Talking Birds January 2016

January 2016

4

Parrot experience very hard to beat

Australia’s avian newsmagazine

BIRD WORDS EVERY MONTH

$

AustraliaÂ’s most informative bird-keeping magazine

Polyoma virus can be beaten Strange pigeon heads Melba finch mix of several

Beautiful Belgian bantams

Ground parrot in trouble

All you need to know about keeping and breeding canaries The definitive work on keeping canaries in Australia, this book will be appreciated by experienced and novice canary fanciers.

SOF Send $60 plus $12 postage and T 251 COVER handling to: Jeff Leaney, , PAG ES 13 Robina Road, Eaglemont, Vic. 3084

THIS MONTH IN YOUR MAGAZINE

Australasian feathered news in brief 3 Avian vet directory 11 Book reviews 20 Budgies: Top breeding simple 15 Canaries: Lancashire coppy 12 Cassowaries: 2015 really bad year 21 Club & avian vet listings 22 Fancy pigeons: Strange heads 17 Fancy poultry: Belgian bantams 16 Finches: Melba sub-species mix 13 Finches: Gouldians in the wild 14

I

T’S just under 60 years since I got my first bird, a wild-caught female budgie, for my eighth birthday, and I never cease to be amazed by birds.

We are hand raising a couple of galahs and two eclectus parrots, there are young pheasants and Guinea fowl in the brooder, more eggs in the incubator and young rainbow lorikeets already fledged.

No matter how many times I am privileged to interact with birds I still can’t get over the wonder of it.

Of the seven sulphur-crested cockatoos here three hens are former pets which were released close to here by uncaring idiots for who-knows-what reason.

Maybe they were too noisy, maybe they started biting after being poked once too often through the bars of too-small cages. Who knows?

They ended up with a local wildlife carer who knew we were a soft touch when it comes to taking birds in and that trio has settled down well.

They all fly quickly to perches just inside the doors of their aviaries when I enter, ready to climb aboard and spend some precious one-on-one time with me.

None of them converse in human words but what they say via their actions — preening hairs on my arm, sticking heads inside a T-shirt to get a little bit closer or placing heads just so, allowing a scratch on a particular spot, is truly special.

I might be a grumpy old bloke when it comes to dealing with people who do their best to destroy our hobby but it’s a completely different

Australia’s avian newsmagazine

EDITORIAL & ADVERTISING Lloyd Marshall Telephone.............................03 5983 2566 Email................. lloyd@talkingbirds.com.au Website .............www.talkingbirds.com.au PO Box 216 Balnarring Victoria 3926 DEADLINES FOR ADVERTISING BOOKINGS AND COPY February 2016 edition Display advertisements...........January 15 Aviary marketplace..................January 22 SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions to Talking Birds, which cost $4 a month anywhere in the world, can be arranged by filling out the subscription form on the final page of this edition and sending it together with the appropriate payment or credit card details. The form can also be found at www.talking birds.com.au COPYRIGHT Copyright for all editorial copy and photographs published in Talking Birds remains with the author or photographer and cannot be reproduced in any media without the author s/photographer s permission.

Forthcoming events 23 Health: Polyoma overcome 10 International feathered news in brief 4 Malta bird trapping/killing goes on 23 Obituary: Mick Blake remembered 23 Parrots: Carnaby s cockatoos help 8 Parrots: Experience the key 5-6 Parrots: Glossy black cockatoos 11 Parrots: Ground parrot in trouble 9 Parrots: Yellow-collared macaws 7 Pet birds: Wellness checks vital 19

COMMENT story when it comes to spending time with those cockies or with Mr Oz, the emu who drops to the ground whenever he sees me so he can get a scratch along his neck, or with Edna the hand-raised mute swan, who spends time on the deck outside my office, tapping on the window until I go out to give her a neck rub, bringing forth gentle hisses of ecstasy. At those times everything seems right with the world, even if I know it’s not necessarily so.

Aviculture is a great hobby, one that is misunderstood by many who unfortunately cannot understand how entrancing birds can be.

This magazine has been around for 11-plus years and this is the first edition not to be printed in the traditional manner, which is a bit of a wrench for an old paper-on-inkaddicted journo like me.

The upside is that it can now be circulated anywhere via the Internet and at a vastly reduced cost to those who choose to receive it.

Hopefully it will now reach more people who, like me, are fascinated by birds and everything about them.

All the writers who made TB a success remain and now that I am no longer restricted by the need to add pages in four-page increments I will be able to include more copy at will, something which makes me happy.

I hope you enjoy this and future editions and, as always, I welcome your feedback.

— Lloyd Marshall

BIRD WORDS EVERY MONTH DISCLAIMER The publisher of Talking Birds newsmagazine accepts no responsibility for the contents of advertisements submitted for publication by the newsmagazine s clients. It is the advertisers responsibility to ensure that their advertisements are honest and accurate. It is also the advertisers responsibility to ensure that any sales of birds, goods, services and products comply with the relevant legal requirements. Talking Birds and its publisher will not become involved in disputes between advertisers and people who have dealt with advertisers as a result of reading information contained in advertisements in Talking Birds newsmagazine. The publisher of Talking Birds newsmagazine accepts no liability for any dispute resulting from information contained in advertisements published in Talking Birds newsmagazine. The newsmagazine s publisher reserves the right to refuse to publish any advertisement presented for publication. Opinions expressed in editorial material and in advertisements published in Talking Birds newsmagazine are not necessarily those held by the publisher of Talking Birds newsmagazine.

Climate change affects 24%

CLIMATE change threatens more than one-fifth of the world’s birds according to a new report.

Entitled The Messengers, the report drew on 92 studies and reviews to show how birds from all seven continents will be affected by glob-

al warming.

Of 57 species considered 24 per cent are responding negatively to global warming, 13 per cent are responding positively, 14 per cent appear unaffected and it was unclear how 49 per cent would be affected.

By LLOYD MARSHALL A FEDERAL submission by the Finch Society of Australia has advocated speeding up the time it takes to process import risk analyses relating to avicultural birds as well as reducing financial, time and administrative burdens undertaken to complete IRA processes.

Part of the FSA’s submission to the Australian Department of Agriculture and Water Resources wants to see the fast-tracking of IRAs which have recognised value in terms of preserving threatened, endangered and critically endangered bird species.

The submission, prepared by FSA president Sam Davis, asks for acknowledgement that the value of recreational pursuits (such as aviculture) as being economically and socially valuable outcomes when prioritising IRA completion schedules, as well as acknowledging the fact that no captive avian species has established a viable feral population in Australia.

The submission said: “The FSA supports the regulated trade of captive bred birds nationally and internationally — particularly with regard to achieving outcomes related to securing critically endangered and endangered species.

“To achieve such outcomes requires an IRA process that is affordable, manageable and realistically accessible.

“We acknowledge and support efforts to reduce risk involved in the importation of foreign species, however such risks must be balanced against the potential positive outcomes for endangered species predicted to emerge should importation of avian species be streamlined.”

The submission said it it appears that species of economic value are

able to be imported and exported with relative ease if they are of value to agriculture or sport.

“Although we accept this as understandable it does not assist smaller industries — such as aviculture — to grow economically. Other priorities such as conservation should also be considerations,” the submission said.

It pointed out that IRA processes that restrict trade internationally have the effect of skewing the Australian national market.

“For example there are many avian species (and morphs) common in captivity internationally that are traded at inflated prices in Australia due simply to our restrictive IRA processes,” the submission said.

“Inflated prices create an incentive for illegal smuggling which defeats the purpose of IRA processes and our society’s endeavours.”

The submission pointed out that the FSA includes a number of branches, affiliate clubs and members nationally.

“We represent finch aviculturists specifically and are affiliated with the Canary and Caged Bird Federation of Australia and the National Finch and Softbill Association,” the submission said.

“Our membership supports, encourages and is actively involved in the conservation of finch and related species worldwide.”

All submissions will be published on the department’s website unless the group or individual making the submission asks for that not to be done.

The department reserves the right not to publish submissions or parts of submissions that contain material which breaches copyright or contains offensive language and/or defamatory statements.

Finch mob seeking simpler processes

Hawk s strange nest

A FAMILY at League City in Texas got a huge surprise recently when a hawk tried to nest inside one of the Antoline family’s bedrooms.

While the family was out something shattered a window to the children’s bedroom.

After neighbors heard rustling inside they called police and then called homeowners Vinnie and Amy Antoline.

In the meantime neighbors had surrounded the family’s home.

“I’m like it’s a lot more serious than what I’m thinking here,” Amy Antoline said.

“It’s not just a broken window (from a

ODD SPOT baseball).”

League City police with guns drawn went in expecting to find burglars inside but instead the officers came out smiling with something in a basket.

“It was a hawk,” Vinnie Antoline said.

“And I’m like A ‘ what? A hawk. A bird.’

I'm like that’s good and bad.”

Neighbors caught the hawk’s release on camera. Except for a broken window and two torn comforters covered in bird droppings there was no other damage.

The Antoline family could only smile about the fact that their home was chosen as a good nesting site by a hawk.

PHOTO: BOB PHILPOT. COVER: MALE NORTHERN ROSELLA EATING CAPE WEED. SEE: PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE DEFINITELY HARD TO BEAT PAGES 5-6.

Talking Birds, January 2016 2

FEATHERED NEWS FROM AUSTRALASIA IN BRIEF Zoo macaw located

A BLUE-AND-GOLD macaw from Adelaide Zoo was found safe and well two days after flying away during a routine training session.

Trainer Nic Bishop said Manu took off on Boxing Day morning, with staff looking for the bird and asking for public help.

A member of the public contacted the zoo after spotting Manu in a tree outside his house in Prospect, near parklands in North Adelaide, on December 28.

A zoo spokesman said Manu flew down as soon as he saw his carers.

He said Manu appeared to be in good shape after his adventure but would be monitored to ensure he is fit and well.

Mr Bishop said he believed the bird may have simply gone for an extended flight.

Move to help swift

FEARS for the survival of the critically endangered swift parrot have resulted in a temporary halt to logging on Bruny Island, south of Hobart.

Tasmanian Resources Minister Paul Harriss said harvesting by Forestry Tasmania would be postponed pending a federal-state recovery plan for the bird.

“It has been decided to temporarily cease harvesting pending the completion of an evidence-based swift parrot management plan, informed by an Australian Government reassessment of the status of the species,” he said.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature listed the bird as critically endangered after data showed the birds were in rapid decline because of logging and predation by sugar gliders.

Gouldian lady treated Coke not a good look Hen lays super egg GOULDIAN finch researcher Sarah Legge is part-way through extensive chemotherapy treatment in South Africa which involves a lengthy series of courses with three types of medication, two in pill form and one as an injection.

Each course is six weeks long and there are six courses.

Sarah is producing great mosaics, which can be seen on her website http:// fragmentsofafrica.co.za/

Drought kills 25 per cent of jarrah A STUDY has found more than 25 per cent of trees across 7000 hectares of jarrah forest in Western Australia’s Perth Hills have died after drought and heatwaves experienced in 2010-11.

Similar numbers of trees died in arid areas of Queensland in response to the 2003-07 drought.

The high death rate of trees is attributed to lower rainfalls, higher temperatures and extreme weather events.

Murdoch University Centre of Excellence for Climate Change research fellow Dr Niels Brouwers, who conducted the research, said larger trees which required more water were the worst affected.

“Obviously the larger trees need more water and with drought the big

Cassowary chicks free Pet emu collared THREE cassowary chicks have been released after a year in the world’s only cassowary rehabilitation centre.

Two are brothers which were found wandering alone through a South Mission Beach backyard in North Queensland at just a month old.

The other, a girl affectionately known as Squirt, was hit by a car and fractured her spine.

Garners Beach Cassowary Rehabilitation Centre vet Dr Graham Lauridsen said Squirt was not expected to survive but made a miraculous recovery.

Before their release the chicks were doing very well, launching numerous karate kicks around their enclosure.

The movements of the chicks will be monitored by a tracking device.

The Garners Beach centre had been facing closure but was saved by interim government funding late last year.

MOUNT Barker in Western Australia’s south is better known for its free range chickens than emus but one of the big birds has kept police on their toes.

A runaway emu recently spent a night evading police in the regional town before being collared by a plucky officer.

Constable Kevin Loveland said he cornered the bird with the help of the ranger and a woman who seemed to know a bit about emus the morning after it was seen running around town.

“One thing led to another and I ended up being Johnny-on-the-spot,” Const Loveland said.

“Three of us walked up to it, the woman grabbed it around the neck and I picked it up.”

Const Loveland said the feathered fugitive, which turned out to be a local pet, was returned to its owner.

THE battle to save an endangered New Zealand native parrot has gone up a notch, with conservationists launching a surveillance program to monitor three female kaka in the Abel Tasman National Park.

The large bird was technically extinct in the upper South Island before the release into the wild last month.

Biodiversity rangers have the birds under constant watch in NZ’s most popular national park, using radio transmitters to track them in the forest.

Department of Conservation biodiversity ranger John Henderson said the biggest challenge for the birds is adapting to the wild.

“They’ve basically lived in the aviary until they’re nine months old and then they’re chucked out into the wild,” Mr Henderson said.

THREE families of rare whio ducklings have been spotted at Taranaki in New Zealand as the breeding season gets underway.

Department of Conservation rangers spotted two families in the Edmont National Park and a third on a protected area of river in farmland near Midhurst.

Taranaki is the only region in New Zealand which has managed to reestablish a whio duck colony after the original population in the area went extinct nearly 70 years ago.

Breeding pairs of whio have tripled since the re-establishment project began at Egmont in 2001.

There are now thought to be around 100 whio ducks in the region but there are only around 3000 whio in the whole of New Zealand.

Kaka monitored

WILDLIFE groups at Narrabeen in Sydney were recently faced with an unusual task, trying to remove a Coke can from a purple swamphen’s beak after it was spotted at a local lagoon.

There were fears that the bird may have died of starvation due to the can affecting its ability to eat and rehydrate.

Australian Seabird Rescue volunteer Silke Stuckenbrock said rescuers were pretty upset by seeing the bird in its distressed state.

problem is the lack of water.

So those trees are obviously the ones to feel the pinch first,” he said.

“But in the understorey we saw that banksias were also affected.”

Dr Brouwers said the death of trees also was having an impact on native wildlife.

“There is some evidence that it affects the glossy black cockatoo (pictured left) in eastern Australia,” he said. “What was found was that the food sources were limited so the sheoaks produced less fruit for this particular species so they basically produced less offspring.

“Simply because they didn’t have enough food to support their chicks and that was in direct relation to a drought.”

A FAMILY on Melbourne’s outskirts got a huge shock recently when one of its hens produced an egg that weighed in at 109 grams.

Ashley Donnet couldn’t believe it when son Max, 10, returned with the huge egg after checking on the family’s layers.

“We’re curious to see if there’s a triple yolk in it as opposed to a double,” he said.

“We thought it would be a world record but that record is 189 grams.”

Mr Donnet said he had 12 hens laying at the time but wasn’t sure which one had produced the super-sized egg.

“We have about one or two eggs a day, which are between 70-80g and the previous biggest was 81g but nothing like the latest one,” he said.

$2000 fine for finches

A QUEENSLAND bird man who illegally caught four double-barred finches and bred them has been fined $2000.

Derek Paul Briffa of Charters Towers was convicted and fined on a charge of keeping a protected animal after police told the local court they had received a complaint that Briffa was keeping the birds.

Police and a wildlife carer searched his aviary, where they found eight double-barred finches and numerous other birds.

The court was told Briffa said he kept the birds for his enjoyment and that he’d caught four finches and they bred, making a total of eight birds.

No conviction was recorded.

Whio families found

Talking Birds, January 2016 3

FEATHERED NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD IN BRIEF Thief gets six months 5m+ chooks culled AN English burglar who stole a parrot worth ÂŁ2500 to fund his drug habit has been jailed for six months.

Melvin Gill, 47, from Wythenshawe pinched the scarlet macaw from Timperley Aquatics Pet & Reptile Centre.

Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court was told Gill broke into the store in the early hours of the morning on August 4 by smashing a window.

He then picked up a reptile tank and used it to break into the parrot’s aviary before carrying the bird under his arm.

Passers-by contacted police when they saw Gill cycling with the parrot on the handlebars of his push bike .

Several of the bird’s tail feathers were left behind in the aviary, suggesting that there had been some kind of struggle.

Amazon campaign

THE World Parrot Trust has launched a campaign to help at-risk Amazon parrots.

A WPT spokesman said: “This year our appeal is for Amazons — one of the most endangered groups of birds in the Neotropics. Many species are at risk of disappearing altogether and WPT is working to prevent that from happening.�

He said the situation is urgent, with wildlife trade, habitat loss and persecution threatening many of the parrots of Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. “Yellow-naped, vinaceous, yellowshouldered and other Amazons all are under increasing threat of extinction,� he said.

More information can be found at https://www.parrots.org/amazons/

US falcons in Rome

ROMAN officials hope Texan birds of prey will scare off migratory flocks of starlings because the birds’ droppings are making roads slippery and ruining the city’s landmarks.

Exasperated by the proliferation of bird faeces Roman authorities have sought to take matters into their own hands — not literally, of course.

The birds are attracted to the Eternal City due to its light, sleeping there after a day feeding on olive tree parasites in the countryside.

Officials sought new allies in the seasonal battle, bringing in five Texan falcons last month to terrorise the starlings, describing a three-day trial as a great success and saying they will look into extending the use of falcons.

MORE than five million poultry were culled in Taiwan last year due to avian influenza outbreaks.

As 2015 ended 1000 poultry farms in 15 counties and cities had been tested, of which 965 were positive for the H5 bird flu virus, 34 were negative and one was positive for the H6N1 virus.

A total of 5.09 million birds from 964 farms were culled and the Council of Agriculture has earmarked $1.64 billion as compensation for affected farms and emergency disease control expenses.

