene. The problem of double gene levels in the yolk, which
expression and thus double dosage is overcome by positively correlates with
silencing one of the chromosomes in the sex with two nestling DNA methylation
of the same sex chromosomes—in birds, therefore,
this occurs in the male. Although this happens in both
mammals and birds, studies have found differences in the
exact mechanism for this silencing of one of the genes
in the pair. In birds only partial dosage compensation
between the hetero- (ZW, female) and homogametic
(ZZ, male) sexes has been described. The importance
of sex-linked genes and epigenetics in birds has been
demonstrated in studies in chicken and turkeys, where 15
to 20% of the variability in broiler body weight and egg
viability in layers, and up to 47% in turkey egg production,
can be explained, at least in part, by genomic imprinting of
sex chromosomes.
Birds are also different from mammals in that the
development of an embryo and its primordial germ cells
(which will give rise to its own offspring later in life) are
strongly influenced by egg components. These include
the quantity and quality of nutrients, and the types and
concentrations of yolk hormones. These are, in turn,
strongly influenced by the mother bird’s environment.
There is evidence that epigenetics can be important
in generating phenotypic variation for species that have
low genetic variation. A species newly introduced to an
area, and consisting of only a few individuals which may
otherwise become inbred, is a good example. Studies in
House Sparrows Passer domesticus support this idea that
successfully introduced species harbouring high epigenetic
variation can make up for the low genetic diversity of a
founder population.
Epigenetic variation may enable birds to adjust
their appearance and/or behaviour to match novel
environments, including ones their parents had never
experienced, or respond quickly to changing environments.
Further work is needed to determine whether epigenetic
changes are in fact adaptive. A consideration of epigenetics
is important for aviculture in Australia, given that many
species now have restricted gene pools due to restrictions
on exotic bird importations.
VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020 BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU • 105
Monika Clarke feeds her
birds a predominantly fresh
food diet, mostly from her
own garden
Nutrition
fo Companio Parrot
A U TH OR & PHOT OS
D O T S C HWARZ
106 • BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU
PART 2
Let me share the experiences AN UNPREDICTABLE LIFE
Eighteen years ago, Natalie Spencer came from New
of some successful caregivers, South Wales and settled in the UK, where she runs
the Kingfisher Wildlife Sanctuary in Cambridgeshire.
as well as my own. The facility takes in injured wildlife or avian species
for rehabilitation or keeps them permanently if they
In all but one case, I have seen the subject’s cannot be released. Natalie is a mum, a dog trainer,
birds and can vouch for their obvious health, her husband’s business partner and a parrot carer.
displayed in gleaming feathers, bright eyes Her birds are all rescues or rehomes.
and erect posture. Natalie’s feeding schedule fits in with her busy and
often unpredictable wildlife rescues. She told me,
A NETTED GARDEN ‘The parrots get fed in the morning, but sometimes
Monika Clarke lives in the UK with her husband, it’s early morning and sometimes it’s mid to late
son and a small flock of parrots—two Blue-fronted morning’. Natalie believes that having flexible rather
Amazons, a Double Yellow-headed Amazon and a than rigid feeding times makes for less anxiety in
Cinnamon-Yellow-sided Green-cheeked Conure. birds and other animals.
She keeps the birds free-roaming downstairs and The parrots get a daily mixture of fresh vegetables
has done something I find inspiring. With a small and fruits, along with sprouted pulses and seeds. On
garden—not large enough for a separate aviary—she busy or lazy days, they may get a good quality mixed
simply netted it over and allows the birds to fly in seed and dried fruit mix, or a high-quality pellet, just
and out. Although Monika has only kept birds for a for variety.
few years, she has found the way to keep them in an The two male kookaburra brothers (confiscated by
admirable condition. Her Majesty’s Customs officers) eat day-old chicks,
‘I’m aware that the conure is fussy and doesn’t eat mice, small rats, crickets, worms and any other bug
half of the veg that is on offer every day, however, she that takes their fancy. The crow and jackdaw, which
never misses her daily porridge,’ Monika said. cannot be released, live with the parrots and cache
When I asked her why her birds never looked food—their diet consists of a mixture of parrot food
scruffy even when moulting, she replied she and kookaburra food. Being true omnivores, they get
wasn’t sure of the answer, other than porridge their pick of the entire smorgasbord. This flock lives
and pomegranate—the two things that they get amicably together in a 12m (40ft) aviary.
every single day all year round. She also provides
sprouting mix most days but everything else varies AN AMERICAN ENTHUSIAST
depending on the season, delivering as much variety Douglas L Graham has kept parrots as pets for many
as possible. years in the USA and is a big believer that fresh is
In her vegetable garden, she grows a wide variety best for his birds.
of fresh peas and beans, berries, herbs, apples and ‘I feed zero pellets to my birds—zero. I have seven
pears throughout the summer. This year she is also birds, including an older, crippled African Timneh Grey
growing chickpeas for her birds. Parrot. I have two Eclectus, including a plucker, who
While she walks her dogs, she forages for her birds, have extremely sensitive dietary requirements because
picking hawthorn berries, rosehips, sloe berries of their longer digestive systems,’ Douglas said.
end elderberries in season. She adds mashed sweet ‘Pellet manufacturers will tell you that pellets
