3 Bird Scene - December 2011 & January 2012 by Theparrotsociety

BIRD ISSUE THREE DECEMBER 2011 / January 2012

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THE KNOWLEDGE CENTRE FOR ALL PET BIRDS

BREEDING MUTATION RED-FRONTED KAKARIKI This relates to the very beautiful yellow mutation.

ZEBRA FINCHES PART II How to breed these enchanting exhibition finches by Ken Lockwood and Gerald Massey

BY TONY PITTMAN

23 IS RD SU E F 4 20 EB O 12 RU UT AR Y

MAJOR MITCHELL’S

A round up of the competition results from Stafford

FR EE

CONSERVATION

NATIONAL EXHIBITION

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CONTENTS

BIRD SCENE DECEMBER 2011 / JANUARY 2012

CONTENTS ONSERVATION THE 06 CMAJOR MITCHELL’S COCKATOO An in-depth report by Tony Pittman on this exciting project.

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

EBRA FINCHES 14 ZPART II How to breed these enchanting exhibition finches by Ken Lockwood and Gerald Massey.

ATIONAL 30 NEXHIBITION RESULTS Fom the clubs who supported the P.S. so strongly on 9th October 2011.

ON THE COVER

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THE KNOWLEDGE CENTRE FOR ALL PET BIRDS

BREEDING MUTATION RED-FRONTED KAKARIKI This relates to the very beautiful yellow mutation.

ZEBRA FINCHES PART II How to breed these enchanting exhibition finches by Ken Lockwood and Gerald Massey

NATIONAL EXHIBITION

CONSERVATION

MAJOR MITCHELL’S BY TONY PITTMAN

A round up of the competition results from Stafford

23 IS RD SU E FE 4 20 B O 12 RU UT AR Y

BIRD FR EE

ISSUE THREE DECEMBER 2011 / January 2012

BREEDING MUTATION RED-FRONTED KAKARIKI This relates to the very beautiful yellow mutation of this New Zealand Parakeet.

BIRD SCENE: Issue Three, December 2011 / January 2012 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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INTRODUCT T

his is the third edition of Bird Scene which went ‘live’ on Monday 22nd August 2011 and is proving so successful as it allows us to promote both our Conservation projects that have interest around the world and give publicity to The National Exhibition that is so strongly supported by the 17 exhibiting clubs who exhibit at this event. I am certain that this third edition of Bird Scene will give readers the same level of quality and interest as the first two. 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 February/March 2012 edition appearing on 23rd February 2012. By fixing the date of Issue 4 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. Our intention is to use Bird Scene

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to promote and raise donations for our Conservation activities around the world there are donation points on pages 3, 13, 41, 53 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 a pictorial account appeared in the second issue and in this edition there are the results of the exhibition listed club by club which I am sure you will find interesting. The large banners publicising Bird Scene prominently displayed at The National Exhibition which received an attendance of over 6,000 visitors did much to promote this publication to UK hobbyist bird breeders. In this issue Tony Pittman gives details of our longest running conservation project, the tinning of trees in Australia selected as nesting cavities by the beautiful Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo to protect them from predation by goannas, tree climbing lizards, which eat their nestlings. In this edition is the second

TION

BY THE EDITOR

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. In these two items Gerald gives details of starting up with these birds and also breeding them his writing is excellent and soundly based on his extensive experiences with these enchanting finches proved the ideal location to promote this e-magazine. From correspondence it seems that the first part was very well received, details of the Zebra Finch Society and how to join appear at the end of the article. I continue to receive communication from around the world enthusing on the quality and content of Bird Scene which both gives me and the Parrot Society Council great satisfaction. Also in this third edition we are also pleased to have an article on breeding the Violaceous Turaco (Musophaga violacea) written by Geoff Bailey which I am sure will be of great interest to

LES RANCE

those fascinated in these rare fruit eating softbills that are becoming fairly scarce in the UK. There is also an article on mutation Redfronted Kakariki (Cyanoramphus n.novaezelandiae) which will be of interest to those breeding colour mutations of parakeets it contains a great deal of information and some excellent images. I do hope you enjoy this e-magazine please tell your friends where to find it!!

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

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CONSERVATI

OF THE MAJOR MITCHELL’S COC IN NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRA

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FEATURE

ARTICLE BY: TONY PITTMAN

ION

CKATOO ALIA

he tree-tinning project to prevent the active nests of Major Mitchell Cockatoos (Cacatua leadbeateri) being predated by goannas, a type of monitor lizard, is the longest supported by the Parrot Society UK. To date just over £18,000 has been donated to it. It all began nearly twenty years ago when John Mollindinia, a highly respected founder member of the Parrot Society UK, travelled to Australia to gain first-hand experience of the cockatoo, a particular favourite of BIRD SCENE 7

John Mollin were few M then discov predation b which nimb they hear c up whole.

his. There he met Ray Ackroyd, who to this day organises tours in the southeastern states of New South Wales and Victoria as well as being a government licensed bird trapper. The availability of water in recent times as well as cereal crops, both in the field and stored, as a result of farming activities in a semi - arid area of Australia had caused an explosion in the bird populations, particularly the Eastern Galah (Eolophus r. albiceps), Slender-billed Corella (Cacatua tenuirostris) and Sulphur-crested

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Cockatoo (Cacatua g. galerita), which devastated the crops and had been subsequently designated “pest” species by the Australian authorities. Ray has tried to persuade these authorities to allow export of these species, but to date these attempts have been rebuffed. John Mollindinia noticed during his visit that there were few Major Mitchell cockatoos to be seen and then discovered that they suffered from constant predation by goannas, a species of monitor lizard, which nimbly

FEATURE

ndinia noticed during his visit that there Major Mitchell cockatoos to be seen and vered that they suffered from constant by goannas, a species of monitor lizard, bly climb the trees when, for instance, chicks calling for food and gobble them

climb the trees when, for instance, they hear chicks calling for food and gobble them up whole. The lizard concerned is the Lace monitor (Varanus varius), which is the second largest of this reptile group reaching 2 metres (6½ feet) in length and weighing as much as 20 kg (44 lbs). They can forage over long distances (up to 3 km - nearly two miles) in one day and feed on insects, smaller lizards, snakes, small mammals, birds and eggs, which they usually eat whole. They also feed on carrion as well as food waste in domestic rubbish in inhabited areas. The name goanna is believed to be derived from “iguana” with the initial vowel sound dropped because the aborigines found it difficult to pronounce. In addition to the lizards feral cats also predated the nests of the cockatoos. Ray told John that he thought that the problem might be resolved by placing a smooth flexible sheet of tin at least one metre in height around the trees below the nesting cavities which

would act as an effective barrier to either lizards or cats reaching the nest. Branches also needed to be cut back on surrounding trees so that the lizards or feral cats could not gain access to the nesting cavities that way. This pruning work has to be completed with a bush saw as a chain saw could frighten the birds. Ray agreed with John that he would carry out a trial. As part of this he would also assess the population of Major Mitchell Cockatoos in the local area and make a special note of the youngsters at the end of the next breeding season (1993). The results were very encouraging with an increase in the number of Major Mitchell Cockatoos in the area concerned. Since then Ray has carried out a programme of tinning nesting trees and maintaining them. This is not as straightforward as it sounds. Firstly he lives near Sydney, several hundred kilometres from the areas concerned, and there are often no proper roads so that the terrain damages his vehicle tyres. The sheaths of metal around the trees have to be covered

…he would also assess the population of Major Mitchell Cockatoos in the local area and make a special note of the youngsters at the end of the next breeding season

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with camouflage paint so they are not obvious to human predators and the nails re-fixed if necessary. This is particularly important after a dry period as the nails often work loose. Apart from the tinning and pruning work, Ray also plants camel melons near to breeding trees. These melons are apparently poisonous to human beings, but their seeds are eaten with relish by the cockatoos. The melons were introduced to Australia by Afghans as a food source for their camels, when these were an important means of transport in the outback. The parrots also feed on pine nuts (probably Callitris columellaris), Wilga seeds (Geijera parviflora), seeds from the mulga tree (Acacia aneura) and tobacco bush (probably Solanum mauritianum) as well as thistledown and various seeding grasses.

