60 Bird Scene - Autumn 2023

INTRODUCTION

In the introduction to the summer edition of Bird Scene, I wrote ‘It is interesting to compare the weather we have had this year with last. If the length of my grass is anything to go by, we have certainly had a wetter April and May (up to 18th May when this was written) than at this time in 2022 and it has on average been about 2C warmer in the mornings at around 6C. This is not much warmer but everything helps. My birds, certainly my mutation Ringnecks and Port Lincolns that tend to breed early have done very well, in addition, I have two

BY THE EDITOR

LES RANCE

WWW.THEPARROTSOCIETYUK.ORG LES.RANCE@THEPARROTSOCIETYUK.ORG

broods of five baby Cockatiels in boxes that are doing well, as is a nice brood of six young Turquoisine grass parakeets. Obviously the larger broods help keep every baby much warmer and that allows them to grow quicker. Usually when young Australian parakeets leave the nest box they do not go back in on the first night, however, when my first Port Lincoln came out I could not see it in the flight in the evening, it had simply returned to the box for the warmth present there.’

Since the above was written my breeding season has developed quite well and even now, on 16th August, I have birds still breeding. My two adult pairs of Turquoisines have produced 13 youngsters and both hens are sitting on further clutches of six eggs each, and these look fertile, so all good there. In addition, my pet type colony bred, all blue series Budgerigars are enjoying the cool damp summer conditions and fresh eggs are being laid daily. In fact, some of the early bred young Budgerigars are starting to look in the vacant nest boxes, so I might have 2023 closed rung youngsters producing their own babies by September!

In this issue, we have an excellent article about Softbill Experiences during 2023 by Norfolk based Ray Holland. As supplementary articles there is an article on the ever popular Budgerigar called ‘Keeping Budgerigars in a colony by Les Rance’ I spent a considerable amount of time drafting this article and I really hope you enjoy reading it. There is also an excellent article from Graeme Hyde in Australia ‘An Avicultural Favourite – The Cuban Finch’ this has some particularly good images supporting the text. The final article is from Sigrid Marz who lives in Germany ‘Caught by the Lineolated Parakeet Bug’.

Even if you do not keep a species written about there are always one or two tips/hints in every article that you can consider using to help your bird breeding to be successful. This is now the sixtieth edition of Bird Scene, how quickly over ten years can pass when you are working on a project – the first FREE on-line bird magazine produced in the UK. At 48 pages, this is quite a big read! Every time we post the Parrot Society monthly magazine, I cringe at the cost. Postal costs appear to have increased far faster than inflation and if The Royal Mail are not careful they will find that their income will reduce even further as people and businesses send less and less by conventional

means. A price increase to £1.10p for a First Class letter became effective on 4th April 2023, an increase of 15p on the 95p previously charged, my maths are not very good but I think that is a 15.75% increase! With CPI, inflation now running around 8.9%, costs continue to rise. These costs obviously affect bird clubs when the show schedules have to be posted to potential exhibitors and equally it affects the exhibitors when they return their entries. In addition, how much longer will bird clubs be able to afford to post magazines to their members? This must be a great worry to many club officials. Fortunately, with an e-magazine we do not have this problem, or for that matter the cost of colour printing. Because of increases to the costs of both postage and printing, I am pleased that we decided to produce Bird Scene as a FREE e-magazine. We have learnt a great deal over the past ten years

INTRODUCTION

about this way of communicating with bird enthusiasts and I am sure that this knowledge will become more and more valuable as we see further increases in costs to paper magazines. We are always happy to receive articles about the species that are being exhibited at The National and are very pleased to give publicity to the club supplying the information. Regular readers will know that Bird Scene has been produced to publicise The National Exhibition is held each year at our October Sale Day/ Show at Stafford County Showground, this year it is on 1st October. This publication is also used to promote our Conservation efforts for threatened parrots in the wild. An archive of earlier

Regular readers will know that Bird Scene has been produced to publicise The National Exhibition is held each year at our October Sale Day/Show at Stafford County Show

editions of Bird Scene can be found on the Home Page of our website www. theparrotsocietyuk.org so if you would like to see earlier versions please do look at the Bird Scene archive.

NATIONAL EXHIBITION: 1ST OCTOBER

‘HELP BIRD KEEPERS SHOW’: 3RD DECEMBER

SHOW DATES AT STAFFORD IN 2023

PARROT SOCIETY

THIS IS JUST A NOTIFICATION OF DATES PLEASE DO NOT BOOK UNTIL YOU SEE FULL DETAILS IN THE MAGAZINE

DETAILS

All our shows are held at Sta ordshire County Showground, Weston Road, Sta ord ST18 0BD.

ALL MEMBERSHIPS CAN BUY TWO EARLY ENTRY WRIST BANDS FOR OUR SHOWS Only available in advance

SOFTBILL EXPERIENCES DURING 2023

2023 is closely following the pattern set in 2022 with “spring” temperatures more like winter. Living in North Norfolk near to the coast, I have had to leave my winter protection on until the beginning of June.

White Cheeked Turaco

RAY HOLLAND

There is not much doubt anymore that we can no longer ignore the climate change when it has such a dramatic effect on our breeding birds both in the wild and in captivity. Year 2023 is closely following the pattern set in 2022 with “spring” temperatures more like winter. Living in North Norfolk near to the coast, I have had to leave my winter protection on until the beginning of June. Once or twice, I have been encouraged by a little bit of sun to remove a few sheets but then had to put them all back again the next day. We have experienced very heavy cloud cover coming from the North Sea for long periods but without any rainfall. As a rule, I would expect to start feeding my birds early morning from 7.30am onwards but it is far too cold for me, let alone the birds. Thankfully, the birds do not seem to be as concerned with the cold as I am and appear to be in OK condition. Some breeding attempts have been made by the Superb Starlings (Spreos) with two chicks, which died about 10-14 days, the cold and my difficulty getting the right crickets may have been factors. Interestingly

they started very early, built their own nest, and ignored the nest box I had provided. They have gone down again using another nest box and started to build a nest on top of it. I have now opened the box up by letting down the inspection hatch door and this has encouraged them to build in the box. The greenbuls also made an early nest, which never looked substantial enough to withstand a good wind, and so it proved. They too have started again but refuse to use any artificial nests, which to me

look ideal. The insectivorous weavers have made and destroyed several nests so their hearts are not really in it unfortunately, such a shame, they would appreciate any rain but it does not come.

During the long periods of drought over the last two years many shrubs and semi mature trees have died, so you guess the atmosphere is very dry as well and this is not helpful to, many species like weavers for example. Even the annoying moles have pushed off for the time being.

