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Problem Panel (The Avicultural Review November 1986 Vol. 8 No. 11). "At our November meeting, we had a panel of experienced aviculturists answer questions from the floor. The following are some of the selected answers that we hope are of interest to our readers. The people on the panel were as follows: Peter Hobbs, Wayne Simons, Ken Parsons, Dr Mike Cannon and Bruce Hockley." Declare it for Australia by Peter Gray B.V.Sc. (The Avicultural Review September 1986 Vol. 8 No. 9). "When Harry Butler sits on a log patting a cuddly Australian and talking about protecting Australia from killer diseases, is it just a publicity stunt? Or, as the Department of Quarantine destroy Australian bird collections that have taken years to build, is it just a way of flexing bureaucratic muscle that has gone flabby from lack of exercise? To try and answer these questions in part, let's take a look at one disease which is very important for birdkeepers throughout Australia. It is a disease that has nothing to do with coalmines or steelworks but is called NEWCASTLE DISEASE after the place in England where it was first identified in 1927" Some Thoughts on Worms by Gordon Marion and Tapeworms and Gizzardworms by Michael Cannon B.V.Sc. (The Avicultural Review September 1986 Vol. 8 No. 9). "For all those people who have become lazy with worming their birds, or think it is not worth it, you could be looking for trouble. We we moved to the Blue Mountains I made all my aviaries closed in and the floors were concrete. I thought that this would solve my problems with worming my birds .......... WRONG!" Mutations of Australian Parrots by Stan Sindel (The Avicultural Review September 1986 Vol. 8 No. 9). "Since the first white settlement in Australia there have been numerous parrot mutations recorded. These mutations have never established in the wild. It's quite obvious that if a mutation occurs in the wild it seldom lives long enough to reproduce, let alone to go another generation. These colour mutations have also found their way into aviaries over the last 100 years and comparatively few of them have established as aviary bred strains. Again, probably due to our lack of expertise." Peach-faced Lovebird Mutations Lecture by Terry Atkinon (The Avicultural Review August 1986 Vol. 8 No. 8). "The members of the Agapornis family are the only true lovebird in the world. At the moment they would be one of the most popular birds in Australia. I have kept lovebirds for a number of years now and I breed them in wooden aviaries. They are 6' high x 6' deep x 3' wide. I try to run four pairs in each aviary. I feel that because they are a colony bird, this number stimulates them to breed well. All the aviaries have concrete floors as this keeps the worms under control and makes my job of keeping it clean so much easier." The Cooktown Adventure by Tim Hall (aged 10 1/2 years) (The Avicultural Review August 1986 Vol. 8 No. 8). "During the May school holidays, I was lucky enough to go on a trip from Sydney to my grandparents place in Cooktown. After a four and a half flight to Cairns, my grandparents met me and we set off North for a six hour car trip on a very ROUGH road to Cooktown. On the way, I saw many Brown Hawks hovering above sugar cane looking for food. In some places, the sugar cane grows right up to the road and is three or four metres high." My Little Green Singer by an Upset Aviculturist (The Avicultural Review August 1986 Vol. 8 No. 8). "Approximately three months ago a little plain finch was brought to me. It had a greenish grey body with pale yellow underneath. It was a Little Green Singer which I will refer to as a cock bird as the sexes are indistinguishable until six months of age - then the hen develops a distinct beading around the neck." Never Say Die by Jack Stunnell (The Avicultural Review August 1986 Vol. 8 No. 8). "I once had some young Red-collared Lorikeets, that were only a week and two days old, in a nest. One morning I went in and fed the parents and I didn't notice that they slipped out the aviary door. This was in the middle of winter in July. The door that they slipped through led to a walkway that led to a larger aviary." Australian Native Plants for Use in Finch Aviaries (The Avicultural Review August 1986 Vol. 8 No. 8). (Reprinted with the kind permission of the Canberra Avicultural Society.) "The reason for restricting this article to native plants is simply that Australian finches show a marked preference for them, as evidenced by large numbers of red-browed and double-barred finches resident in the Canberra Botanic Gardens. These species rarely turn up in the suburbs where most of the plantings tend to be of exotics. As a planted aviary is, of necessity, outside and Australian birds make up a great majority of the finches that can be kept outside in Canberra, it would seem pointless to consider the exotic species of plants." The Value of Green Food by Stan Rust (That Avicultural Review June 1986 Vol. 8 No. 6). "In the wild, quite a lot of the various species of birds depend almost wholly on green food; whether it be in the form of seeding grasses, the young buds on trees or plants, fruit or even the bark of trees. Admittedly, we give our canaries regular supplies of dry seed to feed on, but if we want them to remain healthy and perform well for us in the breeding season, then to me it seems to be pure commonsense to also feed green food to them regularly and in as much variety as possible." Bringing Up Bourke's - First Experiences by Shirley Thurbon (That Avicultural Review June 1986 Vol. 8 No. 6). "Charming, delightful, inoffensive, docile - such are the adjectives that have been used to describe the Bourke's Parrot. Having now held these birds in my aviary for over a year, I find I must agree." Major Mitchell
Cockatoo (Cacatua Leadbeateri)
by Ben Quist, interviewed by Sid Gale (That Avicultural Review April 1986 Vol. 8 No. 4). "I have one pair that I have bred six young from. They are in a covered
aviary 3'6" wide and the covered in part is 7' long and the flight is also
7' long. They log they use is 10"-12" diameter. I tried a
bigger logs with a larger diameter but it wasn't successful......"
