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Vol 27 Issue 6 • Dec-Jan 2015

Nutrition & Diet

Severe Macaw

Plum-headed Parrot Crimson Rosella RED-BROWED FINCH

Feather Destruction Beak Deformities

g reat Holiday Reading!


Vol 27 Issue 6 U Dec-Jan 2015

Nutrition & Diet

Severe

Macaw

Plum-headed Parrot Crimson Rosella RED-BROWED FINCH

COVER IMAGE SEVERE MACAW BY PETER ODEKERKEN

Feather Destruction Beak Deformaties

great Holiday Reading!

features 345 THE PLUM-HEADED PARROT IN AUSTRALIA

By Jade Welch Jade argues a convincing case for reviewing the benefits of breeding the little-understood Plum-headed Parrot. 356 LET ME BE YOUR BROWN HONEYEATER

By David Pace David is inspired to poetry by his last birding expedition to the Kimberley. 358 BIRDWATCHING IN BOLIVIA— PART 1

By Sharon Sowter A group of friends take on the wild roads and weather of Bolivia and Brazil and discover a treasure trove of diverse

regulars 348 BUSH TUCKER: FOODS FROM MYRTACEAE FLORA

By Des Boorman In a new series, Des examines the range of plant material available in Australian gardens, and in the wild, and its benefits over human-produced offerings. 352 BREEDING AUSTRALIAN PARROTS: CRIMSON ROSELLAS

By Barry Blanch Sounding as beautiful as they look, Crimson Rosellas are an aviary favourite and are not difficult to breed. 360 BUILDING BLOCKS FOR BETTER BIRDS: MANAGING FEATHERDESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOUR

By Rebecca K O’Connor Feather destruction is a common and frustrating issue faced by many parrot owners. 364 FINCH FOCUS: THE RED-BROWED FINCH

By Russell Kingston Russell counts this attractive species as a favourite, although it can be an elusive breeder for many.

contents Volume 27 Issue 6 birdlife, including various macaw, Amazon, 382 LORO PARQUE’S 8TH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS conure and toucan species. By Peter Odekerken 363 THE IMPERIAL AMAZON The largest contingent of Australians By Armin Brockner ever was among the 850 delegates Armin examines this Caribbean island’s taking part in the world’s biggest most famous and vulnerable inhabitant, conference on parrots. the Imperial Amazon. 368 COLOURFUL CALAMITY

390 VALE

Maurie Luke By Kit Prendergast The Rainbow Lorikeet population has grown 394 THE FINE ART OF to pest proportions in Western Australia. PAINTING BIRDS By Gail Higgins 374 THE SEVERE MACAW Gail examines the addictive qualities of By Peter Odekerken painting birds, and reveals where to see an exhibition of some of Australia’s best The smaller size and noise volume bird artists. levels of these ‘miniature macaws’ make them easier to keep than their larger counterparts.

371 CANARY CHATTER: CANARY NUTRITION—PART 1

By Brian Bohl

388 THE WISE OWL: IT’S STILL DARK—WHY ARE THE KOOKABURRAS YELLING?

A canary’s diet requires careful planning and supervision, not only for general health, but for continuation of the species.

By Milton Lewis Milton contemplates how birds cope with the excesses of noise humans make in everyday life.

378 HOOKBILL HOBBYIST: SOME MECHANICS OF PARROT FEEDING

392 CONSERVATION:

By EB Cravens EB examines some of the idiosyncrasies he has encountered over the years in designing parrot diets. 380 AVIAN HEALTH WITH DR BOB: MY BIRD HAS A BEAK PROBLEM

By Dr Bob Doneley A bird’s beak is a remarkable part of its body—capable of crushing force and the delicate manipulation of tiny objects— but what happens when something goes wrong with that beak? 385 FINCH FUNDAMENTALS: A FIRETAIL AMONG THE KIWIS

By Marcus Pollard Marcus was guest speaker at the 30th anniversary of the New Zealand Finch Breeders Association and enjoyed catching up on NZ aviculture.

