2 Bird Scene - October & November 2011 by Theparrotsociety

BIRD ISSUE TWO OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2011

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THE KNOWLEDGE CENTRE FOR ALL PET BIRDS

CONSERVATION THE YELLOWSHOULDERED AMAZON PROJECT ON BONAIRE

ADVICE MODERN AVIARY DESIGN BY GREG SHAW AND LEONIE SAAYMAN

BY KEN LOCKWOOD AND GERALD MASSEY

FR E

ZEBRA FINCHES

THE NATIONAL EXHIBITION PICTORIAL

INTRODUCTIO B

ird Scene went ‘live’ on Monday 22nd August and our ‘new challenge for 2011’ had been born. This second issue will I hope give readers the same level of quality and interest as the first. It will confirm the areas that we will continue to cover in future editions. Our intention is to publish this e-magazine every other month with the December / January edition appearing on 23rd December. By fixing the date of Issue 3 now you will know when to access our website for the latest edition. At this point it is appropriate to thank our Trade advertisers who so generously support us you will see their advertisements in this e-magazine without their assistance it is unlikely that Bird Scene would have been produced. We will use Bird Scene to promote and raise donations for our Conservation activities around the world there are donation links on pages 5, 13, 27, 48 where you can pledge money to a particular project.

Additionally Bird Scene will raise awareness of The National Exhibition which was held at Stafford County Showground on Sunday 9th October, a pictorial account appears on pages 28 - 35. Large banners publicising Bird Scene were prominently displayed at The National Exhibition which received an attendance of over 6,000 visitors and proved the ideal location to promote this e-magazine. I suppose I should not have been surprised how quickly the first edition went around the world with e-mails from America and Australia giving congratulations and offers of articles for future issues. The bird world has so many generous writers only too willing to support a new venture. I would love to know how many bird keepers have seen this e-magazine but as it is a FREE electronic magazine for all Bird Keepers I guess that information would be hard to know.

Les Rance, Editor, The Parrot Society UK www.theparrotsocietyuk.org | les.rance@theparrotsocietyuk.org

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BY THE EDITOR

In this edition is the first part of an interesting article by Ken Lockwood and Gerald Massey on Zebra Finches those prolific Australian finches that have a strong following on the Show circuit in the UK. The writers give details of starting

LES RANCE

up with these birds and also breeding them, an excellent and soundly based article on these enchanting finches. We are also pleased to have an article on modern aviary design that will be invaluable to those considering a new aviary or two or three!! There is also an excellent set of pictures from the recent National Exhibition held at Stafford on 9th October 2011. Last but not least a valuable article by Tony Pittman on the Yellow-shouldered Amazon project on Bonaire that the Society is supporting financially. Normal Zebra Finch Cock © Mick Freakley

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Conservation Projects Find out more about this on page 06

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CONTENTS

BIRD SCENE OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2011

CONTENTS SOCIETY 06 PARROT CONSERVATION PROJECTS The Yellow-shouldered Amazon project on Bonaire that the Society is supporting financially.

DONATE TO OUR CONSERVATION FUND… CLICK THE LINK BELOW: www.theparrotsocietyuk.org/donations.php

FINCHES 14 ZEBRA Zebra Finches those prolific Australian finches that have a strong following on the Show circuit.

20 NATIONAL EXHIBITION PICTORIAL Pictures of the recent National Exhibition held at Stafford on 9th October 2011.

ON THE COVER

BIRD ISSUE ONE OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2011

CONSERVATION THE YELLOWSHOULDERED AMAZON PROJECT ON BONAIRE

ADVICE

MODERN AVIARY DESIGN BY GREG SHAW AND LEONIE SAAYMAN

THE NATIONAL EXHIBITION PICTORIAL

ZEBRA FINCHES

BY KEN LOCKWOOD AND GERALD MASSEY

THE KNOWLEDGE CENTRE FOR ALL PET BIRDS

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MODERN AVAIRY DESIGN An article on modern aviary design that will be invaluable to those considering a new aviary.

BIRD SCENE: Issue Two, October / November 2011 BIRD SCENE is run by The Parrot Society UK, 92A High Street, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, HP4 2BL, England. FOR SALES AND EDITORIAL ENQUIRES Telephone or Fax: 01442 872245 Website: www.theparrotsocietyuk.org E-Mail: les.rance@theparrotsocietyuk.org

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THE

YEL SHO

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FEATURE

ARTICLE BY: TONY PITTMAN

LLOWOULDERED AMAZON PROJECT ON BONAIRE

he Parrot Society UK started supporting the main project with the Yellow-shouldered Amazon (Amazona barbardensis) headed up by Sam Williams on the Caribbean island of Bonaire in 2010, but had supported previous work by Sam there earlier in the decade. The Dutch administered island of Bonaire is 113 sq. miles (249 sq. kilometres) in size with a human population of just under 16,000 off the coast of Venezuela. BIRD SCENE 7