The Plumhead Finch by Bruce Hockley, interviewed by Stan Simmons (The Avicultural Review April 1986 Vol. 8 No 4). "I find this is one of the easiest to breed of the Australian finches that I keep. About 10 years ago I got my first pair and I had great success breeding them so they quickly became my favourite bird. I keep them in a mixed collection...." Genetic Aspects of the Conservation of the Orange-bellied Parrot an extract from the RAOU Conservation statement (The Avicultural Review April 1986 Vol. 8 No. 4). "Small populations of animals can suffer a loss of the genetic variation required for them to be able to adapt to major changes in their environment and, at very low population levels, inbreeding can occur." The Crimson Wing Parrot by Geoff Girvan (The Avicultural Review November 1985 Vol. 7 No. 11). "A proven breeding pair of Crimson Wing parrots were purchased in February 1976. They were placed in a flight which faced an easterly direction of the following dimensions...." Random Thoughts on Nest Boxes by Dr Jim Gill (The Avicultural Review September 1985 Vol. 7 No. 9). "I find the range of nest boxes available at most bird dealers are quite good. There are many modifications you can use to help your breeding results. I find that many of my Neophemas do better if I attach a small piece of natural hollow log instead of the wooden spout of a square hole or an open hole. Golden-shoulders and Hooded in particular like these as well....." Some Thoughts on Mealworms by Peter Phippen (The Avicultural Review September 1985 Vol. 7 No. 9). "Mealworms are actually the larval stage of a small beetle. For African finches in particular you must have them, unless you feed termites. I don't feed termites because they got into the fence once and so I'm not allowed to have them any more. I keep the mealworms in the plastic children's hobby boxes that you can buy in most supermarkets..... " The Gouldian Finch - (Problemus Maximus) by Bill Boyd (The Avicultural Review September 1985 Vol. 7 No. 9). "For the coming 1985 season I decided I would like to try Gouldians (again) having had only limited success with them previously for reasons too numerous to mention. I ordered four unrelated pairs from a very successful Gouldian breeder who is an old friend of mine and was very anxious to collect them when he rang me with the news that they were ready in November 1985. There were two black faced hens, one of which carried yellow which was betrayed by her yellow tipped beak, two red faced hens and four red cocks. The hens and cocks were separated and placed in holding cabinets in my bird room (garden shed) until early January." An Approach to Aviculture (Part II) by Mike Fidler (The Avicultural Review September 1985 Vol. 7 No. 9). "I have a little message for you about germinated seed. I call it germinated seed as opposed to soaked seed. We have to ask, why do we use germinated seed? Because germinating a seed converts an ordinary seed from a piece of corn flake into a high energy package. There is an actual biological change that takes place. As you soak the seed it releases an enzyme from the germ. These are digestive juices and they are released into the carbohydrate part of the seed and they start the actual process of digestion. They convert the carbohydrate into simple sugars - glucoses, fructoses and the like...." An Approach to Aviculture (Part I) by Mike Fidler (The Avicultural Review August 1985 Vol. 7 No. 8). "I have kept Gouldian finches for approximately 22 years. I am more a fanatic than a bird keeper. My hobby is Australian finches. About 15 years ago someone in Britain decided that all parrot finches came from Australia and so I have studied them as well. I know a fair amount about what we call Australian finches and relatively little about any others." Aviculturist of the Month, Mr Les Clayton, Head Bird Keeper at Taronga Zoo interviewed by Joelle Dunbar, Mike Canon and Terry Atkinson (The Avicultural Review August 1985 Vol. 7 No. 8). "Les Clayton is well known to many of you. He is the Head Bird Keeper at Taronga Park Zoo. He is in great demand for interviews and we would like to extend to him our thanks for making the time to speak to us. The Editorial Panel." The Importance of Aviary Design by Jock
Strap (The Avicultural Review August 1985 Vol. 7 No. 8). "We were blessed
at our August meeting to have as our guest one of the world's leading