potato with coconut oil about three times a week. have the nutritional values, but they can't prove it
The birds’ porridge is made with oats and milk is better than fresh. Fresh is not processed—fresh is
daily, and a fresh pomegranate is always available to fresh, like birds in the wild eat. We obviously can't
them. They enjoy the occasional chicken bone and feed them what they get in the wild, but even birds
scrambled egg. in different regions eat differently depending on
‘I do have a bag of TOPS™ pellets in the cupboard what's in their area.’
and put out a bowl every few weeks, but I’m sure the To ensure his birds get what they need, he feeds
conure mostly uses them instead of a shredding toy,’ them a large variety of fresh foods, especially high
Monika said. in vitamin A—carrots, yams, pumpkins, dark leafy
VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020
greens (kale, dandelion, etc) and other fresh things A NOTED BREEDER
like broccoli, cucumbers, peppers, squash, zucchini Mike Hurley, a breeder of 40 years, keeps a flock of
and Brussel sprouts. He chops food into small mixed species of mainly larger parrot-like birds. His
chunks, mixes and freezes it in small quantities. spacious aviaries are surrounded by bamboo. You
He also uses sprouts—a wide variety of seeds and don't see any plucked birds. I asked him about his
legumes. Other useful additions are a small portion daily feeding schedule.
(less than a half a teaspoon a day) of rice and pasta ‘I feed in the morning and again in the evening if
with a couple of drops of red palm oil and coconut the birds have young, or if the weather’s particularly
oil added. To those three basics, he adds fresh fruit.hot, and the food may spoil,’ Mike said. ‘Mixed
‘Finally, I top the dish off with dried greens and sprouted pulses or, if the birds prefer, sprouted mung
flowers, some spices—different every day,’ Douglas beans are the main constituent of their diet.
said. ‘For a treat, they get one or two raw tree nuts ‘Additionally, the birds receive a daily fruit and
at night. For the non-Eclectus, they get about a vegetable mix. Regular items include carrots and
tablespoon of regular parrot seed mix, which has orange blended in a mash, peas, sweetcorn, celery,
some enhanced vitamins. The Ekkies get a blend grapes and apple and other items as available, such
especially for them, without the added stuff. The ideaas pomegranate, banana, peppers etc. I grow fruits
is to provide a mix of many things.’ and nuts specifically for the parrots such as figs,
He challenges people to ‘look at the ingredients mulberry, grapes, elderberries and fruit trees.’
in pellets and see how they measure up to my Mike uses sunflower kernels, giving limited
ingredients’. amounts to specific species. Larger amounts are given
‘I'm not saying zero pellets are for everyone, but to the large macaws, less to African Greys, even less
they should be limited,’ Douglas said. ‘Also, I am to Amazons, cockatoos, smaller macaws and conures.
not telling you I don't put a lot more work into Pionus Parrots are given very small amounts. Some
feeding my flock, but I think in the long run they are birds are given a limited amount of Parrot Premium,
a seed-based mixture low on sunflower seed. The
healthier. I am not a scientist, nor am I a vet or avian
larger macaws are regularly given nuts, including
nutritionist, although my food list (about six pages in
all) was shared with my vet who kept looking over it, walnuts, macadamia and almonds.
shaking his head, saying, ‘You feed some really good Mike supplies egg-food to all birds once a week The author’s Blue and Gold
things’. Never once did he suggest I add pellets.’ and birds with young daily. Pionus parrots are Macaw enjoys a treat after
given egg-food more regularly leading up to the training
A VET AT HOME breeding season. Mike said he also found egg-food
Every year I attend the Annual Think Parrots was a very good medium for giving additives such
show held in Kempton Park. One of the UK’s most as calcium or medication.
respected vets, Alan Jones, attends with his wife He doesn’t use pellets because he hasn’t found
Maria, and they take turns in having Lucien, a additional benefits compared to his regular diet.
magnificent Moluccan Cockatoo on their shoulder. He finds that his largely
Meeting Lucien, now probably in his late 50s, brings fresh diet is better suited
a smile to everyone’s face. Lucien is probably wild- for his birds as part of
caught and has only been with the Joneses about six his overall enrichment
years. He is Maria’s bird. strategy. He started by
Lucien’s diet consists of a base mix of dried mainly feeding a seed-
seed, fruit, nuts and grains, then a variety of based diet, and gradually
fruits—banana, apple, pear, mango, papaya, grapes, over the years moved to
orange, kiwi, lychee and cherries. He also receives a more natural diet.
vegetables—peas in the pod, runner beans, celery, ‘I have at times felt
radishes, peppers, carrots, broccoli and sweetcorn. concerned that my diet
Occasionally he also receives a piece of hard cheese, is too low in fat, so then
cooked egg, cooked chicken or toast. Of these, added regular amounts
Lucien’s undoubted favourites are lychee, sweetcorn, of pine nuts, hemp seed
cheese, orange and peas. and peanuts,’ Mike said.
Like Monika and myself, Maria forages for He varies the amount of
blackberries, hawthorns and similar wild stuff fat in the diet depending
for their birds. on the species, so some
parrots such as larger
macaws, Queen of Bavaria Conures and the larger The author’s birds enjoy nuts
Poicephalus are given a higher fat diet. after free-flying twice daily
Mike concludes, ‘In my opinion, nutrition is
a science. However I believe that there are still
some elements in foods which have not as yet been
identified, and/or modes of action not discovered.
An example of this is the more recent work
undertaken on gut flora and probiotics in humans.
Based on this view I believe that a varied diet is
essential and beneficial’.