The lack of habitat deg population resulting in population. established governmen

The Yellow-shouldered Amazon, which is listed as “Vulnerable” by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), is now extinct on Aruba, has been introduced to Curaçao, but now has a population of approximately 800 birds on Bonaire. This is an increase on an estimated population of some 350 birds in the last two decades of the last century. There are several isolated populations scattered across mainland Venezuela, but these are subject to widespread intense poaching. On Bonaire the Yellow-shouldered Amazon has been protected by law since 1952, but is also subject to some poaching activities. In 2002 efforts were begun to enforce the

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parrot’s protected status, an amnesty for illegally acquired birds was enacted and a registration programme conducted. Sam Williams first went to Bonaire in 2003 and conducted a Pet Parrot Care campaign with the support of the Parrot Society UK. Sam and his associate, Rowan Martin, completed their PhD research projects on the parrot between 2005 and 2009. The organisation Salba Nos Lora meanwhile carried out several awareness campaigns on the island, one of which was also supported by the Parrot Society UK. Field work with the parrot continued in 2009 and a number of threats to the parrot population were identified, which have a wider

FEATURE

f naturally occurring food because of gradation has led to the growing parrot foraging in fruit trees in gardens n conflict with some of the human . However, a good relationship has been d between the project team and the island nt officials and local community.

relevance to parrot species generally. The goals of the main project are to monitor reproductive success by monitoring nest contents and chick development weekly as well as ringing chicks to determine longterm survival. This work applies good avicultural practice to determine the breeding success of the wild population, an aspect, which is important to Parrot Society UK criteria for project support. The parrots on Bonaire use a wide range of different nest sites and a low hatching rate for incubated eggs has been identified and is being investigated. The number of breeding birds in the population has also been found to be quite low. This may be as low as 110 individuals. Damage to fruit crops by parrots is also being investigated. The lack of naturally occurring food because of habitat degradation has led to the growing parrot population foraging in fruit trees in gardens resulting in conflict with some of the human population.

However, a good relationship has been established between the project team and the island government officials and local community. It is intended to install nest-boxes to mitigate a natural nest-site shortage although evidence so far suggests these are not popular with the wild birds. The nest-site shortage has led the parrots on Bonaire to breed in rock cavities. Experiments are being conducted into the installation and use of more natural nesting opportunities instead of standard angular nest-boxes.

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FEATURE

In 2010 the team monitored 25 nests in trees and cliffs. The pairs using these nests produced 76 eggs, six of which were lost to predators and a further 22 failed to hatch. Of the 48, which hatched, four died, nine disappeared, four were taken by a cat and six were poached. In the end 25 fledged from 15 different nests. Sam Williams and his colleagues

have set up a foundation in Bonaire, which is called Echo. This name was inspired by Sam’s long involvement with the parrot conservation project in Mauritius for the Mauritius Parakeet (Psittacula echo). Through handson conservation management the Mauritius Parakeet recovered from a population of only 5 birds in the 1990s to more than 500 today. Sam and his team hope to emulate this on Bonaire. The on-going Bonaire rescue operation This important objective caused Sam and his team to react quickly when the national park administration (STINAPA) sent an urgent call to

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the Echo Foundation requesting its assistance in July of this year. Following a tip-off STINAPA had seized a group of 110 local parrots from an illegal trader. The birds – 16 Yellowshouldered Amazons and 94 Brownthroated Conures (Aratinga pertinax xanthogenia) – were in a terrible state and desperately needed feeding after being kept in appalling conditions and without food for several days. 90 of the 110 birds confiscated were babies needing hand-feeding and care on a one-on-one basis. As the babies would need care for several months Echo Foundation sent out an e-mail appeal. Kaytee, the feed company, offered to provide hand-

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feeding formula, but as there would be other costs arising out of such an urgent large scale rescue operation such as aviary construction, the Parrot Society UK, which as stated above already supports the conservation work on Bonaire, decided it would send an immediate donation of £ 500 to meet some of these costs. To date the Amazons are doing well and 87 of the Brown-throated Conures have survived. 36 of these have now been released and the remaining 53 are being intensively reared and being prepared for release. Local children are assisting in this and their involvement should also benefit conservation in the long term.

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The Parrot Society UK will remain in close contact with the Sam Williams and his team to monitor progress and ascertain whether further assistance will be required. Readers can, however, make a donation direct through the Parrot Society UK website.

DONATE TO OUR CONSERVATION FUND… CLICK THE LINK BELOW: http://www.theparrotsocietyuk.org/donations.php

The birds were in a terrible state and desperately needed feeding after being kept in appalling conditions and without food for several days. 90 of the 110 birds confiscated were babies needing hand-feeding and care on a oneon-one basis.