• Carnaby's Black Cockatoos Favour Larger Nest Size By Lizzie Thelwell • WPT: The Cape Parrot Poicephalus robustus By Nicholas Bishop 395 LAST CHIRP

• Win an Australian Age of Dinosaurs —Australovenator 2014 1oz Silver Coin from The Perth Mint. 396 WHAT’S NEW

• Keeping Chickens • Lineolated Parakeets—Extraordinary Parrots in Compact Format • Birds of Australia— A Photographic Guide • The World of Birds • Finding Australian Birds

398 classifieds 343


The

INTRODUCTION

Plum-headed Parrot in Australia

The Plum-headed Parrot is often overlooked, taking second place to popular exotic species such as the Indian Ringneck and Alexandrine Parrots. However, Plum-headed Parrots have had a long history in Australia and deserve greater recognition. I hope this article will stir your interest enough to explore breeding these incredible Asiatics.

WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY JADE WELCH

Either suspended or conventional aviary designs are suitable for housing Plum-headed Parrots

P ODEKERKEN

HOUSING

Plum-headed Parrot male

Plum-headed Parrot female

Plum-headed Parrots can be housed in a variety of ways and their agreeable nature lends itself to them living happily in a large planted aviary—although they will chew the plant life. Conventional or suspended aviary housing is suitable. Some breeders opt for a combination of both, placing the suspended section at the front of the aviary. In either case, it is good to remember that the young may damage their tails on the front wire of an aviary until they learn to navigate the enclosure correctly. The average length of an aviary should measure 3m, although they will happily live in a larger size. I have observed a small group living in a conventional aviary measuring over 10m long. They manoeuvred within the aviary with ease, showing excellent control of their speed and came to the ground to forage on fallen food like their wild counterparts. Although most breeders tend to keep one pair per aviary, Plum-heads adapt well to colony housing of an appropriate size once the breeding season is over. Aviary size is vital to the wellbeing of the flock, and as with any species, a breeder must be alert to signs of aggression. Additional feed stations and perches will add to harmonious cohabitation by ensuring everyone gets enough food and space. Once the young have fledged, some breeders house their pairs in colonies in the non-breeding season, or in single sex aviaries. Unlike more aggressive species, there is no need to install a full partition between flights—double wiring is usually sufficient. Where pairs focus more on their neighbours than a partner, a change of aviary location may be required. Some important safety measures are a small gauge wire for keeping vermin, snakes and birds of prey out, and the inclusion of a walkway adjoining the aviary to prevent escapees. Within the walkway, a nest box may be hung so the nest can be inspected easily during the breeding season. Installation of a sprinkler system is becoming a necessity given the heat waves experienced in many areas of Australia seasonally. Plum-headed Parrots are not heavy chewers and have been housed successfully in timber aviaries, but most breeders use steel or aluminium materials and cladding and roofing materials such as Colorbond ™ sheeting.

345


breeding australian parrots WORDS BY BARRY BLANCH PHOTOGRAPHS BY JULIE BLANCH

CRIMSON ROSELLAS C P ODEKERKEN

INTRODUCTION One of Australia’s most brightly coloured parrots is the Crimson Rosella Platycercus elegans. Endemic to the highaltitude forests and woodlands, it is also called the Mountain or Red Lowry. This familiar crimson-coloured rosella with the bright blue cheek patch and flash on its wings, is found throughout the eastern and southern parts of Australia, including King Island and Kangaroo Island. Crimson Rosellas have been introduced to Norfolk Island and both New Zealand’s north and south islands. The Norfolk Island-introduced birds are now considered pests, competing for nests and endangering the sustainability of native parrot species such as the small Norfolk Island Green Parrot, which is now listed as threatened. Crimson Rosellas found in northern Australia are a smaller bird than either of the southern subspecies. There are three distinctly recognised subspecies with racial variations within their range. The nominate race P. elegans is found throughout most of eastern New South Wales and most of Victoria. P. e. nigrescens inhabits areas in Far North Queensland. The largest subspecies P. elegans melanoptera inhabits Kangaroo Island, South Australia. The nominate species are common in aviculture but there are fewer of the other two subspecies kept. Mutations across the subspecies are also increasingly sought-after by aviculturists. It is nearly 30 years ago that, inexperienced in bird keeping, I acquired my first pair of Crimson Rosellas. They were very skittish and remained unsuccessful as a breeding pair. It is unfortunate that often the origin of birds is not checked, and in many cases illegally trapped birds that rarely produce have been purchased by unsuspecting buyers.