MY BIRDS
My own feeding schedule isn’t traditional. Benni
aged 5, and Mina, aged 3, Blue and Gold and Military
Macaws, both free-flyers, receive a cooked chicken
Avian veterinarian, Alan Jones, and his wife
Maria with their Moluccan Cockatoo
bone daily with no flesh on it. This favourite reward
guarantees they fly down to come into the aviary.
VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020 BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU • 107
 They also consume more nuts than recommended. in alternate years. So far nothing nefarious has
The reason for this is that most days of the year, they shown up. On the controversial question of whether
fly outside twice a day. Their weight stays constant to allow parrots to eat human food, I sit on the fence.
and within the species’ normal range. My diet has improved as a consequence.
My dozen Australian parakeets eat a reputable seed I live in East Anglia and the aviary birds remain
mix for 30–40% of their diet, and fruit and vegetables outside in the winter, so I increase the amount of
and homemade mash for the rest. When the parakeets sunflower seeds and human-grade peanuts during
breed, they get egg-food and larger quantities of the cold months. In over 20 years, I’ve never lost
food. I generally add as much fresh ‘weeds’ as I can a bird to cold, despite below-zero temperatures at
forage, like dandelion, chickweed, cotoneaster, docks, times. In fact, the Regent Parakeets bathe in icy cold
thistles, etc. All my birds enjoy blossom. water. I’ve tried pellets of all brands but with little
The two African Greys and two Amazons eat small success. However, I keep trying. TOPS™ Pellets are
quantities of palm oil spread. Because I don’t feed so far the only cold-pressed diets that I know of.
exactly by the book, the pet parrots have blood tests I adapt my mash recipe for the seasons. I change
my ingredients each mix to provide as wide a variety
as possible.
Dot’s METHOD When vegetables
*Fresh vegetables are in short supply, AND FINALLY …
Mash include carrots, I use frozen, and I Parrot nutrition is obviously a work in progress.
cabbage, broccoli, regularly use frozen Complete or species-specific diet is somewhat of a
INGREDIENTS celery, spinach, peas and tinned contradiction, as we can’t replicate wild diets when
100g cooked grains pumpkin, courgettes, sweetcorn. Herbs we have incomplete knowledge of most of them. The
(brown rice or green and red and spices vary for most we can do is read, learn, listen and visit other
buckwheat) peppers, and corn each mix—cinnamon, parrot owners, breeders, and vets, while providing
100g cooked quinoa cobs—whatever is turmeric, star anise, our birds’ diets with variety and as much natural
100g cooked beans in season. (I used coriander, etc. fresh food as possible. This should be combined with
Lightly steamed to chop the fresh Cooked grains are environmental enrichment and physical exercise.
sweet potato or an vegetables but now cooled and mixed, And, of course, we should closely observe the
organic potato use the blender so and all is frozen feathered recipients of our diets to ensure they are
1.5kg of fresh that the macaws in 100g packets. getting all they require.
vegetables* cannot pick out When thawed, I add I asked myself were there any factors in common
their favourites and sprouts, flax oil and in these diverse feeding regimes? What I found
throw the rest on the fresh herbs and some is that all of us enjoy, in our different ways, the
aviary floor.) chopped fresh fruits. challenge of coping with the fascination of caring
for our parrots.