aviculturists, Mr Mike Fidler of the United Kingdom. Mike explained that
he had come to Australia this trip as part of a study tour being conducted
by Newcastle (UK) University on the plight of the Gouldian Finch in
northern Western Australia and he was making the most of the trip by
popping into Sydney and Melbourne to look up old friends and if possible
come to some club meetings. Mike addressed the meeting on various aspects
of aviculture and made much comment on Australian aviary design, which is
my pet subject as it is of vital importance and is more than often paid
lip service instead of being viewed as the first important step towards
successful breeding."
To Export or not to Export That is the Question? by Sidney W Gale (The Avicultural Review June 1985 Vol. 7 No. 7) "As we are all aware the world population is continually on the increase, and as such an ever increasing supply of food is required to support this increase. Subsequently more areas of forest, open plains, etc., are being cultivated to produce food requirements and some of these areas are the natural feeding grounds of various cockatoos, as well as other avian fauna. Unfortunately it is the cockatoo that is branded a pest, because of the damage it can cause to the crops which have replaced its natural feeding grounds. The end result being these birds are destroyed in thousands by either shooting or poisoning, more acceptable methods (imitation hawks, air guns, etc.), seem to have little or no
effect." Vote "No" to
Export of Wild-Caught Birds by
Graeme Phipps (The Avicultural Review July 1985 Vol. 7 No. 7) "Throughout the world public opinion is swinging against the large scale trapping and export of wild-caught birds. Within five years it is anticipated that it will be illegal for any wild-caught birds in numbers to be imported into the United States. This situation already exists in some countries in other parts of the world.
I preface my comments about cockatoos with this information because as aviculturists I think we should not be dragged by our heels kicking, screaming and biting into the twenty-first century, but for once see how public opinion is going and get to the head of the parade, so to speak.
We are told that there is a pest problem with cockatoos in Australia and that a reasonable solution to that problem is to export large numbers of these birds to the United States for use as pets and that the money derived from the traffic should go into conservation programmes in this country. A further humanitarian point is usually made that it is preferable that birds should be kept alive in cages than be shot or poisoned in farmer's paddocks. To be frank, I have never been impressed by the credibility of this last point and consider it to be a convenient red-herring. I would like to present the following thoughts." BOOK REVIEW: Australian Parrots - A Field and Aviary Study? (The Avicultural Review July 1985 Vol. 7 No. 7) "The authors
My Experiences With Parrot Finches by Frank Gibson (The Avicultural Review July 1985 Vol. 7 No. 7) "This article may be of help to other breeders whose birds may have worms. I have bred Blue and Red-faced Parrot Finches, as well as other varieties successfully. I have wormed my birds every month with Nilverm for Gizzard and Roundworm. For Tapeworm I had used Mansonil every three months. I had administered Mansonil in the water, stirring every two hours for two days (what a job!)." Aviculturist of the Month, Mr Harry Carr interviewed by Joelle Dunbar (The Avicultural Review July 1985 Vol. 7 No. 7). "I started off with pigeons and softbills. At present I have twenty-two varieties of pigeon. All of them native to Australia. I have Purple-crowned, Rose-crowned, Baldies, Topknots, Bronzewings, Bar-shouldereds, Forest Bronzewing, Pheasant-tailed, Wonga, Flock, Squatters, Partridge; and all the small pigeons such as the Peaceful doves. The only ones I have not had are the White-quilled Rock pigeon and the Black-banded from the Atherton Tablelands, and the Nutmeg Rock pigeon (I can't think of its correct name)." Colin Percival's Diets (The Avicultural Review July 1985 Vol. 7 No. 7). "Nectar Mix suitable for Blue-faced Honeyeaters, Silvereyes, Lorikeets, etc.; Nectar Mix suitable for small Honeyeaters, Silvereyes, etc., Softbill Diet and Insect Cake." Pest Species of Native Birds - to Export or Not by Dr Jim Gill BVSc MVM MACVSc (Avian Health) (The Avicultural Review June 1985 