On his return John Mollindina proposed that the Parrot Society UK support the tinning project with regular donations. When he died in January 2001 the Council decided to continue to support the conservation work in New South Wales, in part to commemorate John Mollindinia’s involvement. In March 2002 David Coombes, who had just retired as Secretary of the Parrot Society UK, travelled to Australia with several other members of the Society and an active nesting tree was chosen on the Tandou farm of some 206,000 acres (82,400 hectares), which is several hundred miles west of Sydney and north-west of Melbourne, as the memorial site for him. Together with Ray Ackroyd they fastened a metal plaque to the tree - a Curly Mallee (Eucalyptus gillii). It remains there to

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this day and is maintained by the staff on the Tandou farm. Most writers on the project refer to mallee trees and forests, but this does not refer to a species of tree, but the growing pattern of certain eucalyptus species as well as gum trees (Corymbia sp.) and myrtle (Angophora sp.). In the semi-arid climate of the area these trees grow with multiple stems springing from an underground tuber to a height of no more than 10 metres (33 feet). They form the dominant vegetation throughout the semi-arid areas with reliable winter rainfall of southeast Australia measuring some 12

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250,000 sq. kilometres. The pair of Major Mitchell Cockatoos, who made the nesting cavity in the tree their home have over the years produced many young. Ray Ackroyd visited the tree known as John’s tree, in August of this year after a few years absence on conservation work elsewhere and found that the nesting cavity is still being used by the pair. Ray considered replacing the tin with heavy duty plastic, but initial trials seemed to suggest that tin is better in the long term. The trial plastic became very brittle under extreme weather and started to crack, particularly

FEATURE better as well as much less expensive to strap old dry logs to existing trees and continue to clad the tree. The tinning procedure is now being used by other conservation groups in Australia to assist threatened species at risk of being predated by lizards, feral cats and foxes. Thus Ray and John’s considerations all those years ago have proven to be of great benefit to a wide range of endangered species. The Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo population in southeast Australia continues to grow as a result of the work carried out by Ray Ackroyd under difficult conditions there and the Parrot Society UK will continue to support this important conservation activity. You can make a direct contribution to this through the Parrot Society website. around the points where the nails were driven through. However the wood of the trees is very hard and it is not easy to fix the tin to the trees. Therefore Ray is now considering using a different type of plastic and using wire fixed top and bottom to tie them to the trees. He also discovered the park management team at the nearby national park had commenced a trial with large pine nesting logs on concrete poles. However these are expensive and do not appear to appeal to the cockatoos. They seem to prefer smaller nest sites. Ray felt it would be

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

BIRD SCENE 13

ZEBRA FINCHES PART II

ARTICLE BY: KEN LOCKWOOD AND GERALD MASSEY Photograph © Tony Tilford | www.naturepicturesource.com

14 BIRD SCENE

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n the wild, where zebra finches breed in small colonies, both the cock and the hen help to build the nest. After a short ceremony, which includes a dance of courtship, the cock collects the material and the hen forms it into a nest. The typical nest is spherical with a very small entrance hole and is located in dense, thorny bushes. Obviously it is difficult to simulate this form of nest when cage breeding as we usually provide only one nest and offer no choice of the breeding pair. However, we are fortunate that zebra finches can be very accommodating

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in this respect. Aviary breeding gives more scope for zebra finches to behave as though they are in the wild. They can search for a nesting site, perform a mating ceremony and get on with nest building. By providing two nestboxes for every pair, it is possible to ensure that there is little aggression. The nest boxes should be spaced as far apart as is practicable and, although they can be fixed at different heights, they should never be placed one above another. When cage breeding, the nest-box should be half filled with nesting material (we use hay) pushed into a rough nest shape. Before doing this the interior of the box should be treated with an anti-mite powder or liquid. We then place nesting material - such as coconut fibre - on the cage floor for the birds to complete the nests. Moss is also a good nesting material but avoid synthetics, such as carpet fibres. These can get tangled around the birds’ legs and damage them. This year for the first time, Gerald’s wife has used soft white feathers, out of a discarded duvet, as nesting material

for her foreign birds. The zebra finches were also given a small quantity and their nests were soon white feather lined. One disadvantage is that with a white nest it is not so easy to see the eggs. Once a nest has been built, all remaining nesting material should be removed from the cage – and that includes millet sprays and green food. We have seen a cock zebra finch fly up to a nest-box, 6ft (1.8m) above him, carrying a millet spray. We have also seen one cover his partner’s eggs with a lettuce leaf. If there is any material what so ever, they might build a second nest on top of the first clutch of eggs – and then a third on top of the second clutch – and so on, with no eggs being incubated. Interestingly, when zebra finches are colony breeding in aviaries, this sandwich nesting is not a problem – probably because the birds have more choice and the conditions are more natural. Nest-boxes for cage breeding are traditionally made of wood. A typical box takes the form of a 6in (15cm) cube with a 2½ to 3in (6.3 to 7.5cm) high aperture across the

Aviary breeding gives more scope for zebra finches to behave as though they are in the wild. They can search for a nesting site, perform a mating ceremony and get on with nest building. By providing two nest-boxes for every pair, it is possible to ensure that there is little aggression. The nest boxes should be spaced as far apart as is practicable and, although they can be fixed at different heights, they should never be placed one above another.

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The nest-box can be fitted either on the inside or the outside of the breeding cage. This is a matter of choice that can be influenced by the sizes of cages and the bird room itself. If the breeding cages are small, the box may take up too much space. In a small bird room, outside mounted nest-boxes could be in danger of being dislodged by the breeder as he or she moves around the room. top of the front face. The lid must be either hinged or removable to permit inspections and afford access to eggs and chicks. Some breeders believe it is important to have ventilation holes in the bottom of the box to permit air to circulate and to help control humidity. This aspect of nest-box design has never worried us unduly – though we would consider it to be much more important if the box was made of plastic. The nest-box can be fitted either on the inside or the outside of the breeding cage. This is a matter of choice that can be influenced by the sizes of cages and the bird room itself. If the breeding cages are small, the box may take up too much space. In a small bird room, outside mounted nest-boxes could be in danger of being dislodged by the breeder as he or she moves around the room. We, as partners, take a different view on nest-box locations. Gerald prefers nest-boxes on the outside, while Ken puts his inside the cages. Our birds breed equally well with either arrangement. With the box on the outside the entrance aperture automatically faces the rear wall of

the cage, but an interior nest-box can face in any direction. Ken positions his boxes so that the aperture faces the sides of the cages. If ever Gerald uses an inside box he faces it towards the back wall. One thing we both agree on is that it is not good practice to have the nest-box entrance facing the cage front so that the occupants can see every movement in the bird room. This can cause the birds to leave their nests. A disturbed hen has been known to panic and leave the box, without realising that she has a chick under her wing – which then drops to the cage floor and dies. Most of our birds accept the position of the nest-boxes we choose. However, occasionally, they decide that they would refer to build their nest elsewhere – usually in the corner of the cage or on top of the nest-box. If it is the former, the solution is to place the nest-box in the corner of the cage that the birds have chosen. If the latter, taking the lid off the box usually persuades them to nest inside it. The claws of breeding birds should be checked to make sure that they are not

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too long. Overgrown claws can drag nesting material from the nest – and chicks along with it. We both inspect our nest-boxes regularly to make sure that all is well, but we stop looking once youngsters have been close rung – and certainly before they are 12 days old. This is to avoid chicks leaving the nest before they are mature enough to do so safely. It is normal for strong, feathered, healthy zebra finch chicks to leave the nest-box and return. Eventually, when they are fully fledged they leave for good. If a hen wants to get on with the next clutch of eggs before the chicks have left the nestbox, we either remove the eggs and foster them to another pair or add an extra nest-box so that the hen and her eggs can be in one while the chicks are in the other. You may see the parents start to pluck the feathers out of their youngsters. Primarily, this is to drive them away from the nest, but also can have a secondary purpose – to gather feathers for nesting material.