I and another member of the Foreign Bird League have been having a three-way email conversation about the value of frozen insects and the safety of pinkie maggots. The editor of the FBL has been joining up the loose ends and is producing something that may prove helpful. We shall see when the next magazine comes out. My old friend in Lincolnshire has been trying to weigh up the usefulness of

frozen and the safety of maggots for birds. I could not add anything to the debate on frozen since I have

I have found using live crickets is useful for initially stimulating the birds to breed as well as being a favourite live food for young chicks.

never used them; live Pinkies yes and had no adverse effects. Someone I used to know who bred many Snowy crowned Robin Chats, Richard Wood used to freeze a thousand or so at a time of live crickets, it helped him breed them year after year. More recently, I have spoken to a Norfolk breeder who in the past has used commercially frozen insects for a brief period but not now. He maintains being dead they are not always eaten and any remains if not cleared away would become a health risk, especially in our very hot weather. Makes no sense to me.

I have found using live crickets is useful for initially stimulating the birds to breed as well as being a favourite live food for young chicks. Both parents and young appreciate small/ medium brown crickets –do not use black ones.

You may be aware that I have tried to interest the three main societies to co-operate and form a register of single birds requiring partners of just friends. Perhaps this is particularly relevant for people with softbills and parrot species but not exclusively so, there may well be a case for

other types as well. So far the Parrot Society have at least printed an article outlining the idea, the Foreign Bird League want to discuss it to see if it is appropriate for them. Unfortunately, the Avicultural Society have not responded on this matter or any other matters put to them since last October.

Following Spring Watch on the TV has been very interesting and in particular, the recent comments on the sparsity of insects on the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset. This week I have seen the first

swallows of summer to arrive here, in the past arrivals have started as early as April. They were late in 2022 as well. Our old friend the common Starling has been largely absent this year and last but in 2021 we had several flocks feeding on tables and many youngsters were bred. Where have they all gone? Another example the Collared Dove just one pair so far this year, they were everywhere in years gone by, the Stock Dove seems to have taken up the slack. Very few Blackbirds are breeding this year, the ground is so hard I imagine

Collared Dove

the food supply is minimal, Chris Packham mentioned the farming communities’ use of agro-chemicals has an effect on the various insect populations. When we hear our rivers are so polluted by these chemicals and sewage is it surprising then that insect populations are so down, many insects start their life in water. I fear we talk and write a lot about conversation but usually about South East Asia and songbirds from there but perhaps we should concentrate on matters closer to home over which we might have more say.

The late Chris Allaway was a driving force behind bird keeping in Norfolk but in a very nice and pleasant way, he enthused a lot of us with his softbill interest and it continues to this day.

Very few Blackbirds are breeding this year, the ground is so hard I imagine the food supply is minimal…

White Cheeked Turaco

His favourite White Cheeked Turaco

“Danny” is still with us. Now 24 years old, he used to be Chris’s mums pet bird from being hand reared he is such a favourite with everyone except other birds. When I feed birds, I leave his door open and he comes out into the bird room. He starts feeding on a box of crickets I leave on the floor, when he has finished with these he comes over to me where I am sat in the chair to take small pieces of grape from my fingers and when he has had enough just goes back to his flight, what a little darling! Unfortunately, Danny is one of those birds who has been a pet since birth and whilst very friendly to most humans he does not enjoy the company of other birds in his flight. Next door is OK though!

Bird keeping in Norfolk, particularly the softbill section is doing reasonably well. The interest endangered by Chris all those years ago, lives on and we have keepers breeding Thrushes, Robins, Bulbuls, Mynas, Starlings and even Raul Raul Partridges. In spite of the negative press about our common old Spreo Starling, which we were told by those who should know better not to breed,

the species seems to be doing rather well and so it should. A more beautiful bird is hard to find.

To my mind the one of the most important areas of conservation can get completely lost, that is the traditional hobby of bird keeping, lets us make sure that is not lost like the Dodo. More support please from

The DodoSculpture from 17th century

those on high, more encouragement and less negativity. Most bird keepers I know ae polite and sensitive people.

Bird keepers put in a lot of time and effort, we do it for the love of birds, it is a passion we have, and we do not always get things right but then nobody’s perfect are they? These days sadly most of us are getting a bit long in the tooth and are perhaps not quite on the ball as we might be, but we try. Most of my birdy friends are over 80 and are still active but a lot slower. At this moment in our lives, the most important thing is a sense of humour!

I would like to draw your attention to one of the few interesting articles published by the Avicultural Society. It is of Dutch origin concerning the complete loss of an entire species called the Javan Pied Myna. This species, once prolific is considered extinct in the wild in its native habitat, Java and Sumatra. The cause is said to be destruction of the land for agricultural purposes, use of chemicals etc. and trapping for the songbird market. However, what is so astonishing is that there are an estimated 1.1 billion birds in captivity as pets in Java and Sumatra.

I am trying my luck with Fork Tailed Drongos from Africa and the Black Dongo from Asia, which are quite similar but distinct species.

Fork-tailed Drongo

Now in a strange twist of fate the captive population is being discussed with a view to using them to repopulate their former habitats. There are of course quite a lot of considerations to be taken into account, no point in introducing them back into a toxic environment. It seems Poacher turned gamekeeper comes to mind. If you can trace this article, it is in Avicultural magazine volume 127 No.3 2021. This is a rough outline of the story but shows what can be done when organisations and people come together and talk.

Some time ago, I was curious to find out if other bird keepers had experienced the same results with Asian and African Softbills. Personally, I find African species harder to breed but when they do, they produce larger clutches and more youngsters. Four species of African species have been successful but more than double of Asian origin (just softbills) but the number of individuals bred is small by comparison. Several theories have been put forward, such as migratory differences or many more birds have been imported from the Asian region where there is a culture of bird keeping going back hundreds

Black Drongo

of years. I hope to increase my African ratio this year; the Spreos and Greenbuls would be very welcome additions.

I am trying my luck with Fork Tailed Drongos from Africa and the Black Dongo from Asia, which are quite similar but distinct species. Both have a forked tail and the Asians species are slightly larger with a white dot either side of the face. The Africans have light grey under wing coverts, which is a distinguishing feature. Having had the latter for several years they are now well settled and a delight to keep. Breeding is a distinct

possibility with both species. Locals know the Asian species as King Crow; they are very good at defending their nests sites.

PS Try using baby sweet corn, available from the supermarkets, slice it down the four sides and then chop finer any large pieces. My birds like it and because it is so small would be idea to feed to young chicks, hardbills, softbills, parrotlike. Try it on the adults first. Good luck.