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ZEBRA FINCHES ARTICLE BY: KEN LOCKWOOD AND GERALD MASSEY

Photograph © Tony Tilford www.naturepicturesource.com

STARTING UP WITH ZEBRA FINCHES t is always pleasing to hear of people who have decided to take up Zebra finches, whether it is as a collection of birds in a garden aviary or with a view to breeding and – eventually – exhibiting them. From time to time we are approached by newcomers who want to know where to get stock. We are always willing to advise. However, we firmly believe in putting first things first and council strongly against even beginning to look for birds until an adequate aviary or birdroom has been set up.

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Before setting up an aviary or birdroom it is best to visit an experienced Zebra finch fancier to get some idea about suitable layouts. Joining your local cage bird society will put you in touch with other bird keepers, but if you find difficulty making your own contacts, you can take advantage of the Zebra Finch Society’s area representative scheme.

It is best to build up a fund of knowledge before doing anything at all – and there are several ways of doing this starting with books. In our experience, some of the books available on Zebra finches offer very little in the way of practical advice that can be applied to the fancy in the UK today. We are referring in particular, to some publications from the USA. An admirable book, which we frequently recommend is Chris Blackwell’s ‘Keeping and breeding Zebra finches’ These days videos have a great deal to offer hobbyists and in our branch ofthe fancy the best offering is Peter Harrison’s ‘Breeding Zebra Finches step by step.’Other advice is available from the Zebra Finch Society. Then there is the Cage and Aviary Birds, which not only offers informative articles but also permits readers to keep up to date with what is happening in the fancy. There is a tendency for people who are interested in one particular type of bird to ignore the articles about other species. This is a big mistake. Over the years we have learnt a great deal from articles

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about other branches of the hobby. In an article about budgerigars, Terry Pilkington related how he and his wife’s birds had benefitted from being given filtered water rather than water straight from the tap. We immediately began giving filtered water to our Zebras, still do and we are convinced that they are the better for it. Before setting up an aviary or birdroom it is best to visit an experienced Zebra finch fancier to get some idea about suitable layouts. Joining your local cage bird society will put you in touch with other bird keepers, but if you find difficulty making your own contacts, you can take advantage of the Zebra Finch Society’s area representative scheme. This puts you in touch with someone who not only knows a lot about Zebra finches, but also has local knowledge. When starting up in a hobby, people tend to worry about apparent problems that, to the experienced person, are really not important. Being able to get good advice, quickly, can make all the difference. Even if the birdroom you first visit

FEATURE is large and impressive, we advise starting with a fairly modest set up and to build up from that. It is a mistake to spend lots of money at the outset, just in case you change your mind. Laying out a fortune and then breeding nothing in your first year can be so disheartening as to cause anyone to give up. As individual breeders, our progress, as far as the birdroom size is concerned, was similar. The first birdroom was a 6ft x 4ft shed. The next step was to 6ft x 10ft and then when that was outgrown to 12ft x 8ft. We now both have fairly large establishments, each measuring 12ft x 30ft. If you have no interest in pedigree and do not intend to show your birds, an aviary in which the birds fly freely is ideal – but take advice on how many pairs can be comfortably accommodated in the space available. If your intension is to exhibit, you need to breed your Zebra finches under controlled conditions and that means having cages, preferably within a birdroom.

Once you have your birdroom erected (we will assume it is a timber construction) there areone or two refinements that can make life better for both you and your birds. Lining the walls with hardboard – melamine faces, if you can afford it, will give the room’s interior a pleasing appearance and also make it easier to keep clean. In our view it is essential to insulate the cavity between the outer wall and the lining. We also recommend installing a supply of electricity to the birdroom, though this is not a job to be undertaken by anyone who is not qualified to do it. For everything else, the ‘Do-it-yourself’ approach is acceptable, but electricity is far too dangerous to be messed about with by the amateur. Electric lighting is the main requirement – particularly by anyone who is out at work all day. In the middle of winter, many fanciers go out to work in the dark and by the time they return home it is dark once more. If you want to look after your birds properly and have time to observe

If you have no interest in pedigree and do not intend to show your birds, an aviary in which the birds fly freely is ideal – but take advice on how many pairs can be comfortably accommodated in the space available. If your intension is to exhibit, you need to breed your Zebra finches under controlled conditions and that means having cages, preferably within a birdroom.