Cardboard nest box attached to a breeding cage

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For the past few years we have both used cardboard nest-boxes. In our opinion, these are the finest addition to the range of zebra finch breeding equipment in the recent past. We can list the advantages – they are relatively cheap; they are supplied as flat packs and are easy to unfold and make into boxes; at the end of a breeding round they can be thrown away; you do not have to wash and disinfect them (as you do with wooden boxes); they come with breeding record cards printed on their sides and they do not take up a lot of storage space in the bird room for 6 months every year. The only disadvantage we have found is that the hole used to hang them up can wear. To counteract this, we fix them with screws that have large heads. If nails are used for hanging the cardboard nest-boxes they need to be set at an angle of 45 degrees so that the boxes slide down them and stay firmly in place. We will now list other zebra finch nest-box types

Pack of cardboard nest boxes

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We both inspect our nest-boxes regularly to make sure that all is well, but we stop looking once youngsters have been close rung – and certainly before they are 12 days old. This is to avoid chicks leaving the nest before they are mature enough to do so safely. It is normal for strong, feathered, healthy zebra finch chicks to leave the nest-box and return. that we have seen. A fairly common one is the enclosed wicker basket with a small entrance hole. Although these go some way toward replicating wild-type nests and can look quite attractive when colony breeding in an aviary, they are no use at all for cage breeding as you cannot make inspections or get at the chicks to ring them. Among the more unusual nestboxes we have seen are empty plastic margarine tubs. We once went to an aviary where these were being used to breed zebra finches, canaries and foreign finches all in the same flight. The whole set-up was crude – and, at first sight, unsuitable – but there were eggs and chicks everywhere. We have seen homemade cardboard nest-boxes constructed from egg food cartons. When Gerald visited Australia he found many bird rooms, and most of the equipment, was made out of metal. This is because termites eat anything made from wood. One breeder went one step further and used cans that had contained tinned fruit as nesting appliances for his zebra finches. They appeared to work well. Finally, and also

in Australia, one breeder used blocks of foam rubber, 3in (7.5cm) thick and 6in (15cm) square, with a concave hollowed out in the top surface, placed inside conventional nest-boxes. No other nesting material whatsoever was made available to the birds. At the end of a breeding round, the foam was washed, disinfected and hung out to dry. Once again, it is easy to imagine conventionalists saying that such an arrangement is unsuitable for breeding zebra finches – but the breeder supplied his own answer. He was breeding zebra finches by the dozen. THE START OF THE ZEBRA FINCH BREEDING SEASON Some keen zebra finch fanciers will have started their breeding seasons early in the year. However, many others – particularly those without electric lighting and heating in their bird rooms – will be pairing up their birds by the end of March / beginning of April. Any breeding season has its share of disappointments – and most have some successes. The starting point to any successful breeding

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THE ZEBRA FINCH SOCIETY Some of the many Zebra Finch Mutations currently available to fanciers in the UK

Founded 1952. THE ZEBRA FINCH SOCIETY IS THE

FAWN

WORLD’S OLDEST SPECIALIST SOCIETY DEDICATED TO THE BREEDING, KEEPING AND EXHIBITING OF ZEBRA FINCHES.

GREY

Not a member of the ZFS? Then why not join our society by contacting our Membership Secretary: Mr Allen Bennett. ZFS Membership Secretary, 11 Primrose Way, Seaton, East Devon. EX12 2UR. or download an application form online.

Membership costs: Single & partnerships = £15.00 Senior Citizens (65 & over) = £12.00 Junior (under the age of 16) = £10.00 Overseas Members = £20.00 Society Affiliation = £5.00

LIGHTBACK

CHESTNUT FLANKED WHITE

BLACK BREASTED BLACK CHEEKED

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ORANGE BREASTED

You can view more standard varieties online, as well as finding out all about Zebra Finch Husbandry, Our Show Calendar, News and much more...

VISIT US AT OUR WEBSITE

www.zebrafinchsociety.co.uk

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season is the laying of eggs. Zebras get off the mark quite quickly and some hens lay their first egg within four days of being paired. We would normally expect eggs to appear between four and seven days. There is no need to be too hasty if a hen does not lay within that time scale. We leave a non laying pair for three weeks before taking any action. If neither of the partners is showing any interest, we transfer both birds into flights or flight cages with groups of birds of their own sex. They stay there for two or three weeks before being reconsidered for pairing. If both birds appear to be breeding fit but just not compatible – perhaps with one spending most of its time on the perch while the other is on the

floor of the cage – we would consider finding new mates for both cock and hen without them going through the rest period. Zebra finches are generally peaceful and friendly birds and only on very rare occasions do they attack their mates. However, you still need to be vigilant when putting two birds of the opposite sex together – until you are sure they have settled down. That is doubly so in the case when a change of breeding partner is involved. If the cock is observed treading the hen – but no eggs appear – the hen must be the suspect member of the partnership. If, on the other hand, eggs are laid but turn out to be infertile, there is a strong possibility that it is the cock that needs to be replaced.

Zebra Finches mating

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Our normal system of nest-box inspecting is to check the boxes every other day until the first egg is due to hatch and from that date – whether an egg has hatched or not – inspections are made every day. Once an egg is seen in a nest-box the bird room calendar is marked with the cage number, at 14 days later. This is by no means an exact measure, as, although the standard incubation period for a zebra finch egg is accepted as being 14 days, we have known some to hatch at 13 days. It is also true that not all hens start incubating until more than one egg has been laid. Then, the apparent incubation period of the first egg is longer than 14 days. If the hen lays just one egg and others do not appear at the expected times, the egg is removed after two or three days so that the hen can get on with laying, hopefully, a full clutch. Eggs are examined to check if they are fertile six days before they are due to hatch. Once incubation is well under way, the experienced eye can see whether an egg is clear without the need to handle it. The less experienced may need to hold the egg up to the light. If the

egg appears to be solid, almost pebble like, it is fertile. If a fertile egg has been incubated for at least four days you will see signs of the developing chick. The blood circulation system is particularly obvious in the form of red veins. If light passes through an incubated egg so that only the yellow yolk can be seen, there is every chance that it is infertile – though remember, some hens do not begin incubating until they have laid two or three eggs. If in doubt, leave making any decision about apparently clear eggs for another couple of days and check again. To some extent, the action taken when a clutch of eggs is found to be infertile is influenced by the state of affairs in other parts of the bird room. If, for instance, a very good pair has ten eggs then half of these will be placed under the hen that has laid the clear round. If there is no immediate need for fostering, the clear eggs can be removed to encourage the hen to lay again. Fourteen days after the first egg was laid, we feed soft food to the pair concerned, even if an egg has not hatched. From that point, soft food is offered once a day. We feed it fairly dry,

Occasionally, a chick starts to chip its way out of the shell but then ceases to make progress. In such instances, we keep a close eye on the situation and if we believe there is a risk that the chick will die unless given some assistance, we chip the shell very gently until the crack is just more than half way round…