THE bodies of at least 20 peacocks have been recovered from Madhupur revenue forest area of Khurda district in India after a suspected bird flu outbreak when villagers saw the birds and told forest officials. “This morning our team of forest officials went and recovered the carcasses,�

Khurda divisional forest officer Akshay Patnaik said. Apart from the peacocks the carcasses of four other birds, including a pigeon and two cranes, were also recovered from the spot.

Rare UK robin loses red colouring A UK cyclist spotted this unusual sight of a grey robin while out for a ride in North Devon.

Rob Jutsum was cycling along the Tarka Trail at Chivenor when he saw the bird and quickly alerted bird watchers.

Robins are known for having a signature red breast but this unusual pale creature is distinctly lacking in colour.

It is a leucistic, a type of albinism where a genetic mutation means that there is a lack of pigment in its plumage.

Devon entomologist and bird watcher John Walters said: “A mix-up in the genes means that its colours come out a different colour to normal. All of the red area appears white and the brown areas appear a slate grey. “It is an incredibly rare sight and I have only seen one other. They don’t

Corncrake in trouble

THE rare corncrake has suffered a massive drop in numbers as a result of last year’s poor spring weather, new research has shown.

Corncrake populations, which are found mainly on islands off the west coast of Scotland, have dropped by 17 per cent in the past 12 months to just over 1000 males.

The decline follows a record year in 2014, when nearly 1300 males were counted, the highest number in nearly half a century.

Corncrakes suffered dramatic losses during the 19th and 20th centuries, plummeting to an estimated 400 males dotted around the Scottish isles but a major conservation effort launched in the 1990s reversed that trend.

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ONE thousand protected finches have been freed back into the wild by Italian police after they foiled an attempt to smuggle the prized birds to Malta on board a catamaran last month.

The birds were hidden in vegetable crates when discovered in a car driven by an Italian as it was boarding a ferry in Pozzallo heading to Malta.

The 1000 finches, which included serins and goldfinches, were squashed into cloth-covered crates 20cm high with no water.

The birds were confiscated by the police and the driver faced charges of animal abuse as well as keeping and transporting protected species.

The smuggling attempt was one of a series discovered ahead of the start of the finch-trapping season in Malta. .

Bunting off course

tend to last long in the wild as their pale colour means they stick out like a beacon to predators like sparrowhawks so I rushed out to get a picture as quickly as I could.�

Mr Walters said that robins are territorial and from October until after Christmas guard their area to protect food sources.

Rare eagle hatched

A RARE Philippine eagle chick has hatched in captivity, giving conservationists hope for the critically endangered bird.

The eaglet, which has yet to be named, is the first of its kind to be born at a conservation centre in the Southern Davao Province in two years.

Thirty-four eagles including the hatchling are being kept in a massive cage at the centre. Only about 600 of the species are thought to be left in the wild.

The country’s national bird, the Philippine eagle has been classified as critically endangered because of the loss of natural rainforest habitat and hunting.

The Philippine Eagle Foundation said the baby bird was a breakthrough for its breeding program.

Trumped by big bird

TIME Magazine has released footage of presidential candidate Donald Trump dodging a vicious-looking bald eagle.

The film was taken during a photoshoot marking Mr Trump’s position as runner-up in the magazine’s Person of the Year award.

He agreed to pose with a bald eagle — America’s iconic symbol — for the magazine’s cover story.

The huge eagle, named Uncle Sam, is seen sitting on Mr Trump’s forearm, before pointing its beak at his face and repeatedly trying to fly away.

During the shoot Mr Trump became increasingly concerned with the way the eagle’s attempted escape was affecting his appearance, asking: “How does my hair look?�

Towards the end of the video he said: “What you will do for a cover! This bird is seriously dangerous, but beautiful.�

NEW York’s most colourful new visitor has a coat so unique that it is the envy of the hippest of Brooklynites.

The painted bunting, a bird whose rainbow-toned feathers make it stand out from the neighborhood pigeons, has been seen recently in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park.

The species usually lives in the southern United States and spends winter in tropical climates, which made its New York visit an extremely rare surprise, one which had local bird watchers flocking to catch sight of the very rare visitor. “Prospect Park’s current celebrity is even more stunning in real life than all his pictures,� wrote Instagram user @daisylanepaul in the caption of a photograph she took of the rare bird near the park’s LeFrak skating rink.

Goose killer fined

AN act of violence toward a Canada goose at a Canadian golf course wound up costing Petawawa resident Claude Lachance $1000.

He entered a guilty plea in front of a justice of the peace to charges of hunting the goose during the closed season and for obstructing a conservation officer.

The charges stemmed from an incident July 2, 2015, when Lachance killed the goose with a golf club and removed a leg band from the dead bird.

For the charge of hunting the goose out of season Lachance was fined $300 with an additional $700 fine for obstruction.

He was also hit with a one-year ban on the hunting of any migratory bird.

Hawks harass drone

TWO red-tailed hawks gave a drone flying around New York’s Prospect Park a real bird’s eye view, scaring the operators of the device so much that they brought it down to the ground.

Bird watcher Robert Bate witnessed the feathered confrontation when a group of guys were illegally flying the drone in a big green space.

He heard the cry of the hawks seconds after the whining of a drone above him. “The hawks started circling above and around the drone and they went into a stoop position, and were descending on the drone,� he said. “The drone operators perhaps saw the birds coming and wisely brought the drone down.�

After years of birding Mr Bate said he is sure the hawks were getting ready to attack. “They recognised it as a predator and were probably confused,� he said.

Talking Birds, January 2016 4

Talking Birds the only place to find the latest bird news

Practical experience definitely hard to beat \\

PARROTS

with

Bob Philpot Associate Editor IF you are confronted by a problem, information passed on by word of mouth helps.

Material gleaned from books and magazines can be very useful and videos and visual pictures are even better because they can be reviewed time and again. The daddy of them all however is practical experience, with the bird keeper involved in the process.

When it happens to you and you are forced to work your way through a particular problem the solution and method of the remedy stays in your memory banks.

For me keeping large numbers of a wide range of birds has increased my chances of encountering a range of bird-related problems and I have been fortunate enough to encounter a great variety.

The following is an excerpt from Talking Birds in 2007 relating to a problem with the babies of a pair of Major Mitchell’s cockatoos.

I wrote: “Take care and keep a watch out when young Majors fly

2

from the nest, I have had babies perching, looking good as gold and then in a couple of days found them down on the ground struggling to walk.

“At first thought it seemed as though a calcium deficiency could be the problem, however I solved the situation by using a crop needle and feeding the babies for about a week.

“The mum and dad had not fed the babies, I feel that the parents considered that the young were up and away and didn’t have to carry on with the job.

“Once the young started perching again and commenced begging the parents concerned carried on looking after them.”

That particular situation occurred again this season but not with the same pair of Majors.

In this example the male looks dreadful, see photo 1. He has looked that way for the last four years because he has completely denuded himself of virtually all small feathers on the body as well as his tail.

I was not sure whether the culprit might have been Mrs Major but the male has all the feathers from his neck up and that is an area that he is not able to reach.

Finally I was able to confirm it was not the female because I have observed the male doing the job.

This bird is not chewing or eating the feathers so he must gain some inane pleasure from just pulling them out and dropping them, maybe you could call it self-flagellation.

Diet, drenching for intestinal parasites and dusting for external mites — all those avenues have been explored but no positive result.

There is nothing wrong with dad’s flying and fertilising powers because he produced young in previous years, a break for a couple of years then back into gear in 2014 with two young while this year it was one.

Even though he has no feathers anywhere on his chest or stomach it is obvious there is sufficient warmth coming from the bare skin brooding patch because he does his share of incubating eggs during the day.

FEATHER REMOVAL BY THIS FATHER IS A PROB-

Photos: Bob Philpot

1

LEM FOR THE BABIES: When they finally emerge from the nest log they have been severely plucked around the head, neck, shoulders and back, see photo 2.

This season the problem has arisen again with a young Major showing a lack of strength, the same symptom I encountered previously.

If you see a young bird on the ground and it is struggling to walk with its wings outstretched to help it to keep balance there are a number of possible causes. When first flying the young bird may have crashed into the wall of the aviary damaging its head, neck, back or leg/s.

If the parent/s do not feed the baby it becomes weak, does not fly very well and if it falls to the ground it may not have sufficient strength to walk, let alone fly. The bird needs to be examined before deciding on the best course of

action. Having made the decision as to the possible cause the next practical decision to be made is: 1. Leave the bird with the parents and provide treatment in the aviary.

2. Remove the bird and treat offsite.

If the bird does not have any definite injuries to the wings or legs it is my preference to leave the youngster/s with the parents. It is less stressful for all concerned and as the young improves it is more likely that the parents will get around to resuming the feeding.

Should you decide to feed the young bird I consider the use of a crop tube is the best solution. To try to get the bird to take sufficient food from a spoon is going to take time and the bird’s initial response is to reject anything going into its beak. There will be wasted food and generally a real mess over the bird

Talking Birds, January 2016 5

Send your news by phone or email we won t ignore it

Practical experience counts 3

4

and operator.

The right hand holding the loadI OPT FOR THE USE OF THE CROP ed syringe now moves from right to TUBE: For a bird as large as a Major left with the tube entering between Mitchell’s cockatoo there are pro- the top and bottom mandible. The cedures to follow when using a crop tube goes behind the stubby tongue tube. and I now feel the tip of the tube The items to be used are: (a) a start to press against my left syringe of up to 20-25ml, (b) a metal thumb. crop tube, (c) the tube needs to have The syringe is now raised upwards, a large smooth round ball on the the tube tip is positioned slightly end, (d) the operator needs to re- towards the rear of the neck and I strain the bird correctly and follow allow the weight of the syringe to the correct tube insertion tech- ease the tube away and down. If the nique. bird continues complaining I use a hand towel wrapaudibly, good-oh, you must ped around the bird, be in the entrance to the If leaving its head free. crop. you are inserting The towel imprisons IT IS NOT ADVISABLE the crop tube and the the wings and feet, TO LOAD THE SYRyoung bird is vocal that is stops the bird from INGE WITH MORE thrashing around FOOD THAN YOU INa good sign, if the bird and prevents neeTEND FEEDING: You stops yelling or it makes dle-sharp toenails need to ease the syrgurgling noises you from hooking the inge plunger graduhave make a operator. ally down to move the WHY A METAL CROP food slowly into the mistake...

TUBE YOU MAY ASK? A crop. young cockatoo as large as a The task is completed, reMajor has a very powerful beak and move the crop tube, unwrap the it is able to bite into a nylon or sili- towel and position the bird on a cone crop tube, damaging the sur- platform or perch from where it can face of the tube for future use. If make up its mind what it intends the bird grabs the tube that will doing. prevent it from sliding easily into HOW MUCH FOOD NEEDS TO BE INthe entrance to the crop.

SERTED INTO THE BIRD? Bear in THE METAL TUBE NEEDS TO BE AS mind that if a young bird has reachLARGE AS YOU CAN OBTAIN: The ed the stage where it has not been airway entry to this bird’s lung is fed for some time there is every quite large and a small-diameter chance that the crop, which holds tube can easily slip into that ent- the food, has shrunk.

The crop is just a flexible bag and rance. If you squirt hand-rearing mix into the lungs you have about without any contents being added it will tend to contract in size. five seconds to watch the bird die.

HOW AND WHERE DOES THE CROP If you intend cropping the baby TUBE GO? I wrap the bird in the the amount of food supplied in the towel with the head free. It is posi- early stages needs to be limited. If tioned facing me and my left fore- not, excess liquid food can flow arm holds the bird against my back into the junction of crop entchest. Using my left hand at the ry and airway. back of its head I place the thumb If you are inserting the crop tube under its jaw and lever the head up and the young bird is vocal that is a so the neck is stretched upward, see good sign, if the bird stops yelling photo 3. or it makes gurgling noises you

5

have make a mistake by entering modify entrances to nest boxes the airway, withdraw the tube im- used by some of my northern roselmediately and retry. las.

After easing food into the crop if I had found there were good the bird starts gurgling that is a clutch sizes produced by the pairs warning sign, stop immediately, but fertility was very low. I placed release the bird from the towel and thin plywood panels with smaller stand back. than normal holes over the usual YOU MUST NOT TRY TO RESTRAIN entries to the boxes.

THE BIRD: If you do, you may preThe objective was that the female vent it from coughing or shaking and her companion would need to its head, which are methods that spend time chewing their way will allow it to clear its airway. through the ply to enlarge the hole There is nothing wrong with in order to gain access to the box. being cautious, but should you That would delay the time taken to push on regardless of warning signs lay, increase active bonding and it could prove fatal to the bird. hopefully raise fertility.

In the case of this year’s young In a year of very poor results from Major I started with 8ml of hand- many many pairs of birds I am rearing food for the first few feeds happy to say it was a partial sucthen increased gradually until it cess. was taking 12ml.

The pair in question did chew If I exceeded 12 ml I found the their way in, see photo 4, female baby would commence gurgling, just about in. The female laid a which was an indication that clutch of eggs and hatched three this quantity was more chicks, last year’s result than the crop could was one fertile egg.

The hold under those conFrom the time the episode of the ditions. panel was in position Majors shows that In this particular until the hole was situation, feeding large enough, see because of my practical via a crop tube photo 5, to allow experience with similar once in the mornthe female to enter, occurrences in the past ing and once late took 17 days.

I did not waste afternoon, the baby The problem was Major has improved that the pair went on my time and over a period of a to badly pluck the money... week. young and I took them to At the moment it is now hand rear. able to fly to a perch at the back of None of the other pairs attemptthe aviary after being released ed the nest break-in so the panels from the towel. There is nothing were folded up out of the way. wrong with its legs.

CONCLUDING: The episode of the The parents have always been Majors shows that because of my protective of the nest site and any practical experience with similar of my inspections. They are ex- occurrences in the past I did not tremely vocal, yelling all sorts of waste my time and money pumpobscenities when I enter the aviary ing liquid calcium into the young and more so now that baby is out on bird without a practical result. the perch.

I hope that readers gain from my NORTHERN ROSELLA FIX: In a previ- experiences and consider all opous edition of Talking Birds I indi- tions should similar situations cated that for 2015 I was going to occur.

Talking Birds, January 2016 6

Talking Birds the only place to find the latest bird news

Yellow-collared sweet and playful

Photo: Krystal Sowter

provide the best possible life for it.

They are not an easy bird to take care of if you do not have the time, money or space. When properly cared for they can live up to 50 years with in captivity.

As a hand-raised pet the yellowcollar is an intelligent and affectionate companion, forming very strong bonds with its owner. If socialised and disciplined early they can learn to become a part of the THE yellow-collared macaw Prim- family which everyone can enjoy. olius auricollis is considered a mini Many will act like clowns to make macaw species because it has aver- you laugh and they will enjoy hangage length of 38cm, half of which is ing out with you, even just sitting tail feathers, and a body weight of on your shoulder, but caution must 290 grams. be taken with children because yelIts personality is sweet and play- low-collars will play rough. ful and at times mischievous, which They demand a lot of attention makes it a very interesting pet. and if they don’t get enough interIn Australian aviculture the yel- action with owners they can below-collared macaw is rare but it come temperamental and noisy. A can be found in specialist breeders’ good guideline to follow is to give collections of large parrots. your macaw a few hours of time outThe yellow-collar is generally side its cage every day to allow exergreen but distinguished by a bright cise and mental stimulation. yellow band on the back of the neck A sturdy play gym in the living above the shoulders. As each bird area with many toys and treats is a matures the yellow collar begreat way to give them exercise. comes more prominent.

The yellow-collar is a On their heads they very sociable species. ...to have a brownish-black Some people say it is the nest box crown, black beak not as noisy as larger entrance and be of tipped with cream macaws but it can and a naked facial still become a hassimilar height because a patch which is charsle when you live in pair will favour that perch acteristic of maca close neighbourto protect their nest box, aws. Outside primhood. particularly the cock bird ary and covert feathYellow-collared ers are blue while macaws are much during breeding those on the underside smaller than their larseason. are greenish-yellow. From ger relatives so they do the base to the tip of the tail not require as large an area feathers flashes deep red to green and and cage to house them. For pets then blue on the ends. that get let out every day a large Yellow-collars are found in cen- parrot cage with many toys is ideal tral South America over a wide inside the house.

Locks will need to be secure bearea from Bolivia to Brazil through to Paraguay and Argentina. They cause they will try to escape. For occur in many different lowland breeding pairs of yellow-collars habitats from humid forests to de- conventional or suspended aviaries ciduous woodlands and grasslands approximately 3m-4m long are suitable. During the non-breeding with very few trees.

They are not considered endan- season they should be housed in gered because they are common larger flight aviaries.

Thick wooden perching is very and their population numbers have important for yellow-collars. They been increasing.

There are no known sub-species are very strong chewers and need of yellow-collars but they belong to timber to chew on.

Perches should be positioned to the genus Primolius which includes the Illiger’s macaw Primolius mar- encourage flight, which means havacana and the blue-headed macaw ing a perch at the front and the primolius couloni. Previously the back of the aviary. A perch should yellow-collared was placed in the connect to the nest entrance and be of similar height because a pair Ara and the Propyrrhura genus.

Before purchasing a yellow-col- will favour that perch to protect lared it is necessary to do a lot of their nest box, particularly the research on its behaviour and liv- cock bird during breeding season. ing requirements to see if you can Yellow-collars generally nest in

PARROTS

Krystal Sowter

The yellowcollared macaw is an attractive little bird, smaller than most macaws, it can make a great pet and will breed twice a year in good conditions.

vertical nests. It is very beneficial years of age. Yellow-collared macif there is sufficient space to pro- aws should be regularly treated with worming medication, especialvide a few nest box choices.

