Archive for July, 2008
The Chinese Painted Quail (Button Quail, Blue-breasted Quail), Conturnix chinensis, and the Japanese Quail, C. japonica, Part 1
Jul 18th
Parrots, finches and canaries can certainly provide a lifetime’s worth of enjoyment to the bird fancier, but sometimes we feel the urge for something “different”. Other types of pet trade and domestic birds – peafowl and other pheasants, ducks, geese and such – are often large, expensive and difficult to provide for in most home situations.
The diminutive Chinese Painted, or Button Quail, however, is none of these, and is an excellent choice for those seeking a ground-dwelling bird. These beautiful miniature quail are a pure delight to keep, and are quite hardy to boot. I first became acquainted with them quite accidentally – while working at the Bronx Zoo, I had often used their eggs as food for African egg-eating snakes. Curious to see the egg-producers in person, I visited the breeder and became enamored of the tiny birds.
Although not as readily available as more typical pet birds, button quail are bred commercially. 
General
Note: The following notes pertain to the button quail. The Japanese quail is larger (to 8 inches) but can be maintained in similar fashion.
Button quail are found from India to southern China and south through Indonesia to New Guinea and northeastern Australia, and have been introduced to Mauritius and Reunion. At least 10 subspecies have been described over this huge range. They favor moist grasslands and overgrown fields, marshy areas and rice paddies.
Description
At a mere 4-5 inches in length, button quail are the smallest members of the family Phasianidae, which contains nearly 200 species of quails, pheasants and partridges.
Males are brownish-blue with white and black-marked throats and faces. The breast is blue-gray and the belly is chestnut-red. Hens are mottled brown and have unmarked throats. A number of interesting color mutations, including silver, white and blue-faced, have been developed.
(No Ratings Yet)
Loading ...Breeding Finches in Captivity – mate selection, cage location, diet, nest choice and other basic considerations
Jul 16th
Introduction
Every aviculturist remembers her or his first pair of successfully breeding birds – nothing quite matches the experience. However, attempting to breed many popular species is often a time consuming and frustrating experience, and usually demands a good deal of space. Parrots in particular are notoriously choosy about both mate and nest site selection. Finches offer a pleasant entry into the field, and I suggest that you consider getting your start with one of the many colorful, interesting species available. You are more likely to succeed in your early attempts (or, rather, the birds are more likely to succeed!) and a pair can be more easily accommodated in fairly small quarters.
In this article I’ll highlight the basics of finch breeding – future notes will cover fine points concerning individual species.
The Cage
Birds of all kinds are more likely to pair up and breed if provided with a roomy, secure cage and an environment that meets, and even exceeds, their needs. You should, therefore, choose the largest cage possible for your finches – remember, a cage can be fine for maintaining fiches but fail badly as a breeding habitat. In sub-optimal captive conditions, reproduction is the first activity to be abandoned (this applies across the animal kingdom, from invertebrates to mammals). If an outdoor aviary is a possibility, by all means utilize it – your chances at success will be greatly improved.
Light Quality and Photoperiod
Full-spectrum lighting is essential to bird health and functions in encouraging natural behavior, including reproduction. Be sure to maintain your finches under a bulb designed for use with birds (please see my article “Lighting for Your Pet Bird”, May 12, 2008 for further details).
A natural light cycle is also important – this will vary by species but most commonly will fall within the range of 12 hours of day and 12 hours of night. Some finches are stimulated to breed by a change in day length, so research your species carefully and install light timers if necessary.
Sex Determination
An obvious prerequisite to reproduction is 1 bird of each sex. Some finches, i.e. gouldians, zebras and green singers, are quite easy to sex (except for certain color phases) while the secondary sex characteristics of others, i.e. the various whydahs, become evident only during the breeding season. Visual sex-determination is nearly impossible for tri-color nuns, parrot finches and a number of other species. In these cases one must rely upon the birds’ behaviors, such as singing (or what passes for “singing” among some finches!), for clues.
Mate Choice and Pair-Bonding
Always attempt to secure unrelated individuals when pairing birds, and allow them to bond and adjust to their home for 4-6 weeks before adding a nest site. Finches can be choosy when selecting mates – you can improve a male’s “desirability” by providing him with a nutritious diet, and by giving the pair a large, well-provisioned cage located in a quiet location (the female, in theory, will view the male as being in possession of a good territory).
Mutual preening and species-specific courtship displays (research the species that you keep before-hand) are signs that you should introduce the nesting site Mounting can be a dominance display as opposed to a mating attempt, so be sure to watch your birds’ other behaviors as well.
The Nest
Depending upon the species, finches may utilize covered nests (waxbills, zebras, nuns), nest boxes (gouldians), or open nests (canaries, green singing finches). Position the nest in a location that is hidden from view, i.e. behind an artificial plant, for particularly shy species or individuals. Dried grass is an ideal nesting material for most finches – avoid string, cotton and other materials that may bind the legs.