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just dampened with a little water, and so there is not much risk that it will go sour. If there were such a risk the daily supply of soft food would be fed in two stages. We used to feed bread and milk as soft food, but cages, nest-boxes and the birds themselves became very messy. Although bread and milk is a good rearing food, it is not as good as many of the scientifically developed proprietary egg foods that are currently available. Occasionally, a chick starts to chip its way out of the shell but then ceases to make progress. In such instances, we keep a close eye on the situation and if we believe there is a risk that the chick will die unless given some assistance, we chip the shell very gently until the crack is just more than half way round – just to the point where one half of the shell will hinge from the other. After that, nature is left to take its course. Under no circumstances should the chick be ‘helped’ from the shell. If it is to survive it needs to escape without further assistance. WHEN THERE ARE ZEBRA FINCH CHICKS IN THE NEST It is not easy to predict exactly when a particular zebra finch egg will hatch – even though the accepted incubation period is 14 days. Occasionally an egg will hatch 13 days after it was first seen but it is when a hen

begins incubating that is the main determining factor. Some hens begin sitting as soon as they lay the first egg. Then you can expect chicks to hatch on consecutive days. Other hens delay the start of incubation until they have laid several eggs and then three, four or five chicks can appear on the same days. When six eggs hatch over a period of six days, the last chick to hatch is inevitably much smaller than the first. This brings the risk of the youngest being squashed or neglected and so we try to find a foster nest that contains chicks closer to its own size. When choosing a foster nest, it is best to select one in which the parents own chicks will be of a different colour or variety. This makes it easier to maintain accurate records. At one time we experimented with removing eggs as they were laid and returning them when there was a full clutch – much as many canary breeders do. Eventually we decided that the extra work this involved and the risk of damaging eggs when handling them outweighed any advantages. We also resort to fostering when there is only one chick in the nest. You might expect a single chick to be well fed because it receives all of the hens attention – but this is rarely the case. Some under occupied hens get bored

BIRD SCENE 23

and neglect their duties. Others are so keen to get on with the next breeding round that the lone chick is seen as a nuisance. We have noticed that a single chick often suffers from leg problems – probably because they have no brothers or sisters to push against when raising themselves to be fed. Moving such a chick to another nest is better for its development and permits the hen to get on with producing another clutch of eggs.

parental feeding has got properly underway. We normally inspect during the early evening. Having said that, during a recent early morning walk through the bird room a two day old chick was found on the cage floor apparently dead and as cold as ice. Presumably it had inadvertently been carried from the nest by one of its parents. Once the chick had been warmed it ‘came to life’ and is now developing well. There is not a great deal one can do

Zebra Finch chicks

Once there are chicks in the nestbox we inspect it every day. One of the main reasons for doing this is to ensure that the chicks have food in their crops. For this reason, we do not usually inspect early in the day, before

24 BIRD SCENE

about a hen that is feeding badly – except to foster her chicks. However, do not be too hasty to discard such a hen from the breeding team as she may well feed properly at the next attempt. Very fit zebra finches are

FEATURE

Ideally, zebra finch chicks should leave the nest when they are fully feathered but, once again, parents keen to get on with the next round can upset proceedings. often over anxious to get on with producing the next round of chicks and are not as attentive as they might be to their nesting duties. Another thing to look out for when making inspections is a dirty nest. These can be caused by the soft food that is being offered. Sometimes too much egg food is the problem and cutting back the supply can do the trick. In our experience, a particular brand of egg food has caused dirty boxes in one bird room but not in another. Once you find a brand that suits your birds, stick with it. Dirty nests should be cleaned out or the nest-box can be replaced. At around seven days it is time to start checking whether a chick’s legs are large enough to be ringed with an official Zebra Finch Society closed coded ring – without the ring falling off again. It is impossible to be precise about a ringing age as even chicks of the same variety in the same nest can differ. Some varieties tend to be ready for ringing earlier than others. For example, as a general rule we would expect to ring Normals and Fawns at a younger age than Penguins or the nonstandard varieties. Once chicks have been rung we

stop the daily nest-box inspections. This is because the disturbance can cause chicks to leave the nest-box prematurely, before they are capable of finding their own way back. This is when having chicks of different ages in the same nest-box can cause problems. The older ones leave the box and return at will whereas the younger ones follow them and finish up spending the night on the cage floor if not detected. Ideally, zebra finch chicks should leave the nest when they are fully feathered but, once again, parents keen to get on with the next round can upset proceedings. They throw the chicks out of the nest-box and drive them away. This is when feather plucking of chicks can occur. Plucking is not always rejection behaviour. It can also be a way of collecting nesting material – as demonstrated when parent birds pluck each other. Whatever the cause, feather plucking is undesirable. One way of coping with the problem of ejected chicks is to provide a second nest-box. More often than not, the cock and the rejected chicks will occupy one, while the hen gets on with laying eggs in another. An advantage of this approach is that

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the first round of chicks is unlikely to damage the second round eggs. The breeding cage feeding arrangements comprises a large dish of a budgerigar mixture that is strong in millets and weak in canary seed, a small dish of panicum millet, egg food, a mixture of mineralized and oyster shell grit plus clean drinking water. Once chicks are out in the cage the small dish of panicum is replaced by a large one. Zebra finch chicks love panicum and consume twice as much as they do the budgerigar mixture. We do not offer millet sprays at this stage because the parents would shred them up and use them as nesting material, possibly on top of incubating eggs. Many zebra finch breeders assume that when chicks have been seen feeding themselves it is safe to remove them from the breeding cage. We do not agree. We prefer to use the calendar as our measure of maturity. We set up nursery cages with batches of youngsters removed from their parents at the same time. So, on a given day, usually a Saturday or Sunday, we remove every chick that is over five weeks old.

The reason for this approach is that when there are chicks of different ages in the same breeding cage it would be easy to remove a chick before it is fully self-supporting. Since adopting this method our losses of chicks during the weaning period has fallen to less than one per cent. Our nursery cages are, in effect, flight cages formed by removing dividers to form triple or quadruple cage units. Such a cage will comfortably house 20 to 30 youngsters. Zebra finch youngsters seem happiest when in a large group at this stage of their development. This is the point when millet sprays are added to the diet that they enjoyed while in the breeding cage. The sprays provide plenty of activity as well as nutrition. One of the most enjoyable experiences at this period of the zebra finch year is watching youngsters take a bath. It is then their individual characters can be seen at their best. Some plunge straight into the water without a moment’s hesitation, others merely dip in a toe and a few skirt all around the dish hardly getting wet. It is a lovely sight to see.

One of the most enjoyable experiences at this period of the zebra finch year is watching youngsters take a bath. It is then their individual characters can be seen at their best. Some plunge straight into the water without a moment’s hesitation, others merely dip in a toe and a few skirt all around the dish hardly getting wet. It is a lovely sight to see.