I hope to increase my African ratio this year; the Spreos and Greenbuls would be very welcome additions

KEEPING BUDGERIGARS IN A COLONY

Budgerigars have for many years been a very popular bird to keep and as they are easy to manage they are an ideal bird for the beginner. With so many different colours they appeal to a wide range of bird keepers and pet owners who find Budgerigars to be great companions and the ideal pet, especially if the owners are not able to keep larger parrot species due to space restrictions. Baby Budgerigars at eight weeks of age are feeding themselves and at this age they are easy to train especially if you only have one bird

LES RANCE

as they are keen to join a ‘family’ and bond with a human. They have that wonderful balance of a playful inquisitive personality and good intelligence and for a small bird their talking ability is well known. In a colony when you approach their aviary they will come to the front to greet you, they seem genuinely pleased to welcome you and show great interest in you. This is very pleasing for the owner and gives you great pleasure as it allows you to easily interact with your birds.

Budgerigars are a native of Australia and have a nomadic lifestyle following the rain clouds around the dry interior of this vast country, when

In a colony when you approach their aviary they will come to the front to greet you, they seem genuinely pleased to welcome you and show great interest in you.

the clouds finally deposit their rain the grass seeds sprout and quickly grow in the ideal damp and warm environment. The Budgerigars use these conditions to find a location to nest and raise a family as the grasses produce their green seeds which are eagerly eaten and fed to the babies. The wild Budgerigar is green which gives it good camouflage and some protection from the native hawks that predate the flocks, some of which are large if the rains have been plentiful. It is the availability of the rains that stimulate the birds into breeding condition, whereas our wild birds in the UK are generally stimulated by increased daylight which indicates the weather will warm and then there will

be an increase in insects and other food to help our birds raise healthy youngsters.

During the summer of 2016 I decided to dedicate one of my twelve foot long outside aviaries to a colony of Budgerigars and once I saw the excellent stock owned by my good friend Gerald Massey I knew where my new birds were going to come from! At our summer show at Stafford I booked four pairs of 2016 bred youngsters for delivery at The National Exhibition in October.

When the day of delivery arrived I was very excited and really looking forward to seeing the birds that Gerald had selected for me, I was not disappointed because they were fabulous. The feathering was excellent, they all had tail feathers and there were no missing wing feathers,

…once

I saw the excellent stock owned by my good friend Gerald Massey I knew where my new birds were going to come from!

they could all fly strongly and were a wonderful mixture of colours, I was delighted.

Their aviary was fitted with eight identical nest boxes all hung at the same height of five feet above the sand floor and protected from the rain by a glass fibre roof which covers ¾ of the length of the flight allowing the last three feet to give the Budgerigars access to rain and natural light. If the nest boxes are not identical and hung at various heights there is invariably competition for the highest box as this is regarded as the prime residential location for a pair of Budgerigars and it is quite possible that they will fight for that box.

Consequently all my boxes are the same size and hung on the wire of the aviary all at the exact same height. They are of a small parakeet style with

eight staples on the inside below the entrance hole to form a ladder for the birds to climb down to the wooden concave where they lay their eggs, the top of the box lifts off for nest box inspection and to ring the babies. One great advantage of breeding in a colony is that the birds can pair with the partner of their choice. This does appear to give greater fertility and hence larger clutches. My young Budgerigars rapidly settled into their accommodation and were soon investigating the nest boxes and this was early October. By November I was close ringing youngsters with 2016 rings with my initials on them and the parents were also wearing 2016 rings! This just shows how eager, fit healthy well feathered Budgerigars are to reproduce. They are fed plenty of green food, Chickweed is a favourite and also germinated wheat and oats

If the nest boxes are not identical and hung at various heights there is invariably competition for the highest box as this is regarded as the prime residential location

One great advantage of breeding in a colony is that the birds can pair with the partner of their choice. This does appear to give greater fertility and hence larger clutches.

which is greatly relished and my home made egg food each day. Their standard seed is 50/50 Budgerigar mixture which is 50% canary seed and 50% mixed millets. I provide this in steep sided bowls to reduce waste, placing them on the feeding tray about four feet above the aviary floor. They also have two smaller seed dishes placed on a tea tray on the floor of the aviary as Budgerigars love to forage for food on the floor of the flight, often as many as twenty birds

will be on the floor at any one time. The tea tray is ideal because it is light but strong and any husks can easily be removed from the flight and the tray washed in my bird room kitchen to keep it clean. Budgerigars should be provided with fresh water every day, in the summer if it is warm it is preferable to change their water both evening and morning because they have a habit of placing green food in the water and I do not want it to start fermenting. The smaller pet type Budgerigars are prolific breeders, not infrequently they will lay 7 white eggs

Their standard seed is 50/50

Budgerigar mixture which is 50% canary seed and 50% mixed millets. I provide this in steep sided bowls to reduce waste,

in a clutch, they lay every other day so a clutch of 7 eggs will take 14 days to produce, they start to incubate after they have their first egg and with an incubation period of 18 days the first babies hatch well before the eggs

4,5,6 and seven which means that these babies are at a disadvantage as the early babies are becoming quite large before the last ones hatch and often number 7 does not survive even though the hens are feeding all the babies. You should aim to close ring your babies to make record keeping possible. When ringing at between five and eight days of age I hold the baby in one hand with a foot grasped between my first finger and thumb, then the ring is slipped over the two longest toes, along the foot and up the leg shank, I then pull the two remaining toes through the ring with my fingers or a small pointed stick, I do find that some of my own saliva placed on and inside the ring does help this exercise especially if the baby is a bit larger than the norm as the saliva acts as a lubricant. Fit healthy young Budgerigars will fly

from the nest box when they are five to six weeks old at which point they are fully feathered. The brood of youngsters can be removed from the parents when the youngest has been out of the nest box for eight days as they will all be feeding themselves by that time. Although in an aviary environment I tend to leave them there for several months so that they can learn ‘life skills’ from their parents

When ringing at between five and eight days of age I hold the baby in one hand with a foot grasped between my first finger and thumb, then the ring is slipped over the two longest toes, along the foot and up the leg shank…

and other adults present. Of the 70 babies bred in 2017 I have not had a single baby with an undershot beak which is normally caused by a build up of food that lodges on the inside of both the upper and lower mandibles, this food becomes very hard but can be quite easily removed with a match stick. Also I have not experienced ‘messy feeders’ where the parents deposit their regurgitated seed all around the face of their youngsters whilst feeding them. These pet type Budgerigars are excellent parents with high vitality and a great desire to breed. With most of the colour mutations it is easy to tell the sex of individuals, just look at the cere, the area above the upper mandible, it will be blue for cocks and brown for the hens.

When building an aviary for your Budgerigars the best wire to use is weldmesh with a size of ½” x 1” you can use the thin 19 gauge which is cheaper but I prefer the heavier 16 gauge because if in the future you want to keep a larger species such as Eastern Rosellas the 16 gauge would be fine for them whereas the 19 gauge might be chewed through and your birds escape. In addition the 16 gauge is easier to work with especially if you are using wood rather than tubular aluminium as the main structure. Your design will be dictated by the space you have available but do remember that it is preferable to have a plastic roof over 75% of the top and provision to stop the cold winter winds blowing through the

flight. An inside shelter where you can fit an electric light and dimmer to increase the feeding time during the winter months will make life easier for them to cope with the winter conditions. You must also ensure that the structure is rat proof by including suitable footings as a base, once rats get into an aviary they are difficult to eradicate and will kill and eat your birds. If you keep Budgerigars in an outside aviary with a grass floor you should consider the possibility of a build up of intestinal worm eggs that stay viable for long periods in the damp conditions of such a floor. I once had a light green hen breeding with four babies in such a set up and found her dead one morning.