Using Food to Induce Breeding
Many birds, including some finches, are stimulated to breed by seasonal changes that bring an abundance of certain foods. Provision your birds with small mealworms and crickets, as well as extra greens (sprout pot) and fruit. An old zoo trick that I have used with great success is the feeding of wild-caught insects. The sudden appearance of such novel foods really seems to have a strong influence on breeding condition. I highly suggest that you use Zoo Med’s Bug Napper to secure small moths, beetles and other insects (learn to identify toxic species, and avoid brightly-colored insects in general). An adequate supply of calcium (Kay Tee Hi Cal Grit and other products) is particularly important for reproductively active females.
Finches raising chicks should also be supplied with live insects, egg food and, as always, a high quality seed mix.
The Eggs and Chicks
Finches may lay between 2 and 10 eggs, with 4-6 being an average clutch. Incubation time varies by species, but is generally between 9 and 16 days.
Do not be discouraged if your birds fail to incubate their first clutch, or lose the chicks. This is common among young breeders – their performance usually improves over time. Chicks that fall or are tossed from the nest should be returned. Hand rearing of small nestlings is difficult but not impossible – please write in if you are faced with this situation.
Please pass along your own finch breeding stories and questions. Thanks, until next time, Frank.
Information concerning the Australia Zoo’s finch breeding efforts, along with natural history notes on several species, is posted at:
Austaliazoo.com
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Brief Notes on Wild Scarlet Macaws (Ara macao) in Venezuela
Jul 14th
In the mid to late 1990’s, I had the great fortune of being able to participate in field studies of the green anaconda in Venezuela. Working in the country’s central llanos (seasonally flooded grasslands) region, I was awestruck by the variety and abundance of bird life.
In my mind, many sightings vie for the title of “most spectacular” – scores of hoatzins clambering about in riverside tree tops, flocks of giant jabiru storks, hundreds of scarlet ibis and roseate spoonbills flying to roost, foraging buff-napped ibis, various hawks so bold that they dived at cast fishing lures. Undoubtedly, a chief contender among these was a small flock of scarlet macaws that frequented the area.
Memories of these brilliant birds flashing across the llanos’ strikingly blue sky remain as vivid today as when I saw them. I was a bit surprised to encounter these huge parrots in such open country, but have since learned that they quite readily switch habitats to those where they can live unmolested by people. The enlightened owners of most of the llanos’ extensive cattle ranches jealously guard resident wildlife, resulting in a simply overwhelming array of animals of all kinds (I was also shocked to encounter anacondas, a snake more often associated with forested rivers, but in 5 years we captured and tagged over 500 of the huge serpents).
In accordance with the reports of others, I found that scarlet macaw pairs were very evident within the flock itself. Indeed, paired bird
s flew so that their wings were almost in contact, and foraged next to each other most of the time. I agree most strongly with those who have compared scarlet macaws feeding in trees to “giant, gaudy flowers”! One observes wild macaws only briefly before their sociability and need for contact becomes clear – it surely was a “take home” message for this aviculturist.
The scarlet macaw’s ability to adjust to varying habitats – open and fairly thick forest, scrubland, llanos, ranches and farms – along with its intelligence, are keys to its continued survival in the wild. Still, as far back as 1932, it was found to be rare in settled areas of Guatemala and elsewhere, and by the 1960’s had retreated to small, isolated habitat patches in Costa Rica, Panama, el Salvador, Honduras, Guyana and much of the rest of its range.
A friend involved in field research in Guyana reports seeing mixed flocks of scarlet and blue and gold macaws (Ara ararauna) – one reason I’m planning a visit soon!
Venezuela’s llanos region, especially during the dry season, is a “must see” for serious birders – please write in if you would like further information. Thanks, until next time, Frank.
The ranch on which I worked is named Hato el Cedral. You can view a list of the 335 bird species recorded here, as well as other information, at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/specieslistsGPS.php?x=-69&y=7&view=1
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Rehabilitating Native Birds – expanding your bird-keeping experience
Jul 11th
Welcome to the new home of That Avian Blog!
Certain of North America’s birds, such as cardinals, indigo buntings and bobwhite quail, feature prominently in European aviculture but are prohibited by law to bird keepers in the USA. Licensed wildlife rehabilitators may, however, care for injured birds in certain circumstances (the birds must be released once recovered or turned over to a suitable facility if release proves inadvisable).
Those seeking experience with native species should consider training as a wildlife rehabilitator. Licensing requirements vary from state to state, so check with your local Department of Environmental Conservation, or corresponding state agency, for details.
Some of my most memorable bird-keeping experiences arose in conjunction with 30+ years of caring for injured wild birds. Most recently, I raised an American kestrel, Falco sparverius (“sparrow hawk” to old timers such as myself). This tiny falcon, arguably the world’s most colorful, has made an amazing comeback in urban areas throughout the USA. I know of a nest in the heart of NYC’s noisy East Village neighborhood, and have received individuals recovered from midtown Manhattan, the south Bronx and central Brooklyn. In contrast to most falcons, the kestrel feeds largely upon insects – in NYC it favors cicadas in late summer, but I have yet to discover what forms the bulk of the diet at other times.