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FEATURE them during winter evenings you need extra lights. One of the main considerations, when setting up a birdroom, is to avoiddamp and draughts. Zebra finches can withstand the cold, but if damp and draughts are inflicted upon them it can damage their health. We have found that insulating a birdroom dramatically cuts down internal condensation – an insidious form of damp. With the room’s structure completed, you can now think about cages – their form, size and number. There is no simple answer to the question “How many cages should I start with?” It all depends on your circumstances.Our usual answer is “Having as many as you feel you can handle comfortably.” In practice, for newcomers, that usually translates to something between six andtwelve cages. An ideal size for each individual cage unit, for one breeding pair, is 24 inches long x 15 inches high and 15 inches deep. However, single cages are not the best solution. It is far better to have cages that are two or three times

that length, which can be converted into individual units by inserting divider slides. Then, the removal of one or two slides can give different permutations of flight cages – up to 6 ft long. These are ideal for housing groups of birds, such as youngsters who are being weaned. As you become more established (and your birdroom gets bigger) inside flights can be installed. So now you are ready to acquire some birds. Another question we are frequently asked is “What are the best colours of Zebra finches to start with?” In our view, the best colours are the ones you like the best. It would be counterproductive for us to advise getting Normals when the colour that attracted a person to Zebra finches in the first instance was white. To begin with a colour that you are not very keen on is to risk becoming disillusioned. We would like to think that a newcomer to Zebra finches will still be keeping them in 10 years time. On the other hand, a newcomer with no hard and fast preferences might

One of the main considerations, when setting up a birdroom, is to avoiddamp and draughts. Zebra finches can withstand the cold, but if damp and draughts are inflicted upon them it can damage their health. We have found that insulating a birdroom dramatically cuts down internal condensation – an insidious form of damp.

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FEATURE benefit by getting a few different colours and decide which ones he or she likes best after they have gained some experience of breeding them. Having said that, if you start with more than one colour it is best to choose those that can be used for interbreeding, from the exhibition standpoint. For example, Normals go well with Fawns and Chestnut Flanked Whites fit in well with Lightbacks. By contrast, Pieds and Penguins do not mix. If you were to interbreed with these colours, you would be highly unlikely to breed anything useful and, worse, could be setting back your exhibiting ambitions by some years. Your own local contact or ZFS area representative can be very useful at this stage putting you in touch with breeders who specialise in your chosen colours - and have had some success with them. Having read about exhibition Zebra finches and watched videos you should have some idea of the sort of birds you are looking for, but it is still best to choose a breeder you feel you can trust and ask his advice – particularly about the way the birds you acquire should be paired. We have deliberately left the way you should feed your birds until this point because, if at all possible, you should base your feeding regime on that of the fancier/or fanciers who supplied you with your initial stock. Many will give

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you small quantities to last a few days until you can arrange for a regular supply. However the basic requirements are a seed mixture, an egg-based softfood, grit and water. As far as the seed is concerned foreign finch mixtures and mixed millets are suitable. We find the most economic and nutritious way of supplying our birds’ seed requirements is to use a millet-rich budgerigar mixture – which also happens to be the cheapest in the suppliers range. There are more good proprietary, eggfood mixtures on the market now than there have ever been before. We find it difficult to understand why breeders buy a specifically-balanced product and then add other foods – such as more eggs or carrot – to them. Our grit mixture consists of small mineral grit and oyster shell, in equal quantities. Cuttlefish bone is also provided as are millet sprays. As already explained, we offer filtered tap water. The only additive we feed is a mineral/vitamin supplement that is added to the drinking water at the rate and frequency recommended by the manufacturer. Again there are lots of good products of this type on the market. With a good, balanced diet such as the one we have described we see no reason for feeding other ‘extras’ – home grown, collected from the wild or purchased.

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Lightback Cock © Mick Freakley

BREEDING ZEBRA FINCHES One of the many challenges of breeding Zebra finches is that no two breeding seasons are ever alike. For example, in both our birdrooms, at the start of one season we had problems because the birds were too fit. This manifested itself in hens laying another clutch of eggs before they had finished incubating the first.By the second and third breeding rounds came around they had settled down and their breeding behaviour was normal.

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We believe that a major reason for the disrupted first round was the weather being unseasonable. The seasons of the year appear to have become mixed up so that we get warmer than usual days in winter and colder than usual days in summer. To some extent, this has always happened but it is becoming the rule rather than the exception. So for the next breeding season we put down most of our pairs to breed in mid-December. The contrast with the previous year was marked. Rather than being paired at the height of condition, our Zebras were put together as they