When they have a favourite keep ly if they are in conventional aviathat box for them every breeding ries and have contact with wild season and remove the others. Size birds. Infections can reduce producof a box would be around 500mm tivity and make birds very sick.

When introducing new individudeep and 250mm across.

A non-chewable ladder, usually als owners should seek veterinary made of wire, is essential for safety advice and house new birds in a of eggs and chicks. It will stop the quarantine section before introhen from jumping down onto eggs duction.

In captivity yellow-collars will and breaking them when she moves try to eat just about anything. Maquickly to protect them.

Nest boxes are best placed high but caws need a high fat and high pronot too close to the roof, which will tein diet. get too hot in summer. They will In their natural habitat they have turn very aggressive during breeding a wide variety of food sources and season so the box needs to be locatwe should try to mimic that lifeed so the inspection hole can style. be easily accessed from Freshly chopped fruit They outside the aviary. and vegetables, freshlyare just as Nests should be unsprouted seed and legder shelter and facume mix and a highintelligent as their ing the darker part quality extruded pellarger relatives, easily of the aviary for let such as Nutritrainable and able to mimic blend should be ofsecurity. Yellow-colmany phrases clearly, lars like non-treated fered daily plus fresh sawdust from pine water. possibly even better and red wood as well Nuts such as althan larger as other suitable nestmonds, pecans, macamacaws. ing material. damias, peanuts and walLarge wood chips can be nuts should be given in small placed in the aviary or nest box to quantities. Animal protein is very encourage chewing and breeding be- important for breeding birds.

That can be provided in the form haviour.

The breeding season occurs dur- of mealworms, quality minces and ing spring and summer. Once the bones. Be aware that avocado is exhen is satisfied with her nest she tremely poisonous and never feed will lay two or three white eggs and your birds chocolate. will incubate them for 26 days.

The yellow-collared macaw is a Chicks will fledge at 70 days and great parrot for someone wanting wean at around four months. It is to start keeping macaws. possible for yellow-collars to douAs pets they are playful and can ble clutch. create lifelong partnerships with Chicks will mature between 3-4 the right owner.

Talking Birds, January 2016 7

Send your news by phone or email we won t ignore it

Cautious optimism on black cockatoo future

SCIENTISTS are cautiously optim- look at how effective things like artistic about the future of the Carna- ificial nesting boxes are in sites like by’s black cockatoo population in this.” bushland badly burnt during the Despite a significant age gap Mr Parkerville fires in Western Austra- Johnstone and Mr Cherriman have lia’s Perth Hills two years ago. formed an unlikely friendship.

Local bird enthusiast and docu“I’ve tried to do bird stuff my mentary maker Simon Cherriman whole life, I’m very interested and spent time with staff from the West- passionate,” Mr Cherriman said. ern Australian Museum last month “When I was 15 I saw his name (Mr to check on breeding activity levels Johnstone’s) on the internet and dein several artificial nesting boxes cided to send him an email. and natural tree hollows.

“I thought he would probably be “This area had a very fierce fire. It too busy and not reply but he not is Jarrah-Marri forest at the edge of only wrote back but also invited me the Darling escarpment,” Ron John- and my mum to go in to the museum stone, ornithology curator at the to see some of the specimens.

WA Museum, said.

“I was over the moon and that Following the fires Mr Cherriman really was an inspiration.” was commissioned by the For Mr Johnstone it has Shire of Mundaring to inbeen a pleasure to see Mr The stall artificial nesting Cherriman develop into boxes in trees in the a man passionate cockatoos have area. about nature docualso suffered from He and museum mentaries and savgalahs and corellas staff now regularly ing Carnaby’s cocktaking chicks and check the boxes. atoos.

Last month they “It’s really great eggs from nests, found one breeding to see young natuas well as pair sitting on a ral history commuEuropean honey clutch of two eggs in a nicators like Simon bees. nesting box and, 25 metcoming along,” he said. res up a Marri tree in a Despite their most renatural hollow, a female Carncent findings in the Perth Hills aby’s cockatoo was spotted with a Mr Johnstone said Carnaby’s and chick.

Baudin’s cockatoo populations reThe baby cockatoo was pulled out mained at serious risk. of the hollow and banded by Mr “Its breeding range is contractJohnstone. ing,” he said.

“The Carnaby’s cockatoo is an en“It is no longer found in many of dangered species — along with its the Wheatbelt reserves that it used close relative the Baudin’s cockatoo, to breed in. they are two of our most endanger“Those huge flocks that used to ed cockies in the south-west of WA,” invade the Swan coastal plain durMr Johnstone said. ing autumn and winter have greatly “So this is very interesting work diminished.” in that we are able to monitor these The cockatoos have also suffered birds and their breeding biology and from galahs and corellas taking

The young Carnaby s cockatoo has a leg ring fitted before being returned to its nest.

Simon Cherriman scales a Marri tree to check on a natural hollow being used by a nesting pair of Carnaby s black cockatoos.

chicks and eggs from nests, as well as European honey bees.

“The honey bee takes over hollows and it has been devastating,’ Mr Johnstone said.

“In some areas we have lost 50 per cent of cockatoo hollows due to the impact of feral bees.”

Part of what Mr Johnstone and museum staff are looking at is whether artificial nesting boxes can be effective in comparison to natural tree hollows.

“That huge Marri that Simon climbed this morning is well over 230 years old,” Mr Johnstone said.

“Of the several thousand nests that we are monitoring almost all the trees that the cockatoos are using are very ancient trees.

“These were all trees growing here well before Captain Stirling sailed up the Swan River.

“To get hollows in these endemic hardwood trees like Jarrah, Marri and Karri is an excruciatingly slow process. They need fire, termites, fungus to develop these deep hollows.”

Mr Cherriman climbed 25 metres barefoot to inspect a hollow in a Marri tree.

He said the sound of the Carnaby’s cockatoo gave him goose bumps.

Ron Johnstone measures the baby Carnaby s black cockatoo.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling, so hard to describe,” he said.

“It just makes me so happy that that pair has been on eggs, have done the month incubation and have managed to feed the hatched chick for the next six weeks or so.

“To know that it is well on its way to fledging — you don’t really need anything else in life if you can see the natural world doing its thing I reckon.”

Talking Birds, January 2016 8

Talking Birds the only place to find the latest bird news

Western ground parrot extinction more likely

ONE of Australia’s rarest birds is a step closer to extinction after the recent bushfires near Esperance destroyed 90 per cent of its habitat.

Cape Arid National Park in Western Australia was one of the areas hardest hit by bushfires in November which claimed four lives, as well as burning 30,000 hectares of crops and about 15,000 livestock.

Before the fires there were believed to be 140 western ground parrots left in the wild.

While they can fly, the grounddwelling birds build nests in dense vegetation.

They have a distinctive call likened to the whistle of a kettle. They sound beautiful, it’s a sound you would be missing if they weren’t heard in the evening chorus.

WA Department of Parks and Ninety per cent of the western ground parrot s habitat was destroyed by bushfires.

Wildlife regional ecologist Sarah Comer said two fires in Cape Arid National Park in mid-October had the November fires and recordings donations to save the bird from burned about 20 per cent of ground from automated devices in those extinction. areas indicated some birds had surChairman David Taylor said the parrot’s habitat. group hoped to raise $100,000.

“That was considered a fairly sig- vived the blaze.

“I’m hopeful they have all escaped “The challenge for us now is to fignificant impact on the species,” she ure out what remains and whether the fires but I doubt it very much,” said.

Ms Comer said DPaW was con- any birds have managed to escape Mr Taylor said.

“After the fire in 2002 birds did sureast towards Israelite Bay,” she ducting post-fire surveys in said. vive so we are really hoping it’s gothe park when the second Ms Comer said DPaW ing to be the same situation. We round of fires hit in ...I would conduct emer- have set a target of $100,000.

November. would say “Not to sound pessimistic, but the gency cat baiting in “We had spent two Cape Arid National fires north of Esperance where the people would weeks surveying Park. farmers have been affected and the be giving that priority what was left after “The urgent ac- townspeople of Scaddan, plus the the first fires,” she prior to giving any tion is to manage fires in South Australia, I would say said. donations to the predators in that people would be giving that priority “We had found area and then look prior to giving any donations to the western ground birds remaining in a at fire management western ground parrot, but we are parrot, but we are couple of small pocout there and how we hopeful.” hopeful. kets and then the fires can save what’s left,” she ZOO LIFELINE: Two western ground that came through in said. “The ground parrot is a parrots at Perth Zoo could be a lifeNovember actually resulted in pretty unusual parrot, it’s one of line for the species after 90 per cent the loss of some of those small only five ground-dwelling parrots in of its habitat was destroyed by fire. pockets we had found after the first the world.

Zoo keepers hope the young male fires. “We now estimate about 90 per “If we lose the ground parrots to- and female, captured just before cent of its habitat has been day what’s next? They may be a real wildlife officers were evacuated destroyed.” canary in a coal mine.” from the Cape Arid National Park, Ms Comer said two pockets of the The Friends of the Western Ground will become the first in the world to bird’s habitat were untouched by Parrot group has called for online breed in captivity.

Emergency cat baiting in national park THE Western Australian Department of Parks and Wildlife has carried out emergency baiting to protect western ground parrots from feral cats in Cape Arid National Park on the state’s south coast.

Aircraft baited more than 145,000 hectares of the park with Eradicat in December after severe bushfires in October and November.

Parks and Wildlife regional ecolo-

gist Sarah Comer said the emergency action was required due to the significant vegetation damage caused by the fires and because feral cats are known to target areas burnt by bushfires to hunt native animals.

“Unfortunately about 90 per cent of western ground parrot habitat in Cape Arid National Park was burnt by those two fires and only two small pockets of occupied habitat

remain,” Ms Comer said.

“Automated recording units designed to pick up the birds’ calls have been deployed in the two areas and in potential habitat east of the burnt ground which may now be occupied.”

Ms Comer said an assessment of the impact of the fires on the number of birds remaining is being planned for early this year.

Injured bird does well in Queensland

A RARE ground parrot has made a flying recovery after being taken to Queensland’s Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital for treatment and has renewed hopes for local ground parrot populations.

The arrival of the bird at the hospital was a milestone, becoming the first time an extremely rare species of bird has been taken in.

The young bird’s presence indicated the species was still breeding on the Sunshine Coast after habitat loss reduced healthy populations.

The species is one of three nocturnal parrots in the world and is listed as vulnerable in Queensland.

The ground-dwelling birds stay out of sight, building nests in low-visibility places.

Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital director Rosie Booth said the bird’s visit, although unfortunate, brought hope that there was a healthy ground parrot population living locally.

“When we heard a ground parrot was coming in we were initially expecting a green budgie as ground parrots are so rare, so we were very impressed that the bird had been correctly identified and were even more excited to find that it had minor injuries and was very likely to make a full recovery,” Dr Booth said.

The bird was found in an urban area and was most likely hit by a car.

She suffered trauma, with air leaking from a ruptured air sac, inflating her with every breath.

After confirming there were no fractures, the Wildlife Hospital team was able to drain the accumulating air on a daily basis and nurse her through recovery before releasing her back into the wild.

“Because ground parrots are nocturnal we released her at dusk and had the pleasure of watching her long yellow and green tail fan out as she shot off into the night across the top of the wallum,” Dr Booth said.

Talking Birds, January 2016 9

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WA court decision protects Carnaby s

A FINDING by the West Australian Supreme Court has found the state’s environmental watchdog was wrong to approve the most hotly-contested portion of the Perth Freight Link, which is great news for the Carnaby’s white-tailed black cockatoo, pictured above.

The Save the Beeliar Wetlands group applied to the court in September seeking to overturn the Environmental Protection Authority’s approval of WA’s most controversial road — Roe Highway stage 8.

There were signs that the federal government would pull funding after WA Premier Colin Barnett said the project would not start on time and Mr Turnbull said during a visit to Perth that he remained committed to providing funding and would discuss it further with the state premier.

Late last month Chief Justice Wayne Martin decided the Roe 8 approval was invalid, together with the ensuing approval by the WA environment minister.

“The EPA took no account of its published policies at the time it made its decision and provided its report to the minister,” Chief Justice Martin said.

“The court also concluded that the EPA was legally obliged to take account of the policy.

“The court, therefore, concluded that the environmental impact assessment undertaken by the EPA was invalid.”

Joyful scenes erupted in the court when the decision was handed down and spilled outside.

The decision means homes of the critically endangered Carnaby’s black cockatoo had been preserved.

“Over 30 years or longer people have been trying to save this very critical asset,” Ms Kelly said. “It’s really a treasure and it’s something that the state should value.”

Polyoma can be overcome AVIAN HEALTH

The reason that lovebirds shed for so long is likely because many are also infected with the psittacine beak-and-feather disease virus, with which suppresses their immune system so that they cannot rid themselves of APV once infected.

APV persists in aviculture because long-term shedding of the Avian Vet virus by some species causes infection in others.

Historically APV has been very TWENTY-FIVE years ago when I went back to university to pursue a common in the US for two reasons.

PhD I studied a virus called avian The first is that many bird clubs sponsor bird marts where people polyoma virus.

I chose to study that virus be- take adult and nestling birds of all cause while I was in practice I saw species to sell.

Sun conures are susceptible to APV. Nestlings are then exposed to many hand-raised chicks die from the disease caused by it and my aim apparently healthy birds that are ceptible species don’t keep budwas to learn more about the virus shedding APV and die in two weeks gerigars and lovebirds, and keep a so that a means of preventing infec- after they are exposed either in completely closed nursery. their new owners’ home or if not WHAT IS A CLOSED NURSERY? A tion and disease could be found.

My research and that of others sold, back in the nursery. closed nursery is one where you Virus shedding begins before the only raise your own chicks. Once a showed that only a relatively few parrot species developed disease chicks look sick so infected chicks chick leaves the nursery to go to infect other chicks and are the another property it never comes when infected. The most comsource of new outbreaks. mon included macaws, back unless you put it into quaranThe second reason for tine or test it for APV shedding. conures, Indian ringSince outbreaks in the US necks, eclectus and Testing can be arranged by your coming to is that is common avian vet, who will take a blood and budgerigars.

Australia nearly 10 for nestlings to be cloacal swab sample. Those simple Budgies infected years ago I have been on sold to pet shops. biosecurity measures will project with the virus die Susceptible nest- your valuable stock from the imin the nest box at the lookout for the disease lings are then ex- pact of APV. about two weeks of caused by this virus posed to budgeriage or develop abControl of APV in budgerigar avibut had seen very gars and lovebirds aries is a bit more challenging. My normal feathering little of it until that are shedding vi- work has shown that the only way and are unable to fly rus and develop disease to stop an outbreak is to stop breed— some people call recently. and die. those birds runners. ing and move out recently fledged Since coming to Australia young birds, keeping back breeding Chicks from other species die suddenly at the age of 2-14 nearly 10 years ago I have been on stock. weeks. Chicks seem to be growing the lookout for the disease caused After six months and after the well and then may have delayed by this virus but had seen very lit- aviary has been disinfected breedcrop emptying and possibly yellow tle of it until recently. ing can be started again and the inIn the past two months I have doc- fection cycle should be broken. urates and are dead within 24 hours.

These birds are extremely pale umented three outbreaks of APV in If you are showing budgerigars it is and generally have bleeding under nestling birds from three separate difficult to keep APV out because inthe skin and in internal organs. geographic areas in Australia. fection can occur at bird shows.

In all instances the reaThe virus causes widespread damSome breeders reduce age to the liver, spleen and kidney sons those outbreaks ocrisk by keeping show After which affects the ability of the curred was that nestbirds in isolation from chicks’ blood to clot and they bleed ling birds were exsix months and breeding stock durposed to older birds to death. ing the show season after the aviary has Adult birds and many nestlings that were shedding and introducing been disinfected when infected do not develop dis- or to other nestthem to the breedbreeding can be ease but shed virus for various peri- lings which were ing collection afstarted again and ods of time. That is particularly brought into their ter several months true of budgerigars, which may nursery from anof quarantine. the infection shed virus for up to six months af- other source.

This is only a brief cycle should There is no treatter infection, and lovebirds, which summary of APV. For be broken. may shed virus for most of their ment for APV and it is a more detailed explananot possible to vaccinate lives. tion of APV and the disease In budgerigar aviaries continuous chicks at a sufficiently young age that it causes please see my article breeding results in a constant in- to protect them from infection and Avian Polyoma Virus: My Thoughts, which was first pubflux of newly-susceptible chicks disease. and long-term shedding of surviv- HOW THEN CAN YOU KEEP FROM lished in the American Federation ors means the virus is continually HAVING AN OUTBREAK IN CHICKS? of Aviculture’s Watchbird magabeing shed into the environment, The answer is fairly simple but not zine, volume 25, pages 28-29, in 1998.

It can be found in many forums on resulting in exposure to newly- always that popular.

If you are going to hand-raise sus- the Internet. hatched chicks.

David Phalen

Talking Birds, January 2016 10

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We can advise on diet, behaviour and aviary management as well as treatment and hospitalisation of sick birds, surgical sexing and microchipping.

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Recovery for glossy

THE glossy black cockatoo, which was once abundant in South Australia before being forced from the state’s mainland in the mid 1990s, is on the road to recovery thanks to a state government program.

The birds were forced to reside only on Kangaroo Island after their only food source, the drooping she oak tree, was cleared to make way for farming and urban sprawl in the state's south.

Although the glossy black cockatoo was also native to the island, its numbers continued to shrink.

A recovery program run by Kangaroo Island locals, the state government and the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, was set up 20 years ago to help the birds’ dwindling numbers.

The program is managed by DEWNR Kangaroo Island’s Karleah Berris.

“Unmanaged the existence of the glossy black cockatoo would be highly doubtful,” she said.

“There was a lot of concern in the mid 90s about the glossy black cockatoo.