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FEATURE

A pair of Zebra Finches

WHEN THE TIME COMES TO SPLIT UP BREEDING PAIRS OF ZEBRA FINCH There comes a point in every breeding season when pairs need to be split up. In our case it is almost always at the end of the second breeding round. Feeding chicks takes a lot out of parent birds so we are never tempted to let them go on to feed a third round though, if the early chicks of a particular pair are outstanding we have been known to let a hen lay a third clutch of eggs and then foster out the clutch. Compared to feeding, laying eggs has no adverse effect on a zebra finch hen’s physical condition. One of the benefits of maintaining a relatively large stud of zebra finches is that it is not too difficult to find suitable foster

nests for eggs – without ever making pairings with the express intention of using them as foster pairs. If there is a possibility that eggs will need to be transferred, a hen with a clear clutch will be permitted to carry on sitting. If a hen has four fertile eggs, there is room for a couple from another pair. In set-ups such as ours it is usually possible to transfer eggs to a pair of a different colour so that there can be no confusion over parentage. For the decision to be made to split up a pair, their last chick or chicks must be ready for weaning. Full details of the chick – parentage, hatching date, colour and sex – are entered in the record book at the time. You may think you have a good memory but leaving such details

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until later can bring doubt about pedigrees. Our approach to housing parent birds that have just been split up is very similar to the way we deal with weaning chicks. Cocks and hens are housed separately in flight cages. While they are breeding, the pairs are given access to baths every three or four days. The breeding season causes feathers to get dirty and damaged – [particularly those of the hens – so bathing is permitted more frequently during the recuperation period. Success with zebra finch exhibition finches depends upon getting them into the right condition at the right time. For example, when the show season comes to an end, it is necessary to bring them down from their high show condition. This is achieved, in the main, by being housed in flights for six to eight weeks. The change in their appearance after that period can be so striking that a winning bird can be almost unrecognizable. After a hard breeding season, they need to be rested before being brought back into show condition. The staple diet consists of a budgerigar mixture that is strong in millets and weak

in canary seed. Millet sprays, which were withheld during the breeding season, are now made available. The sprays offer extra nourishment and promote activity. We do not experience problems of hens putting on weight during the breeding season. Feeding a couple of rounds of youngsters keeps them trim. Any egg food that is left over after catering for the needs of pairs that are still breeding or weaning youngsters is given to the recuperating adults. When it comes to mineral/vitamin supplements, we have found that those specifically developed for pigeons are very good. We use two types, one that is given in the drinking water and another, a powder, that is sprinkled onto the mixture of mineralized and oyster shell grit that is always available. Our birds pounce on the powdered supplement as soon as it is added. If, after a couple of weeks close observation, the breeding birds are still fully fit, they are transferred from the flight cages into flights. Again, the sexes are segregated. With zebra finches, you get a certain degree of chasing and squabbling even in

When it comes to mineral/vitamin supplements, we have found that those specifically developed for pigeons are very good. We use two types, one that is given in the drinking water and another, a powder, that is sprinkled onto the mixture of mineralized and oyster shell grit that is always available. Our birds pounce on the powdered supplement as soon as it is added.

28 BIRD SCENE

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single-sex accommodation, but mixing the sexes makes potential problems even worse. Youngsters are given a little longer in cages, where it is easier to keep an eye on them, before being given access to flights. Some take longer than others to reach the maturity needed for the more strenuous and demanding conditions of a flight but, in general, three or four weeks in cages is usually long enough. Although, to the casual observer, not much seems to be happening during this part of the zebra finch year, it is, in fact, a very important period. It is all about exercise, complimented by plenty of bathing. Youngsters are left to their own devices and given a chance to develop physically –

without trying to get them to put on weight and without paying any attention to their show potential. Only two measures are taken in preparation for show training – Fitting show cages to the flights and fixing show cage perches to the wall of the cages. Millet sprays in the show cages encourage the youngsters to enter and the separate perches are set at the same distance apart as in a show cage. Both measures give youngsters valuable experience and build up their confidence. The time will come when stock needs to be sorted into three categories – candidates for the show team, the breeding team and those that will be discarded. To be continued...

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NATIONAL E COMPETITIO

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EXHIBITION ON RESULTS JAVA SPARROWS A very nice Normal benched by Ken Jones from Gwynedd was awarded Best Adult Java and also went on to become Best Java in Show. 125 entries were benched. The award for Best C.Y.O.B. Java went to another very well presented Normal benched by Norman Chapman from Horncastle. Best Juvenile Exhibit was awarded to Miss Luanna Elliott. Other winners were, Adult Normal 1. Ken Jones 2. Ken Jones 3. Bill Warmington Adult Silver 1. Frank Carter 2. Ken Jones 3. Ken Jones Adult Fawn 1. Norman Chapman 2. Norman Chapman 3. Phil Thompson Adult White 1. Bill Warmington 2. Bill Warmington 3. Bill Warmington Adult Cream 1. Phil Thompson 2. Norman Chapman 3. Andy Dutton Adult Pastel 1. Phil Thompson Adult Opal Isabel 1. Andy Dutton 2. Norman Chapman 3. Norman Chapman Adult Agate 1. Norman Chapman Adult Pied 1. Norman Chapman Adult A.O.C 1. Andy. Dutton Adult Pairs 1. Robert Birkwood 2. Norman Chapman 3. Sharon Joy CYOB Normal 1. Norman Chapman 2. Norman Chapman 3. Frank Carter CYOB Silver 1. Norman Chapman 2. Norman Chapman 3. Andy Dutton CYOB Fawn 1. Norman Chapman 2. Andy Dutton 3. Andy Dutton CYOB White 1. Norman Chapman 2. Robert Birkwood 3. Mike Keane CYOB Cream 1. Norman Chapman 2. Norman Chapman 3. Wayne Thomas CYOB Pastel 1. Norman Chapman CYOB Opal Isabel 1. Norman Chapman 2. Andy Dutton 3. Andy Dutton CYOB Agate 1. Norman Chapman CYOB Pairs 1. Norman Chapman 2. Andy Dutton 3. Andy Dutton. BIRD SCENE 31

Best Normal Best Silver Best Fawn Best White Best Pied Best Cream Best Pastel Best Opal Isabel Best Agate Best Any Other Best Pair

Ken Jones Frank Carter Norman Chapman Bill Warmington Norman Chapman Norman Chapman Phil Thompson Norman Chapman Norman Chapman ColourAndy Dutton Robert Birkwood

The birds were judged by Rick Crook from Scunthorpe.

John Record. John selected Bridget Boulton’s Clear Cap silver Hen as Best Lizard, this also took best silver, it was pushed close by A& S Kendall’s Non Cap Gold cock but this bird had a white tip on a flight feather, but still a very nice bird. Best champion over-year also went to A & S Kendall partnership with a over-year silver hen. In the novice section Best Novice went to the partnership of Wardle & Lowe with a clear cap gold cock. 2nd Best Novice & best novice silver went to Darren Westley with a Broken cap Silver hen. Best novice over-year went to S Martin with a silver hen. I would like to thank all the exhibitors who showed and John Record for judging. David Allen Show Secretary.

BLUE LIZARD CANARY

LIZARD CANARY The Lizard Canary section at the National saw 99 Lizard entered with 80 birds benched on the day. The birds were judge by LCA panel judge

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This was the first ever show for Blue Lizard Canaries. The section was run by the newly formed Blue Lizard Canary Club of Great Britain. Show secretary and founder member David Allen said he was very pleased with the turnout, there was 26 Blues Lizard benched from 7 exhibitors. The birds were judged by COM judge Brian Hogg, who said he felt honored to be the judge of the first ever show for Blue Lizards. The Best Blue Lizard & Best Champion in show went to Joe Coakley with a Clear Cap blue Hen,

FEATURE congratulation Joe you made history. Best novice went to Wardle & Lowe partnership with a clear cap blue cock. Brian was impressed with the quality of the over year birds and gave 2nd Best Novice to a Over-year Blue Hen owed by Steve Martin. Class winners were: Clear Cap Blue Cock--Wardle & Lowe Clear Cap Blue Hen ---Joe Coakley Broken Cap Blue Cock--Joe Coakley Broken Cap Blue Hen ---A & S Kendall Non Cap Blue Cock--- DTA Lizard Stud Non Cap Blue Hen---- Ray Smith Over-Year Blue Cock--- Kevin Skinner Over-Year Blue Hen --Steve Martin I would like to thank everyone for showing their birds and a big ‘thank you’ to Brian for judging the birds. Look forward to see you at the next zone show for Blue Lizards Canary Club at the South Bucks Canary Breeders Association on the 20th of November, all BLCC members will received a schedule, for further details contact David Allen 01865-452476

WAXBILLS AND AUSTRALIAN FINCHES The Waxbill Finch Society had the pleasure of staging both the Waxbill and Australian Finch sections at the recent National Exhibition at Stafford, entries were slightly up on last year

and the standard of all the birds benched was very high, giving the judges, Gerhard Hoffman (Waxbills) and Bob Bradbury (Australians) a very tough job of choosing the best in each section. Gerhard finally decided on R Storey’s beautiful current year owner bred Black Cheeked Waxbill as best in the Waxbill section. Bob went for G Nancarrow’s stunning Red Headed Parrot Finch, again current year owner bred for Best Australian, with a lot of people commenting on the fact this was one of the best examples they had seen for many years. It was nice to see a wide variety of birds on the bench with usual Silverbills, Blue Caps etc., but also Violet Ears, Peters Twinspots and rarities like Vinaceous Firefinch and the beautiful Yellow Bellied Waxbill, what was sad and a sign of the times was the lack of many species once classed as common seed eaters. The Australian section had the usual selection but also a very nice Black Bellied Crimson Finch.