IN THE WILD Habitat and Range Crimson Rosellas mainly frequent high-altitude Eucalypt regions of the Great Dividing Range from the Far North Queensland rainforests, down along the eastern seaboard, including the southern central highlands of Victoria. They are known to inhabit areas 2400m above sea level, including the snow-capped highland and cooler tableland areas, although they tend to venture more to the regions that have a higher rainfall. In the forests, these birds forage on the flowering mallee shrubs, eucalypts, grass seeds, larvae and insects. They will also venture into open woodlands, gardens, parks and agricultural areas, foraging on introduced weeds such as dandelion, capeweed and milk thistle.

P. elegans The range of the nominate extends throughout large areas of south-eastern Australia from the Bunya Mountains and Main Range National Park in south-east Queensland down to the Border Ranges and Lamington National Park in the Gold Coast hinterland. Designated tourist picnic sites in the National Parks and Ranges permit handfeeding, encouraging some of the quieter-natured native parrots— especially Crimson Rosellas and King Parrots—to frequent in

352

Crimson Rosella male in the wild

significantly increasing flock numbers. Crimson Rosellas are also plentiful all along spurs off the Great Dividing Ranges, such as the McPherson Range near Mt Lindsay, Warrumbungle’s and the Barrington Tops in New South Wales. They are frequently seen in garden and park areas in and around towns such as Parkes, Coonabarabran and Bathurst, as well as the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) in the south. The range extends south through most parts of eastern and southern Victoria in the high-altitude National Parks from the NSW border in the south Mt Kosciuszko National Park region through the Mt Buffalo and Alpine National Parks, across the state to the Grampians National Park and into far south-east South Australia.


building blocks FOR BETTER BIRDS

WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY REBECCA K O’CONNOR W

MANAGING FEATHER-DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOUR M INTRODUCTION

One of the most frustrating behaviours that parrot owners face is feather destruction. Normal preening is important to a parrot’s wellbeing and feather upkeep. Feather-destructive behaviour is obsessive preening that can become physically damaging. The habit can be very similar to a person obsessively biting their finger nails—some nail-biters nibble until their fingers are bloodied, and are unable to stop themselves.

of The Life-long Challeng e Feathe r De struc tion

g feather destruc tion If you institute a plan for managin ry reason to be proud of and have success, you have eve Habits are hard to break your training and your parrot. and positive interactions. and require consistent training ing with environmental Healthy habits, such as interact ortant to a parrot’s enrichment and foraging are imp over-preens. You bird wellbeing, whether or not the ld a bet ter place! wor ot’s parr have definitely made your ened if your parrot Just remember not to get disheart have to go back to square begins to pluck again and you for signs of obsessive one. Monitor your bird carefully frequently and watch preening. Change cage papers of feathers. As soon as for nipped off or stripped bits ordinar y, redouble your you notice preening out of the and these stereot ypic y efforts to keep your parrot bus red rected. rs redi urs viou avio eha beh

WHAT IS THE CAUSE?

There are a multitude of reasons why a parrot may begin to pluck, barber, and over-strip their feathers while preening, and often this behaviour becomes a habit. The first step to curtailing the behaviour is to investigate what is prompting the parrot to over-preen. Once the trigger is established and dealt with, the behaviour must be managed.

VETERINARY CARE

It can be incredibly upsetting for a parrot owner to come home from work one day and discover that their once perfectly plumed friend is suddenly bare-chested. Feather plucking can occur this quickly and its origin can be confounding. Sometimes a new stressor in the environment can set off a bout of plucking, but the first stop should always be an avian veterinarian. There are many physiological possibilities for why a parrot begins to over-preen. Improper nutrition, bacterial infections, viral infections, fungal infections, allergies, environmental toxins, and internal diseases can all be the basis of feather destruction. While sometimes feather destruction is completely behavioural and without a physical cause, eliminating health issues is always the first step. An avian veterinarian can do a blood panel and a physical in order to ascertain if there is an underlying problem. A veterinarian may also be able to prescribe medications to help manage your parrot’s stress if the underlying problem seems to be psychological. Stress medication should not be a permanent solution, however it can help keep the problem from exacerbating while you work on a plan to get your parrot to overcome the feather destruction.