“People noticed that they had been declining and got together to form the recovery program we now have in place.”

The Glossy Black Recovery Program has had a huge impact on the recovery of the birds during the past 20 years.

Through the program staff have been able to identify the issues that caused the number of glossy blacks to dwindle.

“Initially staff working on the program found that one of the big issues was the low rate of reproductive success,” Ms Berris said.

Glossy black cockatoos only lay one egg per breeding season and further adding to the challenge was the predatory nature of the common brushtailed possum.

“They are also a native species over here however with clearing for agriculture they have become overabundant in areas,” Ms Berris said.

“So they were placing increasing pressure on the population.”

This has been quickly and simply addressed by placing corrugated iron at the base of trees with hollows and some pruning of overhanging branches to prevent the possums from climbing up to cockatoo nests.

A number of artificial nesting hollows have been created to house glossy black cockatoos and the trees are often given affectionate names like The Ritz.

The number of wild hollows is not overly abundant and they are in high demand on the island because they are considered prime real estate by many local and some notso-local inhabitants.

The hollows are also shared by

ABOVE: Glossy black cockatoo female at entrance to artificial nest. BELOW: Nest tree protected by corrugated iron.

birds that begin to nest in spring, which is the end of the breeding season for the glossy black.

Glossy blacks will leave their breeding hollow and seek lodgings closer to their food source, the drooping she oak.

The nuts of that tree are the only food source the glossy wants and the bird will perish if they are not available.

But it is not only possums and other birds that cause concerns for Kangaroo Island’s glossy blacks.

The little Italian honey bee or the Ligurian honey bee is another inhabitant of Kangaroo Island and sets up home wherever it finds suitable lodgings. Unfortunately for the glossy black, wild hollows in trees became a favoured dwelling.

Local man David Clifford has been an apiarist for most of his life and runs Clifford’s Honey.

“In the first instance when they were causing havoc for the glossy blacks the bee keepers went in and helped by catching wild swarms,” he said. “We were catching swarms for a number of years, getting the wild population down.”

Native bees such as the carpenter bee do not swarm and are not a threat to the bird’s nest hollows.

The Ligurian bee was introduced to Kangaroo Island in 1884 and has a reputation for being a well-mannered and industrious little fellow.

“They are the old fashioned pure strain of the Italian honey bee,” Mr Clifford said.

Talking Birds, January 2016 11

Talking Birds — the only place to find the latest bird news

Challenge breeding Lancashire coppy

stricted availability and low fertility as well as its use as an out-cross to increase crest size in the crested Norwich and the length of the Yorkshire contributed to its demise.

World War I saw its numbers rewith duced drastically with only a few being shown up to 1938. World War II saw the disappearance of the remaining few. But in reality it had never really died out because its THE Lancashire coppy canary is a bloodlines were mixed with the desvariety for fanciers who like a chal- cendants of present-day Yorkshire and crested canaries. lenge.

Around 1496 the Spaniards conIt died out in the 1940s but fanciers around the world have resurrected it quered the Canary Islands and disfrom canary varieties which had covered the lovely whistling birds. used the Lancashire for inter-breed- Those birds made their way to the lords and ladies of Europe. Even ing.

Over the long history of keeping Queen Elizabeth I kept canaries.

The Lancashire canary developed canaries many breeds have been lost in the north-west of England or become extinct.

The most notable was the London around Manchester and was origifancy, which went extinct in the nally known as the Manchester coppy. It became the Lancashire coppy later part of the 19th century.

Some fanciers thought they redis- about 1820.

Around 1890 Yorkshire canary covered the London fancy when breeders needed stock to improve they produced a bird with dark the shape of their birds, wings and tail and a clear which decimated the yellow body. ...many Lancashire canary.

That was the general The Yorkshire at variegated birds appearance of the that time was a long London fancy but as were created. Fanciers slim bird. By crossa nestling it was a concentrated on ing with the Lancompletely self bird achieving the size and cashire they oband at the first tained extra length shape of the bird before moult the body feain their birds. thers became yellow adding the difficulty Yorkshire canaries (with a dark underof only grizzled gradually became more flue) leaving the unbirds. popular and the Lancamoulted flights and tail as shire began to decline. dark feathers.

At the beginning of the 1900s The next moult saw those dark feathers produce spangling, similar to the popularity of Lancashire again the lizard canary to which it was be- decreased while that of the Yorkshire increased. Lancashires were lieved to be related.

Many fanciers, including myself, not good breeders and were not only have experimented with various used by Yorkshire fanciers but also combinations of lizard pairings to by crested canary fanciers to intry to reproduce the London fancy crease the size of their birds.

As a consequence its popularity but to no avail. It appears that the only way the London fancy could re- declined and during World War II the Lancashire disappeared. appear was by a mutation.

Shortly after World War II a numThe lizard canary was also nearly extinct. The two world wars saw the ber of British fanciers set out to breed down to only 30 breeding pairs recreate the Lancashire by using and with a concerted effort and crest and Yorkshire birds.

Progress was slow because only some cross breeding the lizard was saved and is now a reasonably popu- clear, buff or yellow-type feather Yorkshires and clear or grizzled lar variety.

The Lancashire coppy disappear- crests could be used. Crests were in ed during World War II. It was a short supply at that time. Selective large crested canary known as the breeding gradually saw the reapgiant of the fancy and very popular pearance of the Lancashire.

Despite those difficulties the Lanin Victorian England.

It was used to increase the size of cashire is now once again a reality. other varieties such as the Norwich, In Australia a few fanciers started but eventually its numbers dwin- working on similar lines and a numdled, mainly as a result of its re- ber of creditable examples are now

CANARIES

Jeff Leaney

Photo: Jeff Leaney

eventually there is no reason why it should not be as popular as the Yorkshire.

Feather quality is not listed in the standard but a bird with neater feathering shows a better shape than a rough or loosely-feathered bird.

With mainly buff-to-buff mating the use of yellow-type feather birds every few generations is needed to keep feathering in check.

As a clear bird even colouring is important and colour feeding is not allowed. Pairing buff-to-buff and using only clear birds reduces ground colour so the natural colour is difficult to achieve. Using yellow-type feather birds every couple of years is one way to achieve even colour.

The Lancashire’s body must be long to achieve overall large size.

They are not merely a Norwich or Yorkshire sized bird with a longer tail.

This Lancashire coppy canary was bred Their general body shape and in Victoria. The variety is now available stance resembles the Yorkshire in in Australia after a great deal of work by dedicated specialist breeders. that they stand at an angle of 65 degrees to the perch. The Lancaappearing on show benches. The aim shire however has a distinct neck. of this variety is to produce a very The crest feathers are long with a large, clear-bodied bird with a fair droop but not completely coverhorseshoe-shaped, grizzled crest. ing the eyes.

The crested Lancashire is called However those feathers must be coppy and its non-crested partner is longer than the effect created with known as the plainhead. Like all the Gloster fancy, where the eyes crested varieties the normal pair- must be visible. ing is coppy to plainhead. Buff-toFor such a large breed cage and fitbuff pairings are used but with the tings need to be larger than normal, added difficulty that only clear or and nest pans and drinker or feeder grizzled birds should be used. holes in cage fronts must be However to re-establish larger.

It this variety, many varProblems may also iegated birds were creis doubtful be experienced with ated. Fanciers conbreeding and raising whether the breed centrated on achyoung and feeders would rival the border ieving the size and may have to be usfancy in terms of popularity ed. Those problems shape of the bird before adding the difbecause its specialised could be inherited ficulty of only grizfrom its recent rerequirements limit it to zled birds. creation from Yorka few dedicated It is the largest of shire and crested befanciers. the canary breeds with cause breeding and feeda length of 200mm or more ing problems are inherent in with a long, tapering body and those varieties. is very impressive on the show At shows Lancashires are mainly bench. shown in any other variety classes Similar to the Yorkshire, breeding using Yorkshire show cages. As more experience with larger birds is nec- fanciers take up the challenge it will essary to maintain quality and like possibly achieve classes of its own. the other crested varieties it needs It is doubtful whether the breed extra care with the crest. Size is would rival the border fancy in hard to maintain, resulting from its terms of popularity because its specreation from smaller varieties. cialised requirements limit it to a It took about 20 years before the few dedicated fanciers. variety became relatively true For a long-term challenge the breeding and in Australia we are Lancashire would be most rewardonly in the middle of this period. ing — and you could be proud to Its popularity is increasing as have brought back a very unique more fanciers see the variety and canary.

Talking Birds, January 2016 12

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Melba mixture of sub-species

THE melba waxbill Pytilia melba has never been available in great numbers in Australian aviaries.

It may even be that many aviculwith turists have not once seen a living specimen and their knowledge of the species has been obtained mainly from avicultural literature. It is occasionally referred to by its alternative name of green-winged Pytilia.

A native of the southern half of amounts of cucumber, apple and the African continent, the melba pear.

Egg food, plain cake and insectivofavours grasslands and dry scrub with tropical greenery and the des- rous rearing mixtures will be tried by some pairs and should be preert area of the south-west avoided.

When first legally imported some sented to evaluate their dietary poyears ago little notice was taken of tential.

Melbas are considered the most the visual differences of the nine known sub-species and in all proba- insectivorous finch in Australian bility the Australian population is aviaries. The importance of live possibly a combination of two or food becomes obvious when, not only in the breeding season but at more of those.

Melbas are among the easiest of most other times of the year, they finches to sex. About one month are the most sought-after food item.

Failure to supply live food in suffiafter fledging young males show traces of the red feathers that are an cient quantity, particularly when attractive feature of the species. young have hatched, will almost cerRed feathering is absent in the hen tainly eventuate in disappointing realthough body colour is very similar sults. Breeding capabilities are greatly enhanced by increasing the to the male.

Melbas can only be kept as single availability of live food.

The attraction of that proteinpairs unless the aviary is of substantial proportions. Even then col- rich food is demonstrated by melbas ony breeding may impinge on the being the first birds in the aviary to examine the live food tray. welfare of any others sharing Very possessive, they have the enclosure.

A been seen driving other That degree of domibirds away from the nance is clearly defew breeders dish. monstrated toward have endeavoured Termites are the other birds at the to coax melbas to raise most successful live live food dish. youngsters on live food but they are Pair bonding hapnot readily availpens at an early age food alternatives able in many areas. and if a new partner with varying Alternative live food needs to be introducdegrees of items, such as mealed the birds should be success. worms, bushfly maggots placed together in neuand a range of insects tral territory and once setshould all be offered. tled down they can be introducA few breeders have endeavoured ed into the breeding aviary together.

That way territorial aggression is to coax melbas to raise youngsters kept to a minimum. on live food alternatives with varyA dry seed mix comprising small ing degrees of success. millets plus plain canary seed can Many garden plants and vegetabe supplied as the day-to-day diet. bles are great attractors of aphids, That mix can also be given sprouted. and in warmer weather a vinegar fly Damp sprouts provide an excel- culture is simple to establish and lent base for the addition of vita- has positive benefits. mins and other supplements. Other Black-light moth traps and night small seeds such as niger, canola, lights draw all manner of insect life, phalaris and maw may be tried — allowing the birds to hunt them out usually with varying results. at daybreak.

Seeding grasses attract attention Poultry eggshells, cuttlefish bone but other garden weeds don’t appear and shell grit all need to be heat to hold much attraction. Broad- sterilised before placing them into leafed greens and fruit are normally the grit dish. Those items will be disregarded although some breeders taken to satisfy calcium requirehave found the birds take small ments. Small amounts of crushed

FINCHES John Buchan

Photo: John Buchan

Photos: John Buchan

Male melba finch.

rock salt and charcoal can be added and commercially available calcium blocks containing many mineral requirements are also of value.

A non-soluble grit in the form of river sand is required along with a supply of clean, fresh water for drinking and bathing.

Most nesting activity occurs in the warmer months of the year although it is possible for some pairs to attempt breeding at other times.

Female melba finch.

Warm weather coincides with increased availability of insects and towards his sons, particularly if the seeding grasses.

Although half-open boxes and adult pair wishes to nest again.

As yet colour mutations of melbas small hollow logs are sometimes used most nests are constructed in have not appeared in Australian avithe brush lining of the aviary shel- aries although there is always the ter. Along with a selection of grass- possibility in the future.

Occasionally youngsters may es a few soft feathers can be supplied show a few white flight feathers. for the final lining of the nest.

Thought to be caused by Birds should be encouragdietary deficiency, that ed to nest under cover, abnormality disapPurchasing out of the weather. pears after the first Incubation of the young birds known moult. average five-egg to be raised by parents Melbas possess an clutch is undertakextremely melodisupplied with other live en by both parents ous call and are for around 14 days. food, such as mealworms, considered a hardy Genders alternmaggots, or both, species for the aviate sitting during ary. is a definite the day with the hen In the past many taking over at night, advantage. aviculturists failed to although some pairs successfully breed melbas share the nest at night. mainly due to misunderstanding Interference with their nest will cause the pair to abandon eggs or live food requirements.

Purchasing young birds known to young if they feel threatened.

Hatchlings remain in the nest for be raised by parents supplied with about three weeks. They become other live food, such as mealworms, self sufficient after a month and maggots, or both, is a definite admay be removed from the breeding vantage.

When that difficulty has been overaviary.

Young males start to show traces come and a strain of non-termiteof red feathers around the facial dependant birds has been established area, which stimulates the adult it would be wise to keep youngsters male to exhibit some aggression for future use.

Just Finches and Softbills is an excellent birdkeeping magazine devoted to the management and breeding of finch and softbill species, primarily focusing on Australasia, with each edition released every 3-4 months.

Subscription form and more information can be found at

www.justfinches.com

Talking Birds, January 2016 13

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Low burn rates assist Gouldians

ADVOCATES of mosaic burning practices in Western Australia’s Kimberley region have received a boost, with recent research showing that Gouldian finches thrive on low-intensity burns.

An eight-year study into fire regimes and its impact on finches in the Kimberley led by Australian Wildlife Conservancy ecologist Sarah Legge has filled part of the knowledge gap about fire regime’s effects on endangered wildlife in one of the world’s most pristine environments.

“Grass seed-eating birds have declined quite markedly across the savannahs of Australia and one of the hypotheses for this has been the change in fire regimes,” Dr Legge said.

The study determined that Gouldian finches, double-barred finches and long-tailed finches show anaemia and poor body condition when they repopulate scrub that is recovering from large hot fires, with Gouldian finches the worst affected by hot fires.

That conclusion was arrived at after capturing and studying finches in savannah that had been subjected to mosaic burns and hot burns.

The birds’ blood was tested for haematocrits (the proportion of a blood sample made up of cells) and concentrations of stress hormones, as well as muscle and fat volume.

“All three finch species were showing the same sorts of changes

in condition measures in different fire patterns,” Dr Legge said.

“Once we confirmed that link we worked to see whether changing the fire regimes would cause the condition of individuals also to change with that management.”

The birds that repopulated mosaic-burned habitats flourished according to each of the study metrics.

“What we showed is that the frequency of fire and the extent of long-unburned vegetation are the key things in relation to improved condition in these finches,” Dr Legge said.

“So you need to manage fire in these tropical savannah landscapes to reduce the fire frequency and increase the average age of the vegetation.”

Older vegetation results in higher feed-abundance across the landscape which in turn results in the persistence of finch populations.

The study was carried out on Mornington Station, a very remote pastoral lease which Dr Legge said provided an opportunity to integrate ecological research with landscape management where the remoteness made it viable to establish control areas key, variable, fire.

The researchers could establish continuously mosaic-burned patches throughout the study’s life and compare the ecology of those with hot-burned areas, and hotburned patches that are later mosaic burned.

Keith and Gay Baker have been farming emus in Victoria for 25 years.

few that hung on.

So they kept building Pimpinio Emus, at one stage running more than 700 birds.

Although a few restaurants are starting to experiment with native meat like emu most Pimpinio Emus end up as pet food.

Mr Baker might sing the leather’s praises — “You put it up to the sun and you’ve got to squint, that’s how thin the actual skin is” — but demand is still poor.

“I’ve got about 3000 skins here, I don’t know whether they’re going to be any good or not,” he said.

There are supposedly three ways to make money from emus — oil, leather and meat. The money is still in emu oil, which is extracted from the bird’s fat.

Emu oil is found in a list of pharmaceutical products, for treatment of things like arthritis, sunburn, mosquito bites and skin inflammations.

“They’re doing a lot of research at the Adelaide Women’s and Children’s Hospital, using it on inflammatory gut diseases,” Mrs Baker said.

“Things like Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and irritable bowel syndrome. Quite a lot of people find success.”

The Bakers sell emu fat for about $48 per litre, with each bird averag-

ing about nine litres.

But an emu does not produce fertile eggs until three years old and processing costs about $90 per bird.

Today Pimpinio Emus has about 300 birds and along with farmers across western Victoria the Bakers are seeing the effect of a two-year drought.

“They start laying when you get the first green pick, so that’s usually the beginning of April,” Mrs Baker said.

“They will lay right through until September, early October if the green pick’s still around. Because of the dry conditions they stopped early this year."

Mr Baker’s heart troubles have landed him in hospital again in recent times and his wife has long been pushing him toward retirement.

“I’ve put pressure on quite a few times,” Mrs Baker said.

“Just one more year, just one more year, just one more year is the response.”

Mr Baker agreed that his years are running out but the ever-faithful bird lover maintains a strong belief in the industry.

“If I was younger this is where I’d be starting off,” he said.

“They will have a market they won’t be able to keep up with later on.”

Research shows that Gouldians do better in areas subjected to low-intensity burns.

Pair obsessive about emu farming

MENTION emu farming and thousands of people across Australia will cringe at their failed attempt.

Keith and Gay Baker of Pimpinio Emus in western Victoria have lasted a quarter of a century.