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• Comprehensive
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108 • BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020


THE BENEFITS OF
Foraging
W
HEN IT COMES TO FEEDING YOUR
birds, there are a lot of things you can do to
give them a healthy and varied diet. There are
companies now that provide every supplement under the
sun that will all reportedly do a multitude of things for
your birds.
There are also some very simple, inexpensive things you
can do that will give your birds a really healthy treat that
they will absolutely love.
Wild birds spend somewhere in the vicinity of 70% of
their time foraging for their food. Hence, it makes sense
that giving your birds some naturally foraged food is
not only nutritionally good for them but psychologically
positive as well. A couple of very easy plants you can
forage for your birds are:
MILK THISTLE
Milk thistle is a weed that
pops up naturally in most
people’s gardens. It is a great
little dietary supplement for
your birds. They particularly
like it once the flowers
form. Its use for medicinal
purposes with humans dates
back about 2000 years, but
with birds its use has only
Milk thistle much more recently been
accepted.
DANDELION
Dandelion is a great little source of extra nutrition for
your birds and is commonly found in mowed spaces, as
the shorter grass allows the young dandelion to get the
sunlight it needs. As with milk thistle, if you can wait until
the flowers form, your birds
will particularly love it.
SEEDING GRASSES
There are many types
of seeding grasses out
there. Be careful. Do your
research or even check with
a vet as to what grasses are
best for your birds. Grasses
are often taken from public
spaces where you cannot
be totally certain whether
they have been sprayed
with a chemical which could
Seeding potentially harm your birds,
grasses so please err on the side
of caution.
hobby hints
AUTHORS & PHOTOS PAUL & MICHELLE COURT
GREVILLEA &
BOTTLEBRUSH
Grevillea and bottle brush
are great native plants
found in many Australian
gardens. Both are found
in various forms and the
flowers are a great little Bottlebrush
treat for your birds.
LILLY PILLY
The Lilly pilly is again a common plant in a lot of gardens
and green spaces. A hardy and thick-growing plant, it is
loved by wild birds not only as a food source but also as
somewhere to nest and find cover. Your birds will love a
tasty feed of lilly pilly flowers or buds.
Pau &
Miche
Lilly Pilly
SOURCING FORAGE
If you are getting any of these plants from your own yard
or property, you can easily ensure that they haven’t had
any type of pesticide used on them that could harm your
birds. However, if sourcing from public spaces, this is not
always the case. Milk thistle, in particular, is often sourced
from public parks, but you have to be careful that the local
council has not been spraying. In short, please be very
careful where you are sourcing from.
CONCLUSION
When placing your foraged foods in the aviary, take
the time to place them in different areas to keep your
birds occupied and encourage their foraging instinct.
Foraging wild foods benefits your birds nutritionally and
psychologically, keeps them happy and varies their diet
seasonally. It also provides you as a breeder with low-cost
or free high-nutrition food which hopefully keeps your
birds in top condition year-round and helps you get the
results you are after come breeding time.
There are many, many more plants out there that you
can use, and lots of literature on the net and in past
editions of BirdKeeper as to what you can and can’t use,
this is just a starting point to get you thinking.
VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020 BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU • 109
 AUTHOR & PHOTOS AIDAN AMEER
young birdkeeper M Growin Paio
for Aviculture
We are delighted to share
the thoughts of this year’s
Syd Smith Memorial Young
Bird Keeper Writing
Competition winner,
Aidan Ameer, who really has
caught the bird keeping bug.
My passion for aviculture, particularly finches, came from
my love and passion for birdwatching, a hobby which I still
enjoy today, and I often go birdwatching around Brisbane.
It also came from my Grandpa, who kept many species of
finches, quail and doves in the early 1990s, but he tragically
lost them all when he left the aviary door open and they
flew out. Unfortunately, he died in 2016 and therefore I
have not been able to share my hobby with him.
Throughout my life, I had thought of taking up finch
keeping but never really bothered to. That was until in
2015, I saw a display aviary in the Royal Brisbane Show
(Ekka) run by the Queensland Finch Society (which I am
now a member of) and from then on begged my parents
for one. In 2018, knowing I really wanted a pet bird, my
parents took me to a local pet store on my 11th birthday,
where I chose two male Gouldian Finches, Tinchi and
Tamba, which I kept in my room for quite some time in
a small cage. That was until Christmas, when I wanted
to give them more room to fly, so my parents purchased
me my first and current aviary—1.5m x 1.4m x 1.8m in
size. They happily enjoyed their larger setting until tragedy
struck a few months later, when a rat burrowed under the
aviary and swallowed both birds.
About Aidan ZEBRA FINCHES AND KING QUAIL
Not ready to give up on bird keeping, a rat wall was
Hi, I’m Aidan Ameer. installed underneath the aviary (a 30cm trench around the
I am 13 years old, walls, filled with chicken wire), and I then purchased four
and I have a growing Zebra Finches and three King Quail from a local pet store,
passion and obsession hoping they would breed.
(as my parents call it) The Zebras originally had minimal breeding success—
for birds. As well as nest after nest failed, and a female lost. Then they finally
birdwatching, my bred successfully for the first time, fledging three babies
main passion is for out of five eggs. They continued with another clutch of
finches and quail three, which surprisingly turned out to be Pied, even
in my outdoor aviary though the parents appeared Normal birds.
in suburban Brisbane. With the quail, the original three were not good
Some species in my breeders. Instead of laying eggs in a nest, they laid eggs all
latest collection include over the aviary floor and played a game that I called ‘egg
Star Finches, King Quail, soccer’, where they kicked the eggs around in every which
Blue-faced Parrot Finches way over the aviary floor. I tried artificially incubating
and African Firefinches. them, but sadly none hatched.
I currently have just We didn’t breed any until an injury occurred when
one tiny aviary, which fighting started between two females, and the vet told us
I hope to expand soon that we had to get another quail. This new quail was much
with more birds and better at nesting and eggs were laid in a proper nest and
rarer species. incubated correctly. She hatched three babies and fledged
110 • BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020
two. So far, they have made three more nests and have
hatched nine, but none fledged.
Unfortunately, I had to sell all the Zebras as my parents
wouldn’t get me another aviary and the large colony of
nine was being too bossy to the other finches, including
disrupting a Blue-faced Parrot Finch nest.
I have recently been given a Silver King Quail male and
won a pair in a Queensland Finch Society raffle, but
sadly lost the Normal breeding male and the juvenile
male recently. My quail have recently hatched a clutch of
five from their latest nest, but sadly one of the females
attacked and killed three of them and the rest died of
unknown causes. She was removed from the aviary, but
when she returned all of the feathers on her head were
plucked out. I still do not know the cause of this.
THE AVIARY
My aviary is a 1.5m x 1.4m x 1.8m, positioned east and
given shade under a Bougainvillea tree. It houses two pairs
of Star Finches, a pair of Blue-faced Parrot Finches, a pair
of Ruddies (African Firefinches) and six King Quail—four
Normal and two Silver. The floor is densely planted with
native and foreign plants and nest boxes, wicker baskets
and brush (consisting of Melaleuca and bottlebrush) placed
at different levels for birds to nest in.
FEEDING
The birds have a seed tray on the ground, as well as a
livefood tray placed high—this also holds a mixture of
silverbeet/kale and egg and biscuit, plus a wedge of Lebanese
cucumber on the side, with grass seeds sprinkled on top,
usually from Green Panic or Natal Grass. A poultry drinker
is on the ground for the quail and a bird bath located up high
for the finches. I throw handfuls of mealworms to the quail
daily, which they relish. Recently I got a bush fly breeding
box from a friend of mine, but it hasn’t been very successful
yet and most of the flies have died off.
ADVENTURES WITH PARROT FINCHES
AND AFRICAN FIREFINCHES
After attending a Queensland Finch Society’s bird sale
looking for a Zebra female, I ended up coming home with
a pair of African Firefinches (Ruddies) and Blue-faced
Parrot Finches (for $30, what a bargain!). Sadly, these
never raised any young due to my unawareness of how
aggressive Zebbies were. The Blue-faced Parrot Finches
tried to nest, but they got disrupted by the Zebras, and
the Ruddies never showed any breeding activity.
My Blue-faced Parrot Finches were on their second nest
when I wrote this submission, with the first nest failed and
the only sign of any hatchlings being a dead one on the
floor, so fingers crossed I get some young out of them.
Unfortunately, we lost the Ruddy female, as she died while
being sat on by a quail. I just got a new one recently but no
signs of breeding have been recorded. On the other hand,
I just received a pair of Cuban Finches for free from a QFS
member and currently they are in a holding aviary while I
wait to get another aviary.
FINCH SHOWING
Now this is something I never thought I would get into!
My passion for showing finches started in June 2019,
 Gouldian Finches were
my first love
when my aviary was overrun with Zebbies, hence stopping
the Blue-faced Parrot Finches and Ruddies from breeding.
Since they weren’t breeding, I sent both males into the
QFS 50th year Finch Show, as they had a Junior category
for bird keepers 6–16 years. It was an amazing experience
seeing different birds, with my male African Firefinch
taking out the prize for Best Foreign Finch and for Best
Junior. I have learned a valuable lesson with Blue-faced
Parrot Finches though, and that is to not put them in
shows as they are just too flighty and never sit still.
THE FUTURE
Up next for me are Painted Finches, Orange-breasted
Waxbills and maybe Bourke’s and Turquoise Parrots or
Diamond Doves to go in the new aviary I will get soon
(finally). My first is already at capacity and more space would
be much better for the birds. I have made plans for an aviary
YOUNG B IRD KE E PE RS
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King Quail
measuring 1.8m x 3.9m with two separate breeding flights— African Firefinch male—
just waiting to build it now. I really hope that my collection show winner in Best Foreign
will expand in the distant future, and I can move on to much Finch and Best Junior 2019
rarer species and maybe even handraising birds.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, aviculture is by far my favourite hobby, and
I thoroughly enjoy and spend a lot of time researching
everything bird-related from magazines, books, on the web
and from other keepers. I also really hope that more kids can
get involved in aviculture, as it is an amazing and intriguing
hobby that more people should take part in, and I would
absolutely hate to see it go as the 21st century progresses.
Congratulations Aidan! As well as having your
work published, you have won a 12-month
subscription to Australian BirdKeeper magazine
and a $30 ABK gift voucher.
Open to all young
bird keepers up to
and including
20 years of age.
Entries
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$30
each + $15 post
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This is a saving of $20 to $40
(prices have varied over the series previously).
VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020 BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU • 111
conservation A U T H O R D R D AV I D WA U G H P H O T O S L P F