When I checked at post mortem she had thirty four ¾” long worms in her intestine. Fortunately the cock raised the four babies. By using sand on the floor and keeping this dry by using a plastic roof over the majority of the flight the worm eggs quickly dry up when they fall on the sand and cannot turn into worms if the bird ingests the dried up worm egg.

fairly close together which allowed me to move the youngsters around between nest boxes so that each hen had youngsters that were roughly the same size, which gave each baby a much better chance of not getting crushed by a much larger nest mate. In the first round 19 youngsters were produced and are happily flying in the aviary with the parents. The second round is progressing well with 18 young hatched by 19th August and I am fairly certain that I will get a few more yet. I guess that by the end of the second round there will be at least 38 youngsters from the original 12 parents, a very satisfactory year for these Budgerigars.

This year I selected 6 pairs of my 2018 bred budgerigars to breed with, these are all blue series colours and I placed these in a 15feet long aviary. All the hens laid their eggs

THE NATIONAL EXHIBITION

Iam pleased to report that The National Exhibition arrangements are progressing very well, at present I am busy dealing with the myriad of background tasks to ensure that both our Sale Day and the Exhibition of birds goes very well. All the show stationery for the Show Secretaries, which includes the entry wristbands, car parking passes, and Officials badges will be posted near the end of August. As The Parrot Society are now allowing

LES RANCE

Table holders to enter at 7.00 am with Yellow wristbands and members who have not booked tables to enter at 7.30 with Orange wristbands we have these two colours to manage early in the morning. Let us hope that Sunday 1st October 2023 will be an exciting and enjoyable event for us all. As we have images from the 2022 National Exhibition, we have been able to use those in this item there has been no need for our designer Neil Randle to trawl through the five years of National Exhibition images as he has done in the past. Every year Neil takes around 1,000 pictures at the show so there is no shortage of images for him to

select. Please remember that The National Exhibition for the Exhibition of Show birds is held in the Sandylands Centre and the Argyle Centre, with many Club stands in The Prestwood Centre because the exhibits are filling both Argyle and Sandylands. When you enter the showground with your birds, you need to turn left and drive to the left-hand side of the complex. The numbers of clubs exhibiting birds this year will be 16 and I am sure there will be some very good birds on Show. Unfortunately, there will be no club exhibiting Gloster canaries and Gouldian Finches at the show this year. By buying prepaid entry wristbands

from your Show Secretary when you submit your entry forms, you enter the two Show halls quickly after 7.30 am. The sale of hobbyist breeding stock both from our member’s and non-member’s tables who can sell finches, canaries and budgerigars but no other members of the parrot family is always very well supported with over 600 tables in the Bingley Hall and Prestwood Centre.

A large number of hobbyist-bred stock always finds new homes from the buyers who come in large numbers to our events. The National Exhibition is the leading and most popular bird show held in this country for hobbyist bird breeders, not just because of the

sales tables but also the Exhibition that is held in the Argyle and Sandylands Centres. There is something for everyone available from the 60+ traders who so generously support this event, especially from our sponsor Johnston & Jeff Ltd the leading UK seed supplier.

The exhibition in the Argyle and Sandylands Centres organised with the assistance of the 16 clubs that support this event continues to receive plenty of entries, may this be the case for many years to come. These enthusiasts work so hard to construct the staging from mid-day on the Saturday and take in many entries in the late afternoon and Saturday evening. This judged

event will be as popular as ever in the future, with many high-class birds on view. A crystal glass rose bowl has been donated by Johnston & Jeff Ltd for best bird in Show and by The Parrot Society for the best junior exhibit, their generous donations for these valuable awards is always very much appreciated. Cage and Aviary Birds give the Exhibition a special supplement in their publication so that all their readers are aware of which clubs to contact to enter their exhibition stock into the Show. Again, Neil Randle our magazine designer will take over a 1,000 images on the day so that we have plenty of

images for the next twelve months. Please do enjoy the pictures on the following pages. In 2024, the Show will be held on Sunday 6th October and will follow similar lines to the 2023 event but more use will be made of the Prestwood Centre to house the stands of such supporters as The Australian Finch Society, The Bengalese Fanciers Association, and The Waxbill Finch Society. Within the two exhibition halls, there is always a great buzz of chatter and excitement, it is always a pleasure just to stand there and absorb the environment and listen to people enjoying themselves and promoting their hobby.

PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIENCES

GRAEME HYDE

CUBAN FINCH

Introduction

Of all the finches, waxbills and other finch-like seedeaters legally imported into Australia before World War Two (1939-1945) the Cuban finch Tiaris canora was and continues to be an all-time favourite avicultural species due to its charming nature, willingness to breed and its daylong activity as an aviary bird. It is easy to cater for, is an outstanding bird in every way and well established in Australian aviculture.

From the time of the ban on importation of exotic finches into Australia no wild caught Cuban finches have been introduced into our small gene pool of this popular species.

Description

The accompanying painting of a male Cuban finch by renowned artist, Howard Robinson - a member of our society, illustrates the distinctive coloration of an adult male. Unlike many other finch species the male and female are dimorphic (i.e. plumage colours are different). The female has dark chestnut-brown around the head instead of black, the yellow is paler, and its appearance is quite different to the male. Length 9cm.

Juveniles, which resemble females at the time of fledging, except for their short tail, usually cannot be sexed at that time except for young males, which often sport an odd black feather shortly after leaving the nest

The Genus Tiaris

The Cuban finch is one of five species in the genus Tiaris and the “only one that is well-known in aviculture” (Restall 2007). The five small tanagerfinches, also known as grassquits, are:

1. Cuban finch T. canora

2. Black-faced grassquit T. bicolour omissa

3. Yellow-faced finch T. olivacea (formerly known as the olive finch)

4. Sooty grassquit T. fuliginosa

5. Dull-coloured grassquit T. obscura

their natural range are from around 10 degrees Celsius, through to 35 degrees Celsius (Kingston (1998).

Although it is an interesting species when housed in a large, well-planted aviary, they have been successfully bred in aviaries of all types and sizes.