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You should not get over anxious, neither can you afford to be complacent. The vast majority of Zebra finches get on well with their breeding partners but, very occasionally, one attacks the other. So there is a need, be it ever so slight, to keep an eye on the pairings until they have settled. were coming towards that peak. This time, the breeding pairs went about their business steadily and sensibly. Of course, there were a few pairs that did not get off to a good start, but their second round coincided with the timing of last year’s first rounds, so nothing was lost. We were only able to make this early start because our birdrooms are draught and damp free – and equipped with electric lighting and heating. Electric lighting has become an essential for most Zebra finch breeders. With artificial lighting available, those who have to go to work in the daytime can carry out jobs, such as feeding, in the evening, even in the depths of winter. Although you need to study your birds carefully, and make adjustments to get the best out of them, there are breeding basics that remain fairly constant though there is no need to get too anxious just because the timing of a particular phase of the breeding cycle is not exactly to the book.For example, we would expect the first egg to be laid around seven days after pairing, but

it can be as soon as four days. In the opposite direction, even a successfully paired hen can take up to three weeks before laying. If no egg appears by that time, we may well come to the conclusion that the birds concerned need to be found new partners or given a rest in the flights. You should not get over anxious, neither can you afford to be complacent.The vast majority of Zebra finches get on well with their breeding partners but, very occasionally, one attacks the other. So there is a need, be it ever so slight, to keep an eye on the pairings until they have settled. Another area which is not an exact science is the time between an egg being laid and hatching. Although the accepted time for the incubation period of a Zebra finch egg is supposed to be 14 days, there are exceptions. Occasionally, one will hatch after only 13 days and, if a hen does not begin incubating from the first egg, it can take a day or two longer. Do not discard fertile eggs just because they have not hatched when a book states that they should have done.

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FEATURE We begin feeding slightly dampened softfood to breeding pairs 14 days after the first egg was laid – regardless of hatching or non hatching – and then continue on a daily basis. Softfood that is too wet causes messy parents, chicks and nestboxes and is more likely to turn sour. We stopped feeding bread and milk for this reason and now use one of the good propriety softfoods that are advertised in Cage and Aviary Birds. Because Zebra finch hens lay eggs on successive days, you can usually expect a chick to hatch every day if the hen sat from the first egg. So with a fair number of eggs in a clutch it is possible to end up with quite a range of chick sizes in the same nestbox. If we feel there is a risk of the youngest chick being squashed or neglected we transfer that chick to a nest that contains chicks nearer its own size. Again do not be too anxious or you will finish up with chicks fostered all around the birdroom and – although you can take the precaution of moving the chick to a pair with different coloured youngsters- too much movement can make accurate important record keeping more difficult than it needs to be. The other time we tend to foster chicks is when there is only one in the nest. Hens seem to feed better when they have a few chicks demanding

food, whereas those with only one to look after can become lazy. Anyone who thinks that a single chick, that gets all the attention, will develop more quickly than one in a nest of four has never bred Zebra finches. The other advantage of taking a singleton from the hen is that it lets her get back to producing what will, hopefully, be a full fertile clutch the next time around. The main reason for the nestbox inspections – which are carried out every day once a chick has hatched – is to check that chicks are being properly fed. So we inspect boxes in the evening rather than early in the day before proper feeding has begun. It is not easy to decide what to do about a hen that appears not to be feeding her chicks properly. If you panic, you can finish up with more chicks being fostered than are with their own parents. In our experience, just because a hen behaves like a poor feeder with one nest of chicks, it does not necessarily mean she will be the same with her next brood. Sometimes a hen neglects her duties because she wants to start laying again. Dirty nestboxes are not easy to account for. The obvious reason would seem to be diet – particularly the softfood.However that does not begin to explainwhy you can have adjoining pairs, on the same diet, and one nest is dirty and the other oneis clean. Even

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so we have found that cutting back on the amount of softfood being given to a pair with a dirty nest can often overcome the problem. Whatever the cause, nestboxes should never be left dirty. They should be cleaned or replaced. We overcome this by using cardboard nestboxes replacing as necessary. Another area where what the book says and what happens in reality can be in conflict is the timing of close ringing chicks – a must if you intend to exhibit the Zebra finches that you breed. Official rings can be obtained from the Zebra Finch Society. You may read that the Zebra finch chicks should be ringed when they are seven days old, but it is impossible

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to be that precise and so the timing should be taken only as a guide and each chick should be judged on its own merits. You can get variations between the sizes of chicks of the same variety, even in the same nest, but the greatest variation in size occurs from variety to variety. You can expect Normals and Fawns to develop most rapidly of all the varieties and so they are usually ringed younger than, say, Penguins and other nonstandards which develop more slowly. It may be tempting to ring a chick too young, to make the job easier and to ensure you do not miss ringing it. Too often, this can result in the ring falling off and being lost in the nestbox. Once a complete nest of chicks has

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been rung we discontinue nestbox inspections. Unnecessary disturbance can cause the chicks to leave the nest before they are fully feathered. A chick without many feathers, marooned on a cage floor, can become chilled and, if undetected for too long a period, can die. At this stage of the breeding cycle, a second nest box can be very useful.It can keep chicks warm, prevent them from being ejected or feather plucked by their parents – and permit the hen to get on with laying the next clutch of eggs without having chicks climbing all over her. And so the cycle starts again.