Lear’s Macaw feeds

on Licurí fruit

Th Cost an Reward o

CONSERVING THE LEAR’S MACAW
H
OW MUCH DOES IT COST TO SAVE A of the Licuri Palm Syagrus coronata, is affected.
parrot from extinction—or any other species for Lear’s Macaws are removed from the wild in two ways—
that matter? There is no straightforward answer poaching of chicks from nests for illegal trade, and killing
because of the complexity of compiling all necessary by farmers because of damage to maize crops by the
information. However, it is imperative to try to define the macaws. In the past, these macaws were also hunted for
costs because the resources available for conservation are food. Currently the species is mainly concentrated in two
limited and should be used to optimum effect. protected areas called Raso da Catarina Ecological Station
and, 38km further west, Canudos Biological Station.
THE FIGURES
Over seven years ago, an authoritative scientific article REWARDS AND RESPONSIBILITY
Davi (McCarthy et al 2012) gave an overview of the probable
financial costs to prevent extinction of threatened species
A recent article by Antonio Barbosa and José Tella,
researchers at the National Centre for Bird Conservation
and protect and effectively manage all terrestrial sites of and Research, Brazil and the Doñana Biological Station,
global conservation significance. The estimated figure was Spain, respectively, detail how they have calculated the
US$4.76 billion annually to reduce the extinction risk of allcost to prevent extinction of the Lear’s Macaw (Barbosa
globally threatened species, and US$76.1 billion annually to & Tella 2019). They developed a framework which not
establish and maintain the protection of terrestrial sites. only detailed the costs of conserving the Lear’s Macaw
When put into context, these are not impossibly in the wild, but also the rewards of such conservation
large sums of money. For instance, the amount required actions, not just for the target species but also for
for terrestrial sites is only 1% of the US$75.59 trillion habitat protection, restoration of ecosystem services and
Gross World Domestic Product in the year the article economic rewards for local people.
was published. In the preceding 15 years, the world lost The study found that the total funds invested in Lear’s
an estimated US$4–20 trillion per year in ecosystem Macaw conservation in situ over the 25 years to 2017
services (supply of clean water, natural flood control, soil reached US$3.66 million (after adjusting for inflation of
formation, etc) due to human-induced change of natural the Brazilian currency). The proportional contribution was
areas. The authors of the article, projecting a decade State/Government (principally Brazil) 59%, private funders
ahead, estimated that only 12% of the total funds needed 6%, national non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
annually to reduce the extinction risk of all globally 10%, and international NGOs 25%. As an international
threatened bird species was available. NGO, during the period in question, the Loro Parque
Fundación donated US$462,602. That is half (50.6%) of
THE LEAR’S MACAW the total for that sector. The proportions varied over
The Loro Parque Fundación supports projects intended time, with the international NGOs constituting the main
to reduce the extinction risk of threatened parrots, and funding source for the early years. The State assumed a
to help maintain their natural habitats. Since 2006, one major role between 2001 and 2012 when the Brazilian
of those species has been the endangered Lear’s Macaw authorities established and maintained a research base and
Anodorhynchus leari, which has a very small geographical a full-time field team.
distribution in the arid Caatinga biome in the north of Different conservation activities received funding in the
Bahia State, Brazil. following proportions: research 51%, protection 22%,
Only discovered in the wild in 1978, with a population social (awareness/capacity-building with local communities)
of about 60 individuals, the Lear’s Macaw nests in cavities 16%, annual census 4%, meetings (National Action Plan)
in sandstone cliffs. It is threatened by extensive livestock 4%, and population reinforcement 3%. The Brazilian
grazing and other agricultural activities which cause the government supported most of the costs of research,
loss and degradation of its habitat. This is especially true annual censuses and meetings, as well as almost half of
when an important food resource for the species, the fruit spending on social activities.
112 • BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020
 International NGOs were the major contributors to
direct protection activities, and covered about 50% of
the social activities. Indeed, an important part of the
support from the Loro Parque Fundación has included the
building of capacity within local communities. For example,
associations of artisans, produce and market handicrafts,
such as those made from the leaves of Licuri Palms. The
LPF has also helped to supply maize seed to compensate
farmers for crop damages caused by Lear’s Macaws, and
also contributed to monitoring nests on the cliffs.
Of the funds used for protection, the study showed
that 80% were used against nest-poaching for illegal trade
and 16% against killing of macaws by farmers. Poaching
and killing by farmers caused 103 Lear’s Macaws to be
removed from wild population.
REFERENCES
Barbosa, AEA and Tella, JL 2019, How much does it cost
to save a species from extinction? Costs and rewards of
conserving the Lear’s macaw, Royal Society Open Science,
vol. 6: 190190. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.190190
McCarthy, DP et al 2012, Financial costs of meeting global
biodiversity conservation targets: current spending
and unmet needs. Science vol. 338, pp. 946–949,
(doi:10.1126/science.1229803)

WHAT’S MISSING?
No funds were devoted to modification of power
lines to reduce risk of collisions, which cause 2% of
wild macaw losses. Neither were any funds assigned
to protect foraging habitats, a matter which should be
seriously deliberated by the Brazilian government given
that the acquisition, wages and maintenance of land and
property are highly expensive. In terms of habitat loss
within the foraging distribution of the Lear’s Macaw over
the 16 years from 2000, the study showed that forest
cover had decreased by 20% from the original
2 219 170ha (8568sq miles), while the agro-pastoral
surface increased by 23%. Despite the obvious trends,
because of high inter-year variability, these changes over
time were not statistically significant.

