That Bird Blog – Bird Care and History for Pet Birds

Introduction
One could spend a lifetime caring for a small number, or even a single species, of the most frequently encountered pet-trade birds, and never lack for new and interesting experiences. However, sometimes we long for something different – after all, keeping birds in captivity has long fascinated human-kind and many, from hummingbirds to ostriches, do amazingly well given the proper care.

I became aware of the possibilities open to serious aviculturists early on, while working for bird importers and later as a bird keeper at the Bronx Zoo. Many of the most interesting species that I encountered are now bred in captivity and available in the pet trade. Asia and Europe have always been hotbeds of species availability, but North American breeders have much to offer as well (many of our native species are popular pets overseas, but generally illegal to keep here in the USA).

Today I would like to introduce you to some birds that you may wish to consider when expanding your collection. All are well-established in the pet trade, and have been captive-bred for many generations. Please bear in mind that the care of most differs greatly from that required by more familiar pet-trade species. Future articles will cover other such birds, and captive care in more detail.

Be sure to research carefully before attempting to keep a new bird, and please write in with your questions and with your “wish list” – I and the Bird Room staff will do our best to help you to acquire the species in which you are interested.

Golden-fronted Leafbird, Chloropsis aurifrons
This gorgeous nectar-feeding specialist is one of my all-time favorites. Active and alert, it needs a bit of room to thrive, and cannot tolerate temperatures below 65 F or so.

The back is colored dark green, fading to grass-green on the yellow-bordered breast, while the throat and wing-curve is blue. The face and crown are highlighted in black and gold, tinged with purple iridescence. Although slenderly built and but 8 inches in length, leafbirds can be quite aggressive towards other species – making up in agility and attitude what they lack in size. Golden-fronted leafbirds range from India and Myanmar south through Sumatra.

Leafbirds require a quality softbill diet, such as moistened Pretty Bird Softbill Select, as well as crickets and mealworms. Nectar and a fruit-based mix (Goldenfeast Nectar Gold and Tropical Fruit Pudding Blend), as well as diced banana, apple, papaya, orange and other fresh fruits, should be offered on a daily basis. They quite literally pick up and inspect nearly every bit of food offered, scattering a good deal in the process, and so need to be fed more heavily than similarly-sized birds (this hold true also for birds that consume a good deal of nectar). They drink copiously and bathe frequently. Image referenced from Wikipedia.

Pekin Robin, Leiothrix lutea
The somber gray-green back of this charming little bird is brilliantly offset by the orange breast. Shy and a mere 6 inches in length, pekin robins do best when kept in pairs or small groups, in a quiet cage or planted aviary.

These birds are favored pets in their native Southeast Asia, and are well-established in the USA as well. Those I cared for formed small flocks during much of the year and were not aggressive towards each other when paired (they were, however, in a large exhibit – breeding-season aggression may occur in smaller quarters).

Pekin robins will accept the foods listed as above for leafbirds, but do not require nectar. They should also be given a daily ration of small seeds, such as may be found in a high quality finch mix . Image referenced from Wikipedia.

Red-crested Cardinal, Paroaria coronata
With its dark gray back, bright scarlet head and crest and white breast, this small South American import makes a striking addition to any collection. In common with all cardinal-like birds, they need a large cage or aviary and are best housed in pairs. Most tend to be shy, but once settled in take readily to captivity and may even breed if given enough space and a stress-free environment.

A feeder I established at a field station in Venezuela drew several of these birds daily – they seemed curious about me, and would leave their food to inspect me from a safe distance. Captives retain this trait and never fail to notice all that goes on about them.

This and the closely related red-crowned, or Dominican cardinal, P. dominicana ( a popular pet in its native Brazil) will thrive on finch seed prod and fresh fruit, and should be offered 2-3 small insects daily as well.

Check back next week for the rest of this article.

Traditional wisdom holds that birds rely chiefly upon eyesight and hearing in getting about.  This month (July, 2008), however, biologists at Germany’s Max Planck Institute of Ornithology established that a number of species use olfaction (sense of smell) in navigation, foraging and, perhaps, recognition of other individuals.

Those who study and observe birds have long suspected this, at least as concerns a few species.  While in Costa Rica on field research, I got into the habit of setting out baits in order to see what animals might show up to feed (in contrast to popular belief, rainforests are not teeming with readily visible animals.  The animals are there in droves, but most go about their business undetected).  After placing a road-killed giant anteater in a heavily-forested area, I was quite surprised to find that turkey vultures (Catharses aura) appeared at the carcass in short order.  I had always assumed that these birds detected food by using their sharp eyes while soaring high above ground.  Yet they found the anteater very quickly, despite being unable to see it due to the dense tree cover.  Could they have detected its scent?

