Ocyphaps lophotes
Australian Crested doves look like they have mohawks air cuts because some of their head feathers stick straight up! Our doves are mellow birds who don’t object to sharing an aviary with other doves like the Senegals. We got our first Australian Crested doves more than 15 years ago. Our original pair are still going strong. They survived a wave of illness caused by rodents that took many of our birds in the late 1990′s. Up until that point we had used barriers to prevent mice and rats from entering the aviaries. This was not enough protection because it didn’t prevent mice from crawling on the top of the wire. Their droppings caused the birds who were below to get very sick.
We welcome an assortment of wild animals such as rabbits, deer, squirrels and of course, wild birds. at Pandemonium Aviaries, but mice and rats are not allowed.
Australian Crested doves are delightful birds. They are fairly quiet birds, but like every bird, have personalities that differ from individual to individual.
Gallicolumba luzonica, Gallicolumba crinigera
These beautiful birds from the Philippines have red or maroon colored feathers in a circle on their chests. This makes them appear to be bleeding from the heart. Their shocking coloration has elicited a “Wow!” from more than a few first time Pandemonium visitors. Unfortunately, these amazing birds are highly endangered in the wild and rare in captivity. Two Bleeding Heart dove species (Bartlett and Luzon) are included in our conservation program ARC.
To learn more about ARC, please go to the section titled Conservation which can be found in About US.
The Blue Crowned pigeon looks very similar to the Victoria Crowned pigeon. Both sub-species are the focus of the Pandemonium Aviaries conservation program ARC. Blue Crowned pigeons do not have the white tips at the rim of their head feathers like the Victorian Crowned pigeons. They do, however, have a white strip just below their wings (the Victoria Crowns do not have the white stripe.)
The Crowned pigeons are being hunted to near extinction in their native New Guinea. They are a slow moving bird and not shy enough of people to be safe from hunters. These large and delightful birds are the world’s largest pigeons, a title that they assumed from the Dodo when the Dodo went extinct. It would be a tragedy if the Crowned pigeons followed in the footsteps of the Dodo. We can prevent this from happening. We have everything it would take to keep and protect these birds until it is safe to return them to the wild with the exception of the endowment that this long term program requires.
If you want to make a significant difference to reverse a long history of humans exploiting birds, please consider joining our efforts to save the Crowned pigeons. We have a very short window-a handful of years at best-so please don’t delay in joining our efforts to save these amazing birds.
Oena capensis
Female cape doves are small and gray. The males are also small, but they have a patch of black that covers part of the face and gives these birds the appearance of wearing a black face mask. The male and female share responsibility for raising their young ones. Both parents take shifts on the nest while incubating. They also take turns feeding the babies once they are born. One of our males is an exceptional father. He takes on more than his share of nest incubating time and feeds his offspring long after they should be self-feeding.
The Cape doves at Pandemonium Aviaries were moved from aviary to aviary in the beginning. They didn’t seem happy in any of these. Then we moved them to the Coop after it was remodeled. The Coop has an eastern exposure. It has an area which does not have a solid roof so the birds can get direct sunlight. In addition, it has a large shelter in back where the birds can hang out if it is cold. Cape doves come from African where they live in areas with hot temperatures. Housing these birds in the right location made a tremendous difference in their health and well being. Our Cape doves now occupy one of the best aviaries at Pandemonium Aviaries.
Chalcophaps indica
Greenwing doves, which are also called Emerald doves, come from India. Both sexes are bright green, but the male also has a little white patch on the top of his head. Greenwing doves were some of the first birds to come to Pandemonium. Because the white patches that distinguish male from female tend to become more prominent with age, we thought that some of the Greenwing doves were looking older than others. Then we learned that it is an easy way to distinguish male from female. There is so much to learn about birds! Even old time bird keepers admit that they never feel like experts. Every species is different and every bird is different.
We have had a number of babies born, but one baby was born with orthopedic problems. Concerned that he would not be able to hold his own with birds his own size, the dove was moved in with the Cape doves. His legs improved and he is now a full-fledged
Cape dove flock member!
Otidiphaps nobilis nobilis
There are now fewer than 100 Green-naped pheasant pigeons left in captivity world-wide. Pandemonium received its first Green-naped pheasant pigeon pair many years ago. When the female died of a heart attack, her grieving mate cried for a long time. His vocalizations were so mournful that we had to do something. Only when we began the search for a mate did we realize how incredibly rare this bird was in captivity. Very little is known about this bird in the wild. Green nape pheasant pigeons are a subspecies of pheasant pigeon along with White napes, Grey napes and Black napes. They are forest dwellers and occupy the niche usually held by pheasants (there are no pheasants in New Guinea). While Green-naped pheasant pigeons are not classified as endangered by Bird life, we at Pandemonium Aviaries are treating this species as if it were. There are many reasons for this including reports from New Guinea by bird watchers that they very seldom hear the distinctive pheasant pigeon call, that the bird has probably withdrawn deeper into the forest, and the fact that roads through the forest are being built by oil companies so there will soon be access to areas where pheasant pigeons might still be living. These birds are not found anywhere other than New Guinea and in-country conservation efforts on their behalf have not been successful. The AZA (American Zoological Association) designated Green-naped pheasant pigeons as a species to be included in their Species Survival Plan.