DOWNLISTING IS GOOD NEWS

The conservation rewards were satisfactory. The cost
and time needed to downlist (in 2009) the Lear’s
Macaw from Critically Endangered to Endangered was
similar to those invested in other bird species. Its global
population has increased parallel with conservation
funds invested. However, economic rewards through
ecotourism and handicrafts linked to the conservation
of the species were low and require promotion. The
study did not quantify ecosystem services provided by
Lear’s Macaws.
According to the study, the private sector was the only
supporter of population reinforcement. However, in the
two most recent years, the Loro Parque Fundación has
been contributing funds, and captive-bred Lear’s Macaws
have been released at a location frequented by two wild
individuals 135km west of Canudos. It is expected that
this reinforcement and the international captive breeding
program will continue, with ongoing investment in ex situ
conservation by the program partners, of which the Loro Lear’s Macaw
Anodorhynchus leari
Parque Fundación is a founder.

VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020 BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU • 113

 A U T H O R C A R O LY N P R A D U N P H O T O S W P T
conservation
NEW UK HOME FOR
Seized Grey Parrots
T
HE WORLD PARROT TRUST (WPT) IS
pleased to announce the arrival of 50 African Grey
Parrots at our Kiwa Centre in the UK. They are
part of two groups which were confiscated in Hungary and
Bulgaria in 2014. Following legal proceedings which assigned
ownership of the parrots to the two governments, the
WPT was asked to assist in their relocation. In 2016, the
birds were sent temporarily to a facility in France.
When the Kiwa Centre was ready, the Hungarian
and Bulgarian authorities requested that the Greys be
moved there in the care of the WPT. The French and UK
authorities supported the move, and the parrots finally
Caroly arrived at Kiwa in January this year.
The Kiwa Centre was built in 2017 with the generosity
of macaw-lover Joe Davenport. When he had set out
on adult life, like many owners facing a change in life, he
had surrendered his childhood pet Blue and Gold Macaw
(named Kiwa) back to the breeding facility she had come
from. When he went back later to visit, Joe was horrified
at the conditions Kiwa and about 170 other macaws were
enduring and sought the help of the WPT. After much
consideration, the Kiwa Centre was created, and a huge
operation was undertaken to move, examine, test and
treat the birds. The confiscated African Greys have joined
them, but are kept separately.
The Kiwa Centre aviary
in the UK
www.parrots.org
AUSTRALIAN CONTACTS
Representatives Media
Sheryll Steele-Boyce
Carolyn Pradun Australian BirdKeeper
australia@parrots.org birdkeeper@birdkeeper.com.au
114 • BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020
Grey Parrots becoming
accustomed to the new
facility in the Kiwa Centre,
UK, before having access
to the outdoor section
The wild African Greys were captured in Africa and then
smuggled into Europe. Because they were confiscated
by authorities in Hungary and Bulgaria, they remain the
responsibility of those governments. The WPT and our
partners have been providing guidance and support to
ensure the birds receive the best possible husbandry at
each stage of this process. The birds therefore never
belonged to zoos or organisations or individuals in Bulgaria,
Hungary, France, or now the UK. We have all simply played
supporting roles to ensure their survival, rehabilitation and,
hopefully one day repatriation back to Africa.
These parrots are now settling into the inside part of
their new aviary at Kiwa, with natural perching, ropes to
climb and plenty of room to fly. They are adapting well
and are starting to explore their surroundings. The feeding
tables have a wide range of foods and fresh enrichment
items are introduced daily.
The birds will be released to the much larger outdoor
flight area when they are ready. In the meantime, please
go to the World Parrot Trust website where you can
enjoy more photos and video of these birds as they
explore their new surroundings.
WPT is committed to returning parrots seized from
trade to the wild wherever possible, working with many
local partners to achieve this. Decisions are based on a
careful assessment of what is in the best interest of the
birds and also the wild populations, taking into account
the International Union for Conservation of Nature
(IUCN) guidelines. WPT has previously returned seized
African Grey Parrots to the wild in Cameroon and Uganda
(ABK, October–November 2013).
To help ensure the World Parrot Trust can be ready to
respond to efforts like this, please consider donating to
our fundraiser to help fill the emergency fund. Learn how
you can help: https://www.parrots.org/donate.
©ABK
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116 • BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020

ECLECTUS PARROTS—Young, handreared and
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TRADE DISPLAYS on 0448 855 262 or Bird Sales Applies.
For All Enquiries and Bookings Phone Sales co-ordinator Ralph Proudly Sponsored by
Wally (02) 4681 8589 (AH) on 0411 888 117 ABK Publications
Michael Graham 0425 330 118
NSW Voluntary Bird Sale SHOALHAVEN AVICULTURAL KEMPSEY MACLEAY BIRD CLUB INC.
Code of Practice Applies BIRD SALE
Max of 4 Parrots and 10 Finches Per Cage
SOCIETY Sunday, 28th June 2020
Sellers Must Prove Membership to Club
18TH ANNUAL BIRD SALE *** Please note change of Date ***
Kempsey Showground, Sea Street, Kempsey
affiliated with Canary & Cage Bird Federation SATURDAY 18 APRIL 2020 ENTRY FEE: $1.00 per bird
or show personal Public Liability COC PCYC, Park Rd, Nowra TRADE TABLES: $25 OUTSIDE SITES: $35
Bird sellers must be a member of a Bird Club affliated with the Canary
Sponsored by Sale Time: 10am–2pm and Cage Bird Federation of Australia Inc. NPWS Conditions, NSW Bird
Licence Regulations and CCBFA Bird Sale Code of Practice apply.
ABK Publications Trade Stands Open 10am No more than four birds per cage. No pigeons or poultry.
Admission $3 BENCHING: Saturday 4pm – 6pm Sunday 7am – 10am
DINNER: Saturday 6pm with Guest Speaker,
Friday 17 April: catered meal held in the Pavillion at the
FINCHES 20 Birds Accepted from 4–9pm Showground, $20 per head.
7th International Convention NSW Code of Practice Applies SALE ENQUIRIES: Peter O’Dell 0429 923 541
Surgical Sexing by Dr Mike Cannon Open to public from 10am to 1pm
Presented by $2.00 entry fee per person
Queensland Finch Society Sale Enquiries Food and drinks available from the Canteen
and Booking in Birds: CLUB MAJOR RAFFLE – $2 per ticket
3–7 JULY 2020 1st Prize – South West Rocks Holiday,
EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION $299 Phone Ray Faulds (02) 4423 4475 7 Nights, 4 People
AVIARY VISITS $55 PROOF OF MEMBERSHIP 2nd Prize – Fishing Charter at SWR on Sea Scout II
Contact Gary Fitt on 0429 457 615 Must be Produced Before Entering Birds 3rd Prize – Bird Cage
or garyfitt@bigpond.com Due to Insurance Requirements Also a CENT AUCTION with lots of prizes