Housing

Distribution and habitat

It is distributed in Cuba and nearby islands. In the wild it apparently frequents woodlands, pinewoods, coffee plantations, cultivated areas, house gardens and areas of grassland bordering fields. The average temperatures throughout the year in

Although it is an interesting species when housed in a large, well-planted aviary, they have been successfully bred in aviaries of all types and sizes. After a few years of keeping and breeding the Cuban finch I realised it didn’t matter what the aviary was like - so long as the basic needs were available, eg dry brush in the shelter section for roosting at night and nest building. An earthen floor is desirable as it spends a lot of time fossicking on the aviary floor. The aviary, regardless, of type or size, must be draught-free. They enjoy bathing in a fine mist spray especially in the warmer months of the year.

It is wise to keep only one pair in a mixed collection of finches and, importantly, not to include species that feature yellow as part of their plumage colour, eg green singing finch or star finch, as the male Cuban might become aggressive towards them. It is preferable; if possible, to avoid housing them in adjoining aviaries that have wire mesh divisions as their aggressive nature, to their own kind, can cause bickering between neighbouring males.

Feeding

It is an easy species to cater for and the usual small seeds are relished including white panicum, red panicum, white millet, jap millet, canary, and niger. They are fond of seeding grasses - especially panic veldt grass Ehrharta erecta, flowering heads of milk thistle, soaked or sprouted seed, plain cake, lettuce, silverbeet, pear, apple, orange and the vinegar fly Drosophila which is attracted to rotting fruit. To create a rotting

fruit culture I cut up citrus fruit as well as adding pieces of apple and tomato, replacing the ingredients as necessary. Many breeders also supply an egg and biscuit food to which is added a hard-boiled egg, as this type of supplementary food is popular with the Cuban finch.

Fine shellgrit, crushed eggshells and cuttlefish bone should be available all the time. Clean fresh water is important and they enjoy bathing regularly.

Breeding in captivity

A special feature of the Cuban finch is its continuing interest in breeding. They will breed virtually all-year-round except for the colder winter months of a cooler climatic area when, of course, it is unwise to allow them to nest. If given adequate and draught-free quarters they will live happily in colder climates and breed regularly. When the male is in breeding condition he will pursue the female around the aviary relentlessly, often with nesting material in his beak.

This species has the fascinating habit of being able to conceal its nest and often you are not aware they are nesting. This is compounded by the female who is at all times is a light sitter, leaving the nest whenever she hears someone approaching the aviary. The male utters a short alarm call. Usually she will stay off the nest

until you leave the aviary vicinity. Even the closing of a back door of a house has been known to make her leave the nest.

They prefer to build their domeshaped nest a growing bush, or dry brush in the shelter section of the aviary, the latter according to Russell Kingston is their favoured nest site. In his experience he has never observed them having their nest site below one metre in an aviary (1998).

Nestboxes are rarely used for nesting, although they will use receptacles such as a wire mesh cylinder. The nest, which is large for such a small bird, is made from materials such as fine grass, swamp grass and pampas grass fronds. Feathers are popular for lining the nest. Both male and female are involved in nest construction. The entrance to the nest is low and access to the nesting chamber is upwardsthis is a special feature of their nest.

Copulation, which may take place in the open, commences with the female crouching low on the perch, quivering excitedly, and calling to her mate. Pair bond in this species is strong and mutual preening is common.

Although several experienced aviculturists have commented on them plucking their own kind I did not have this experience with the breeding pairs I have kept. Certainly allopreening (where one bird raises the feathers on the back of its head and neck and the other bird preens this area) is a popular activity.

The usual clutch is 2-4 small eggs that are white with reddish-brown spots over them. Only the female incubates the eggs, which take 12-14 days to hatch. Nest inspection which, due to the design of the nest as mentioned above, is unwise. I remember the first time I bred them [in the 1960s] they

deserted the eggs after I made the mistake of inspecting the nest.

A nesting female Cuban is evident by her curved tail. Faecal sacs and dead young are removed from the nest by the parents - often some distance from the nest site. The begging call of the young is usually audible at 7-10 days. They usually fledge around 21 days, leaving the nest together - regardless of the feathering. Often the male will commence building another nest when young are still in the present nest. They are excellent parents and show great concern for their fledglings, which become independent about three weeks after leaving the nest.

They will rear their young without the aid of livefood, or even seeding grasses, even though it is preferable to supply one, or both, items to ensure strong healthy young birds.

Unless the aviary is large it is not advisable to leave the young with their parents. It is recommended that they be removed to another aviary once they are completely independent of their parents. Adult coloration occurs about eight weeks after fledging. It is not uncommon for young birds to nest at 3-4

months of age, although it is obviously better that they are older before being allowed to breed.

A SELECTION FROM SOME AVICULTURAL WRITINGS DR ARTHUR BUTLER

In the definitive book, Foreign Finches in Captivity (1899), Dr Arthur G Butler of Beckenham, England, documented the available information on finches held in captivity in England and the Continent. For the Cuban finch he quoted the experience of Dr Karl Russ, a successful German aviculturist of the day, who said: “It ranks high among the most graceful and beautiful inhabitants of the birdroom; in consequence of remarkable ease with which it can be bred, long the darling of all amateurs and breeders.” This is an indication of the Cuban’s popularity for more than 100 years.

often the male will commence building another nest when young are still in the present nest. They are excellent parents and show great concern for their fledglings…

when they made their initial appearance in aviculturists’ collections many years ago broods of four, sometimes five young were reported, which compares favourably with the results obtained today.

ERIC BAXTER

In the informative book, The Avicultural Writings of Eric Baxter (1963), when discussing the Cuban finch, Eric said: “It is also interesting to note that when they made their initial appearance in aviculturists’ collections many years ago broods of four, sometimes five young were reported, which compares favourably with the results obtained today. It must be remembered that the birds we have in collections at the present time are the progeny of birds that were in [Australian] fanciers’ collections at the time the ban was imposed on imports of all foreign species of birds, which dates back to 1938.”

finch Bill wrote: “I agreed to a friend’s request to temporarily keep in one of my aviaries a young Cuban cock as he did not have a spare aviary and it had to be separated from its father. The young Cuban soon became a favourite mainly because he had an attractive and different colour pattern and was so bright and cheerful.” After buying the male, and a female from another source, Bill began breeding Cuban finches. In discussing his breeding results he said: “…I had gained some experience since my introduction into the hobby, and not only did I not lose one of those Cubans but they produced 23 young in a period of 12 months and every Cuban that fledged matured into a fine specimen. Third generation birds from the original pair, together with 2 outcrosses, are now breeding for a grand total of 42 in a period of 17 months.”