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FEATURE

The main “Specials Winners” were as follows In the Waxbill section R Storey’s Black Cheeked Waxbill was awarded Best in Show and best Current Year owner Bred, the same Exhibitor also went on to take 3rd Best in show and Best Adult Owner Bred with a Cock Violet Ear,2nd Best Current Year Owner Bred with another Violet Ear,3rd Best Adult Owner Bred with a Red Cheeked Cordon Blue and 3rd Best Non Owner Bred with a Lavender Finch. D Lugo claimed 2nd Best In Show and Best Adult Owner Bred with his White Headed Nun also Best Non Owner Bred and 3rd Best Current Year Owner Bred with two Bluecaps. G R Young’s Vinaceous Fire Finch was 2nd Best Non Owner Bred. The Australian Finch section Won by G Nancarrow’s Red Headed Parrot Finch which also took Best

Current Year Owner Bred, he also went home with awards for 3rd Best In Show and Best adult Owner Bred with the cock Black Bellied Crimson Finch. 2nd Best In Show and 2nd Best Current Year Bred went to a Hen Black Headed Gouldian staged by I Mercer and his Hecks Grassfinch was awarded 3rd Best Adult Owner Bred. D Lugo’s Bicheno took 3rd Best Current Year Bred. P&N Setterington took 2nd Best Adult Owner Bred with a Yellow Rumped Diamond Sparrow. The Non Owner Bred specials were won by C Courtney’s Blue Gouldian Cock 2nd was T Mulford’s Parson Finch and C Courntney again taking 3rd with another Gouldian

LOVEBIRDS The Lovebird 1990 Society reported a small drop in numbers in the section this year although the quality of the

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exhibits were excellent. The main prizes went to Andrew and Joseph Morton, whose Normal Peachface took the awards for Best in Section, Best Normal, Best Peachfaced and Best Current Year Owner Bred Lovebird. The same partnership also took 2nd Best Lovebird, 2nd Best Current Year Owner Bred with their Green Opaline. This was followed by their Blackcheeked and best Eyering. The Best Rare Lovebird was awarded to Stevie Stewart with his Abyssinian Lovebird which also took the Best Abyssinian award. The Best Mutation Lovebird was a Whiteface which also went on to win 3rd Best Lovebird owned by Neil Powers. The Best Fischers Lovebird and Best Masked Lovebird were awarded to Tony Mulford. All the birds were judged by Mr Dave Phillips.

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Zebra Finches Best Exhibit In Show Mj Davies Best Champion Exhibit Mj Davies Best Champion Adult R Thomas Best Champion Breeder M J Davies Best Novice Exhibit Chris Green Best Novice Adult Chris Green Best Novice Breeder P Edmundson Best Junior Exhibit Ben Downing Best Junior Adult Ben Downing Best Junior Breeder Ben Downing Best Colour Awards Best Normals R Thomas Best Fawns Mr&Mrs Cowling Best Pieds Sharon Wilkins Best Dilutes D Lugo Best Chestnut Flanked Whites Mj Davies Best Whites C Cowling Best Penguins Denis Webster Best A.O.S.V R Brough Best Timor Tia Henton

FEATURE The British, Native Bird, Mule & Hybrid Club had the pleasure of running the Native Bird section and the healthy increase on last year entry was very encouraging. As a trial, a Norwich Canary section was included on the schedule and this helped the entry to exceed 150 birds. This was thought to be a good entry for the early date. Thanks are expressed to all those who helped to run the section. Heading the Hardbill section was a current year bred Greenfinch cock of type and substance staged by, champion exhibitor, Terry McCracken. Best champion flighted Hardbill was a Cobalt Mealy Redpoll from Jack Fletcher’s team of birds. Taking the special for Best Novice Hardbill was John Briggs’ Greenfinch cock. Best Mule in show was another bird staged by Terry McCracken, this time a lightly variegated Greenfinch Mule. David Jones exhibited a nice Goldfinch Mule to take the award for best miniature mule. Best Hybrid was Bernard Howlett’s Song Thrush X Blackbird. Bernard Howlett increased his tally when his beautiful Satinette Song Thrush won the award for best Softbill in show. Paul Devereux staged a Whinchat cock, which was adjudged to be best Novice Softbill. The awards for Best Norwich Canary, Best Champion Norwich and Best

Opposite Sex were all secured by birds from Frank Brimblecombe’s team of birds The section was judged by Mr Steve Beadle from Bristol.

Fife Fancy Canary The Fife Fancy canary entry was up by 81 exhibits in 2011 to 602 which is setting the trend for this new NATIONAL EXHIBITION at Stafford. Congratulations Jack Nicholson For the second year running Best Fife in show was awarded to Jack Nicholson with a self green yellow cock though there was much discussion among the judges as to whether the bird had fully completed its moult, but still an excellent example of the Fife Fancy canary. Second best champion Fife was Mr Nicholson’s heavily variegated green buff hen, a superb bird showing very good type and excellent feather quality, which equally ran very close for the top position. To complete the day Mr Nicolson took 4th best champion Fife with his variegated buff cinnamon cock, again a superb example showing good shape and feather quality to amplify the depth of a truly magnificent stud. Third best champion fife went to J Holmes’ variegated yellow hen, best champion clear went to Smith and Evans’ clear yellow cock and the

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FEATURE partnership of Shelbourne and Oldroyd took the award for best champion white/allied. In the novice section the honours were dominated by the Herd and Sommerville partnership taking Best Novice fife with a variegated white, third best novice fife and best heavily variegated, best novice clear, yellow hen, and best novice cinnamon with a yellow variegated cinnamon cock. T Campbell won second best novice fife and best variegated with his yellow cock and also best novice self green with his self green yellow cock. A good entry in the juvenile section meant the honours were divided between T McCarthy, best junior fife and runner up K Stewart. Thanks are due to the judges, Andy McEwan and Jim Campbell from Scotland and Dirk Pelgrims and Werner van Dessel from Belgium. Andy McEwan presented the Belgian judges with signed framed drawings of the proposed new model for the Fife Fancy. Thanks are due to the sponsors, Johnson and Jeff and the Birdcare Company for seed and supplement specials throughout the show. Thanks are due to the stewards for the smooth running of the show and for erecting and dismantling the staging. Many exhibitors expressed their appreciation of this venture and are looking forward to future events, the

Fife Fancy Federation is grateful to the Parrot Society for organising such an event. Chris Smith, Fife Fancy Federation