Vol. 7 No. 6) "The subject of exporting pest species of birds, notably Sulphur-crested Cockatoos and Galahs, has received considerable exposure in the press, radio and television in the last few months. There is considerable pressure being put on the Federal Government to allow export of these birds. At the June meeting the issue was discussed at length. It is a very complex issue and arguments for and against can be very emotional, making it hard to achieve a rational decision in a short space of time. As a result it was moved by Brian Healey and seconded by Lance Ruting, that "The Avicultural Review be used as a forum for discussion by members on the Export of Pest Species of Native Birds and a postal vote be conducted to get the members opinion and hence formulate the clubs policy". It is essential that the Society has a democratically derived policy for this important subject so that our delegates on the Avicultural Council can give a true impression of the views of this Society." Quail - Their General Management and Artificial Incubation by Paul Menegazzo (The Avicultural Review May 1985 Vol. 7 No. 5). "It is my hope that the writing of this article, compiling my experiences with quails over the past two seasons, may spur on further writing from more experienced members from our Avicultural Society and hence build a basis for people interested in the breeding of these birds. Many bird breeders often enhance the floor of their aviaries with a pair or a trio of quails of various breeds."Bowerbirds in My Aviary by Doug Bailey (The Avicultural Review September 1983 Vol. 5 No. 9). "The male Satin Bowerbird Ptilonorhynchus violaceus takes seven years to fully colour and is black all over, except for the beautiful iridescent blue and violet sheen the plumage attains in sunlight. The hen is a mottled green with brown wings. I am hopeful that my pair will breed this season....." Preventative Medicine in Aviculture by Dr Jim Gill BVSc MVM MACVSc (Avian Health) (The Avicultural Review September 1983 Vol. 5 No. 9). "I will very briefly try to present preventative medicine in Aviculture in a logical and complete format. Finnie has very correctly stated that Preventative Medicine is a a multi faceted science. I believe it is an area where aviculturists and veterinarians meet and work together and where veterinarians have an important role in the dissemination of information. I should very briefly look at the major causes and losses in aviculture. I would like to list these under four broad groups with many sub groups......" Chickweed (Stellaria media) (The Avicultural Review September 1983 Vol. 5 No. 9). "Chickweed is a name that is given to many plants, some of which are not really Chickweeds at all, but totally different weeds. The true Chickweed (Stellaria media) is one of the very best of all our wild green foods. It has stood the test of many generations, and has never had a serious criticism." Collecting and Maintaining Termites of the Sydney Region by Dr M L Eutick, The University of Sydney (Avicultural Review - Monograph No 1 Published by the Avicultural Society of New South Wales 1983). "Termites, or white ants as these insects are more commonly known, are social insects living in groups ranging from a few individuals to colonies of more than a million. Depending on the species, these colonies live within a wide range of structures varying from group nests (mounds) and large bulbous tree nests, to the hearts of live trees, in the ground under small pieces of wood and even within houses in the inner city. Interestingly, one species, blown by the wind, has even been found to form colonies in the wood of buoys in the middle of Sydney Harbour." Aviculturist of the Month. Mr Stan Sindel, Fairfield NSW - interviewed by Mr Peter Phippen (The Avicultural Avicultural Review April 1981 Vol. 3 No. 4). "Well, as a kid I started with finches; Java Sparrows, Zebras, the general run of finches, and I gradually built up to better quality finches. Then I went into Budgies when I was about 15 or 16 when they were really booming, just prior to the Australian Pied Budgies' appearance on the scene. I followed along with Budgies then into African Lovebirds . By the time I was 21 or 22 I had a fair collection of Lovebirds. Then by the time I was 26 or 27 I finished building this house and I had a few quid to spare, so I started into the rare parrots and I've been on them ever