Stories of faith and forbearance perhaps outnumber the moments of fortune, but even as grandparents, the couple are reluctant to wind back operations.

In the early 1990s emus gained a reputation as the get-rich-quick farming option and about 3000 producers popped up in Australia.

Today there are fewer than 300 left after profits fell away with the emu oil market.

So why stick with it when more than 90 per cent of Australian emu farmers have given up?

“Because I’m as thick as a brick,” Mr Baker said.

And undoubtedly a man obsessed.

“I absolutely love doing it, I don’t know why,” he said.

“Until we got the emus I didn’t realise there was so much about an emu we didn’t know and I’m still learning.’’

When Mr Baker lost his job and had a heart attack 25 years ago his solution was emus.

He and Gay wanted an intensive operation which would bring in enough money to support them.

They tried deer but failed. Emus

were initially not much better.

“In our first year we got one egg,” Mr Baker said.

“In the second year we got a stone about the same size as an emu egg so we painted it green. The next year I think they laid nine — we started incubating with nine eggs.”

The Bakers had only been farming emus for five years when the market fell away.

“Gay was working off-farm all the time, that’s what kept our head above water,” Mr Baker said.

The couple hoped the mass exodus of Australian emu farmers would mean more market access for those

Talking Birds, January 2016 14

Talking Birds the only place to find the latest bird news

Breeding quality birds can be simple exercise

ment to buy that good bird but there is no point in buying a super bird if you don’t have a good number of quality birds to pair it with.

If it’s a cock it’s a better proposiwith tion but remember you are going to need plenty of hens to pair him with and you might well need a few spare lesser quality hens to use as feeders.

Pedigree breeding is \about producing youngsters with as much BREEDING decent budgies for the genetic blood of the original bird as show bench does not have to be diffi- possible. If we can do this over a few cult. It’s unfortunate that some fan- years we should be breeding lots of ciers seem to make it sound difficult youngsters very similar to the but it’s about following a few simple original bird. A pedigree stud of rules, understanding those rules, birds is wonderful to look at belots of good management and build- cause they should all be looking very much alike, with many of the ing on practical experience.

Pedigree breeding seems to be the features of the original bird.

In the second year I like to start most misunderstood of all techniques. It’s about pairing related pairing half-brother to half-sister. birds but you must understand the If you have bred plenty of birds reasons why you should be pairing from the original bird you can related birds. It’s not just about make plenty of those pairings.

Select partners that are suitable pairing related birds for no reason. with ideal visual qualities but There are fundamental reakeep pairing the blood sons why we pedigree together. If you pair breed so let’s look at I some of those first those basics, which would strongly generation youngstart with a super suggest that after sters to unrelated cock or hen and esthree or four years it s partners you are tablishing a family breeding for the fuof birds related to time to think about buying ture. It’s well worth that great bird. another really good bird to doing that with a It might be a bird begin establishing few pairs. you purchased or a another new Youngsters from bird that another those pairs will give you fancier has bred and family. the chance to pair cousins kept. You might be able together the next year. Many to get hold of a couple of youngsters bred directly from the breeders believe the best birds bred from pedigree breeding come from super bird.

Ideally you need to get that super cousin-to-cousin pairings.

After four or five years of pairing bird and use it in your breeding room. In the first year try to pair related birds together you will have the top bird with two or even three a real stud of birds, all looking simsuitable partners and get as many ilar and you should be winning well at shows. Getting to that point is youngsters as possible.

Be sure they are the best possible not especially difficult but moving partners and maybe use fosters or forward from there can be a masfeeders to rear some of the young- sive problem.

I strongly suggest that after sters. If you have the time and the experience, and the top bird is a three or four years it’s time to cock it’s a great plan to run the think about buying another really good bird to begin establishing ancock with many hens.

But remember a cock is not need- other new family. Run that new ed to feed youngsters, all he needs group alongside the original family to do is to fertilise eggs, then he can but keep it separate.

There are problems with pedigree be moved on to another hen.

It’s not as easy with a hen so if breeding that need to be avoided. you get the chance buy a super cock Be very careful about the idea of rather than a hen. You are likely to pairing father with daughter and get better value out of the cock mother with son. They’re not great pairings and if you are tempted rather than a hen.

If you have a good or even a rea- pair the youngsters to unrelated sonable team of birds and you want birds the following year.

I was in partnership with a very to move forward it’s a good invest-

\\\

BUDGIES

Photos: Fred Wright

Fred Wright

Pedigree-bred birds as well as outcrosses can do really well on the exhibition bench.

successful breeder back in the 1970s winner was bred they would tell me and 80s. He was a well-known breed- a different story.

Too frequently for it to be any coer, highly successful and he bred incidence they would say their with very closely related birds.

Success came with a wonderful best-in-show bird had been bred stud of light greens and a few grey from two unrelated birds, that one greens. He would never outcross, had been the product of a pedigree which is simply bringing in fresh stud and the other a complete outblood to move the closely-related cross. Paired together there was an birds forward. Weaknesses start to explosion of feather and a wonder appear in a closely-related stud bird was produced — it’s what we after many years without an out- call hybrid vigour.

The problem comes with how to cross.

The weaknesses come slowly — use that best-in-show bird. It’s not birds get smaller and they begin to been pedigree bred and for that reabecome less fertile but the biggest son it’s a bit of a mongrel and thereproblem I found was that dead-in- fore might disappoint in the breeding cage. shell became a huge problem.

Pedigree breeding brings I suggest pedigree breedsuccess but it can all ing is the most efficient ...think end in tears if the odd way to breed exhibiseriously about outcross is not introtion budgies. It reorganising a swap duced after a few quires good record years. I saw that all keeping and a will or an exchange with a to win with your happening from the fellow top breeder but birds. inside. you will have to release So far I have sugIf you keep a small a top bird for a bird stud of birds it’s gested that pedigree breeding is simple but tempting to keep just of similar it’s not. Pair selection one family but that’s quality. and pairing suitable birds dangerous. It’s really necbased on visual qualities is essary to keep a separate famstill important. It’s absolutely vital ily going to use as an outcross. to eliminate birds that are not up to My biggest word of warning is not required standards and ruthless to sit back and enjoy success on the culling is critical at all times. show bench.

Remember that pedigree breedAs soon as success comes it’s ing establishes all the bad points as time to bring in another super bird well as the good so it’s important to begin establishing a new family, not to use any birds with bad fea- but it’s good to remember to never tures. leave it until it’s too late.

Many top breeders around the When you are doing well think world, many of whom have taken seriously about organising a swap top awards at national shows, have or an exchange with a fellow top said pedigree breeding was how breeder — but you will have to rethey bred birds for many years. lease a top bird for a bird of similar When I asked how a particular big quality.

Talking Birds, January 2016 15

Find out more about this magazine at www.talkingbirds.com.au Photos: Australasian Poultry archives

The d Uccle variety is heavily feathered and this rooster displays the millefleur pattern.

The d Uccle millefleur hen is lighter and more colorful, and shows off beautifully the thousand flowers of the plumage pattern.

Birds of the d Anvers variety are smaller and quite neat.

This one displays the quail colour.

Belgian bantams do not really achieve their best until the second year, this little quail d'Uccle has lots more growing ahead.

How stunning is this little silver millefleur d Uccle with her heavy foot feathering, which is a breed characteristic?

Belgian beaut bantam

ANYONE wanting ornamental fowl for their back yard would do well to look at any of the colourful little Belgian bantams. What Belgians lack in size they make up for in character.

There are several members of this loosely-knit family and while collectively called Belgians their correct names are Barbu d’Anvers (bearded Antwerp), Barbu d’Uccle (bearded Uccle) and the less numerical Barbu de Watermael (bearded watermael). Additional varieties exist overseas and the Belgians are all named after villages, suggesting very local origins.

The area of north Belgium and neighbouring Netherlands appears to be where the early bearded Antwerp bantam developed. Substantiation for such origins can be found in paintings by Dutch artist Albert Cuyp (1620-1691).

The bearded Antwerp took off in Belgium when poultry exhibitions became popular at the end of the 19th century. By 1910 some 9300 fowls of the breed were registered with the local showing body, making that bantam the national breed of Belgium.

Both world wars took a heavy toll on poultry and it has been difficult for fanciers to return the much-loved breed to its former quality and popularity.

AUSTRALIAN CONTROVERSY: Belgians were late arrivals in Australia where their sudden appearance in Sydney in the early 1980s caused a hue and cry because of suspicions of smuggling. Members of the Belgian Bantam Club of Australia, 300 in total, making the club a large and popular one, were fearful of legal intervention.

Personnel from the Animal Quarantine Service visited properties and asked for proof of purchase.

“There does seem evidence that they have been illegally imported in recent times,” the chief quarantine officer wrote in a letter to the club in 1984.

Few current breeders would be aware of the drama played out in those early days. The main suspect

form a spike.

The d’Uccle is a slightly bigger bird, appearing taller and larger than the d’Anvers, allowing leg and foot feather to be easily seen. They with are more sedate in nature, with both sexes having a majestic manner about them.

A small single comb adorns the head while the face is well furnished with a profuse beard and whiskers (muffs). The abundantly-feawas under constant surveillance thered neck gives the appearance of and visitors to his yard were fol- a thick mane.

Leg feathering is a distinctive lowed and subjected to questioning.

No birds were confiscated or des- feature. Comprising strong feathtroyed but it was some years before ers it commences at lower thighs Belgians gained the respectability and continues down the outer side of being allowed a presence at royal and front of the shank, feather size increasing towards the foot. shows.

Foot feathers are stiff and grow GENERAL APPEARANCE: Belgian varieties share diminutive size, pro- outwards. It is a breed requirement nounced development of neck hack- that feathers grow on the outer toe les and facial feathering and similar as well as the middle toe. wing and tail carriage, enough to RAINBOW OF COLOUR: The array of colours available is a factor in Belconfuse distinguishing a d’Anvers gians’ popularity but in adfrom a d’Uccle. dition the breed is reThe secret is simple, The nowned for several exd’Anvers are svelte, other main quisite plumage patclean-legged and peaterns. combed while d’Uccle pattern is quail, an Millefleur is one carry a single comb attractive combination of of the most strikand display profuse brown, red and black. It is ing, comprising a plumage, particulno coincidence that the gold-chamois arly heavy foot and ground colour tipleg feather. distribution of colour is ped with a black peaThe Barbu d‘Anvers reminiscent of shaped spot with a is a jaunty, upstanding wild quail. white triangle. bird. A comment by a Males are stronger colpast breeder that males are oured with hackles and tail reminiscent of a little dandy in a dark cloak and nankeen waistcoat is feathers black edged in orange-red, an apt description of a quail-colour- each feather ending in a white tip.

Porcelaine is similarly marked ed d’Anvers cock.

Both genders display a prominent but the ground colour is light high breast, short back and perky cream, the pea- shaped spot is blue high tail carriage, with long wings and the triangular tip white. Porcarried near to vertical and to the celaine is particularly gorgeous because of its subtle tones. ground.

The other main pattern is quail, The neck hackle is abundant, forming a convex curve and virtu- an attractive combination of brown, ally covering the back. The face red and black.

It is no coincidence that the districarries very full curved muffs or whiskers and beard. Prominent bution of colour is reminiscent of large eyes and a short strong beak wild quail. should be clearly observable.

Quail breeders, not content with The broad rose comb follows the the wild colour, developed blue, silshape of the head, tapering off to ver and lavender colour varieties.

POULTRY

Megg Miller

Other colours include white, black, cuckoo, ermine, black mottled and blue mottled — in fact 21 colours have been recognised in the Australian Poultry Standards.

Much effort goes into refining the different colour patterns and fanciers place great store in a well-coloured bird but when judged colour is only worth 10 points.

BELGIAN NEEDS: The continuing challenge for d’Anvers and more especially d’Uccle breeders is to get type right. There is a tendency for birds to become oversized — weighing stock alerts owners to increasing weight.

Male d’Anvers should be between 700-790g and females 600-700g. Male d’Uccle should be between 790-900g and females 700-790g.

Careful selection of breeding stock, mating up later in the season and avoiding feeding high protein rations help in reducing undesirable size.

While the d’Anvers is an easy variety to keep d’Uccle need ample room in housing and yard so foot feathering doesn’t get damaged.

A covered yard is recommended so muddy conditions, an anathema to foot feather, do not develop.

Both varieties enjoy regular exhibition and are one of the few breeds that improves with age.

The d’Uccle in particular change noticeably after the first 18 months, especially birds with intricate plumage patterns and it is well known that good birds can be exhibited for a number of years.

OBTAINING BELGIANS: There are many crossbreds and poor quality birds on the market so reliable guidance is needed. A strong breed club provides a breeder list and excellent newsletter and can be accessed at https://sites.google.com/site/belgia nbantamclub For enjoyment and to add ambience to the backyard a couple of Belgian bantams will prove a delight.

Expect a moderate number of eggs, some broodiness and lots of companionship. Info: belgianbanta mclub@hotmail.com

Talking Birds, January 2016 16

Talking Birds the only place to find the latest bird news BIG migratory waterfowl, often majestic-looking snow geese, appearing drunk and swimming in circles or flying erratically before suddenly plunging dead from the sky — all have been seen in central Kansas recently.

Wildlife officials blame avian cholera, which has infected two wildlife areas and killed hundreds of waterfowl in the state’s worst outbreak since 1998.

Avian cholera hits Kansas waterfowl

Of roughly 1100 dead birds found since early last month at the Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area and the nearby Quivira National Wildlife Refuge most died of avian cholera.

Laboratory tests confirmed that 30 dead geese were infected with the bacteria.

The outbreak, like others frequently reported throughout the US, doesn’t spell doom for waterfowl.

The nearly 20,000-acre Cheyenne Bottoms has an estimated 75,000 to 150,000 geese — half of them snow geese, known for their white bodies and black wingtips — and roughly

All about heads with these birds

WHEN I was asked to do a pigeon display at a shopping centre in the large Queensland city of Toowoomba I decided to take 18 different breeds comprising pigeons that with were vastly different in size and shape to the normal road pecker feral variety and I was amazed by the comments I received from onlookers.

The only breed that most people were delighted with was the fantail. Several of the other breeds beak is curved downward like a fish had onlookers making comments hook.

It has bright red eye ceres and like “look at the freaks”.

Those were pigeons with unusual looks a very ungainly bird but it is head and beak structures, which a very gentle breed.

The only fault I have heard about led me to look further into the unusual head structures of breeds it is the hatching young have probbeing exhibited in Australian show lems pecking their way out of the shell because the beak is facing too rings.

Why would people want to breed far downwards in the egg.

The colour pattern is usually and perhaps idolise pigeons which white base colour with magare really freaks of nature? pie markings of another Many very sane people The single contrasting collike them and for cenour. turies fanciers have feature which GERMAN BEAUTY been exploiting bizmakes it stand out HOMER: This pigarre appearances is the bright red eye eon has a similar by breeding them cere which surrounds the oversized round to be even weirder. head and a very I will mention in eyes in a circle and short down-facing this article some can measure up beak which is not as breeds that are to 26mm in pronounced as the strange-looking but diameter.

Scandaroon but I feel are delightful breeds they are distantly related and have been around for a because of the skull structure. long time.

The Dragoon pigeon was used in THE SCANDAROON: This breed is the pigeon with perhaps the most their original breeding and it is restrikingly deformed head and beak. corded that the Scandaroon was It is a very old breed, possibly or- used in the Dragoon’s background.

Regarded as a homer breed it was iginating in ancient Persia and it is now very popular in Europe but developed in Germany in the early 1900s as a racing type pigeon and it scarce in Australia.

It is thought that the name came is slightly larger and longer-legged from the port of Scandaroon in the than a racing pigeon.

Its present larger size was Levant coastline area in modern day Turkey. Scandaroon is the Tur- brought about by people breeding kish word for Alexander and it is pigeons for meat during the Great possible that, being an old breed, it Depression and the war years.

That weight gain and larger size may have been used as a message carrier by Alexander the Great in resulted in the breed losing its long distance flying abilities. The breed his conquests.

In those days it would have been a was nearly wiped out in Germany smaller pigeon. Its head is large during the reign of Hitler because and oval-shaped and its oversized all racing and homing pigeon lofts

FANCY PIGEONS

Barry Ross

10,000 ducks.

Since 1983 Kansas has had 10 outbreaks of what’s considered the most significant infectious disease of wild waterfowl in North America.

The latest was second only to the roughly 5000 birds that died near Jewell and Republic in north-central Kansas near the Nebraska line.

The Black Bard, left, and the yellow-marked magpie Scandaroon, below, are two of the more unusual pigeon breeds.

not used for the war effort were destroyed.

The breed is now only used for exhibition and is becoming popular in Australia. There has been very good stock imported in the past few years — finer boned than earlier imports.

The colour range is the same as the racing pigeon.

THE EXHIBITION HOMER: This breed is about the size of the German beauty, has more of a racing pigeon shaped body but with a taller stance and instead of having an oversized oval head its ature in the 16th Century. The barb head is large and the skull is near- is a small pigeon with a cobby body ly completely flat on top, making it and has a head that is broad and look like it has been hit on the head square when looked down upon, the beak is short. with a wooden plank.

The feature which makes it stand The beak formation is a continuation of the flatness — straight and out is the bright red eye cere which stout. Because it has such a flat, surrounds the eyes in a circle which straight skull it has the appear- can measure up to 26mm in diameter. ance of having flat, bulging The eye cere gets larger eyebrows, mainly comas the bird gets older There prised of tufts of feaand does not reach thers, which tend to is a variety in full size until the give it a mean look.

Australia called the bird is at least four It is a gentle pigPolish Barb which is years old. eon despite its Older barbs devevery similar to the English looks but is not lop a “warty” watvery popular in the Barb but its eye cere tle growth on the show ring. It is a is smaller and the base of the lower breed where beauty head is not as mandible, a phenomis well and truly in enon that is known as square. the eye of the beholder. jewing.