The bird I raised recently proved unable to fly adequately due to his injuries, and is now a quite favored addition to the collection of a well-run nature center.
I’ll write about my bird-rehabilitation experiences from time to time. Meanwhile, please share your own thoughts and questions. Thanks, until next time, Frank.
Information concerning wildlife rehabilitators and rehabilitation centers, as well as other useful links, is posted at:
http://www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/contact.htm
Until Next Time,
Frank
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...The Monk Parrot, Quaker Parrot or Grey-breasted Parakeet, Myiopsitta monachus – uncommon facts about a common pet bird, Part II
Jul 5th
In Part I of this article I related my observations of a monk parrot nest, and we looked at some of the nest’s unusual properties (this is the only parrot that constructs a free standing nest as opposed to utilizing a tree hollow). The use of a communal nest, and the bird’s natural ability to survive in cold climates, has contributed to its success as an introduced species. Interestingly, it has become established in some places that seem, at first glance, to be quite hostile to parrots – most notably New York City. It is particularly common in parts of Brooklyn (as a native New Yorker I can attest that loud, raucous personalities are not unknown in that borough, so perhaps the birds know where to settle after all!).
Cooperative Behavior
The monk parrot’s ability to survive in noisy, threatening habitats near people is partially explained by its complex social behaviors. Birds delay breeding in order to help relatives raise young, and non-breeding adults alert others to danger and locate new food sources. Rather than disperse after fledging, most of the young stay with the natal flock and add their own chambers to the nest, thus becoming “helpers” and future breeders. As with other species of birds (i.e. scrub jays) that cooperate in this manner, the presence of older individuals who are familiar with local predators and other dangers and food sources greatly increases the younger birds’ chances of survival.
Sentinels
More so than most parrots, monks routinely post sentinels when feeding. On several occasions, I followed free-living monk parrots to feeding areas and never failed to see the guards, and they never failed to warn the flock of my presence. I was even able to observe the sentinel being “relieved” – a bird that had been feeding flew up to the sentinel’s branch, there was a most definite “conversation” between them, and then the original sentinel flew to the ground to feed. I was not able to determine if this is the species’ usual behavior, but I did see it on two occasions.
The Winter Diet
Monk parrots feed mainly upon grain, along with some fruits, tree buds and insects, but are remarkably adaptable as regards diet. This characteristic has also helped them to adapt to new environments. They are known to frequent bird feeders during the winter, and in rural areas they raid grain put out for farm animals. I have observed those living on the grounds of the Bronx Zoo to enter the paddocks of deer and cattle in search of grain, and to consume pellets put out for peafowl. They are also known to turn to pine cones for food in winter, and on farms have been observed consuming yams unearthed by plows.
Success at Home and Abroad
These qualities and survival techniques have rendered monk parrots among the most successful of all Psittacines, in both their natural and introduced ranges. In their native Argentina, monk parrots are considered to be a quite serious agricultural pest, costing farmers billions of dollars yearly in lost crops. Clearing land for farms encourages their spread, as they prefer open habitats to thick forests. In addition to at least 15 states in the USA, breeding populations of monk parrots can be found in Kenya, Japan, southern Canada, Spain, England, Italy, France, Belgium, Austria, Holland, Puerto Rico, Bermuda and the Bahamas.
Monk Parrots as Pets
Incidentally, these 12 inch long dynamos make fine pets for the right owners. Attractively clad in gray and green, with a bit of blue in the wings (blue, yellow and other color strains are also available), they are inquisitive and tame readily. They are, however, quite vocal, and a small group can be deafening.
Monk parrots routinely cover great distances when feeding, and are always busy with nest repair. These habits render them quite active, and they definitely need a good deal of space, and much to amuse themselves with, in captivity. If circumstances permit, a group housed outdoors in a large aviary will provide countless hours of enjoyment. It was long popular in Europe to allow monk parrots to fly free once the nest was constructed, as they rarely fail to return to this home base. As interesting as this prospect may be, it has likely been a factor in the establishment of feral populations throughout Europe, and should be discouraged.
Monk parrots will breed in pairs as well as groups, and will utilize a nest box if unable to construct a free standing nest. The incubation period is 26 days, and the young fledge in 6 weeks or so. The adults rarely experience difficulties in raising the young.
If you do decide to keep monk parrots, be sure to provide them with a high quality seed based diet along with fruits and some greens, and equip their cage with full spectrum lighting .
Please write in for further details concerning captive care, or to share your observations of free living monk parrots. Thanks, until next time, Frank
Interesting articles concerning Brooklyn College’s studies of free living parrots are posted at:http://www.freeparrots.net/article.php?story=20031221072241561
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...