Irish Fancy Very well supported by The Irish Fancy International, 228 Irish Fancy Canaries were exhibited, 103 of those were Champion Exhibits & 123 Novice Birds, This year I am very pleased to say there were 2 junior entries making a total of 228, some Fanciers had travelled from Blackpool and Essex. Judge engaged was Paul O’Kane From Derry Northern Ireland, Paul chose a neat Variegated Buff Hen which was owned by M,O’Connor, as Best Champion Unflighted, and Best Irish Fancy in Show. Best Champion Flighted went to a Clear Buff Cock Owned by Leslie Summers, The Best Novice Unflighted & Best Novice in Show went to a Light Variegated Yellow Hen owned by Eammon Wolohan,. Best Novice Flighted went to Self Green Yellow Hen owned by Andy Phipp Best Junior Miss Caitlin Wolohan’s Flighted Variegated Yellow Cock. The overall quality of the Exhibits was high. M,O’Connor, Secretary

Old Varieties and Rare Varieties of Canary The officials of the Old Varieties Canary Association were well pleased with the

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2011 National Exhibition entry. The entry this year was 109 exhibits on the show bench with more than ten pairs of Fiorino Frills and one pair of Scotch Fancy Canaries for sale, most of which were sold to eager buyers. The top spot for Best Old Variety in Show went to a Flighted North Dutch Frill belonging to Kevin McCallum. This one year old bird had a good clean head and neck white showing good even frills on the back, jabot and fins while standing in the correct position. It also took the award for Best Champion and Best Champion Flighted. The North Dutch Frill section was the biggest section in the Old Varieties. Second in the Flighted Class was another good exhibit benched by BA Hogg. David Deans came third. BA Hogg was the winner in the Unflighted North Dutch Frill Class with D Deans coming second. Werner Van Dessel who at his first UK exhibition came third with his Ticked Cock. A good frilled bird which was a bit unlucky to come up against the first two. 40

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A good entry of Lancashires was headed by D Dean’s Unflighted Coppy Cock. For a young bird it showed good size and substance with a good coppy (crest). Second in this class was BA Hogg’s good exhibit. The Champion Lancashire Plainhead was again a bird from D Deans. The young Lancashire Coppy Cock was also judged as Best Unflighted Old Variety in Show. Best Champion and Best Crested Canary was BA Hoggs unflighted Crestbred Hen which was a good example of the breed. In the Novice Section D Franz had a good show, winning Best Novice with an Unflighted Lancashire Coppy Cock. He also took the award for Best Novice Crest. No Belgians, Scotch Fancy or Padovan, Parisian or South Dutch Frills were exhibited. In a small but highly competitive Rare Variety Section Bo Pawlyszyn came out top with a Flighted Giboso Frill. He was also Best Champion Flighted Rare. Chris Smith won Best Champion Unflighted

FEATURE Rare with a Crested Fiorino. A good sized bird with even frilling beat off some good competition in this section. Best Novice Fiorino was won by Simon Mahon who is a newcomer to this breed. His winner was a Clear White Plainhead. Best Novice Flighted Rare was Andy Early’s Japan Hoso. Andy Early also exhibited some Raza Espanol. Rhinelanders were another breed on show. Westbrook and Windmill exhibited in the Champion Section while Andy Early showed in the Novice Section. Once again a good show but the Old and Rare Varieties of Canaries would welcome a bigger entry. Thanks go to the Parrot Society UK and the Bird Care Company and Johnston & Jeff for their specials.

The OVCA are looking forward to the 2012 National Exhibition. Kevin McCallum, General Secretary OVCA

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BREEDING MUTATION RED-FRONTED KAKARIKI ARTICLE BY: LES RANCE

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here are several colour mutations of the Red-fronted Kakariki. In September 2007 I purchased a young pair of Black-eyed Golden Yellow Red-fronted Kakariki, I understand that these birds are selectively bred Pieds that show 100% yellow feathering. Although the hen was very keen to breed, laying two rounds of infertile eggs in the spring of 2008, the cock was not so enthusiastic, however, in the summer of 2008 he fertilised his first clutch. The resulting 4 young were two cocks and two hens. Kakariki are fairly easy to visually sex as the beaks of the cocks are heavier (larger and broader) than the hens. The easiest way to see this is to hold a bird in each hand and move their beaks to within 2” of each other, if there is no discernable size difference the birds are the same sex. If they are a pair this is clearly observed. I left the youngsters with the parents for 3 months and then moved them to the next door aviary in the block. This aviary was laid out in exactly the same manner as the flight they were bred in, same size, same perch location, food in exactly the same spot and they were in full view of their parents. They were only separated by the 2” cavity formed by the double wiring of the aviary. Two youngsters were fine with no signs of stress but the other two became very

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stressed at this change of aviary. The best action in this situation is to catch up the two stressed birds and return them to their parents, as I had acted quickly both birds survived but it was four days before one of them looked 100%. Experience over the years has taught me that Kakariki, especially young, do not take aviary moves well and when I have transferred them I monitor their reactions every hour for the first day, I always move them early in the day when I am with my birds all the time. After three weeks with the parents I tried again and moved them to the next door aviary where their brother and sister were housed, fortunately on this occasion they were fine but again I monitored them every hour just to see that all was well. It is easy to spot stress in Kakariki because the birds move very slowly or just stand still and fluff up their feathers, fit happy Kakariki move constantly and are sleek feathered. After this initial success the birds took a rest of around four months when they moulted and prepared for the winter of 08/09, a winter that

turned out to be the coldest in England for ten years. This, however, did not worry these beautiful active birds and in December they reared two more very fit and active youngsters. Kakariki originate in New Zealand and are used to cold conditions, they have a dense layer of down beneath their top coat of feathers and this gives them considerable protection in inclement weather. Then in April 2009 they bred again, hatching 6 young and rearing 5 to maturity, the picture on the opposite page showing some of these young birds. One of the young cocks has a small amount of green feathering on his face which supports my view that these birds are selectively bred Pieds. You can distinguish any birds that are going to have a few green feathers at a very young age (in the nest box) because the down where the green will form is grey rather than white which is the normal colour down for young Golden Yellows. I am really happy with the feather condition of these birds they are tight feathered and have a sleek appearance. Some Kakariki are

One of the young cocks has a small amount of green feathering on his face which supports my view that these birds are selectively bred Pieds. You can distinguish any birds that are going to have a few green feathers at a very young age (in the nest box) because the down where the green will form is grey rather than white which is the normal colour down for young Golden Yellows.

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very loose feathered and appear to be constantly moulting which is possibly a virus infection similar to French moult in Budgerigars but with Kakariki it generally affects the smaller body feathers whereas with Budgerigars it is mainly the tails and flight feathers which fall out. As a consequence of this feather problem it is important that when buying fresh stock you ensure the birds are in excellent feather, if you are told that ‘they are moulting’ do not buy them, wait until you find some good quality stock that are tight feathered. Kakariki have a very inquisitive nature which endears them to many bird breeders, one lady that visited my aviary had her nails painted immaculately in bright red; as she placed her hands on the front of the aviary instantly both cock and hen

came over to investigate the ‘red berries’ that had rapidly appeared! Kakariki will try most foods offered and by feeding a very varied diet breeders ensure that the birds maintain peak fitness for long periods and therefore the ability to raise a number of large clutches each year. In fact the hens will often commence laying a further clutch before the young from the previous brood have left the nest box. Some years ago when breeding Kakariki I used to provide a second nest box just to allow the hen to start another clutch in undisturbed conditions, leaving the cock to feed the earlier round. After recent experiences I think I will return to this ‘second nest box policy’ with my Black-eyed Golden’s. In fact I understand that the cock bird likes to roost in a nest box and some breeders actually provide him with this BIRD SCENE 45

facility, thus there are three boxes in each aviary. I am sure that nest box manufacturers that read this will have a big smile on their faces! Feeding is all important when breeding birds of the parrot family. Every day during the breeding season my birds receive germinated seed. At present I germinate sunflower, mung beans, mixed corn and safflower, initially these were mixed together but I found that the sunflower and mung beans were shooting before the mixed corn and safflower so now the sunflower and mung beans are soaked together as are the mixed corn and safflower. When both sets of seed are ready they are mixed together and washed before feeding. Only sufficient is germinated to feed my birds for one day, consequently I am starting the germination cycle every day to ensure adequate supplies are available each day.