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We are manufacturers of quality garden and pet products including Cages, Aviaries, Nest boxes, Bird Rooms, Carrying Boxes, in fact everything wooden for the hobbyist or breeder. We supply to both trade and public. Products can be made to customers personal requirements. All at competitive prices Stands at all Stafford Shows. Personal attention of the proprietor at all times. NEW PRODUCT – PLASTIC CAGES Trade enquiries most welcome. Please visit our website:

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BIRDS & THINGS

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THE NATIONAL EXHIBITION

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The first name in exotic animal insurance For a no obligation quote or further information call us now:

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or visit our web site at

www.exoticdirect.co.uk

ExoticDirect is a trading style of Brooks Braithwaite (Sussex) Ltd. Brooks Braithwaite (Sussex) Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA)

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THE KNOWLEDGE CENTRE FOR ALL PET BIRDS

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ARTICLE BY: GREG SHAW AND LEONIE SAAYMAN

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MODERN AVIARY DESIGN Section A-A

he bird world that we have all grown to love over the years is such a strange place when it comes to sharing knowledge. There are countless internet web-sites offering us much information about all sorts of things, regarding breeding birds. Then there are many publications which also focus on the hobby of bird husbandry. But every time we Google or page through one of these, we ask the question: “Why are we not sharing

our ideas on aviary design?” We are fascinated that this subject seems to always slip by with little attention being paid to it. Older aviary designs are never questioned, why, are we too scared to deal with the reality of confining birds that have evolved wings to grace the sky, to a barred cage? We have searched the internet on aviary design several times and still come up with the same conclusion:

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We believe, not enough is written about good, ethical housing of one’s birds. A great shame really because surely “as a man’s home is his castle” an aviary is the same for the birds who live in it? We should be building the best castles we can afford, rather than using old designs that seem to be going up all the time, to house more and more of our feathered friends. After visiting many bird farms and bird breeders around South Africa we have some sort of an idea of what is considered the trend in aviary design for the moment. We are sure that with time, it will morph into something else hopefully something that emphasizes space more than what the current trend seems to be. We all need to take a step back and assess our bird’s needs

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when it comes to aviaries and the caged environment. It seems to all be about housing more and more different species, who cares about how and where they are housed? So we have decided to not only write on the subject of aviary design but also to include an architectural plan to assist any of you with the expensive and confusing task of building a happy, healthy, ethical environment for your birds. Keeping birds is becoming a popular hobby. In fact, the days of the single African Grey in a parrot-cage is quickly being replaced by rows of aviaries. Aviaries can be beautiful and exciting projects to plan. However, before jumping into this huge commitment, one should always do plenty of

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research ahead of time. You can avoid costly and time-consuming mistakes by asking questions from other birdbreeders that you respect. There are two different types of aviaries that most bird-breeders build, the free standing full flight traditional cages and the suspended aviary types. The type of aviary that you choose to build depends on your needs and that of your birds. The climate where you are going to keep the aviary is the most important factor. If you live in an extreme climate that gets very hot or very cold, you may want to consider an indoor aviary. Living in the

Western Cape, our rainy winters pose a problem, so interior wind and rain protected areas are crucial for success. Mild climates can usually sustain an unprotected outdoor aviary, but one always has to put the welfare of the birds first and rather over compensate now, rather than later. There is nothing worse than spending money on an aviary that does not perform the right function due to bad design. The suspended types are very good for ventilation and they also keep pests and vermin from making a home in a place where they are not welcome but they also have their downfalls, like

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trying to catch the birds or trying to clean the mesh bottoms. A minimum of 25.4mm x 12.7mm (1inch x ½ inch) with a diameter of 1.00mm (19 gauge) should be used to facilitate cleaning droppings from the cage bottoms most of the droppings fall through instead of clinging to the wire. We thought long and hard as to what makes a good aviary design. After many hours we came to the conclusion that most of us have an “I want, I want, I want” obsessive way of approaching bird-breeding (or lets call it what it is “crazy collecting.”) We all want far too many types of bird species and I think this is the reason why good aviary design and costs of proper husbandry go out the window We are prepared to pay large amounts 40

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of money for the birds but skimp on paying hard earned cash on solid, welldesigned, beautiful aviaries. We think the first bit of advice is to keep focused and breed fewer species, as hard as it may seem it will yield more rewarding results as time goes by. Remember the old adage:”Jack of all trades, Master of none.” We think this is the first difficult hurdle to get over. So Master Jack, cut that bird wish list in half, and halve it again, if you want to succeed. If you are an obsessive collector remember to not spread yourself too thin - The birds are the only ones who will suffer in the end and will live miserable lives in very sad, tiny, cruel spaces. We have come up with a good concept for an aviary design, we are