Teaching a Parrot to Acce pt Medication

parrot’s plucking is a health If the underlying issue of your mmends a medication to concern or your veterinarian reco r parrot medication. you ease stress, you will have to give g about its feathers ryin wor The last thing a parrot that is take the time to train needs is more stress in its life, so rather than forcing it. your parrot to accept medication oral suspension. Introduce Most likely you’ll be giving an ts. Then reward it for your bird to the syringe with trea , then for beaking the touching the tip of the syringe parrot to hold the tip of the syringe. Work on get ting your with a bit of organic fruit syringe for a longer time. Star t ng until you find a juice juice in the syringe, experimenti drops of the juice and few a er your parrot really likes. Off Once you’ve got a parrot a treat after the parrot tastes it. syringe, you can mix that happily takes juice from the icine is stress-free and in the medication. This way med even rewarding!

Ov Over-preening O and plucking is a common problem with African Grey Parrots w

360


finch focus

ON AUSTRALIAN FINCHES O TEXT, PHOTOGRAPHS AND ILLUSTRATIONSS BY RUSSELL KINGSTON OAM

THE RED-BROWED D FINCH IINTRODUCTION W While much has been written aabout this lovely little Australian p passerine, it continues to remain aan elusive breeder for many bird k keepers. Scientifically placed in the ffamily Neochmia, which includes tthe Crimson Finch N. phaeton, Star F ed Finch N. ruficauda and Plum-headed Distribution—N. t. F Finch N. modesta, it shares little in minor (red), N. t. h macgillivrayi (brown), resemblance or natural habitat with N. temporalis (yellow) its cousins. and N. t. loftyi (ochre) Its scientific name N. temporalis, loosely translates into English as Neochmia (a change of finch) and temporalis (the browed one). The avicultural community has applied a number of vernacular names to identify the Neochmia temporalis. The most common is Red-browed Finch.

Red-browed Finch N. t. loftyi

Lesser Red-browed Finch N. t. minor

Red-browed Finch N. t. macgillivrayi

IN THE WILD Distribution N. temporalis distribution extends down the eastern seaboard rd from the Daintree into South Australia. Contemporary taxonomists recognise three subspecies—N. t. minor— restricted to Cape York Peninsula down to a region around n Cooktown, N. t. macgillivrayi—a natural intergrade between the nominate N. temporalis and N. t. minor occurring from Cape Flattery to Mossman. There is considerable variation within this race. The subspecies N. t. loftyi extends from Murray Bridge to the Adelaide Hills and Kangaroo Island in South Australia. Forshaw and Shephard, in their book Grassfinches in Australia, recognise only two subspecies— N. t. temporalis and N. t. minor.

Habitat Most Red-browed Finch habitat consists of densely forested gullies and creek banks, edges and clearings of rainforest. The introduced Lantana camara bushes are favoured locations as they provide refuge, nest sites and edible fruits. Red-browed Finches have adapted to human habitation and are frequently seen in suburbia, including parks and gardens bordering dense bushland with an understory of thickets. Nest sites are generally located in Melaleuca bushes, tree saplings and bushes. N. t. minor inhabits more open woodland.

Red-browed Finch N. t. temporalis

Habits

I have never witnessed Red-browed Finch Finches congregating in large flocks—the largest I have seen was a flock of about 20 birds feeding on a garden lawn at Tamborine Mountain in the Gold Coast hinterland. They appear to be a social species that may even build their breeding nests in close proximity. Forshaw and Shephard mention roosting nests. I am unsure of roosting behaviour, however I did witness on one occasion, a small number of Red-brows roosting in shrubbery in the Minden Ranges, south-eastern Queensland in 1979.

Diet

The diet of wild birds is primarily granivorous, consisting of native and introduced grass seeds and herb and weed seeds. I am not aware of any cultivated crop invasion. On occasion small groups of birds do come onto my property, taking the heads of various birdseeds that have sprouted in drains. Green Panic is a popular source of seed in summer. While minute insects are taken in small quantities throughout the year, the volume increases markedly during the breeding season.