FRED BARNICOAT

From a South African perspective our long-time member, Fred Barnicoat of Johannesburg, contributed an interesting article to Australian Aviculture titled, “Cuban Finches

BILL HUNTINGTON

In an article “It Can and Does Happen” (Australian Aviculture 1976) based on his experiences with the Cuban

Reach South Africa Again, Thanks to the Efforts of Aviculture in Australia”(1977). He wrote: “Cuban Finches died out in South Africa

during the Second World War. I saw them for the first time in 1955 when they were again imported and, as the price asked at that time was very modest, roughly the equivalent of $10, I purchased a pair before the end of that year, and almost immediately bred my first baby Cuban in the November. In the following six years I bred them consistently. They were very easy to cater for and reared their young without livefood. Various grasses and weeds at the seeding stage

AUSTRALIAN AVICULTURE

VOLUME 64 - No. 12

December 2010

were the only extras provided and these are certainly very beneficial and perhaps even necessary to rear young successfully.” He added: “I pay tribute to the Australian aviculturists who have so carefully and efficiently kept this delightful species going without importing any new blood since 1939! Their success with the Cuban Finch is unique in world aviculture.”

Various grasses and weeds at the seeding stage were the only extras provided and these are certainly very beneficial and perhaps even necessary to rear young successfully.

JEFFREY TROLLOPE

When discussing the Cuban finch in his book The Care and Breeding of Seed-Eating Birds (1983) English aviculturist Jeffrey Trollope wrote: “Prior to the ban on export of these birds [into England] by the Cuban Government, this species was the most frequently imported grassquit. Although a free-breeding species in captivity, it is apparent that aviary stocks were inadequate for it to become established”. He describes the Cuban’s voice as: “A cheerful if not accomplished singer, a series of loud

but not unmelodious notes. The calls are psew - ee – eeh and a psew, psew-ee.”

ROBERT TROTT

In his article, “The Breeding Machine” (Australian Aviculture 1986), Robert detailed his breeding results with the pair of Cuban finches he bought in 1983. He wrote: “In 1984 they bred 16 young from 6 nests and in 1985 16 young from 8 nests. So far this year (1986) they have fledged 8 young from 3 nests. They have only lost two young after fledging; these were

from their second and fourth nests in 1984. There doesn’t appear to be any time of the year when this pair won’t breed. In 1984 the young fledged in February, March, April, June, September and October. In 1985 - January, March, April, May July, August, September and November.” He added: ”As far as special feeding goes they particularly like slices of orange, which when laid flat on a bird wire shelf enables the birds to stand directly on the orange slice tear the pulp away with their beaks. The Cubans are especially fond of panic veldt grass seed heads.”

MARK SHEPHARD

When discussing the Cuban finch in his book, Aviculture in Australia (1989), Mark Shephard wrote: “To solicit the male, the female raises here tail, crouches low over the perch and quivers excitedly, calling to her mate. Copulation may take place in the open. The pair bond is usually strong, but if a bird is lost, a new partner will be accepted. Mutual preening is common, but occasionally this activity can be taken to extremes, with feathers being plucked from the neck”,,, Adding, it …”is a very active nest builder and may change its nest site regularly.”

RUSSELL KINGSTON

In his book Keeping and Breeding Finches and Seed-Eaters (1998) Russell Kingston states: “They will readily learn to take mealworms and greenfood from the hand, however, I discourage this practice due to the Cubans becoming jealous and aggressive towards other species in the aviary, who also show a tendency to become friendly towards the aviculturist.” … “For aviculturists in colder climates, I recommend breeding their Cubans between spring and summer. Indeed, even in the sub-tropical climate [Queensland] where I live, I have found Cubans have a preference for this time.”

THE EXPORTATION FROM AUSTRALIA OF EXOTIC SPECIES

At the committee meeting of the National Finch and Softbill Association (NFSA) held on 4 July 2010, in Adelaide, a discussion on the “Exports of Exotic Species” took place and the members present were deeply concerned to learn that 13,000 foreign finches had been legally exported overseas by Melbourne dealer(s). The break-down figures being 93% goldfinches, 3.2% red-faced parrotfinches, 1.6% Cuban finches and 1.8% greenfinches.

David Pace, president of the NFSA,

writes: “Regarding these export figures the 1.6% of 13,000 is 208 individuals and although it does not sound like many but you only need to look at the recent figures of Australian finches held in Victorian aviaries. Some species such as black-throated and crimson finches, pictorella and yellow-rumped munias etc, have fewer than 500 individuals - if 208 individuals were shipped out in one year alone, it would cause a huge loss

in genetic material. If it were to occur over 5 years, the species would be in a dire situation. Aberdeen and other foreign finch species are likely to be under 100 individuals.”

Bibliography

• Baxter, E. 1985. The Avicultural Writings of Eric Baxter (ed. M Shephard & C Welford). The Avicultural Society of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.

• Barnicoat, F. 1977. Cuban Finches Reach South Africa Again, Thanks to the Efforts of Aviculture in Australia. Australian Aviculture, pp.47-48.

• Butler, Dr A G. 1899. Foreign Finches in Captivity (Second Edition) Brumby and Clarke, Hull and London, England.

• Hyde, G. 1995. The Cuban Finch: A Delightful Foreigner. Australian Aviculture, pp.64-67.

• Huntington, W G. 1976. It Can and Does Happen. Australian Aviculture, pp. 108-109.

• Kingston, R J. 1998. Keeping and Breeding Finches and SeedEaters. INDRUSS Productions, New Farm, Queensland, Australia.

• National Finch and Softbill Association Inc. Committee meeting, Adelaide, 4 –7-2010.

• Pace, D. October 2010. Personal communication.

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

• Restall, R. 2003. Breeding the Black-faced Grassquit Tiaris

bicolour omissa With Some Notes on Behaviour. Avicultural Magazine, Vol. 109 No. 4, Journal of the Avicultural Society, England. Updated 2007 by the author for the AS website.

• Trollope. J. 1983. The Care and Breeding of Seed-Eating Birds. Blandford Press, Poole, England.

• Trott, R. 1986. The Breeding Machine. Australian Aviculture, pp.237-238.

Acknowledgement

• Painting: © Howard Robinson, The Forge, Front Street, Wheatley Hill, County Durham, DH6 3PS, England.

CAUGHT BY THE LINEOLATED PARAKEET BUG

SIGRID MARZ

Iwas able to read a lovely piece of English Linnie literature that was published in ‘The Magazine of the Parrot Society UK’ in June 2003 (Vol 37, pages 266 – 269). Thanks a lot –Les Rance – for sharing that with me. Well, in this article Jerry S. Fisher described his first experiences with the Lineolated Parakeet in a very humorous way which made it a pleasure to read. The author chose names for his Linnies, but from his cat’s point of view. So they end up with names like ‘Breakfast’, ‘Lunch’, ‘Pringle’ and ‘Pretzel’. It’s more than obvious: this guy had been caught by the Lineolated Parakeet bug! So am I for 20 years and because I really enjoyed reading it I will use this article – aptly called ‘Lineolated Parakeets’ – as a central theme for my little essay about these adorable little parrots. ”Always bear in mind that the birds may not have read the same books or articles!“

This ‘slogan’ perfectly fits to Lineolated Parakeets. It was not until the late 1990’s that Linnies were characterized as boring, even lethargic tiny parrots without a spectacular plumage or manner. And indeed, when kept in small cages with only little interior Lineolated Parakeets are really calm and don’t move around a lot.