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VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020 BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU • 117

 AVICULTURAL ORGANISATIONS
AFRICAN LOVEBIRD SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA INC
meets on 3rd Wednesday bi-monthly, February to December at
Thompson Hall Activity Room, Baulkham Heights Estate, 92 Seven Hills
road, Baulkham Hills. We have a quality bi-monthly magazine. Meetings
are friendly and informative, commencing at 8pm. Phone Colin Isbister
on (02) 9674 4256
AVICULTURAL SOCIETY OF TASMANIA INC
meets on the 4th Tuesday of the month at the Geilston Bay Boat Club,
DeBomford Lane, Geilston Bay. New members and visitors welcome.
Enquiries PO Box 714 Moonah TAS 7009. Phone 0408 720 130
www.asst.org.au
BUNDABERG BIRD BREEDERS CLUB INC.
PO Box 5471, West Bundaberg Qld 4670. Meetings are every 3rd
Tuesday of the month, at Family Centre, Bundaberg Showgrounds,
Bundaberg at 7.30pm. New members and visitors most welcome.
Enquiries Phone Ray Pratt (07) 4155 6221
DOWNS BIRD BREEDERS ASSOCIATION INC
Meets second Friday of each month at 7.30pm. Venue—Win Building,
Toowoomba Showground, Glenvale Road, Toowoomba, QLD.
Phone Des English (07) 4630 4469
GOLD COAST AVIARY BIRD ASSOCIATION INC. PO Box 7003,
Gold Coast Mail Centre, Bundall QLD 4217. Meeting third Friday
of each month. Mudgeeraba Show Grounds 7.30pm.
Lynne Bodman 0407 700 195 Email lynne.bodman@bigpond.com
www.goldcoastaviarybird.org.au
ILLAWARRA PARROT CLUB INC. meets every 4th Monday of the
month at Berkeley Sports and Social Club, 5 Wilkinson Street,
Berkeley NSW at 7pm. Club contact number is 0455 613 457 or
secretary@illawarraparrotclub.org.au au and website
www.illawarraparrotclub.org.au
AVIAN VETERINARIANS
NEW SOUTH WALES
Dr M. Cannon BVSc MACVSc (Avian Health)
Dr Kym Fryer BSc BVSc MANZCVSc (Avian Health)
Cannon & Ball Veterinary Hospital, 461 Crown Street, West Wollongong,
NSW 2500, Phone (02) 4229 8888
Canley Heights Veterinary Clinic, Shop 6, Harden Street and Avoca
Road, Canley Heights, NSW 2166 Phone (02) 9604 9792, 9604 9300
Dr Karen Dobson BVSc MACVSc (Avian Health)
Railway Row Veterinary Clinic, 1 Station Street, Emu Plains NSW 2750
Phone (02) 4735 3268
Dr R. Marshall BVSc MACVSc (Avian Health) Carlingford Animal
Hospital, 772 Pennant Hills Road, Carlingford, NSW 2118.
Phone (02) 9871 7113
Avian Reptile and Exotic Pet Hospital, University of Sydney
415 Werombi Road, Camden NSW 2570, Phone (02) 9351 1798
Dr Mathew Grabovszky BVSc (Hons) MANZCVS (Avian Health)
Pacific VetCare Coffs Harbour 320 Harbour Drive, Coffs Harbour
NSW 2450. Phone (02) 6652 3455 www.pacificvetcare.com.au
diagnosis@pacificvetcare.com.au
Dr Kathy Fearnside BVSc (Hons) MANZCVSc (Avian Health)
Hills District Veterinary Hospital Unit 1, 276 New Line Road,
Dural NSW 2158 (02) 9653 9992
118 • BIRDKEEPER.COM.AU VOL 33 • ISSUE 2 • APR-MAY 2020
ASSOCIATED
BIRDKEEPERS OF
AUSTRALIA INC
UNITY IS STRENGTH
Your Watchdog
Protecting our Hobby
Public Liability Insurance
available to CLUBS
For Membership Details
Phone Craig Jeffery
Phone/Fax (02) 4464 3229 or
0457 591 118
Visit the ABA’s website
www.birdkeepers.com.au
AVICULTURAL SOCIETY
OF AUSTRALIA INC.
The monthly journal Australian Aviculture features original
articles about Australian birds and related topics.
Meetings held at 8pm, fourth Wednesday every month,
The Pines Learning Centre, 520 Blackburn Rd,
Doncaster East VIC 3109 Melway ref 34 D5
Subscription – Australia – $45 with Journal,
$25 Non-Journal – Overseas $75
Stephanie Gough 52 One Tree Hill Rd, Ferny Creek, VIC 3786
Email sgough52@gmail.com
Website www.birds.org.au
LOWER MURRAY BIRD CLUB INC. meets third Tuesday of the month
at the Salvation Army Hall 7.30pm. Fourth Street, Murray Bridge, South
Australia. Phone Brian (08) 8569 1853
MORNINGTON PENINSULA AVICULTURAL SOCIETY INC.
PO Box 4210 Frankston Heights LPO Vic 3199. Meets on every
3rd Monday of the month at 8pm at Baptist Church Hall, Craigie Rd,
Mt Martha. Visitors always welcome. Excellent guest speakers.
More details contact David 0428 518 646 www.mpas.webs.com
ORANGE BIRD SOCIETY meets every 3rd Wednesday of each month
(excluding December) in Senior Citizens Centre 77 Kite Street.
Secretary Gisela Deasey Phone (02) 6368 7319 or Fax (02) 6368 7294
PARROT BREEDERS & EXHIBITORS SOCIETY OF NSW INC.
PO Box 87, Casula Mall, NSW 2170. Hon. Sec. Irene McNamara
Phone (02) 9607 5591
Dr Melinda Cowan BVSc (Hons) FANZCVS (Avian Medicine)
MANZCVS (Unusual Pets)