since." Kakarikis (Cyanoramphus) and their Allies by Graeme Phipps and Stan Sindel (The Avicultural Avicultural Review April 1981 Vol. 3 No. 4). "The genus name Cyanoramphus which means blue beak alludes to the grey/blue colour of the upper beak and was named by Prince Charles Lucien Bonapart in 1842, who based his description on the now extinct Black-fronted Parrot of Tahiti. There are four species within the genus, the Red-fronted Kakarikis, the Yellow-fronted, the Orange-fronted and the all-green Antipodes Island Kakarikis. There is a group of birds which are closely related to Kakarikis, one of these is the Horned Parrot of New Caledonia Eunymphicus, a very rare bird and is seen in two forms, the main variation from Kakarikis being a non-erectile crest of a few feathers. Joe Mattinson obtained 10 pairs from New Caledonia and housed them with Mr Postema in Holland and they have bred successfully. Another group similar to the Kakarikis are the Fijian Shining Parrots or Tabuan Parrots Prosopeia. Previously they were closely linked with the King Parrots but ornithologists now place them closer to the Kakarikis a fact accepted by Joe Forshall in his latest edition of Parrots of the World. " The Cockatiel by Mark Atkinson (Competition Winner - Junior section) (The Avicultural Avicultural Review May 1982 Vol. 4 No. 5). "Cockatiels inhabit most of Australia particularly the interior although they are not present in Tasmania. They are found in most types of open country particularly in the vicinity of water, in trees bordering a watercourse for example. In northern Australia the Cockatiel is highly nomadic but towards the south it becomes migratory arriving in Victoria, New South Wales and southern South Australia in spring and leaving in late summer and autumn. During seasons that are exceptionally dry their movements are noticed to a greater extent for they may appear in coastal areas where they have not been seen for many years." Lecture: Weavers and Whydahs (Part II) by David Holmes (The Avicultural Avicultural Review November 1980 Vol. 2 No. 10). "Madagascar Weaver: The Madagascar Weaver and its close relative the Comoro Weaver originally came from the island off the coast of Africa. Sadly we have very few pure breeds of either type, in fact, I feel we should call the hybrids we have as Foudier Australis, as we have enough to create a new species. The hybrid came about possibly by ignorance, mating a coloured Madagascar cockbird to a Comoro hen. The difference between these birds are the Madagascar Weaver is the smaller bird with the scarlet going right to the vent and scarlet across the saddle, with brown coloured wings. On the other hand the Comoro is bigger, particularly its beak, the brown is more toward olive green and the scarlet stops midway from the chest to the vent, the remaining area is buff coloured. There is no red present on the back..."
Lecture: Weavers and Whydahs (Part I) by David Holmes (The Avicultural Avicultural Review November 1980 Vol. 2 No. 9). "My talk as the program sets out is on Weavers and Whydahs and I have split it into five sections. But first, with the possible exception of WA members, most Australian aviculturists see a member of the weaver family flying around our homes regularly. This member is the House Sparrow. A sombre coloured member, but still a member. Introduced into the eastern states from England, it has become firmly entrenched to the detriment of our local birds..." Some Wild Notes on the Cloncurry Parrot by Stan Sindel (The Avicultural Avicultural Review July 1978 No 6). "The beautiful Cloncurry Parrot inhabits an area of about 100 miles square, ranging from Cloncurry to Mount Isa and then from about 40 miles south to about 50-60 miles west of Cloncurry in Queensland. This whole habitat is the remains of an ancient mountain range - the hills being cut with numerous creeks which flow only in the wet season. Along these creeks grow the tall timbers which are home to the Cloncurry Parrot. In the wild, the Cloncurry feeds on various nuts..." The Cordon Bleu Finch by Bruce Read (The Avicultural Avicultural Review June 1978 No 5). "The Cordon Bleu or Crimson-eared Waxbill (Uraeginthus bengalus) is a native of Africa, where it is widely distributed over the whole of the Dark Continent, with the exception of the desert areas. It is a very beautiful little finch, about the size of our common Redhead, but has a longer tail..."
