That Bird Blog – Bird Care and History for Pet Birds

The world’s approximately 330 parrot species, while superficially similar in body plan, exhibit an incredible diversity of lifestyles.  To those I have highlighted on this blog I would now like to add the long-billed corella (Cacatua tenuirostris), a unique cockatoo which spends much of its time as does none other – digging in the ground for food!

A Distinctive Bill

A long, rather thin and pointed upper mandible (bill) immediately distinguishes the long-billed corella from other cockatoos.  Its favorite foods – roots, tubers and, on occasion, insect larvae – are equally unique for a parrot.  The beak functions as a very effective digging tool, and allows the corella to take seeds and other more typical parrot foods as well.

Range and Habitat

The 2 subspecies of long-billed corella live widely separated from one another, and are restricted in distribution to extreme southeast and southwest Australia.  Their ranges have shrunk in recent years due to a drier climate (they require standing water and high rainfall) and land use changes.  Feral populations are established in Perth, Sydney and other Australian cities.

Corellas favor open woodlands, savannas and the edges of watercourses and farms.  They leave their roosts to drink before dawn, and always employ a sentinel perched high in a tree when feeding.

In addition to roots and tubers, they feed upon planted grain, maize and fruits as well, and are hunted as agricultural pests in some areas.  Corellas nearly always nest in hollows high in living trees near water…the loss of these unique nesting sites may also be playing a role in recent population declines.

Corellas as Pets

Late to enter the pet trade, long-billed corellas are now becoming quite popular as pets in their native Australia.  Their abilities to mimic speech are said to be quite impressive, and captive breeding is now fairly routine.

Further Reading

You can learn more about the natural history of these most unusual cockatoos at http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/finder/display.cfm?id=101.

Image referenced from Wikipedia and originally posted by Snowmanradio

In the 5 species of fig parrot (Genus Opopsitta and Psittaculirostris) we find some of the most colorful of all Psittacines, all of which need much attention in terms of captive breeding.  Several, including the gorgeous Edward’s fig parrot, are kept in captivity, but in none is reproduction considered routine.  However, their small size suits them well to experienced aviculturists who are looking to become involved an important conservation effort, and interest is gradually increasing.

Description and Range

Fig parrots are small, stocky, colorful birds limited in distribution to New Guinea, northeast Australia and some nearby islands.

They have unusually large, broad bills, the upper mandible of which is distinctively notched.  All are considered threatened in the wild.  Despite this, they are under-represented in both zoo (I worked with only a very few during my long career) and private collections.

Captive Husbandry

Fig parrots have bred in both large indoor cages and outdoor aviaries.

Much has been learned about their husbandry in recent years, with the need for Vitamin K supplementation being an important discovery.  Most require a wide variety of fruits, especially figs, but lorikeet nectar mixes show great promise as a dietary staple.  Fig parrots take a bit of seed as well, but such should be withheld from breeding adults as it tends to clog the chicks’ crops.

Fig parrots housed in outdoor aviaries have the charming habit of bathing by sliding down large, wet leaves.

Further Reading

You can read about the Australia Zoo’s effort to help the critically endangered Coxen’s fig parrot at http://www.steveirwinmemorialfund.net/our-animals/animal-diaries/index.php?department=01&month=december&year=2005.

Image referenced from Wikipedia and originally posted by Tomfriedel

The grass parakeets (7 species in the genus Neophema) are small, active birds that, by departing from “typical” parakeet behavior, offer a delightful change of pace to serious bird keepers.  For some reason, these colorful, hearty parakeets are not as popular in the USA as they are abroad.  However, several species are well-established in captivity, and it is the rare aviculturist who does not become a devoted fan after keeping a pair.

Unique Flight Behavior

Grass parakeets are strong, swift fliers that zip about erratically and change direction frequently.  They therefore show themselves to best advantage in an outdoor aviary, although their small size and trusting nature allows for maintenance in large indoor cages as well.