THE BARB: This pigeon is There is a variety in Austperhaps the breed that is menralia called the Polish barb which is tioned most in the genealogy of the very similar to the English barb domestic pigeon, it is a very, very but its eye cere is smaller and the old breed. head is not as square.

It was originally thought that it They come in self colours with came from Africa and was traded red, black and white the most comalong the Silk Road into China and mon. They are a lovely, quiet breed. then somehow ended up in England Next time you go to a pigeon show where a few hundred years ago it check out the freaky ones — I am was known as the English barb. sure that you will be pleasantly It was mentioned in English liter- surprised.

Talking Birds, January 2016 17

Talking Birds, January 2016 18

Have Talking Birds emailed to you every month see p24

Wellness checks vital PET S

with

Gary Colvin

Animal Behaviour Trainer IT is the start of another year and lots of young birds will be going to new homes. Depending on the different breeds and the time they take to mature some are ready to be sold while others will take a little while longer to fully fledge and wean.

Before you pick up your new bird make sure that it has been fully weaned and fledged, because that could save a lot of problems, especially if you’re a novice bird owner.

It is far better to be patient and wait a little bit longer to take home a bird that is eating and flying well, and is confidently independent.

The first thing you will want to do is find and visit an avian vet to get a health or wellness check.

If you have other birds at home it would be a great idea to do that as soon as possible and until it is done keep the new bird isolated and in quarantine from your other birds.

That ensures that if your new bird has any disease it will not be passed on to the rest of your flock. Some breeders will give you a health guarantee if you visit a vet within a nominated time.

At that first visit be guided by your avian vet as to what tests they wish to perform. Getting a full physical and full blood test done is a good idea so you know everything is OK and that will give you a good base line to work with should your bird fall ill in the future.

It is a great idea to get used to having wellness check-ups every year or two and routine blood tests every two to three years or when your vet advises you to have them done.

Another thing I highly recommend is getting your bird microchipped and that can be done at the same time the vet is taking bloods. If your bird is lost and turns up at a refuge or at a vet they can scan the bird, find your details and get the bird back to you.

In most cases an escaped and lost bird will turn up somewhere but unfortunately many owners think once the bird has escaped they will never get it back so do not look very hard. Having a microchipd will provide a greater chance that you will be reunited with your bird.

If you have read my articles on wing clipping you will know that I have very strong views against that

practice but if you are going to clip your bird’s wings please spend a little time beforehand teaching the bird to fly. Most people think that birds naturally know how to fly but they go through a learning process when they are fledging. Parents, other flock members and siblings all help to teach a young bird to fly.

If a bird is not weaned or fledged correctly and given time to learn from other flock members or if a baby bird has its wings clipped at an early age, before it knows how to

and making sure your bird is a confident flyer before you clip the wings. Teach your bird to fly from the ground up onto your hand. Put your bird up high and train him to fly down to you. In both cases as the bird gains more confidence increase the elevation and distance.

Next train your bird to stay and to fly to you on command. Once he has mastered that make it a little more difficult by putting obstacles in the way so the bird learns to fly around things.

Photo: Gary Colvin

Niko the Alexandrine parakeet needs to microchipped, in case he gets lost.

Hopefully during that training fly, that can put the bird at a great time you will appreciate how beaudisadvantage should it escape.

Many young birds that have not tiful a bird that can fly is and change had the time to fully develop flying your mind about clipping wings.

If you have a smaller cage that you skills do not know how to fly up or can place your bird in take down or to manoeuvre around him outside so he can obstacles confidently.

As learn his surrounThose inexperienced dings and know the birds usually know well as his day layout of the house how to flap their time cage a smaller and yard. wings but that is night time cage, set up in If he is used to about it. a quieter, low traffic part of being in the yard Many clients have the house and an outdoor and is familiar told me about excage or aviary, will provide with it and he esperiences of losing a varied housing for your capes it won’t be bird, where it has bird and different so alien and scary been in a tree outside experiences. for him. and when they called it One of my macaws got the bird flapped and went out of his cage and let my up higher and higher, eventually being caught by a gust of wind and Alexandrine out of his cage and I suspect that he chased the macaw blown away.

In many of those cases I truly out the window.

I don’t know what time that hapbelieve those birds do not really know how to fly and especially how pened but when I discovered he was out I went out to search for him. to fly down.

He was nowhere to be found and I If you are going to clip your bird’s wings spend a little time teaching continued to search for about four

hours without success. Because it was getting dark and I didn’t know how long he had been gone I had given up hope of finding him that day and was coming inside to list him as missing with local vets, pet shops and animal refuges.

I had some washing to hang out and as I was pegging out clothes I heard my bird call from a tree and even though I couldn’t see him I put my arm out and called him to fly to me as he had been trained to do. I just saw a blur and suddenly he was sitting on my hand. I believe his flight training, being taught to fly to me on command plus his knowledge of the yard after so any trips out there, all contributed to me getting him back.

I suddenly remembereed that because Niko the Alexandrine had originally been a lost bird I had not had him microchipped, so that was the next job on my list.

If you are bringing a new bird home make sure you have everything ready in advance. Have cages set up and in position and a good supply of toys and enrichment and foraging articles ready to use, and find out what he has been eating so you can have something ready.

If your new bird has been on an allseed diet talk to your avian vet about the best way to switch the bird to a more varied, well balanced and nutritional diet without stressing the bird out. When you get your bird home try not to fuss too much and give it time to settle into new surroundings.

Set up a routine so your bird knows what to expect and what and how different things happen.

If possible it is great to have a few different cages available for your bird. As well as his day time cage a smaller night time cage, set up in a quieter, low traffic part of the house and an outdoor cage or aviary, will provide varied housing and different experiences for your bird.

If you have questions call your avian vet, who should be able to assist you or direct you to someone who can. If you are going to your first wellness check-up write down questions so you do not forget because there can be a lot to take in.

Check if your avian vet holds parrot preschool classes or new bird classes you can attend to learn more.

I always recommend if you are getting a new bird or know someone who is getting a new bird DVDs and books by Barbara Heidenriech are all wonderful and contain the best information around.

They are available from Brisbane Bird Vet 07 3359 2233 and from the Parrot Rescue Centre www.parrot rescue centre.com. If you have any questions you can email me at garycolvinau@yahoo.com.au

Talking Birds, January 2016 19

BOOK REVIEWS . . . BOOK REVIEWS . . . BOOK REVIEWS . . .

Terrible tale of the demise of a pigeon

Fine art snapper captures diversity

FINE art photographer Leila Jeffreys specialises in capturing the beauty and diversity of some of our most colourful and elegant feathered friends.

In Birdland, published by Hachette Australia, she presents a birdwatching experience like no other, drawing her subjects out of their leafy shadows and airy territories to present them to us with the skill and intricate detail of a portrait painter.

On display in this slightly-largerthan-A4-size, 190-page volume, which is printed on heavy duty paper, are fine feathers of all types — eagles in burnished battle armor, fairy floss pink cockatoos, owls in spangled evening wear plus finches and parrots who couldn’t settle for just one or two colours instead chosing the entire palette.

Captured in moments of stillness, Jeffreys’ feathered sitters reveal qualities and features that invite human projection.

Meet the sociable gang-gang coc-

katoos Commander and Mrs Skyring, who are always up for a soiree, the dignified and kingly black kite Kenrick, and the adorably game Pepper, a southern boobook owl with impossibly huge eyes and irresistibly cute skinny legs.

Jeffreys works with animal rescue and conservation groups to create her portraits, and here love and compassion for her subjects is evident throughout.

Soren the wedge-tailed eagle who patrols areas to prevent cockatoos from damaging buildings is included as is Blue, the threatened orange-bellied parrot who is part of a captive breeding program to con— LM serve his species.

Measures to maintain species detailed

IT’S no secret that many species have been lost forever and that many more are on the way out of existence.

In Resurrection Science, published by St Martin’s Press, journalist M. R. O’Connor explores extreme measures scientists are taking to try to save them — from captive breeding and preserving genetically rare individuals to frozen zoos to de-extinction.

The paradox is that the more humans intervene to save species the less wild they become.

In stories of 16th Century galleon excavations, panther-tracking in Florida’s swamps, ancient African rainforests, Neanderthal tool-making and cryogenic DNA banks, this writer searches for answers to the philosophical and ethical questions of an age in which we play God with Earth’s biodiversity.

Each chapter in this beautifully written book focuses on a unique species and the people entwined in its fate, from the passenger pigeon

SEPTEMBER 1, 2014 marked the centenary of one of the best-documented extinctions in history — the demise of the passenger pigeon in the USA. The species became extinct on that fateful day in 1914 following the death at Cincinnati Zoo of Martha, the last of her kind.

Just 50 years previously the passenger pigeon had been the most numerous bird on our planet.

A message from Martha by Mark Avery, published by Bloomsbury, tells the tale of a remarkable bird, of Martha, the last of her kind.

It looks at how the bird was a cornerstone of the now much-diminished ecology of the eastern United State and how the species went from a population that numbered in billions to nil in a terrifyingly brief period of time.

Despite the underlying theme of loss this book is more than another depressing tale of human greed and ecological stupidity.

It contains a truly important

message — that we need to re-forge our relationship with the natural world on which we depend and to plan a more sustainable future, otherwise more species will go the way of the passenger pigeon.

This book is an unusual combination of history, travelogue, horror story of wanton slaughter, analysis of ecological disaster and intense passion.

This author pieces together the evidence, extrapolating from hazy first-hand accounts and taking his cue from other birds which are still with us, his words read at times like the most arresting of mystery — LM stories.

First major volume on Darwin area s birds

to the charismatic northern white rhinoceros.

O’Connor incorporates natural history, evolutionary biology and conversations with eminent ethicists to discover that conservation efforts raise fundamental questions about the human enterprise.

She asks how much of the wilderness we should preserve as we hurtle towards a future in which technology is present in nearly every aspect of our lives as well as asking how we can co-exist with species when our existence and their survival appear to be pitted against one another.

This book is heavy going at times but well worth reading.

— LM

BIRDS of the Darwin Region by Niven McCrie and Richard Noske, published by CSIRO Publishing, is the first comprehensive volume devoted to the aviafauna of Darwin, a city located in Australia’s monsoon tropics where seasons are defined by rainfall rather than by temperature.

With its mangrove-lined bays and creeks, tidal mudflats, monsoon rainforests, savanna woodlands and freshwater lagoons, Darwin has retained all of its original habitats in near-pristine condition.

It is home or host to 323 bird species and unlike other Australian cities it has no established exotic bird species.

Following an introduction to the history of ornithology in the region and a detailed appraisal of its avifauna, species accounts describe the habitats, relative abundance, behaviour, ecology and breeding seasons of 258 regularly-occurring species based on more than 500 fully-referenced sources and origi-

nal observations by the authors.

Distribution maps and charts of the seasonality of each species are presented, based on a dataset comprising almost 120,000 records, onethird of which were contributed by the authors.

Stunning coloured photographs are included in the accounts of most species, including some of the 65 species considered to be vagrants to the region.

This volume is a must-read for ornithologists, amateur twitchers and aviculturists who want to know more about birds from the Top End’s major populated area as well as for biologists, teachers and students.

— LM

Talking Birds, January 2016 20

DEADLINE for Aviary Marketplace advertisements to be published in the February 2016 edition is January 22.

AVIARY MARKETPLACE

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Last year really bad for threatened cassowary

CASSOWARY conservationists in far north Queensland have described 2015 as one of the worst years on record for road deaths of the endangered birds.

It has been estimated about 4000 of the birds remain in the wild, with 300 in the Mission Beach area, on the aptly named Cassowary Coast.

The Queensland Government is to investigate the use of tracking devices on birds after more than 20 deaths were recorded last year.

Many of the deaths were on the Tully-Mission Beach Road — a winding, scenic connection between Mission Beach and Tully where cassowaries cross daily, often with several chicks in tow, see photo above.

Conservationist Liz Gallie said the state’s Main Roads Department had been uncooperative until a surge in community calls for assistance.

“I don’t think anyone knows what can be done here but it certainly is a main road and the Department of Main Roads are the ones that can do something,” she said.

“It’s got to be something that’s going to manage the traffic or alter the environment on this corner to allow the cassowaries to safely cross — something has to change.”

The speed limit along the road was lowered from 100kmh to 80kmh per hour to allow drivers more time to see the birds.

Dozens of “cassowary crossing” warning signs ask motorists to slow down and beware but Ms Gallie said they appeared not to work.

“I think that there’s driver complacency — the road environment is one that makes people think that they can go faster,” she said.

Cassowary Coast Mayor Bill Shannon said local drivers were more to blame.

“I think the worst offenders are the locals that are familiar with the roads and not the tourists,” he said. “It already is down to 80kmh, to bring it down to 60, you’ll probably find that it would be very poorly received by the people going about their daily business.”

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Talking Birds, January 2016 21

AVIAN VETS & VETS WITH AN INTEREST IN BIRDS

AUST. CAP. TERRITORY ph prefix 02 Charnwood Dr Arianne Lowe 4/5 6 Charnwood Place, Charnwood 6258 1664 NEW SOUTH WALES ph prefix 02 Camden Avian Reptile & Exotic Pet Hospital. Ass Prof Dr David Phalen, 415 Werombi Rd 9351 1798 Canley Heights Dr James Gill, Dr Ian Hackworthy, Dr Fiona Park 44 Harden St 9604 9792 Carlingford Dr R Marshall 772 Pennant Hills Rd 9871 6036 Coff Harbour Dr Andrew Dunn, Dr David Johnson 32 Park Ave 6652 3455 Coffs Harbour Dr Mat Grabovszky 320 Harbour Drive 6652 3455 Dee Why Dr Izidora Sladakovic 67 May Rd 9971 6562

Emu Plains Dr Karen Dobson 1 Station St 4735 3268 Macksville Dr Kristie Neale 21 Pacific Highway 6568 1252 Merewether Dr Graeme Brown 192 Glebe Rd 4969 2694 Nowra Dr Andrew Flanigan 103 Kinghorn St 4421 5370, 4423 0369 Tamworth Dr Chris Collins 10 Piper Street 6766 3088 Uki Dr Ross Perry 0419 693 279 Warrawong Dr Colin Pinney Lot 1 Cowper Ln 4274 6155 Warriewood Dr Bryn Lynar 1 Arnott Cres 9913 7979 Waterloo Dr Alex Rosenwax, Dr Tegan Stephens 1 Hunter St 9319 6111

West Wallsend Dr Mark Simpson, Dr Janet Truong 67 Carrington St 4955 1833 Wollongong Dr Michael Cannon, Dr Kym Fryer 461 Crown St 4229 8888 QUEENSLAND phone prefix 07 Ashgrove Dr Ron Woodhead 333 Waterworks Rd 3366 1888 Chermside Dr Adrian Gallagher 248 Hamilton Road 3359 2233 Currumbin Valley Dr Peter Wilson 1596 Currumbin Creek Rd 5533 0381 Gatton Dr Bob Doneley Uni Qld campus Bldg 8156 Main Drive 5460 1788 Greenbank Dr Terry Martin 412 Middle Rd 3802 1155 Maryborough Dr Kellie Fowler Walker St 4123 1570 McGregor Dr Deborah Monks Kessels Rd and Springfield St 3420 6773

BIRD CLUB & SOCIETY LISTINGS

NATIONAL GROUPS Associated Birdkeepers of Australia 106 Berry St Nowra NSW 2541 Ph 4421 2407 saleraj@optusnet.com.au Australian Roller Canary Society 178 Ennogera Rd Newmarket Qld Ph 0412 340 867 Budgerigar Rare & Specialist Exhibitors of Australasia PO Box 141 Croydon NSW 2132 Ph 02 9747 6642 Canary & Cage Bird Federation of Australia PO Box 230 Frenchs Forest NSW 1640 Ph 02 9452 2396 Miniature Budgerigar Society of Australasia 1 Kader St Bargo NSW 2574 Ph 0422 067 888 National Finch and Softbill Association 80 Harris Rd Elliminyt Victoria 3250 Ph 03 5231 4510 AUST. CAP. TERRITORY ph prefix 02 Avicultural Society of Canberra PO Box 21 Jamison Centre 2614 Ph 0408 268 173, 6258 5572 Budgerigar Society of Australia 4 Crowley Crt Charnwood 2615 Ph 6256 6849 Canberra Canary Fanciers Society 10 Murray Street Karabar, NSW 2620 Ph 6297 3493 Canberra Finch Club PO Box 3719 Weston Creek 2611 Ph 0408 787 885 NEW SOUTH WALES ph prefix 02 African Lovebird Society of Australia PO Box 422 Pennant Hills 1715 Ph 9688 6995 Armidale Caged Bird Club. 62 Newton St Armidale 2350 Ph 6772 3180 Association of Country Bird Exhibitors 151 Prince St Orange 2800 Ph 6362 4561 Australian Fife Fancy Canary Club of 45 Northview St Rathmines 2283 Ph 4975 2768 Australian Lizard Canary Society 68 Silvermere St Culburra Beach 2540 4447 2188 Australian National Cockatiel Society Branch, PO Box KL630 Kings Langley 2147 Ph 4572 3349 Avicultural Society of the Central Coast PO Box 4218 East Gosford 2250 Ph 4374 1801 Avicultural Society of NSW PO Box 482 West Ryde NSW 1685 Ph 02 9874 2464, aviculturalsocietynsw @yahoo.com.au Bathurst Regional Avicultural Society PO Box 776 Bathurst 2795 Ph 0416 061 154 Blacktown & District Cage Bird Society 63 Dahlia St Greystanes 2145 Ph 9604 9242 Border Fancy Canary Club of Australia 15 Third Av Berala 2141 Ph 9646 4569 Brisbane Waters Cage Bird Society 69 Lone Pine Ave Umina 2257 Ph 4341 6842 Broken Hill Avicultural Society 585 Cummins St Broken Hill 2880 Ph 08 8087 6980 Budgerigar Improvement Society 48 Heather St Wheeler Heights 2097 Ph 9982 2801 Budgerigar Information Service 25 Lyton St Blacktown 2148 Ph 9671 5380 Budgerigar Rare & Specialist Exhibitors of Australasia PO Box 141 Croydon 2132 Ph 9747 6642 Budgerigar Society of NSW 340 Highlands Drive Failford 2430 Ph 6554 3073, 0427 537 761 knico2@big pond.com Canary & Cage Bird Improvement Society 3 Lakeside St Currans Hill 2567 Ph 4647 0327 Central Coast Avicultural Society PO Box 4218 East Gosford 2250 Ph 4389 1997 Central Tablelands Avicultural Association PO Box 233 Gulgong 2852 Ph 6374 1890 Central West Bird Club 59 Templar St Forbes 2871 Ph 0406 512 851 Clarence River District Cage Bird Club PO Box 959 Grafton 2460 Ph 6643 1323 AH Coffs Harbour & District Avicultural Society PO Box 884 Coffs Harbour 2450 Ph 6654 3357 Finch Society of Australia PO Box 26 Douglas Park 2569 Ph 0411 253 512 secretary@finchsociety.org Finch Society of Australia Hawkesbury Valley Branch 341 Springwood Rd Yarramundi 2753 Ph 02 4776 1076 www.finchclub.cjb.net Finch Society of Australia Wollongong Branch PO Box 50 Woonono 2517 Ph 02 4283 5383 Gloster Fancy Canary Club of NSW PO Box 230 Frenchs Forest 1640 Ph 9452 2396 birdclubs@aapt.net.au

Grass Parrot & Lorikeet Society of Australia PO Box 41 Berry 2535 Ph 4572 3349 Gulgong and District Avicultural Society PO Box 37 Gulgong 2852 Ph 6374 1348 Hawkesbury Valley Water Fowl Club PO Box 838 Windsor 2756 Ph 4577 3639 Hunter District Canary & Cage Bird Society 21 Libya St Shortland 2307 Ph 4955 6606 Hunter Valley Avicultural Society 8 Taylor Crescent Warners Bay 2282 Ph 4948 8668 Hunter Valley Finch Club Inc 5 Harold St Floraville 2280 Ph 02 4946 9773 Illawarra Parrot Club 0448 414 588 borgsbrooders.bigpond.com Inverell Birdkeepers Group Sunny Brae Gilgai 2360 Ph 6723 1388 www.inverellsocialbirdkeepersgroup. com.au.