Small Animal Specialist Hospital 1/1 Richardson Place,
North Ryde NSW 2113 (02) 9889 0289
QUEENSLAND
Dr Bob Doneley BVSc FACVc (Avian Medicine) CMAVA
Registered Specialist in Bird Medicine Veterinary Medical Centre,
School of Veterinary Science University of Queensland, Gatton
QLD 4343, Phone (07) 5460 1788
Dr A. Gallagher BVSc (Hons) MACVSc (Avian Health)
Brisbane Bird Vet 248 Hamilton Road, Chermside, QLD 4032.
Phone (07) 3359 2233 www.brisbanebirdvet.com.au
contactus@brisbanebirdvet.com.au
Dr Peter Wilson BVSC MACVSc (Wildlife)
Currumbin Valley Bird, Reptile and Exotic Veterinary Services
1596 Currumbin Creek Road, Currumbin Valley,
Gold Coast, QLD 4223 Phone (07) 5533 0381
Dr Deborah Monks BVSc (Hons)
CertZooMed DipECAMS FACVSc (Avian Health)
Brisbane Bird and Exotics Veterinary Service
191 Cornwall Street (Corner of Earl Street), Greenslopes, QLD, 4120
Phone (07) 3217 3533 www.bbevs.com.au
Dr Stacey Gelis BSc BVSc (Hons) MANZCVS (Avian Health)
Lamington Terrace Veterinary Surgery
18 Lamington Terrace Nambour QLD 4560
Phone (07) 5441 3333 info@lamingtonvet.com.au
QLD FINCH SOCIETY INC.
Receive “Finch News” the monthly colour
glossy magazine dedicated to finches.
At the same time joining the most progressive
club in Aviculture and reap the benefits.
Australia A$40.00
Overseas (Airmail) A$55.00
Send Subscription to:
the Membership Registrar,
P O Box 1600, Coorparoo DC
Qld, 4151, Australia
Ph: (07) 3802 1511 Fax: (07) 3802 2792
THE AVICULTURAL SOCIETY OF SOUTH
AUSTRALIA INC Founded 1928
BIRD KEEPING IN AUSTRALIA
the monthly full-colour magazine features articles on all
aspects of aviculture. Sample copies available
Monthly meetings held at Estonia Hall, Jeffcott Street,
North Adelaide, at 8:00pm on the second Tuesday of the
month. Also three country branches
For further details contact the Secretary,
P.O. Box 485, North Adelaide, South Australia, 5006.
Ph (08) 8337 7134 or
email assa@birdkeepinginaustralia.com
www.birdkeepinginaustralia.com
THE AVICULTURAL SOCIETY
OF NEW ZEALAND (INC)
President: Dave Creed Ph +64 3 9428989
Vice President: Luke Greenfield
amber133@windowslive.com
AGM once a year
Bi-monthly magazine and weekly email trading
service for members
Overseas members welcome
For membership details email the Secretary,
Amber Greenfield on amber133@windowslive.com
www.facebook.com/aviculture
PARROT SOCIETY OF NEW ZEALAND. High quality magazine
including colour. Enquiries to PO Box 79202, Royal Heights, Auckland,
New Zealand. Rates: NZ$45.00, Australia $55.00, Rest of World
$85.00. www.parrot.co.nz
THE AUSTRALIAN BUDGERIGAR SOCIETY INC.
Meetings held on the third Thursday evening of each month at the
Eagleby Community Hall, 4 Cowper Avenue, Eagleby QLD 4207. Show
Table with up to 82 budgies benched, Mini Workshop, Guest Speakers,
Events discussed, FREE supper provided by Café ABS, super raffles.
www.absbudgieclub.org.au/
THE PARROT RESCUE CENTRE is an organisation dedicated to
improving the lives of suffering, abused and unwanted pet parrots by
providing an appropriate environment for their individual needs. One of
our main aims is to educate as many people as possible on the correct
diet, housing, enrichment and training of parrots.
Please visit www.parrotrescuecentre.com. You can also phone
(07) 5569 2840 Email zarita@parrotrescuecentre.com or write to
PO Box 797, Mudgeeraba QLD 4213.
VICTORIA
Dr Pat Macwhirter BVSc (Hons) PhD FAZCVS
Dr Matthew Gosbell BVSc MANZCVS (Avian Health)
Melbourne Bird Veterinary Clinic 1 George St (corner Stud Rd), Scoresby,
VIC, 3179, Phone (03) 9764 9000 www.melbournebirdvet.com
Dr. Susan Bibby BVSc (Hons), BAnSc, MANZCVS (Avian Health)
myvet Strathfieldsaye, 942 Wellington Street Strathfieldsaye VIC 3551
Phone (03) 5439 5066 clinic@myvetstrathfieldsaye.com.au
www.myvetstrathfieldsaye.com.au
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Dr Anne Fowler BSc (Vet) (Hons), BVSc MANZCVS
(Avian Health, Wildlife Health, Unusual Pet Medicine)
Adelaide Bird and Exotics Vet Centre, 129 Richmond Road, Richmond
SA 5033 Phone (08) 8443 4838 Fax (08) 8443 4758
info@abevc.com.au www.abevc.com.au
ACT
Inner South Veterinary Centre
47 Jerrabomberra Avenue, Narrabundah, ACT 2604
Phone (02) 6295 0770 www.innersouthvets.com.au
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Dr Ray Butler BVSc MACVSc, Dr Ian McDowell BSc BVMs &
Dr Toni Cockburn BSc BVMs MANZCVS (Avian Health)
Avian & Pet Practitioner Risley Veterinary Clinic
Unit 13, 110 Holme Crt, Myaree WA 6154 Phone (08) 9329 9222
 ZI
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