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sure that with a little imagination you could improve on it, but at least it is a place to begin. It can be modified to suit your individual needs and that of the species of birds that you intend keeping. We hope the drawings and plans that we have drawn up will help you to at least start putting pen to paper and to attempt exploring what it is you think you want. Our perception of what an aviary is constantly changes. The concept of an aviary, with which most of us grew up with, was that it was a place to keep pretty and interesting birds in a mixed collection. Most of us were young so that was all that mattered at the time. Our first aviaries were wooden “Wendy-houses” with a chicken-wire mesh cage attached to it. Our Dads knocked them together over a weekend behind the garage (as long as it was “out of sight” our Mothers’ said) and it served the purpose of keeping the

children entertained for hours, with diamond doves, zebra finches and Chinese quail. The birds bred and it was a good stomping ground for all of us to get a feel for the hobby. Much time has passed from those good old days and since then we have grown up, we can see that the twists and turns of aviary design have been subject to the twists and turns of society’s progress. The emergence of large suburban areas has also been a factor in changing the face of aviaries. Even the law has become more “aware” of our hobby. Health Inspections are now a common requirement and most councils require plans pertaining to these “aviary” structures. What is aviary design? Design has to do with logic. All good and well but suitability and sustainability also play a major role. Personal style of course, comes into it

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too, as well as the cost. So the design process is a sequential step-by-step reasoning of where the aviary is, what birds you want to keep in it, and then making these elements fit together within the space available. This does require some drafting ability - although nothing arty - to get your idea on paper and to scale. Envisaging the aviary: An aviary can be a huge bind if you have a busy lifestyle but it can also be a hugely restful and rewarding addition to your routine. How well you design your aviary will ensure that you get the functioning aviary you want and one you are capable of looking after. We suggest that if you are starting out, rather keep your design simple and cost effective, and don’t bite off

more than you can chew. In time you can always add on and expand your ideas and dreams. Simple is always best, grand designs always show their flaws later down the line and can be a nightmare to rectify. Aviary design principles: Understanding how the size and shapes of the roosting area links to the exercise flight is at the very heart of aviary design. Proportion is as important in aviary design an in any other area of design. It ultimately comes down to seeking balance between the masses. Designing an aviary, as opposed to just building one gives you the power to control the space that you have before you. Drawings enable you to formulate, express, as well as develop your sense

An aviary can be a huge bind if you have a busy lifestyle but it can also be a hugely restful and rewarding addition to your routine. How well you design your aviary will ensure that you get the functioning aviary you want and one you are capable of looking after. We suggest that if you are starting out, rather keep your design simple and cost effective, and don’t bite off more than you can chew. In time you can always add on and expand your ideas and dreams. Simple is always best…

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of design, until finally the aviary is built and then the exciting stuff can happen. Now we know that many of us are not artists but don’t let that put you off, draw, dream, imagine and start putting your ideas onto paper. Enjoy this process as it is the time where you can start ironing out all the hurdles that will lie in your path. We would encourage you to start with what is called “quick visualizations.” This method allows you to experiment with plenty of design ideas. Lay a piece of tracing paper over a photograph of the area which you have picked to build your aviary on. Use bold outlines and draw a rough shape of how you see the aviary fitting into the

landscape. We find this very helpful to see whether the design will integrate with the surroundings. Bird breeders always seem to have an eye for an athletically pleasing thing, so don’t limit yourself. If you see trees and shrubs being incorporated into the aviary design then draw them in. After sitting for some time with a pencil and paper drawing out different ideas you eventually end up liking one design more than the rest and this is the one you need to follow through with. Aviary structural plan: Once you have doodled until your heart’s content, take your visualizations and start turning them BIRD SCENE 43

into a well measured out, buildable plan. Technical drawing is simply a matter of familiarity with the equipment used, and confidence. You will need a scale ruler with 1:100 and 1:50 measurements, HB (medium) pencils, a softer 2B pencil for sketching, a compass and an eraser. We have chosen to use an example to work through the process. It is a small breeding setup for medium to small sized parrots, consisting of a set of five aviaries. From the site plan you will see that it is built right towards the back of the property. The logic behind the position is noise, noise, noise. Remember that many neighbours

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don’t share the same passion for birds so take the noise into consideration. Another word of advice is to talk to your neighbours about your plans and get their approval in earlier rather than later. Many bird-breeders have had to sell a noisy pair of birds because of neighbour problems. Investigate this before you draw attention to your aviary - Neighbours always have a funny way of finding out what you are up to so talk them through your plans, show them pictures of the birds and if they are a CITES species explain to them how rare and endangered the birds are. People usually like to support something that has a conservation value.

