That Bird Blog – Bird Care and History for Pet Birds

Twenty two species of turaco inhabit central and southern Africa and, oddly for a continent with such a diversity of unique wildlife, they comprise the only family of birds limited in distribution to Africa.  Many are spectacularly colored in glossy green, red and violet, and are lent some of these hues by pigments unknown in other birds.  They bound from branch to branch, uttering odd, bark-like cries and flaring their characteristic head crests.

All turacos are largely frugivorous and, indeed, are one of the few birds known to feed fruit to their nestlings.  The young are also unique in (along with the even stranger hoatzin) possessing claws at the wing joint that allow them to clamber about the branches.

The first turaco I had contact with was an Angolan Red-Crested (Tauraco erythrolophus), housed at the Bronx Zoo.  As we know, hand-raised birds often imprint upon humans and mature into animals that, while good pets, behave somewhat abnormally.  I have related previously the tale of a Great Horned Owl that attempted to “court” his keepers by attempting to stuff mice into our mouths.  Zoos seeking to release hand-reared birds back to the wild, as has been done with California Condors, utilize hand puppets when feeding the nestlings to prevent imprinting.

Well, the turaco in question, christened “Bloody Mary” for the cuts she left about the head and ears of anyone entering her exhibit, took a different view of “imprinting”.  Even when tossed away (gently, of course!), she would fly back and attack, so much so that keepers took to wearing hard hats when feeding her.  She was equally aggressive to other birds, forcing me to install an opaque barrier between her cage and her neighbors, in order to give them some peace. The accompanying photograph shows my friend not seeking a treat or a scratch on the head, but an opportunity to peck at whatever part of me presents itself!

Bloody Mary aside, turacos make spectacular additions to the collections of advanced hobbyists, but they do need a huge flight cage.  

You can read about the care of Red Crested Turacos at Cotswold Wildlife Park, and view photos, at:

http://www.turacos.org/redcrestedextra.htm#rct

The Greater Racket-Tailed Drongo, a conspicuous black bird with a deeply forked tail, often forages in flocks comprised of up to a dozen different species of birds.  The drongo perches above the flock, snatching insects that they disturb, and keeping an eye out for predators that might go unnoticed by its hunting flock-mates.  The associated bird species seek out drongos, apparently relying upon them heavily for protection.  Drongos feed more effectively when in such flocks, so the benefits go both ways.

Recent studies in Sri Lanka have revealed that, upon sighting a predator, a drongo will imitate the alarm calls of at least 4 other bird species (babblers, laughing thrushes, bulbuls and others), as well as the call given by the specific predator, i.e. a giant squirrel or eagle.

When unthreatened but hungry, the drongo will attract other birds to itself by imitating their calls – but this time it utilizes contact calls or mating calls.  It very effectively forms a small foraging group in this manner.  So, the drongo is not only choosing the calls of other species, but it’s using them in the correct context – hawk as opposed to snake, feeding as opposed to mobbing.  In essence, the bird is a true linguist.  When presented with a human intruder, one drongo improvised – after a very short “assessment” it gave forth the call of a Crested Serpent Eagle (perhaps because this is the largest predator it normally encounters?).

Male European Starlings, incidentally, mimic the calls of other birds in order to impress their mates.  An individual I visited often as a child, kept at the American Museum of Natural History in NYC, was able to imitate several words as well.

Some parrots seem to exhibit a quite detailed knowledge of what they are saying.

An abstract of an article dealing with research similar to that mentioned above is posted at:
http://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI3179876/

This image was originally posted to Flickr by Kai Hendry at http://flickr.com/photos/16105436@N00/99531708. It was reviewed on 09:53, 17 August 2007 (UTC) by FlickreviewR, and confirmed to be licensed under the terms of the cc-by-2.0.

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.

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 birds 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

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