General Bird Care
The African Silverbill – a Near-Perfect Finch Pet
Nov 25th
Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Zebra and Society Finches are often recommended to those new to finch keeping, and with good reason. However, in my opinion, the attractive little African Silverbill or African Warbling Finch, Lonchura cantans, deserves consideration as well. In addition to being a hardy captive, it is also a prolific breeder that hybridizes readily with several other species – ideal qualities if one wishes to experiment with the creation of new finch color phases.
Description
The African Silverbill may seem “plain” to some, but its varied shades of brown, tan, buff, fawn and black both blend and contrast, lending this 4 inch-long mite a unique beauty. The sexes are alike, but only males produce the pleasant, warbling song.
Chocolate, fawn, cinnamon, white and other mutations have been produced, often influenced by related species with which the African Silverbill has been crossed. More >
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Loading ...Mate Aggression in Parrots – Why Parrots Fight with their Partners
Nov 18th
Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. In the wild, the pair-bond between mated parrots often lasts a lifetime. Captive pairs, however, face unique “relationship challenges” that often complicate the mating process. Owners may find it difficult to find two birds that get along, and even long-established pairs may suddenly begin to fight.
Mate Choice
Parrot breeding is rarely as simple as putting 2 birds of the opposite sex together…both males and females can be quite choosy when it comes to selecting a mate. Coloration, behavior, vigor and a host of factors that we do not fully understand all come into play, with the ultimate goal being the production healthy offspring. The process has evolved over millions of years, and works fine in natural situations, where the birds can choose from numerous potential mates.
Captives face an entirely different situation. Even in large breeding groups, they are limited to a fraction of the potential mates that would be available in the wild. Being naturally social, many parrots “give in” and accept whatever mate, or same sex friend, presents itself; parrots that live alone often transfer their need for companionship to human owners. More >
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...The Natural History and Captive Care of the Bronze-Winged Parrot
Nov 15th
Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Also known as the Bronze-Winged Pionus, Pionus chalcopterus, this delightful little bird has been somewhat ignored by US parrot keepers until recently. However, it has many fine pet qualities and boasts a beautiful “color scheme” that is not common among its relatives.
Description
The 11-inch-long Bronze-Wing’s beauty lies not in bright, “screaming” plumage but rather in a subtle blend of colors. It may at first appear somewhat dull, but closer inspection will reveal that the body plumage is dark purple to navy blue, and overlain with a bronze tint…quite attractive and ever-changing with light levels. The pink eye ring and pink-edged head feathers add to its unique appearance, and red coverlets decorate the tail. More >
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Weaning Canaries – Encouraging Fledglings to Accept the Adult Diet
Nov 8th
Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Whether they are hand or parent-reared, young Canaries usually need some encouragement to switch from the nestling to adult diet. This change-over period can be quite stressful, but there are a number of steps you can take to ease the transition.
The Transition Period
Pet Canaries feed their chicks largely upon sprouts, soaked seeds and Egg Food or hard boiled eggs. Once the young fledge, which usually occurs at age 16-20 days, they will be fed by their parents for an additional 2 -3 weeks. During this time, they will also begin to pick at food and eventually learn to eat on their own. Fledglings benefit from watching their parents and siblings…chicks that are hand-reared are at a disadvantage in this respect, but will also respond to the ideas and foods mentioned below.
Hard seeds are a novel food for young Canaries, and acquiring the skill needed to open them takes practice. A high protein diet remains important right through the first molt (which usually begins within 2 months of fledging), but eventually seeds should replace egg-based foods as their staple. More >
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...During Hard Times, Eclectus Parrot Moms Kill Male Chicks and Raise Females
Nov 1st
Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. The Eclectus Parrot is well known for an unusual degree of sexual dimorphism (males are emerald green, females bright red) and a breeding strategy wherein several males mate with a single female. But no one expected the results of a recent study: under certain circumstances, mothers will kill their male chicks and raise only females. Other than humans, Eclectus Parrots are the only species known to kill offspring based solely upon gender.
Harsh Conditions and Drastic Adaptations
The study, published in the journal Current Biology (October, 2011), was conducted by researchers based at the Australian National University. The study site was at Cape York, Queensland, in Australia’s tropical northeast (Eclectus Parrots are also found on New Guinea and many Indonesian islands). More >
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