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From the site plan one can see that the aviary is a brick/concrete block building, clad in dry packed stone (from site). It has a timber roof which has been waterproofed with derbygum (bitumen on 21mm exterior ply on 38mm x 150mm rafters at 400cts). The projected flights are suspended out of the water proofed and windtight enclosure and rest on stone plinths. From the floor plan one can see that the entrance door (solid wood standard off the shelf maranti door painted with dark green waterproof roof-paint - door and paint is available

at most hardware stores), opens into an access corridor (one metre wide Just wide enough - don’t try anything smaller as it will become an issue once you need space to move around in). For even more protection a mesh hind door can be attached to the same frame and the wooden door placed on a spring door closer (in order to automatically close once one is in the access passage). Each interior cage area is 1.5 metres square and is full height, from floor to ceiling. We chose full height to allow easy access for catching and inspecting the birds, it also makes life easier

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when the vet comes and visits. Both the nest boxes and the feeding stations are attached to the interior frame, thus allowing easy food and water changes as well as nest inspections, allowing the bird-breeder safe access to these from the corridor. We always hear bird-breeders go on and on about conventional versus suspended aviaries? Choices, choices? It seems that over the years suspended aviaries have gained more and more popularity. In South Africa some bird farms have rows upon rows of suspended aviaries. They are considered to be more hygienic - Well, everyone has an opinion on hygiene. However, on careful inspection it became clear to us that this is only true if the ground beneath the

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Each interior cage area is 1.5 metres square and is full height, from floor to ceiling. We chose full height to allow easy access for catching and inspecting the birds, it also makes life easier when the vet comes and visits. Both the nest boxes and the feeding stations are attached to the interior frame… suspended aviary is still cleaned once in a while (rather more often than less often). We have seen many suspended aviaries that have piles of guano, husks, feathers and mould littered below them and for us it just comes down to plain laziness - A breeding ground for bacteria, virus, and disease. Birds require work and be it suspended or conventional aviaries - you still need to clean up after your birds. So this combination of both an interior full height roosting, feeding, nesting area with an exercise suspended flight attached to it, seems to offer the best of both worlds. The interior section does need cleaning often, but nothing that a hose and disinfectant can’t handle. As long as one has good drainage, the chore takes a few minutes. If you look carefully at the plan you will see that the aviary block consists of five enclosures that will house the same species of bird. Again we want to re-iterate our obsessivness - Don’t let it win it will only be a stumbling block.

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Rather focus on fewer species and build up unrelated breeding stock and you won’t look back. It also means that you can pair up unrelated babies and sell them off as unrelated pairs; also, no need for swopping babies or trying to find mates for them from other breeders. The suspended cages have frames made with 50mmx50mm galvanized square steel tubing, the galvanized mesh should be an appropriate size for the species you wish to house in the aviaries, it has been stretched around the frames and tied with stainless steel wire. Pop rivets were used to connect the mesh to the frames on the interior walls. A solid concrete floor was cast and screed with a 10mm fall towards the drains and weep holes. Do not forget drainage, stagnant water is difficult to remove without a good drainage system. The entire ceiling is covered with mesh so that the birds cannot access any part of the wooden beams that hold the roof up.

Once the building was complete it was clad in dry packed sand stone that was chopped on site (in order to allow the aviary to blend into its natural surroundings). Several large trees were brought in to plant between and in front of the suspended cages. We chose indigenous species like Figus Nataliensis, Podocarpos falcatus and the protected Milk-woods, trees that would handle the environment and weather. Indigenous shrubs and bushes along with fruiting trees with vegetables planted below and around the whole aviary. Great treats for the birds when the fruit and berries are in season. Remember a sink and hot and cold water would also be a good addition to the access corridor, as well as a prepping area for food - If this is where you plan to prepare your bird’s smorgas-board from. We opted to keep this away from the aviaries due to it being an attraction for vermin. Food should always be stored well away from access by rats and mice. Lighting

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is also important and one should try to install full spectrum lights. The most important thing to remember is what the birds will think of their “castle,” after all they are the ones who are going to have to live in it (so they need to be as happy as we CLICK THE LINK BELOW: http://www.theparrotsocietyuk.org/donations.php can make them). If you truly love your feathered friends build them a home that is spacious, safe and most of all takes their interests to heart. Richard Lovelace wrote a poem in the sixteen hundreds that began with the words: “Stone walls do not a prison make, nor iron bars a cage,” I bet our birds would beg to disagree don’t you think? 1 16/3/09 11:02 Page 1 Parrot Society Ad1.qxd:Layout

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•

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Special Discount for Parrot Society members: Quote reference PS1 and your membership number to get your first month FREE!

The first name in exotic animal insurance For a no obligation quote or further information call us now:

0800 626012

or visit our web site at

www.exoticdirect.co.uk

ExoticDirect is a trading style of Brooks Braithwaite (Sussex) Ltd. Brooks Braithwaite (Sussex) Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA)

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