Kempsey Macleay Bird Club PO Box 445 Kempsey 2440 Ph 6562 2019 Lake Macquarie Zebra Finch Society 5 Elizabeth Street Fennell Bay 2283 Ph 4959 6834 Macarthur Aviary Bird Club PO Box 673 Ingleburn 2565 Ph 9605 3432 Maclean District Avicultural Society 26 Elizabeth St Iluka 2466 Ph 6645 7366 Maitland Bird Club 1 Elizabeth St Telarah 2320 Ph 4932 3311 Manly Warringah Aviculture Society 32 Fairlight St Fairlight 2094 Ph 9949 2692 Manning & District Birdkeepers 3 Rosewood Cres Taree 2430 Midstate Budgerigar Club 5 Gilliana Pl Orange 2800 Ph 6363 1322 Nambucca River Cage Bird Club Lot 5 Albert Dr Warrell Creek via Macksville 2447 Ph 6569 3243 Namoi Valley Aviculture Club PO Box 445 Gunnedah 2380 Narrabri & District Poultry Club 13 Saundera St Narrabri 2390 Native Cockatiel Society of Australia PO Box 6308 South Penrith 2750 Ph 4733 6521 Nepean District Cage Bird Club 134 Maple Rd St Marys 2760 Ph 9862 2624 New Colour & Red Factor Canary Club of Aust 26 Coorabin Pl Riverwood 2210 Ph 9584 9279 Newcastle Border Fancy Canary Club 8 Agate Av Pearl Beach 2256 Ph 4342 2466 Newcastle Budgerigar Club PO Box 56 Cardiff 2285 Ph 4954 5409 Newcastle/Maitland Canary & Cage Bird Society 2 Beckett St Gillieston Hts 2321 Ph 4932 6732 North-West NSW Avicultural Society Melrose 151 Glenburnie Rd Rob Roy 2360 Ph 0407 453 236 North Coast Caged Bird Club 65 Cathcart St Lismore 2477 Ph 6621 3226 Northern Avicultural Society (Newcastle) PO Box 277 Adamstown 2289 Ph 4963 3623 Northern NSW Budgerigar Breeders Assoc 20 Armidale Rd Coutts Crossing 2460 Ph 6649 3209 Northern Rivers Avicultural Society 104 Meyers Rd Grafton 2460 Ph 6644 9513 Norwich Canary Club of NSW 122 Campbell St Fairfield 2165 Ph 9755 7377 NSW Finch Exhibitors Society 7 Braddon St St Marys 2760 Ph 9833 9883 NSW Ornithological Association 11 President St Croydon Park 2133 Ph 9745 1215 Orana Avicultural Society PO Box 4103 Dubbo 2839 Ph 6882 9098 Orange Bird Society PO Box 1666 Orange 2800 Ph 6365 3666 Parrot Breeders & Exhibitors Society of NSW PO Box 87 Casula Mall 2170 Ph 9607 5591 Parrot Society of Australia (NSW) PO Box 49 Riverstone 2765 Ph 0403 017 855 Pied Budgerigar Society 117 Malvern St Panania 2213 Ph 9773 8348 Red Factor Canary Club of Australia 2 Beethoven St Engadine 2233 Ph 9520 2574 Riverina Bird Fanciers PO Box 208 Temora 2666 Ryde District Canary & Cage Bird Society 13 Thorn St Ryde 2112 Ph 9808 4468 Shoalhaven Avicultural Society PO Box 1133 Nowra 2541 Ph 4423 4475, 0419 970 691 Softbill & Native Pigeon Society of Australia Ph 9817 4897

South Sydney Avicultural Society 5 Byrne Ave South Coogee 2034 Ph 9344 0779 South Western NSW Budgerigar Society 18 Myall Cres Lake Albert Ph 6922 6214 Sutherland Shire Bird Society Uniting Church Hall Flora St Sutherland NSW 2232 Tamworth Cage Bird Society 74 Denne St Tamworth 2340 Ph 6762 7961 Taree & District Canary & Finch Society 18 Christian Cres Foster 2428 Ph 6557 5253 Tenterfield Cage Bird Society 56 Pelham St Tenterfield 2372 Ph 6736 2694 Tuggerah Lakes Specialist Canary Society 236 Pacific Highway Watanbobbi 2259 Ph 4352 1494 Twin Towns Avicultural Society 22 Waratah St Parkes 2870 Ph 6862 2806 Wagga & District Caged Bird Society PO Box 300 Wagga Wagga 2650 Ph 6922 8200 Wodonga-Albury Avicultural Society PO Box 794 Lavington 2641 Ph 6025 8328 Wollongong & District Avicultural Society 2 Griffiths St Oak Flats 2529 Ph 4256 0005 bmkerr1997 @bigpond.com Wollongong Finch Club 173 Coromal St Wollongong 2500 Ph 0412 288 656 a.j.mallon@gmail.com Yass & District Bird Club PO Box 432 Yass 2582 Ph 6226 5663 Yorkshire Canary Club of Australia 7 Higgins St Condell Park 2200 Ph 9709 6460 Yorkshire Canary Club of Newcastle 6/88 Marks Point Rd Marks Point 2280 Young & District Cage Bird Society Ph 0407 903 220 Zebra Finch Society of Australia gorkell@optusnet.com.au Ph 9833 9883 NORTHERN TERRITORY prefix 08 Northern Territory Avicultural Society PO Box 40928 Casuarina 0810 Ph 0407 357 272 QUEENSLAND ph prefix 07 African Lovebird & Foreign Parrot Society of Qld PO Box 5587 Brendale MDC 4500 Australian Budgerigar Society PO Box 16 Browns Plains 4118 Ph 5548 7674 Australian National Cockatiel Society PO Box 1248 Fortitude Valley 4006 Australian Roller Canary Society PO Box 292 Alderley 4051 Ph 0417 340 367 Beaudesert Parrot & FInch Assoc PO Box 222 Beaudesert 4285 Ph 0438 182 604 www.bpfa.websyte.com.au Beenleigh Bird Breeders Assoc PO Box 5021 Eagleby 4207 Ph general 3206 6062, bird sales 3890 2425 Bengalese Breeders Society (in recess) 1/52 Wine Drive Toowoomba 4350 Ph 4634 7549 Border Fancy Canary Club of Queensland 15 Arkwright St Welles Hill Brisbane 4121 Ph 3397 5233 Brisbane & Northern Suburbs Budgerigar Society 21 Forest Hills Drive, Morayfield Qld 4506 Ph 3886 8069 www.bnsbsinc.com.au Budgerigar Society of Bundaberg 34 McNeilly St Bundaberg Ph 4152 3001 Bundaberg Bird Breeders Club PO Box 5471 Bundaberg 4670 Ph 4155 6221 Bundaberg Canary & Cage Bird Society 39 Greathead Rd Bundaberg 4670 Ph 4152 9637 Burnett Bird Keepers Association 235 Franklin Rd Wattle Camp 4615 Ph 4162 7635 Caboolture Budgerigar Society 9 Dussek Pl Burpengary 4505 Ph 3888 4198 Capricornia Budgerigar Society PO Box 5451 CQMC Rockhampton 4701 Ph 4926 1635 Charters Towers Birdkeepers Club PO Box 697 Charters Towers 4820 Ph 4787 3015 Coral Coast Bird Club PO Box 521 Proserpine 4800 Downs Bird Breeders Association PO Box 3401 Village Fair Toowoomba 4350 Ph 4630 4469 www.dbba.net Far North Queensland Bird Breeders Club PO Box 336 Yungaburra 4884 Ph 4095 3683 secretaryfnqbbc@gmail.com Fraser Coast Bird Club 17 Park St Urangan Qld 4655 Ph 4128 9656

Oxenford Dr Michael Woodcock 145 Old Pacific Hwy 5573 2670 Wishart Dr Edward Layt 224 Wishart Rd 3343 6399 SOUTH AUSTRALIA ph prefix 08 Glengowrie Dr J McBride 80 Morphett Rd 8294 8444 Glengowrie Dr Mark Hill 40 Diagonal Rd 8295 6924 Glenside Dr Pin Needham 294 Greenhill Rd 8379 0222 Holden Hill Dr Kristian Zirnsac 728 North East Rd 8261 9948 Kurralta Park Dr Anne Fowler 119 Anzac Hwy 8371 2110 Port Noarlunga Dr Pam Scanlon 35 Saltfleet St 8384 4363

Amendments to listings can be made by contacting info@talkingbirds.com.au or by calling 03 5983 2566

TASMANIA phone prefix 03 Launceston Dr Kim Barrett 351 Wellington St 6344 4566 Sandy Bay Dr James Harris 2 Russell Cres 6224 4244 VICTORIA phone prefix 03 Burwood Dr Pat McWhirter & Dr Philip Sacks 128 Highbury Rd 9808 9011 Mornington Dr Adam Stefani 4/1140 Nepean Hwy 5975 3811 North Melbourne Dr Sasha Herbert 24 Villiers St 9328 3021 Springvale South Dr M Gosbell 570 Springvale Rd 9546 5022 Scoresby Dr Colin Walker, Dr Stacey Gelis & Dr Corrie Pinkster 1 George St 9764 9000 West Brunswick Dr Cameron Wood 169 Dawson St 9387 6166

WESTERN AUSTRALIA ph prefix 08 Balcatta Dr James Haberfield, Dr Peter Ricci 59 Erindale Rd 9345 4644 Booragoon Dr Elizabeth-Jo Vickridge 10/20 Shields Cres 9330 2321 Mundaring Dr Ian Hainsworth 30 Wandeara Cres 9295 6777 Murdoch Dr James Haberfield, Dr Peter Ricci 90 South St 9360 6454 Myaree Dr Ray Butler, Dr Ian McDowell, Dr Toni Cockburn 13 Hulme Court 9329 9222 Shelley Dr Kevin Cleasby 1A/24 Yampi Way 9457 1008 Wangara Dr Ingrid Danylyk Chokolich St 9200 6247 Wattle Grove Dr Tim Oldfield, 791 Welshpool Road 9453 6655

Amendments to these listings can be made by sending updated information to PO Box 216 Balnarring VIC 3926, to info@talkingbirds.com.au or by calling 03 5983 2566 Fraser Coast Budgerigar Society 37 Nelson St Childers 4660 Ph 4126 3732 Gladstone Budgerigar & Caged Bird Society 20 Tucker Rd Boyne Island 4680 Ph 4973 9489 www.gladstonecagebirds.com Gold Coast Aviary Bird Association PO Box 7003 Gold Coast Mail Centre Bundall 4217 Ph 5522 6666 www.goldcoastaviarybird.org Gympie Budgerigar Society 9A Bruce Hwy Chatsworth 4570 Ph 5482 5612 Gympie Cage Bird Club PO Box 902, Gympie 4570 Hervey Bay Bird Club 70 Smelter St Aldershot 4650 Ph 4121 4605 Ipswich Canary Society Ph 3288 9249 Ipswich Budgerigar Society 37 Head St Laidley 4341 Ph 0401 447 517 Mackay Aviculture Society PO Box 5057 MMC Mackay 4741 Ph 0488 955 875 Parrot Society of Australia PO Box 75 Salisbury 4107 www.parrotsociety.org.au Pheasant & Waterfowl Society of Australia (Qld) Ph 0417 641 759 Pine Rivers Budgerigar Society PO Box 310 Kipparing 4021 Ph 3293 1311 Queensland Avicultural & Canary Improvement Society PO Box 27 Cotton Tree 4558 Ph 0411 401 419 Queensland Bird Breeders Club PO Box 6059 Logan Central 4114 Ph 3200 5836 Queensland Council of Bird Societies PO Box 236 Beaudesert 4285 Ph 0419 666 674 qldcbs@gmail.com Queensland Finch Society PO Box 1600 Coorparoo 4151 Ph 3207 3386 Queensland Pigeon Fancers Society PO Box 584 New Farm 4005 Ph 3358 3677 barrypigeons@ bigpond.com Sarina Bird Club Sarina Bird Club 410 West Plane Creek Rd Sarina 4737 Ph 0438 162196 donna295@bigpond.com South East Queensland Zebra Finch Society 3 Kerr Pl Gympie 4570 Ph 5482 4545 jag@spiderweb. com.au South Queensland Budgerigar Breeders Assoc 131-141 Smiths Rd Caboolture Ph 5498 9788 Sunshine Coast Avicultural Society PO Box 302 Burpengary 4505 Ph 3888 5423 gljones@st.net.au Sunshine Coast Budgerigar Association 8 Bangalow Court Cooroy 4563 Ph 5442 6726 Surfers Paradise Budgerigar Society PO Box 842 Mudgeeraba 4213 Ph 5530 3274 Tableland Bird Breeders Club PO Box 222 Mareeba 4880 Ph 4092 4898 Thuringowa Bird Club PO Box 397 Deeragun Townsville 4818 Ph 4778 7007 www.thuringowabirdclub.org Toowoomba Avicultural Society PO Box 983 Toowoomba 4350 Ph 4693 1037 Toowoomba Budgerigar Assoc 22 Woolmer Rd Highfields 4352 Ph 4698 7461 Toowoomba Canary Club PO Box 7068 Toowoomba Mail Centre 4352 Ph 4634 5050 Townsville Bird Breeders Club 61 Halstead St Gulliver 4812 Ph 4779 4369 Wide Bay Parrot Society 2960 Maryborough Rd Hervey Bay Ph 0458 214 841 Wynnum Redlands Budgerigar Society 22 Stockyard St Wynnum West 4178 Ph 3393 3205 Yorkshire & Norwich Canary Club of Qld 9 Eynsford St Carindale 4152 Ph 3398 6893 SOUTH AUSTRALIA ph prefix 08 Adelaide Bird Club 8 Panorama Drive Windsor Gardens 5087 Ph 8261 3886 www.adelaidebirdclub.com Adelaide Canary Society PO Box 185 Goolwa 5214 Ph 8555 3836 Adelaide New Colour Canary Club 4 Rodriguez Drive, Paralowie 5108 Ph 8280 9011 ozziebee_au@yahoo. com. au Avicultural Society of South Australia PO Box 485 North Adelaide 5006 Ph 8380 9806 www.birdkeepinginaustralia.com ASSA Mid-North Branch 1 Matta Rd Wallaroo 5556 ASSA South-East branch PO Box 9081 Mt Gambier West 5291 Ph 8725 8249 ajdfward@hotkey.net.aup

ASSA York Peninsula Branch 47 Edinburgh Rd Yorktown 5576 Barossa Bird Club PO Box 564 Greenock 5360 Ph: 8564 2546, 8524 4493.