Genetics for Bird Breeders (Part II) by Peter R. Head (Avidata: Published by The Avicultural Society of New South Wales September-October 1976 New Series Number 5) "The very basics of genetics for bird breeders should begin with feather structure and pigmentation and then gradually extend to the study of genes, how mutation effects them, their position on the chromosome, and which chromosome holds them. Somewhere in the graduation of this study the terms "dominant", "semi-dominant", "recessive" and "sex-linked" emerge and I am constantly amazed at the non-understanding of these terms. I certainly don't claim to know all the answers but anyway I'll try to write something of what I know." Genetics for Bird Breeders (Part I) by Peter R. Head (Avidata: Published by The Avicultural Society of New South Wales July-August 1976 New Series Number 4) ""Sex-linked" is an often misused and misunderstood genetic term, and really it is quite simple. The sex of any bird is determined by its possession of a particular pair of chromosomes, called the sex chromosomes. The cock bird has a pair of similar sex chromosomes, called "X" chromosomes and the hen has one of these and an accompanying dissimilar one called the "Y" chromosomes. About 50% of the female egg cells contain X chromosomes and the other 50% Y chromosomes. All the male sperm contain X chromosomes. The sex of the offspring is determined at fertilisation when a sperm (always x) fertilises an egg cell carrying an X chromosome the resulting bird will be a cock X/X. Likewise when a sperm fertilises an egg cell carrying a Y chromosome we get X/Y resulting in a hen. So the chances of male to female are 50/50 either way. " The 'Ins' and 'Outs' of Inbreeding by Peter R. Head (Avidata: Published by The Avicultural Society of New South Wales May-June 1976 New Series Number 3) "There are few topics discussed among bird breeders which provoke more lively interest than inbreeding. Viewpoints vary greatly. To many, inbreeding is the cardinal sin. However if we look at some of the well founded reasons in favour of sensibly controlled inbreeding, I hope we may end up with a better understanding of it and perhaps even modify some of our thoughts on it. " The Best Gift for Cage Birds by E. E. Buttner (Avidata: Published by The Avicultural Society of New South Wales) "For cage birds, it is essential that the particular type of grit used should conform to a definite standard, both chemically and physically. Chemically, it should contain as high a percentage of calcium carbonate and as low a percentage of magnesium carbonate as possible. Ninety percent calcium carbonate is the least it should contain, care being taken that the magnesium carbonate does not exceed five percent. The organic matter content should also not exceed five percent." The Golden-shouldered Parakeet by Joseph S. Mattinson (Avidata: Published by The Avicultural Society of New South Wales Spring 1975 Vol. 2 No. 4). "In this article, I wish to record for the benefit of other members of the Society, details of the bird from personal observations in the wild over a period of fifteen years and the results of keeping this most celebrated of Australian parrots in my own collection here at Rodney Park. It is hoped that members will be able to gain some benefit from this article which may help to breed more of these birds, which are becoming increasingly plentiful in aviaries, and also that people will be able to have a more balanced view as to the problems surrounding the species. " Feeding in Gouldians by Ivan Slaminski (Avidata: Published by The Avicultural Society of New South Wales Spring 1975 Vol. 2 No. 4). "Gouldians will always be a problem bird in aviaries and feeding is the main problem with these birds. In nature, instinct in birds is remarkable and they can find all the foods necessary, but in the aviary they eat only what we feed them." Adventures in Paradise by Roger Nurse (Avidata: Published by The Avicultural Society of New South Wales Spring 1975 Vol. 2 No. 4). "During the early part of December 1975 I was fortunate enough to spend 10 days at The Great Barrier Reef Research Station on Heron Island. Heron Island is part of the Capricorn Group of islands, situated some 45 miles east of Gladstone, at the southern extremity of the barrier reef proper. The islands of this group are coral cays; they are formed from sand and coral debris accumulating on a sheltered corner of a platform reef, which is then stabilised by a cover of vegetation." Emus by Frank S Todd (Avidata: Published by The Avicultural Society of New South Wales Spring 1975 Vol. 2 No. 4). "Emus are one of the most interesting of all birds in captivity. They are the complete opposite of their pugnacious cousins, the cassowaries, in that most are extremely tame and curious." Nest Boxes by George Bryant (Avidata: Published by The Avicultural Society of New South Wales Spring 1975 Vol. 2 No. 4). "Small parrots do very well in a vertical hanging box approximately 15" x 9" x 9" with a 2" diameter entrance hole in one side