However, when a few people tried to place the parakeets into bigger aviaries, gave them room to fly, a few perches and twigs, the birds proved the literature wrong. Suddenly they behaved like we know today: perky little climbers, fast fliers and charming personalities. But – let’s take one thing at a time...

Fine feathers make fine birds

At first glance the Lineolated Parakeet mainly is green, although many tinges are possible from light green to darker grass green. The parakeet-typical long tail feathers are missing, only one third of the total body length of around 16 cm is covered by the short, pointy tail. Also the body shape is more like that of a shrunken Amazon parrot than that of svelte parakeets like Budgies or Cockatiels. With its weight between 45 and 70 g – depending on the size – the Lineolated Parakeet definitely belongs to the small parrots.

The body shape is more like that of a shrunken Amazon parrot than that of svelte parakeets like Budgies or Cockatiels.

A striking characteristic of these so called Linnies is the big horncoloured beak with its featherless cere on a relatively huge head. So it is no surprise that the Latin genus name ‘Bolborhynchus’ indeed describes this as a ‘bulb beak’ which the Lineolated Parakeet has in common with the other members of the ‘Thick-billed parakeets’. Referring to the second part of the Latin species name ‘lineola’ we find another characteristic of these little parrots: fine black lines and markings on the grass-green plumage which are only missing on the lime-green underside, forehead, cheek and throat. The flight feathers shimmer bluish. Their giant feet with dark claws seem to be too big for these tiny birds.

We can learn from literature that the native habitat of the Lineolated Parakeets is in cloud forests and woodlands of Middle and South America, from Mexico in the north to Peru and Bolivia in the south. There they spend the majority of the day hidden secretly in the treetops, relaxing, caring for their feathers or

cuddling with one another. In small or big groups Linnies go out for a hunt for food, which due to their nomadic lifestyle varies and possibly includes tree seeds and fruits, but also tree buds, fresh shoots and insects.

Now we can understand the appearance of the green mini-parrot much better: Well camouflaged among the treetops, their black feather markings imitate the play

between light and dark perfectly and they appear to melt completely into their surroundings. The compact physique allows the birds to move more easily around between twigs and leaves, long tail feathers would only disturb. And the huge feet as well as the stocky beak turn out as perfect tools for climbing on thick branches and gnarled trunks.

Nowadays not all Lineolated Parakeets are simply green any more. During the last years several different colour variants emerge. Probably the most prominent colour mutations are those of the green and turquoise colour lines. A so-called ‘dark factor’ leads to dark green (D green) Linnies when present once, and to olive green (DD green) when present twice in green birds. The same is true

The huge feet as well as the stocky beak turn out as perfect tools for climbing on thick branches and gnarled trunks.

for turquoise birds which are not of pure blue colour because there is still some yellow colour left. Therefore the plumage is more of a green-bluish colour which becomes cobalt blue (D turquoise) with one, and dark greycalled mauve - (DD turquoise) with two dark factors.

‘Inos’ look like Linnies from another planet. Due to the loss of all melanin (which gives the feather its blue and black colour) ‘Lutinos’ show a sun yellow plumage with no black markings, the down is white and the eyes are red. Combined with the turquoise colour mutation the parakeets appear in an angelic cream-white colour and are therefore called ‘Creaminos’. Another colour mutation arose: the greywing factors. Like the dark factor they can show up as one or two factors, leading to lighter plumage colours or even to pastel-coloured parakeets. All these mutations can

be combined – at least to a certain extent – and therefore represent an almost endless chart of colour in the Lineolated Parakeets.

It’s also the number of these mutations that make it very difficult, if not impossible, to draw conclusions

from the plumage concerning the gender of the birds. There are many approaches like a bluish shimmer on the head of a female Linnie, as well as less black markings especially on the elbow and the two middle navigational feathers. But whatever you heard, most of these methods turned out to

be extremely error-prone. It probably would be more accurate to make a guess. Sometimes it works properly to keep two hens or two cocks. The first usually is easier, but may lead to constant egg-laying. The combination of two mature males – however –will cause problems if they are both dominant. Fights and aggressions might be the result. So, if you want to be sure: let the sex of your parakeets be determined by DNA analysis.

Chow down

When kept properly Lineolated Parakeets can reach an age of 13 or 14 years. In addition to a stimulating environment, a relatively high air humidity and nice company, one major basis for a long, healthy parakeet life is of course a varied nutrition. Because Linnies love eating and they eat a lot they need a lowcalorie diet which is rich in greens. If fed too fatty and rich food they would become portly, and sooner or later also sick. Therefore today the following suggestion applies for Linnie nutrition: 50 % fruits and vegetables, 10 % greens and herbs, 40 % different seeds. You can serve nearly everything you can find in the fruit and veggie shelves in your local supermarket (except for avocado and cabbage leaves). Most Linnies

prefer fruits like apples, grapes and melon, but also carrots, celery and fennel. You will have to find out if your birds like their food as a whole fruit, chopped into little pieces or even grated. For a change you can offer wild herbs like chickweed or half-ripe wild grasses, lamb’s lettuce or other kinds of leaf salads. To complete the menu of your parakeets a well-

Today the following suggestion applies for Linnie nutrition: 50% fruits and vegetables, 10% greens and herbs, 40% different seeds.

balanced seed mixture for Cockatiels, Neophema parakeets, Lovebirds or Parrotlets will work perfectly. Many Lineolated Parakeets also love spray millet, soaked seeds or even cooked foods. It’s up to you to find out.

Family bliss

Inevitably there will be liaisons and love affairs in a Linnie flock, or within a harmonic single pair. If two parakeets ‘fall in love’ they might want to start a family. Once in spring and a second time in the late summer the hormones drive the Lineolated Parakeets crazy which appears by grooming, feeding, but also arguing. Later on you might observe copulations where the cock mounts the hen from the side, and a few days later there will be a telling bulge on the female’s cloaca, meaning

she is nearing the time to lay her eggs. Three to eight eggs are laid between every one and three days. However the hen usually doesn’t start incubating before the second egg appears.

The first Lineolated Parakeets were imported into Europe in the 1900s. Breeding them turned out to be very difficult because the parakeets caught in the wild were susceptible to illnesses and stress. Now there are no more wild Linnies in Europe, and breeding them – except from little difficulties – is easy. A speciality of Lineolated Parakeets is colony breeding, where young birds are reared and raised successfully in a group of Linnies. If provided with enough space Lineolated Parakeets

are still friendly and hardly territorial during the breeding season. That’s why the chicks, which hatch after approximately 21 days incubation time with white down, often not only are fed by their parents but also by older siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents or any other Linnie that passes by. After six weeks the young are independent but should still remain in the flock for several months, or several weeks at least, to learn proper social behaviour. Please always keep in mind: If you are not able to keep all the chicks look out for a nice place for the young birds BEFORE you allow the parents to breed. If you don’t want parakeet offspring, remove all nesting boxes and provide sleeping boxes without bottoms instead. Or replace the eggs with plastic eggs and wait. Usually the hens leave the clutch after four weeks then.