Budgerigar Breeders Club 17 Adelaide Terrace Edwardstown 5039 Ph 8277 3278 Budgerigar Society of South Australia 17 Vine St Surrey Downs 5126 Ph 8288 7936 Fleurieu Peninsula Cage Bird Society 42 Heather Dve Christie Downs 5164 Ph 8384 5835 Gawler & Districts Bird Club 24 Magnolia St Tanunda 5352 wiebrecht@ozemail.com.au Gawler & Districts Canary Club 13 Glenelg Lane Gawler 5118 Ph 8522 3394 Limestone Coast Birdkeepers Club PO Box 21 Naracoorte 5271 Ph 8764 6030 gumbowie@rbm.com.au Lower Murray Bird Club PO Box 10 Mannum 5238 Ph 8569 1853 Marsupial Society of Australia GPO Box 2462 Adelaide 5001 Ph 8252 7800 Mildura & Districts Bird Club PO Box 1356 Centre Plaza Mildura 3501 Ph 5023 3924 North East Budgerigar Society 108 OG Rd Klemzig 5087 Ph 8261 4377 Port Augusta Bird Society 9 Davies Cres Port Augusta 5700 Ph 8642 2276 raysandy@bigpond.net.au Port Pirie Bird Club 27 Booyoolie Street Laura 5480 Ph 8663 2320 Port Pirie Budgerigar Society 5 Wardang Ave Maitland 5573 Ph 8832 2857 Riverland Birdkeepers Club PO Box 451 Barmera 5345 Ph 8588 2836 Roller Canary Society of South Australia 7 Brookhaven Crt Woodland Ridge 5159 Ph 8270 4183 Southern Cage Bird Society PO Box 37 Welland 5007 Ph 8346 6347 edward@matthewshotels.com.au TASMANIA ph prefix 03 Avicultural Society of Tasmania PO Box 714 Moonah 7009 Ph 0408 720 130 Border Fancy Canary Club of Tasmania PO Box 227 Lilydale 7268 Ph 6395 1111 Budgerigar Society of Tasmania PO Box 371 Sorell 7172 Ph 6265 2779 Launceston Canary & Cage Bird Society 21 Reubens Rd Rosevale 7292 Ph 6396 6172 Northern Tasmania Budgerigar Society 18 Jamison St Prospect 7250 Ph 6334 3202 North West Bird Club PO Box 59 Wynyard 7325 Ph 6431 1114 richardsonbirds@dodo.com.au www. northwestbirdclubtasmania.org.au North West Canary Society of Tasmania 66 Bird St Acton 7320 Ph 6431 7909 Southern Tasmania Canary Society 43 Coleman St Moonah West 7009 Ph 6272 0191 Tassy Finch Club 22 Inkerman St Triabunna 7190 sandmgraham@bigpond.com VICTORIA ph prefix 03 Australian Canary Association 51 Whitesides Ave, West Sunshine 3020 Avicultural Society of Australia 52 One Tree Hill, Ferny Creek 3786 Ph 9755 2935 stephanie.webber@ harrison.org.au www.birds.org.au ASA Ararat branch 160 Possum Gully Rd Adelaide Lead Ph 5461 2158 ASA Ballarat branch PO Box 15 Gordon 3345 Ph 5368 9288 ASA Bendigo branch PO Box 2171 Bendigo Mail Centre 3554 Ph 5447 9931 ASA Centre West branch 1172 Cross Forest Rd Cobden 3266 Ph 5595 2215 ASA Geelong branch PO Box 865 Geelong 3220 Ph 5248 7641 ASA Gippsland branch PO Box 147 Trafalgar 3824 Ph 5163 1433 ASA Goulburn Valley branch 5 Wilson Ct Shepparton 3630 Ph 0416 415 191 ASA Northern branch 25 Margaret St Cohuna 3568 Ph 5456 2778 ASA Pheasant & Waterfowl branch 120 Shotton Rd Mt Eliza Ph 5975 3774 ASA Sunraysia branch PO Box 3058 Mildura 3502 Ph 5027 3345 ASA Swan Hill branch PO Box 1128 Swan Hill 3585 Ph 5033 1969 ASA Western District branch 50 Spencers Rd Kirkstall 3283 Ph 5565 8084, 0417 180 973 chloe brown50@hotmail.com

Border Fancy Canary Club of Melbourne 3 Lattimer Pl Tullamarine 3043 Ph 9338 3472 Border Fancy Canary Club of Victoria 6 Reynella Close Vermont South 3133 Ph 9801 4043 Budgerigar Council of Victoria 145 Moray St Fawkner 3060 Ph 03 9359 3315 email secretary@bcv.asn.au Colour Canary Breeders of Victoria 53 Catleton Rd Viewbank 3084 Dandenong Canary Society 4 Waintree Crt Endeavour Hills 3802 Ph 0420 566 722 Fife Fancy Club of Victoria 4 Beale Crt Templestowe 3106 Ph 9846 7493 Geelong Border Fancy Canary Club 5 Lynburn Rd Batesford 3221 Ph 5276 1416 Geelong Canary Improvement Society 4 Parramatta Rd Werribee 3030 Gippsland Canary Club 8 Burrage St Moe 3825 Ph 5127 3711 Gloster Fancy Canary Club of Victoria 11 Palm Court Frankston 3199 Ph 8707 0240 Latrobe Valley Avicultural Club PO Box 3237 Gippsland Mail Centre Morwell 3841 Ph 03 5983 0093.

Melbourne Canary Improvement Society 15 Ballina Terrace Vermont South 3133 Ph 9803 8230 Mildura & Districts Bird Club PO Box 1356 Centro Plaza Mildura 3501 Ph 5023 4777 Mornington Peninsula Avicultural Society PO Box 4210 Frankston Heights LPO 3199 Ph 9770 1231 Northern Districts Canary Improvement Society of Victoria 4 Parramatta Rd Werribee 3030 Ph 9741 5874 Pheasant & Waterfowl Society of Australia Ph 5978 7397, info@pwsa.org.au Southern Canary Club PO Box 151 Ormond 3204 Ph 9578 4964 Sunraysia Canary Society PO Box 470 Red Cliffs 3496 Ph 5024 1434 Victorian Canary Society 956 Mt Dandenong Tourist Rd Montrose 3765 Ph 9761 8470 Victorian Norwich Canary Club 54 McNamara Ave Airport West 3042 Ph 9374 2098 Victorian Zebra Finch 0431 539 517, 0408 337 498 avisfelis@bigpond.com Wimmera Bird Club PO Box 221 Horsham 3402 Ph 5382 2826 Yorkshire Canary Club of Victoria 4 Millar Rd Tullamarine 3043 WESTERN AUSTRALIA ph prefix 08 Avicultural Society of Western Australia PO Box 55 Victoria Park 6979 Ph 0418 946 363 Budgerigar Society of WA 31 Yallambee Cres Wanneroo 6065 Ph 9405 2464 Crested Budgerigar Club of Aust 28 Okewood Way Morley 6062 Ph 9377 2420 unique@members. capricorn.com.au Cage Bird & Wildlife Society of Western Australia 35 Torxcross St Warnboro 6169 Ph 9593 4917 Finch Society of Western Australia PO Box 2351 Malaga 6944 Ph 9401 7656 Geraldton Bird Club Ph 0409 791 072 ljcoles@bigpond.com Mandurah Avicultural Society 125 Cooper St Mandurah 6210 Ph 08 9535 3983 Melville District Cage Bird Society 40A Harfoot St Willagee 6156 Ph 9349 2172 Metropolitan Budgerigar Club 69 Wilber St Rossmoyne 6148 brett.wood@iag.com.au Midland & Northern Districts Cage Bird Club 359 Warwick Rd Greenwood 6042 Ph 9447 9238 Pheasant & Waterfowl Society of Australia 9295 3316 info@pwsa.org.au Rare Budgerigar Club of WA 3/14 Mackay Cres Gosnells 6110 Ph 9398 6598, 0418 934 334 Rockingham District Bird Society 267 Wandoo Dve Baldivis 6171 Ph 9524 1402 South West Avicultural Society PO Box 923 Bunbury WA 6231 Ph 9725 1761 trevormcguigan@.bigpond.com South West Budgerigar Club Mandurah 14 Lyelta St Falcon 6210 Ph 9534 3261 janmc@tpg.com.au Western Australian Budgerigar Council 14 Lyelta St Falcon 6210 Ph 9534 3261 janmc@tpg.com.au

Talking Birds, January 2016 22

FORTHCOMING EVENTS Mick Blake will be missed

● There is no charge for Forthcoming Events listings. Entries are restricted to date, location, club name, event, phone number and email address. Information should be sent to the editor, whose contact details are on page 2 of this edition.

If any entry contains errors, please contact the editor so they can be updated.

PLEASE NOTE: The Victorian Avicultural Council refused to supply proposed 2016 sale dates.

The Mornington club sale date is listed because it is on that club s website.

That club s president is also president of the VAC. Hopefully other Victorian sale dates will be available for TB s February edition.

January 17 Mandurah. South West Budgie Club, young hen show. 0402 409 937.

Morningside. Queensland Finch Society, sale.

0421 127 476, qfsevents@outlook.com January 24 Gympie. Gympie Cage Bird Club, sale.

07 5482 4545.

February 20 Inverell. Inverell Social Birdkeepers Group, sale.

02 6723 1388, btwood ham2@bigpond.com February 27 Mandurah. WA Budgerigar Council, state show/derby.

0402 409 937.

February 28 Newcastle. Newcastle Budgerigar Society, young bird show.

02 4988 6539.

Young. Young & District Cage Bird Society, sale.

02 6385 3058, 0407 903 220.

March 5 Maclean. Maclean District Avicultural Society, sale.

02 6645 7366.

Orange. Orange Bird Society, sale.

Trade tables 02 6362 8605 (AH), bird tables 0429 867 276.

March 6 Rockhampton.

Rockhampton Finch and Parrot Social Club, sale.

07 4939 2187, 0490 443 689, jjedwards67@gmail.com March 13 Cleveland. Queensland Bird Breeders Club, Australian Birdfest sale.

07 3299 1940.

Grafton. Clarence River District Caged Bird Club, sale. 02 6643 1323.

Gympie. Gympie Cage Bird Club, sale.

07 5482 4545.

March 19 Temora. Riverina Bird Breeders, sale.

02 6977 2690.

March 20 Bexley. BRASEA budgie auction. 02 9747 6642 contact@brasea.com Geelong. Geelong Budgerigar Society, auction. 03 5221 5404.

Mandurah. South West Budgie Club, young bird derby. 0402 409 937.

Yass. Yass &District Bird Club, sale. 02 6226 5663, 0402 201 486, rhonda andmark@gmail.com.

April 2 Evanston South. Gawler & Districts Bird Club.

08 8563 0468.

Gunnedah. Namoi Valley Aviculture Society, sale.

Buyers/sellers 0447 749 971, trades 02 6744 1179.

April 9 Devonport. North West Bird Club, Tasmania, sale. 03 6423 2121.

Toowoomba. Downs Bird Breeders, auction.

07 4630 4469.

April 10 Tuggerah. Central Coast Avicultural Society, sale.

02 4389 1997.

April 16 Nowra. Shoalhaven Avicultural Society, sale.

0419 970 691.

April 17 Brisbane. Wynnum Redlands budgerigar auction. 07 3396 8732.

Cairns. Far North Queensland Bird Breeders Club, sale.

07 4095 3683, secretary fnqbbc@gmail.com Mandurah. South West Budgie Club, table show.

0402 409 937.

Taree. Taree & District Canary & Finch Society, sale. 02 6557 2165, 02 6555 7587.

April 23 Murray Bridge. Lower Murray Bird Club, sale.

08 8569 1853.

May 1 Fairfield. Parrot Breeders & Exhibitors, sale.

02 9838 1266.

Tanunda. Barossa Bird Club, sale. 08 8524 8460.

May 14 Nanango. Burnett Bird Keepers Association, annual sale. 07 4162 7635.

Yanco. Charity bird sale.

0428 557 270, 0409 328 663, 02 6978 0044.

May 17 Mandurah. South West Budgie Club, table show.

0402 409 937.

May 21 Thornbury. Gloster Canary Club of Victoria, show.

03 9853 3428.

May 28 Cessnock. Hunter Valley Avicultural Society, sale.

02 4948 8668.

May 29 Bexley. BRASEA budgie auction. 02 9747 6642 contact@brasea.com Pt Pirie. Pt Augusta & Pt Pirie clubs, sale.

08 634 4479.

Skye. Mornington Peninsula Avicultural Society, 03 5998 2419.

June 4 Kempsey. Kempsey Macleay Bird Club, show/sale. 02 6562 2019.

June 9-12 Sydney. Royal Agricultural Society of NSW, National Poultry Show.

02 9704 1111, poultry@rasnsw.com.au June 11-12 Sarina. 26th Northern Avian Conference.

Donna 0438 162 196, Zoe 0439 735 102.

June 12 Mandurah. WA Budgie Council, state pre-selections. 0402 409 937.

June 18 Wagga Wagga. Wagga Wagga Cage Bird Club, sale. 02 6922 8200.

June 19 Bathurst. Bathurst Regional Avicultural Society, show 0421 207 548, sale 02 6337 1886.

Inverell. Inverell Social Birdkeepers Group, sale.

02 6723 1388, btwood ham2@bigpond.com June 26 Barmera. Riverland Birdkeepers, sale.

08 8586 5497.

July 1-3 Brisbane. Parrot Society of Australia, Parrots 2016 convention. 07 5433 1486, www.parrotsociety.org. au/Parrots2016 July 3 Maryborough. Hervey Bay Bird Club, sale.

07 4121 4605, 0447 231 801.

July 9 Brisbane. 2016 Queensland Ornithological Conference. 0419 431 210, extondr@gmail.com July 12 Clarendon. Parrot Society of Australia (NSW), sale.

0403 017 855, 02 4571 2141.

July 17 Felixstowe. United Bird Societies of South Australia, seminar.

08 8642 3314.

Mandurah. South West Budgie Club, championship show.

0402 409 937.

Strathpine. BRASEA budgie auction.

02 9747 6642 contact@brasea.com August 13 Forbes. Central West Bird Club, sale. 0406 512 851.

August 14 Newcastle. Newcastle Budgerigar Society, annual show to be confirmed. 02 4988 6539.

August 21 Mandurah. South West Budgie Club, table show.

0402 409 937.

August 28 Canberra. Canberra Bird Club, sale. 0408 630 108.

September 25 Gympie. Gympie Cage Bird Club, sale.

07 5482 4545.

October 16 Bexley. BRASEA budgie auction. 02 9747 6642 contact@brasea.com Mandurah. South West Budgie Club, rares show.

0402 409 937.

October 23 Singleton. Hunter Valley Finch Club, sale. Birds 02 4955 1853, baz.joc@hotmail.com, trades/general inquiries 02 4930 1589, rlaw1@live.com.au November 20 Mandurah. South West Budgie Club, broken/unbroken caps show. 0402 409 937.

November 27 Gympie. Gympie Cage Bird Club, sale.

07 5482 4545.

NOVEMBER 4 last year was a momentous day in the annals of aviculture in Queensland, in Australia and around the world.

That was the day we lost Mick Blake, a big bloke with a huge heart and bird knowledge aplenty, knowledge he was always happy to share, and if anyone needed a hand Mick would be there.

There was no warning, Mick was with us one moment and gone the next. Not a bad way to go, many would say, but far too early, because Mick was only 51 years old.

Mick had a passion for birds which started at five years of age, when a bird breeder friend of his father put a baby bird into Mick's hands, starting a lifelong addiction.

Mick was born in Gladstone and grew up around there. In 1981 he signed up and served three years in the army.

When his stint in uniform ended in Townsville he moved to Brisbane where he met Karin and married her in 1987. Their partnership always included birds, starting with finches and lovebirds.

In 1990 Mick and Karin moved to Rockhampton to start a new life and to begin a family.

Mick worked for the railways for eight years, during which time the pair moved to a two-and-a-halfacre block at Belmont where aviary numbers were expanded to accommodate nanday conures, Indian ringnecks and various rosella species.

Mick's 10 years at Belmont produced three children and in 2001 the family moved to Mount Morgan, where the bird collection grew from a few aviaries to about 20, with conures, lories, Amazons, a

variety of macaws, ringnecks, eclectus and many more. That is where Mick was happiest and he truly loved it.

He was a wonderful family man and grandfather to Scarlette, who was born in September last year.

Bird sales, shows and the Rockhampton Finch and Parrot Social Club will never be the same without Mick.

History was made at the Mt Morgan show last year when, for the first time in the event’s 29 year history, a person was asked by Mick to leave the venue.

Mick was never backward when it came to coming forward, he was a huge presence and universally respected.

He will be missed by his mates throughout Australia and by those he corresponded with elsewhere via — Lloyd Marshall Facebook.

NIGHT surveys by Malta’s Committee Against Bird Slaughter have documented massive illegal night trapping of golden plovers and inaction by local police.

According to the committee its teams have reported 14 cases of illegal night trapping to police headquarters since November but no action was taken.

The group has published exactto-the-minute reports of cases where its teams reported illegal trapping activity but tried in vain to convince the police to act.

“The problem is that the Administrative Law Enforcement unit, which deals with trapping cases, are only very rarely on duty during the night and that the local police feel that they are not responsible,” CABS wildlife crime officer Fiona Burrows said.

Two trapping sites in Siggiewi and Santa Lucija were each reported by CABS on two nights but police officers said they were understaffed or under-equipped.

On several occasions police said it was not their job to enforce trapping regulations and in one case, on November 30, an officer said they had instructions not to attend.

One trapping site on the Delimara peninsula was reported to the police on November 13, 15, 18 and 30 but on all four nights police did not attend or the officers said they had been told not to attend.

In three cases officers of the district police told volunteers they would inform the ALE the next morning but could do nothing else.

Only one case is known where charges have been issued after the ALE visited a site reported by CABS the previous night. It is understood that trapper will be charged with the use of illegal lapwing decoys.

“What we have observed is close to anarchy,” Ms Burrows said.

She said plovers are trapped illegally every night and in every part of the island, with most trappers using electronic bird callers loudly and blatantly marking the areas where illegal trapping takes places with impunity.

“Although it would be easy for the police to apprehend the culprits or at least dismantle the nets and switch off the callers the district police either do not come at all or decline to do something,” Ms Burrows said.

OBITUARY

Plovers killed in Malta

Talking Birds, January 2016 23

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