Description Although described as monomorphic, the Red-browed Finch’s sex is visually identifiable. The best method is to observe the colour on the front of birds. The female’s front appears a brownish-grey while the male’s is a blue-silver grey. This method of identification is best made whilst standing back rather than holding the birds for close inspection. Sexing of juveniles by visual identification is not so easy and DNA testing may be necessary. N. t. minor is dimorphic and gender difference is evident on the undertail coverts and vent, with the female showing grey and the male black.

364

N. t. minor— male (below) and female


WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY DR BOB DONELEY BVSc FACVSc CMAVA W

MY BIRD HAS A BEAK PROBLEM M INTRODUCTION

A bird’s beak is a remarkable part of its body—capable of crushing force and the delicate manipulation of tiny objects. Such an instrument is the result of millions of years of evolution, with each beak reflecting a different role and a different evolutionary path. Compare, for example: • A parrot, with a beak designed to open nuts and fruits, to chew through soft wood and to strip bark off branches • A finch, with a beak designed to remove the husk of small seeds and to pick up small insects • A duck, with a shovel-like beak to sift mud and water looking for food • A bird of prey, with a beak designed for tearing meat off a carcass But, what happens when something goes wrong with a bird’s beak? In this article, we’ll look at some of the more common problems which cause a bird’s beak to be abnormal, as well as treatment and how the bird adapts.

BEAK PROBLEMS

Beak problems can be either developmental (present from the time of hatch or developing shortly after), or acquired (caused by trauma, infection or other diseases). Developmental problems are thought to be associated with genetics, incorrect incubation parameters (temperature, humidity, ventilation, or turning of the egg), or parental nutrition. Acquired problems are thought to be due to damage to all, or part of, the growth area of the beak or, in neonates, to poorly calcified beaks.

ANATOMY

Before understanding how problems develop with a beak, it is important to understand the normal anatomy of the beak. The upper jaw of a parrot, the maxilla, consists of three bones fused to form a rigid block attached to the skull by a hinged joint, which allows movement of the upper jaw. These bones house the nasal cavity and some of the sinuses. The lower jaw, the mandible, consists of two mandibular halves, fused at the front and hinged on both sides of the base of the skull. Instead of being covered with skin, the bones of the upper and lower jaw are covered in horny keratin called the rhamphotheca—the mandibular rhamphotheca is known as the gnathotheca and the maxillary rhamphotheca is called the rhinotheca. The cutting edge of both the upper and lower beak is the called the tomia. The front edge of the mandibular tomia occludes against a keratin ridge in front of the hard palate on the roof of the mouth. This keratin has both a nerve and a blood supply to maintain its health. The keratin of the beak is constantly growing at a rate of several millimetres each month. This growth starts at the top of the upper beak and the base of the lower jaw. When you see your bird ‘grinding’ its beak, it is keeping the mandibular tomia worn down as it grows. Chewing of wood and other objects helps to keep the upper beak worn down.

Scissor beak can be corrected by applying ‘bird braces’

DEVELOPMENTAL PROBLEMS Scissor (or Wry) Beak

This is a sideways deviation of the upper beak, either from the tip of the beak or from the top (near the nostrils). With the upper and lower beaks no longer meeting normally, they both overgrow, worsening the condition. Scissor beak is most common in macaws up to two months of age, but it can occur in any species at any age. It can also be acquired following infection or damage to one side of the beak. If treated early enough, scissor beak can be readily corrected by applying ‘birdy braces’—a framework of thin pins and wire to apply tension to the upper beak while it grows, eventually straightening it (usually in 2–4 weeks). This technique does not work as well in chicks over six months of age because the bones of the skull have calcified and resist the tension applied by the ‘braces’. They also will not work well if the bones of the skull have been damaged or failed to develop properly.

Mandibular Prognathism

In this case, the upper beak sits inside the lower beak. This is most common in cockatoos and cockatiels aged 1–2 weeks. I have also seen several cases in Quaker Parrots. Again, if caught early enough, it can be corrected by the use of braces— this time using an acrylic prosthesis on the upper beak to lift it over the leading edge tomia of the lower beak. The lower beak, overgrown by lack of occlusal wear, has to be trimmed back until the upper beak deformity has been corrected. In this Quaker Parrot the upper beak is sitting inside the lower beak

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