In addition to the germinated seed I provide freshly prepared soft food every day. Currently I am hard boiling two eggs for six minutes, these are added to two small cups of Badminton conditioner cereal (used by horse breeders) and one small cup of ground ferret food (39% animal protein), these are in pellet form but they are ground to dust in a coffee grinder. All three ingredients are placed in a stainless steel bowl of a Kenwood Chef food processor and mixed together, after the mixing a small cup of warm water is added and this is mixed with a spoon and left for 5 minutes before being fed to the birds, this produces a crumbly texture which the birds seem to appreciate. Fruit and vegetables are also fed and for ease I usually place these in the bowl with the germinated seeds. When feeding fruit during the summer months be vigilant of wasps, not just because they may sting you but also they can sting the bird and if this sting is in the mouth it is possible to lose a bird. You can try

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to trap the wasps in a jam jar filled to about an inch from the top with water, leave a little jam inside the jar to attract them and replace the metal lid making a whole in its centre just large enough for the wasps to entre, locate this trap away from the fruit, I prefer to hang them on the outside of the aviary in an attempt to keep the wasps away from my birds. The other approach is to stop using fruit at this time of the year but that seems a shame when fruit is plentiful and cheap. Kakariki will try almost any food, strawberries are a favourite. Recently I gave them some Fennel that was very well received possibly because of its strong aniseed smell/ taste. Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is a hardy, perennial herb, with yellow flowers and feathery leaves. It is generally considered indigenous to the shores of the Mediterranean but it has become widely naturalised elsewhere and grows really well in my garden. It is a highly aromatic and flavorful with culinary and medicinal uses.

Cooked potato is also taken. Apple is always a good standby as is carrot, celery, sweet corn, tomato and radish. With all this variety of food being provided the Kakariki do not make much use of the Versele-Laga parakeet mix that is supplied. There are a number of Versele-Laga parakeet mixtures available and the one that I use is Big Parakeet Mixture Standard 20Kg Rose blooms are destroyed with relish maybe it is their perfumed smell or the pollen in the centre. I must make a more careful study of just what they like about these striking flowers. Always supply oyster shell grit and mineralised grit and cuttlefish. Their current brood is three young from seven eggs, all of which were fertile. All the young have black eyes but in the past I have seen young with red eyes from this pair but as they mature it is not easy to tell the black eyed young from the red eyed. In the future I will ring the red eyed young to see if they are all hens as I think my cock may be split for Cinnamon. BIRD SCENE 47

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If he is split 50% of his sons will also be split Cinnamon but only by test pairings will I be able to identify these birds. I am not too happy ringing Kakariki because they are so active they can easily be caught by their ring in a small snag of wire and lose a leg if the accident is not spotted quickly. The young from the two previous rounds totalling 7 young are still in the aviary with their parents, I am not sure if they are helping with the feeding of the current brood but I would not be surprised if they were, it is good practice for them when they have their own young. When parakeets hatch they are fed by the hen on seed that the cock has originally stored in his crop and softened somewhat, he regurgitates it when he feeds the hen and after a period in her crop when it becomes even softer she then feeds the babies. As the young grow they can take seed that is not so soft and at this stage the cock can regurgitate the seed and feed the babies directly himself. This makes life a little easier for the hen. The nest box used for the adult breeding pair is made of 3/4” plywood and is 10 1/2” high and has a base area 8” x 9 1/2”, the hole is 2” in diameter with wood chips 3/4” deep in the bottom. It has a hinged top, which during hot weather and with well feathered young inside I open

during the day to prevent dehydration due to excessive heat in the box. With the entrance hole near the top of the box you would have assumed that any excess heat would escape through this opening but that is not so, it just circulates within the box. If you are concerned that the well feathered young may leave the nest box too early you can place some wire mesh where the top normally rests. The nest box is

located under a glass fibre roof to keep it dry, this roof covers 65% of the top of the outside aviary the remaining 35% is open to allow access to the rain which is well received by the inhabitants this uncovered area is of suspended design with a wire bottom. The aviary is 10’ long and BIRD SCENE 49

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3’ wide this highest part of the roof is 6’6” and the lowest 5’ so it has a considerable slope which ensures that any rainfall runs rapidly off the roofing sheets to ensure the sand base remains dry. This has two benefits, it reduces the chance that mice will dig into the sand and set up home in the aviary and if any worm eggs are excreted by the birds the dry sand quickly dries them up and kills them. The wire used in the construction of this aviary is 3/4” x 3/4” 16 gauge which is suitable for birds as large as African Greys. There is no doubt that Kakariki are very quick flyers and are difficult to catch especially in large flights, they can also change direction in flight very quickly, additionally they are friendly birds and very happy to come towards the owner when you enter their flight; these two attributes make it absolutely essential that a safety porch is fitted to your aviary because it is certain that if you do not incorporate it in your design you will lose a bird as it flies very rapidly past you. Usually a safety porch will be 3’ x 3’ and 6’ high with two doors, the first to enter the porch which is then closed once you are inside and a second door which allows you to enter the aviary and ensures that no birds can escape. As Kakariki are good parents and feed their young very well I have often used them to foster other species of 50

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parakeets. The picture of the three young Pennant’s in the nest box were being reared by a pair of my Kakariki, their eggs were infertile and the adult Pennant’s had a history of plucking their young quite severely. When I took the eggs away from the Pennant’s one was just starting to show chipping to the shell indicating that hatching was imminent. When a hen sits on eggs she can feel the movement of the baby up to a week before it hatches so it must have come as quite a surprise when the Pennant’s hatched so quickly. I did not disturb them again for a week but when I did look all three eggs had hatched and as the other picture shows they are three nice young Pennant’s. When these youngsters left the nest box we were experiencing some very wet July days (so much for the barbecue summer the forecasters had predicted!!) to ensure that they did not become too wet I placed a 4’ x 3’ sheet of plate glass on the top of the aviary, this I left in place for 7 days until they could fly well and knew their way around the aviary.

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There is nothing worse than losing a baby bird just because it becomes soaked, loses body heat and dies of hypothermia. Aviculture is very much about watching what is going on in your aviaries and reacting to what you see, if you see something that needs attention act on it there and then, do not leave it for another day, the remedial action might be too late the next day. Kakariki greatly enjoy bathing in quite a vigorous fashion and so that they do not run out of water I place their 8” diameter Ward water dish inside a washing up bowl to catch the water that would otherwise be lost, thus preventing total loss of water, which is very serious if the weather is hot, until I replace the water next morning. I also place their dry seed mixture in a dish inside a washing up bowl as they vigorously scratch the seed with their feet almost reminiscent of chickens and it goes all over the aviary with large quantities being wasted. I have on occasions watched them carefully whilst they do this but there does not appear to be one specific seed in the mixture that they are seeking, they just seem to love scratching. Possibly it is a throw back to their breeding techniques in the southern island of New Zealand where tree cavities are scarce and they

nest in burrows in the ground, their largish strong feet moving soil and sand at a rapid rate to create a nesting site. These nests obviously gave no protection against rats which came into New Zealand with the first White settlers and caused tremendous losses to the native birds that used such locations to breed. I do hope that this article has given readers the information that they need to breed Kakariki they are certainly very interesting birds to maintain and they are very confiding, If you take them a small tit bit such as a piece of apple when you visit their aviary they will quickly become tame and as they have a pleasant not too loud call they are excellent birds for the smaller garden.

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