Several species, including the ever-popular Bourke’s parakeet (Neophema bourkii) and the brilliantly-colored turquoise parakeet (N. pulchella) have the unusual habit of flying about at dusk and even after dark.  In fact, the gorgeous colors and broken, swooping flight of dusk-flying turquoise parakeets has led famed parrot biologist Joseph Forshaw to describe them as resembling “multi-colored bats”.

Subtle and Not-So-Subtle Beauties

Each grass parakeet species is beautiful in its own way – the muted grays of the Bourke’s parakeet are infused with subtle shades of pastel pink while the turquoise parakeet is flamboyantly clad in brilliant green, red and turquoise blue.

Keeping Grass Parakeets

Grass parakeets are quite confiding, even in the wild, and often try walking away from disturbances before taking flight.  They adjust readily to captivity and breed well, especially in outdoor aviaries (most are, despite their delicate appearances, relatively cold-hearty).  They are, in contrast to most of their relatives, quite easy on live plants, and get along very well with finches, painted quail and other small aviary birds.

Further Reading

You can read more about the natural history of the turquoise parakeet at http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/finder/display.cfm?id=276.

Image referenced from Wikipedia and originally posted by Danweh.

To be christened with the name “peaceful” among a group of birds already well-known for their calm demeanors is quite an accomplishment.  Yet the beautiful little Zebra or peaceful dove (Geopelia striata) lives up to its reputation admirably.  Confiding in humans, the zebra dove gets along very with finches, canaries and button quail, and makes a fine parent if left undisturbed while nesting.

Description and Range

The zebra dove ranks just behind the closely related diamond dove and the ring dove in popularity, and captive bred birds are readily available.  Ranging from Thailand south through Malaysia and Indonesia to Australia, escaped and released zebra doves are also established in Hawaii, Madagascar, California and other places.

At 9 inches long, the zebra is one of the smallest available doves.  This, and its quiet but attractive colors (gray with a red blush about the neck with black and white striped sides) render it ideal for those with limited space.

Keeping Zebra Doves

Although adaptable to a large parrot cage  (where floor space is more important than height), this delightful little bird shows itself to best advantage in an outdoor aviary, at least during the warmer months.  If approached slowly, zebra doves adjust well to people…habituated birds kept indoors should be allowed free flight time if at all possible.

Zebra dove care closely follows that of the diamond dove (please see article below).  They are, however, less cold-tolerant than their smaller relative, and more likely to abandon their nest if disturbed.  Therefore, the zebra dove cage or aviary should always be located in a quiet location.  In a well-planted aviary or spacious cage, however, they often become quite trusting of people and may breed regularly.

Further Reading

Zebra doves can be cared for in much the same manner as diamond doves.  Please see my article, Diamond Dove Care, for further information.

To learn more about the keeping the popular ring dove, please see Aviary Birds: the Ring or Collared Dove.

Please see Part I of this article for a look at Gouldian finch (Erythrura gouldiae) natural history and emerging research items. I’ll cover the care of these popular beauties in a future article, but would like to point out a few of their unique requirements here.

Cage Size

Gouldian finches require more room than similarly-sized finches…there is some evidence that cramping may lead to metabolic disorders. Please provide yours with a large flight cage, or, if possible, an outdoor aviary.

Group-housing seems to stimulate reproductive success, another factor that favors using an outdoor aviary, but you’ll need to be aware of aggression in such situations.

Temperature

Hailing from a warm climate, Gouldian finches are rather cold-sensitive, and are best housed at temperatures of 75-78 F, with an ambient humidity of 50-75%.

Live Food and Protein

As mentioned above, Gouldians rely heavily upon insects as food for part of the year. Be sure to provide ample feedings of live insects and canned invertebrates (silkworms, grasshoppers, crickets, etc.). The Zoo Med Bug Napper, an effective insect trap, is a wise investment for the Gouldian finch owner.

Egg food, hard boiled egg and young sprouts are all appreciated as well.

Further Reading

For more information on adding insects to the diets of Gouldian and other finches, please see my article Feeding Insects to Pet Birds.

Image referenced from Wikipedia and originally posted by Martybugs