That Bird Blog » bird breeding

Bird Reproduction – How Natural Social Behaviors Affect Captive Breeding

findiviglio — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:41:06 +0000

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Bird breeding is rarely as simple as putting a male and female together and hoping for the best. Even Budgerigars and others that been captive bred for thousands of generations remain influenced by ancestral behaviors. Understanding this will greatly improve our success at keeping and breeding birds in captivity. Social Behavior in [...]

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Bird Reproduction – How Natural Social Behaviors Affect Captive Breeding

Introducing Estrildid Finches – the Waxbills, Munias, Nuns and Grass Finches

findiviglio — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:42:54 +0000

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Among the130+ species of the family Estrildidae we find popular cage birds and highly endangered species. Some, such as the gorgeously colored Gouldian Finch, are both - at once rare in the wild yet abundant in the pet trade. Waxbills and their relatives are often the first finches aviculturists obtain after having [...]

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Introducing Estrildid Finches – the Waxbills, Munias, Nuns and Grass Finches

Bird Breeding – Why Do Good Parents Sometimes Attack Their Chicks?

findiviglio — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:13:41 +0000

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Parrots that pair up well, mate, hatch eggs and feed their chicks are every bird-breeders dream. However, some such birds present us with a frustrating situation - just as the chicks begin to grow feathers, one or both of the otherwise doting parents begin to pluck at their chicks’ feathers. Bleeding [...]

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Bird Breeding – Why Do Good Parents Sometimes Attack Their Chicks?

Eclectus Parrots in the Wild and Captivity – Part 2

findiviglio — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:07:20 +0000

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. In Part I of this article we discussed eclectus parrot (Eclectus roratus) behavior in the wild and captivity. Today I would like to focus on one of the more unusual facets Eclectus Parrot natural history – how a unique reproductive strategy has fostered a degree of sexual dimorphism (difference in [...]

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Eclectus Parrots in the Wild and Captivity – Part 2

Eclectus Parrots in the Wild and Captivity – Part 1

findiviglio — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:30:10 +0000

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. One day, while working in Bronx Zoo’s eclectus parrot (Eclectus roratus) exhibit, a visitor asked me what sort of food additives I used to keep the bird’s colors so brilliant and silky. Another, upon viewing a pair of eclectus preening, inquired how I had managed to get the two different species [...]

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Eclectus Parrots in the Wild and Captivity – Part 1

Hand-Rearing Baby Birds – Are you Qualified?

findiviglio — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 18:25:46 +0000

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Hand-raised birds of all types make wonderful pets, and the process itself seems appealing and attracts many bird owners. However, there are a number of misconceptions concerning the need for hand-raising birds, and also regarding the ease of doing so. The Question of Bonding Parent-reared birds can bond quite strongly to people and [...]

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Hand-Rearing Baby Birds – Are you Qualified?

The Golden Pheasant – a Gorgeous yet Hardy Aviary Bird

findiviglio — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:16:59 +0000

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. As a small boy leafing through books on exotic birds from faraway lands, I recall being awe-stuck by a bird that, to me, symbolized all that was wild, foreign, beautiful and unknown – the golden pheasant (Chrysolphus pictus). The long-tailed males, which display gold, deep red, rust, blue, tan, orange, [...]

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The Golden Pheasant – a Gorgeous yet Hardy Aviary Bird

Breeding Lovebirds in Captivity: an Introduction

findiviglio — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:55:31 +0000

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Despite the “love” part of their name, these tiny parrots (9 species in the genus Agapornis) are actually quite feisty and downright aggressive towards one another at times. Introducing new birds is not easy, but once a pair forms the birds will be quite devoted to each other, and may well [...]

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Breeding Lovebirds in Captivity: an Introduction

The A&E Double Flight Cage: How Much Room Does a Finch Need? Part I

findiviglio — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 18:06:38 +0000

It seems to me that finches are often “short-changed” when it comes to cage space. Their small size, especially when compared to other pet birds, seems to pre-dispose hobbyists to providing equally tiny living quarters. But the facts that a bird “fits” in a cage, and can move about somewhat, does not necessarily [...]

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The A&E Double Flight Cage: How Much Room Does a Finch Need? Part I

Spring’s Affect on Parrots, Budgerigars, Canaries, Finches and Other Cage Birds, Part II: Nestlings and Fledglings (Nutrition, Perches, Feather-Plucking)

findiviglio — Fri, 29 May 2009 13:27:58 +0000

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Please see Part I of this article for information on other nesting concerns. There are few events more rewarding to bird owners than the discovery of a nest full of newly-hatched chicks. But along with the excitement of the new arrivals may come a few potential problems. Today we'll take a look [...]

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Spring’s Affect on Parrots, Budgerigars, Canaries, Finches and Other Cage Birds, Part II: Nestlings and Fledglings (Nutrition, Perches, Feather-Plucking)