The nostrils of New Zealand’s brown kiwi, which forages for earthworms at night, are placed at the tip of its bill.  This odd arrangement has long caused ornithologists to speculate that the flightless bird locates its prey by scent.  Another oddball from that island, the kakapo, searches for fruit at night.  The world’s only nocturnal, flightless parrot, the kakapo is one of the birds now known to have a powerful sense of smell.

The biologists at Max Planck studied the olfactory receptor genes, which form the molecular basis of the sense of smell, of various species (including those mentioned above) in coming to their conclusions.  Their results were confirmed by examinations of the olfactory lobes of the brain, which were larger in those species thought to have a well-developed sense of smell.

It is amazing and inspiring that there is so much of importance still to be discovered about very basic areas of bird biology.  Pay close attention to what pet and wild birds do – great opportunities await careful observers.  

You can learn more about the work of the Max Planck Institute of Ornithology at:

http://www.mpg.de/english/institutesProjectsFacilities/instituteChoice/ornithologie/index.html

Brown Kiwi image courtesy of Malene Thyssen, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Malene

Click The Chinese Painted Quail (Button Quail, Blue-breasted Quail), Conturnix chinensis, and the Japanese Quail, C. japonica, Part 1, to read the first part of this article.

Enclosure
Although ideally suited to a grass-bottomed outdoor aviary, button quail also do quite well in large bird or small animal cages, such as the Pets International Premium Hutch or My First Home. Button quail are ground dwelling birds, so floor space is the most important consideration in cage selection.

When startled, these tiny birds explode straight up with great force, and can injure themselves in low-roofed cages. You may wish to trim their flight feathers if injuries are a possibility in the cage you provide. Despite their friendly demeanor, button quail are easily frightened by unexpected noises, and so should be housed in calm surroundings.

Newly hatched button quail are, quite literally, the size of bumblebees – check that they cannot squeeze through the cage’s mesh.

Button quail should be given as much room as possible – they are always in motion and youngsters in particular seem to explore endlessly. A raised, flat shelf in the cage will be used by the birds as an observation point – you may be surprised at how interested they seem to be in what goes on about them.

Like other quail and pheasants, button quail relish dust baths and do not bathe in water. A sand-filled bowl should be provided for this purpose.

Drinking bowls must be shallow and, for the tiny chicks, should be filled with pebbles or marbles to prevent drowning.

Light and Heat
Button quail do well at normal room temperatures. Their cage should be lit by a full spectrum bulb designed for use with birds.

Feeding
A high quality finch seed mix, such as Vitabird Finch Seed, should form the basis of the diet. Button quail also relish greens, and should be given small amounts of kale, romaine and similar foods, as well as sprouting grass like the Vitakraft Sprout Pot. Tiny mealworms, crickets, waxworms and other insects are a valuable addition to the diet, especially when they are breeding. Button quail do not open the seeds upon which they feed, and so a constant supply of suitably-small grit is essential. Millet sprays  hung at head level will keep the birds busy and all who watch them amused.

Social Groups and Compatible Species
Button quail should be kept in pairs or small groups (“coveys”) of 1 cock and several hens. Males have the endearing habit of offering small insects to females, who are alerted to the treat by his high-pitched “peeps”. Males usually fight with each other and should not be housed together (this includes chicks of over 2 months in age).

They also get along admirably with nearly all finches, canaries and other softbills, and with those parrots that will not harass them. A pair will add greatly to your enjoyment of a well-planted aviary stocked with finches and similar birds.

Breeding
Button quails breed well in captivity – year round if in good condition and provided with a daylight period of 10 hours or so. Females are, however, quick to abandon their eggs (the eggs can be easily hatched in a commercial incubator). Cocks often harass sitting hens – those that do not will settle near the nest, apparently to assist in detecting threats.

The simple nest is constructed on the ground, often in the lee of a grass clump or log if such is available. Females lay 6-10 eggs, which they incubate for 16 days without help from the male. The young can follow their mother shortly after hatching, and are sexually mature within 2 months. The sight of a hen leading her thimble-sized brood about really must be seen to be fully appreciated. The chicks are very curious and tend to get into all sorts of trouble by wedging themselves into tight places, so be sure to check their cage carefully.

Miscellaneous
Chicks hatched in an incubator can fend for themselves right away, and make delightful pets. They will likely imprint upon you (see you as their “mother”) and will follow you about incessantly. Such birds sometimes fail to breed as they mature, but more than compensate for this by the close bonds that they form with people.

I hope that you will give these entertaining fellows a try – although a bit of a change from what most bird fanciers are accustomed to, button quail are well worth considering.

Information about button quail in the wild can be found at:
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Coturnix_chinensis.html

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.

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.

Information concerning the Australia Zoo’s finch breeding efforts, along with natural history notes on several species, is posted at:
Austaliazoo.com