Home sweet home

Though the above quotation was about young Linnies doing their first flights it’s also true for some adult birds sometimes. A Lineolated Parakeet’s flight pattern, while by no means elegant, is strong, fast and practical. This allows them to cover large distances, which is necessary in their native environment. Landing properly – obviously – is not of that big importance and sometimes really looks adventurous.

Kept in cages or aviaries Lineolated Parakeets still need a lot of space despite their small size. The bird house should be one metre long at least. If you keep your birds in a small cage without time of free flight you will end up with lazy, lethargic green feathered balls. Only when provided with enough space to fly and move around your Linnies will show their full temperament.

Beside several containers for food and water you should furnish the bird house with many branches of different size from trees like apple or plum tree or other non-poisonous woods. This is to wear down the parakeet’s claws properly which otherwise tend to grow until the bird gets problems walking and climbing. Therefore, always pay close attention to the length of your bird’s claws, and trim them, if necessary.

Lineolated Parakeets love to hide, even in the daytime. They look for caves, clefts, holes or they get a

sleeping house or box. To avoid them going broody you should provide them with sleeping houses without ground floors, but with one or two perches to sit on. In addition to ropes, swings and ladders there’s still some space for a few toys in the aviary. For a good illumination use a full spectrum lamp that imitates sunlight this produces an environment in real colour. For the ground wood shavings and granulates will work perfectly. Depending on the size of the parakeet flock you may have to provide a bigger aviary, made of wood or metal, indoor or outdoor, the bigger the better. But, also keeping your Linnies in a separate bird room is possible.

…the day flows easily with grooming, eating, relaxing, eating again, maybe having a shower and –you might have guessed already –eating

It’s delightful to watch a harmonic couple of Lineolated Parakeets grooming day in, day out, caring for one another, doing everything together or just hang around for hours. Multiply this by 2, or 4, or even 6. In their native habitat Lineolated Parakeets also live together in small or bigger groups, search for food together and spend the night side by side in their sleeping tree. The group represents variety and protection, too. Nobody is alone. Single birds live together with couples, young with old, widows with adolescents. If young birds

level of socialization and also the state of health. Over the past years it showed that a group number of at least six individuals can work as a guidance level. Although Lineolated Parakeets are really peaceful and friendly fellows there are sometimes arguments within a group, especially during the breeding season. The easiest way to solve that kind of conflict is to provide the flock with enough space to keep the squabblers out of each others way.

have the chance to grow up in a group like that it’s not only the parents that educate and – if necessary – to rebuke them. This process of socialization is very important for little birds.

There is no fixed rule when a Linnie flock develops such a group dynamic because it depends on the birds’ age, gender ratio, individual characters,

It goes without saying that the volume/sound of the parakeet group rises with its size. Several Linnies just have to talk more and louder to understand everyone and everything than a single couple. Especially during their daily ‘5 minutes’ in the morning and the late afternoon a flock of Lineolated Parakeets may be louder than tolerable levels, which should be kept in mind when housing the birds in an outdoor aviary. Before breakfast the group gathers itself and says ‘hello’ to the world loudly. Afterwards the day flows easily with grooming, eating, relaxing, eating again, maybe having a shower and – you might have guessed already – eating. In the late afternoon the birds come together again, chattering and gabbling, until they fall asleep after sunset.

There’s a big advantage of keeping Lineolated Parakeets in an outdoor aviary: they can breath fresh air every day, they can relax in the sun – and they can enjoy a rain shower.

Lineolated Parakeets usually are peaceful and inoffensive and therefore can be kept together with other peaceful parrots or finches. However, you should always make sure that the amount of Lineolated Parakeets outnumbers any livelier birds, such as Budgies. On the other hand Cockatiels, despite their size, are easily dominated by Lineolated Parakeets.

It can be problematic to mix different birds due to their species-specific needs. Compare Budgies and Linnies and you will find two species from different continents with totally different nutritional habits, temperament and daily routine. Is there a way to satisfy both species in one aviary? Ormaybe – it’s better to keep a pure Budgie group or Linnie flock.

Slightly different from the rest ... There’s a big advantage of keeping Lineolated Parakeets in an outdoor aviary: they can breath fresh air every day, they can relax in the sun – and they can enjoy a rain shower. The latter is really spectacular because the bathing behaviour of the Linnies is – well – different. They latch themselves onto thin twigs or lie down onto gnarly branches, spread their wings and every single feather, moving around, writhing, just to be

sure, that every bit of their body would get wet. Afterwards they spend a lot of time on caring for their feathers and grooming.

Of course you also can shower your ‘indoor birds’ with a water spray bottle which they definitely will enjoy. But this strange manner is not the only Linnie-like style:

• Climbers: Lineolated Parakeets love to fly, and they do it fast and efficient. But they even more love to climb around. If you think Linnies are dull and slow sometimes, you should watch them crawling and climbing. They can do this unbelievably fast, trees up, trees down, preferably head first.

• Following the last issue – nearly everything can be done head first: sleeping, dozing, having a shower, climbing and – of course – eating.

• While sleeping or snoozing Lineolated Parakeets often spread their feathers, the eyes are nearly closed the posture is more hanging than sitting. Altogether they look like an exploded ball of wool. But you can be sure: As long as your birds don’t show any signs of illness they are really fine. Because that’s how Linnies relax.

• Lineolated Parakeets trust in their camouflage. That’s why they have

a very limited flight distance. If the flight distance falls short, though, the birds will begin to fly aimlessly in a panic screeching loudly. These panic attacks usually end in injuries, or, in some cases, death due to a broken neck after a collision with the wall or aviary wiring. You should therefore use caution when approaching your birds.

I now want to finish my little essay with another quotation from Jerry S. Fisher:

“You see, they are different, they are special, and they are absolutely adorable. It’s so easy to get infected by the Linnie bug and – to be honest – is there really a reason to resist?”

OUR UNIQUE CLEANING PROCESS FOR YOUR UNIQUE BIRDS

At Johnston & Jeff, we blend over 10 different foods for parrots and parakeets. Each one is perfect in its own way— just like every bird. From traditional mixes such as No.1 Parrot to our healthy range of low sunflower foods, each mix is immaculately prepared and expertly blended. To ensure the excellence of the blends, we developed a unique cleaning process where each ingredient is cleaned repeatedly. A 10 step process in fact, to achieve a purity level of 99.9%, removing dust and immature seeds in the process. These amazing birds deserve nothing less.