about 1" down from the top....." The Aviculture of Cranes by Dr George Archibald (Avidata: Published by The Avicultural Society of New South Wales Spring 1975 Vol. 2 No. 4). "Aviculturists are keenly interested in the maintenance and propagation of cranes, since cranes are spectacular avian specimens to display, adjust readily to captivity, are maintained on a relatively simple diet, and are reproductively prolific soon after they have psychologically acclimated." Observations on Masked Faced Lovebirds by Kees and Wik van der Neut (Avidata: Published by The Avicultural Society of New South Wales Spring 1975 Vol. 2 No. 4). "At the beginning of 1972 we became the proud owners of a cock masked, but could not get hold of a hen, so placed it with some peach faced hens. The result was three nests of hybrids, totalling 11, for which we found a good market." Snake Problems by Graham Taylor (Avidata: Published by The Avicultural Society of New South Wales Autumn 1975 Vol. 2 No. 2). "Since establishing the Australian Bird Park as a breeding, study and display centre for Australian parrots and cockatoos I have experienced problems with snakes. Over 140 snakes have been removed from our park during the last three years." A Guide to Parrot Keeping by Harvey Oliver (Avidata: Published by The Avicultural Society of New South Wales Autumn 1975 Vol. 2 No. 2). "After experience I encountered as a dealer selling birds to many newcomers, it became apparent to me the need for some guidance in this field. The suggestions and observations herein are to some extent my own, but many are from dedicated aviculturalists whom I have been fortunate enough to know. These are people too numerous to list here and although some are well known, others not, they are all very capable men in their field." Bird Literature: Indian Peafowl from "Pheasants: Their Lives and Homes" by William Beebe. Published under the auspices of the New York Zoological Society by Doubleday, Page & Co., New York. (Avidata: Published by The Avicultural Society of New South Wales Autumn 1975 Vol. 2 No. 2). The Hooded Parakeet by Mrs Falkner J Blaxland (Avidata: Published by The Avicultural Society of New South Wales Autumn 1975 Vol. 2 No. 2.) "The Hooded parakeet (Psephotus Dissimilis) is a native of the Northern Territory and is exclusive to that part of Australia. It is generally seen in pairs or small flocks inhabiting open forest lands and spinifex country, where it is usually observed on the ground feeding on the seeds of grasses and other plants." White-eared Grass Finch Poephila personata leucotis (Gould) by Cam McMyrtrie (Avidata: Journal of The Avicultural Society of New South Wales Winter 1974 Vol. 1 No. 3.) "The "White-ear" is in my opinion the most beautiful of the Australian finches and as such possibly the most beautiful finch in the world. A fairly good illustration of this member of the true grass finches (painted by Neville Cayley) can be seen opposite page 114 in "Australian Finches", Immelmann 1965) , and a very good description of the nominate form P.p personata appears on page 95 of this same book. It would be just as well to quote this description here..." The Bengalese Finch by Adrienne Allen (Avidata: Journal of The Avicultural Society of New South Wales Winter 1974 Vol. 1 No. 3.) "Despite their low cost Bengalese finches are most attractive birds. I bred a few of these birds last year but lost many through an almost invisible hole after the birds were frightened by a visiting cat. One hen came back and insisted on being let in to finish rearing two fledglings who called to her. Earlier this year I brought the remaining five birds into my bird room and put them into a training cage which is 3' long. At one end a round door opens inwards opposite the door of a finch showcase. My plan was to steady the birds and get them used to the showcase. They became so steady that they filled up the showcase with grass stems and proceeded to raise five young ones in it. All five adults fed the young ones. ..." Notes on a Field Trip to Barren Ground Nature Reserve by Graeme Phipps (Avidata: Journal of The Avicultural Society of New South Wales Winter 1974 Vol. 1 No. 3.) "The ornithologists were not perturbed and some twenty people armed with rainproof clothing and binoculars set off across the moors after the birds which make Barren Grounds famous - Ground Parrots Pezoporus wallicus, Eastern Bristlebirds Dasyornis brachypterus, and Beautiful Firetail Finches, Emblema bellus.... . "
The Plum-headed Parakeet Psittacula cyanocephala (Linne) by Ron Grose (Avidata: Journal of The Avicultural Society of New South Wales Winter 1974 Vol. 1 No. 3.) "I have kept Plumheads for 14 years, and at the moment there are three breeding pairs in the collection with the oldest pair being 16. These birds are housed in 16' x 4' x 6' high aviaries, with a 4 1/2' shelter 7 1/2' high. The floors are sand and two perches are provided - one at either end of the aviaries which face due north. Only one pair of parakeets is installed in each aviary" Berries for the Birds by Heather Rumsey (Avidata: Journal of The Avicultural Society of New South Wales Winter 1974 Vol. 1 No. 3.) "Some garden shrubs are extremely valuable in providing a varied diet for parrots. First and foremost amongst there are the Pyracanthas, commonly known as Firethorn or Evergreen Hawthorn. These plants are evergreen shrubs which in their natural habitat extend from southeastern Europe to Northern India, and China..... " The Painted Finch by Graeme Hyde (Avidata: Published by The Avicultural Society of New South Wales Autumn 1974 Vol. 1 No. 2). "In Australia we have many beautiful and colourful birds, that are suited to aviary life both in this country and overseas. The eighteen species of Australian grass finches almost without exception, fall into this category." The Cuban Finch by Graeme Hyde (Avidata: Published by The Avicultural Society of New South Wales Autumn 1974 Vol. 1 No. 2). "Of the various foreign finches that are available in Australia that have been maintained in this country and are regularly bred,, to my mind the colourful Cuban rates as one of the most outstanding." Closed Ringing of Finches by Glen Cunningham (Avidata: Published by The Avicultural Society of New South Wales Autumn 1974 Vol. 1 No. 2). "How do you prove ownership and the fact that you have bred a bird? Whilst I must admit that for every method of identifying anywhere there is probably some form of forgery or malpractice that can be resorted to, there would appear to be only one currently available method of identifying individual birds; the fitting of a suitable closed ring at the nestling stage." The Alexandrine Parakeet by Stan Sindel (Avidata: Published by The Avicultural Society of New South Wales Autumn 1974 Vol. 1 No. 2). "The Alexandrine parakeet is almost certainly the first species of parrot to have been kept in captivity and is known historically from the time of Alexander the Great - hence ostensibly the name "Alexandrine"....." Bird Literature: Silver Pheasant from "Pheasants: Their Lives and Homes" by William Beebe. Published under the auspices of the New York Zoological Society by Doubleday, Page & Co., New York. (Avidata: Published by The Avicultural Society of New South Wales Autumn 1974 Vol. 1 No. 2). Races, Colonisation and Migration in the Silver Pheasant by Allen Keast (Avidata: Published by The Avicultural Society of New South Wales Autumn 1974 Vol. 1 No. 2). "Few city dwellers do not know the Silvereye, nor orchardists either for that matter. But as one moves inland, away from the dense, thickets and undergrowth of the coast, he becomes quite a rare bird. In fact, only in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area would he seem to be a common bird west of the range. By contrast, he is a common bird in suburban parks and gardens, and I have seem them contentedly feeding away on aphids in a peach tree in the heart of a Sydney slum. His commonness and trustfulness make him, in fact, the ideal bird for the city dweller to study. I would not like to guess when I first became interested in Silvereyes, but certainly one of my earliest introductions to ornithology was being held up to look down on the three blue eggs and dainty nest in a garden orange tree." Greenwinged Dove by Professor Carl Naether (Avidata: Published by The Avicultural Society of New South Wales Autumn 1974 Vol. 1 No. 2). "Undoubtedly, the principal reason why the Greenwinged Dove, Chalcophaps indica is so consistently sought after by both amateur and experienced dove as well as domestic pigeon lovers is its beautiful green colour." Reintroduction of Endangered Species (Avidata: The Journal of the Avicultural Society of New South Wales WINTER 1973). "With the ever worsening status of some endangered species, it is gratifying to see what progress is being made by some aviculturists today. The pheasants of the world are in a very unenviable situation at the moment, but some American and European breeders in particular, have active programmes for the captive propagation of endangered species as a means of ensuring their survival." Other Articles of interest..... A Bird Has Escaped, Do Not Panic by Eric Baxter (Reprinted from the August, 1965 edition of BIRD KEEPING AUSTRALIA). "Recently I have had several phone calls and listening to the voice coming over the wire in each instance it almost seemed as if the callers had experienced the landing of a spaceship on their aviaries and the panic was on. What had happened to them has happened to others, to me, and probably will happen again to many others. A bird had escaped, and the first thought in mind was to get it back into the aviary as quickly as possible, and inside five minutes if there was a way to do it. This is the first thought of all who experience the escape of a bird, and just how soon it is recaptured depends on the behaviour of the bird and the method employed to achieve the recapture. To assist in this regard, perhaps the following information will serve to solve the problem."
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