There are very few places that have been successful at breeding Green-naped pheasant pigeons. Pandemonium Aviaries is pleased that our birds are producing progeny.
The Green naped pheasant pigeon is one of species in our ARC program.
Geotrygon versicolor
The Mountain Witch Dove hails from the Blue Mountains of Jamaica, and its strange moniker was likely inspired by its mysterious sounding calls. This bird has many names that are increasingly popular, including Crested Quail dove, Jamaican dove, and Blue dove. They have very sweet dispositions and a characteristically bouncy walk, bobbing their heads with every step. When they sense danger, the doves will ‘freeze’ in place, as their luminous plumage gives off glints of blue, green, and purple in the sunlight. In the wild, the birds like to munch on seeds and fallen fruit but especially enjoy small insects such as mealworms.
These doves breed in the late spring. Mates build small twig nests close to the ground. Each clutch of two cream-colored eggs incubates for thirteen days, with males warming the eggs during the day and the female taking over at night. The young chicks feed on both parents’ crop-milk. As they mature, young birds lose their duller baby feathers, and once fledged the birds quickly grow their more brightly colored adult patterns.
Adults usually spend their time picking through leaves and twigs on the forest floor. Oddly enough, when fleeing a predator Mountain Witch Doves prefer to run along the ground. These birds also love to sunbathe, producing vital nutrients just like humans.
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Caloenas nicobarica
Natives of Southeast Asia, these majestic birds are named for the Nicobar islands. They prefer mangroves and lowland forests and are threatened by deforestation and the human population explosion. They measure about 16 inches and weigh about a pound. Males sport lustrous green-blue feathers with coppery reflections. Head and mane feathers are slate blue, black, with purple iridescence. The Nicobar pigeon’s tail is very short and pure white. In the wild, these birds live eight to ten years, but in captivity they can live as long as fifteen.
Nicobar pigeons fly from island to island, concentrating their activity around dusk and dawn. They have been seen feeding in flocks of up to eighty-five birds. These birds will only roost on islands with no human habitation, and they usually mate for life. Courtship lasts for days, with males cooing and bowing to get the female’s attention. In a mated pair, males select a place to nest and gather twigs and roots. Females arrange the materials into a sparse nest which is often merely a few sticks to keep the egg from rolling away. Both birds share in the thirty day incubation process. The newly hatched chick is nearly naked and “altricial,” which means they are highly dependent on parents for insulation and food. Babies begin to grow feathers after about tend days, and are independent after a little over a month in the nest.
Nicobar pigeons peck up hard seeds and bugs, but also enjoy fruit. Their gizzard, the second stomach that birds use to grind food, is strong enough to crack nuts that humans can only open with a hammer! The Nicobar pigeon or “hackled pigeon” is a relative of the extinct Dodo bird, a foreboding notion in view of today’s threats to its habitat. Trappers and hunters threaten wild populations, and the pet trade also overshadows the effects of natural feline predators. There are currently no conservation efforts to protect this beautiful species, so logging, clear cutting, and farming are constantly destroying the Nicobar pigeon’s habitat.
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Streptopelia capicola
Ringneck doves are among the most gentle and forgiving birds we know. They are easily tamed to eat out of your hand and while they sometimes object to being held, they soon forgive you. It isn’t easy to keep our population of Ringneck Doves under control since the species reproduces easily and quickly. In addition, they are excellent parents.
Pandemonium Aviaries came into existence because of a Ringneck Dove that was found hurt by the side of a road. We later found out that she had been dropped by a hawk. It is likely that our first dove was a casualty of a release. The ‘white doves’ that are released by professionals are actually homing pigeons, trained to return to their roosts. When Ringneck doves are released, they have little or no survival instinct.. After they are released, they often die due to starvation, predators or the elements. If you plan on doing a release of birds for an event, it is important to make sure you have the right type of bird, a homing pigeon.
Streptopelia senegalensis
Senegal doves resemble Mourning doves. They have dark spots on their necks and bodies which look like freckles. The only time they get excited is when a hawk is in the area…then these mild mannered birds fly around in a bit of a panic.
Gallicolumba tristigmata
Some of the first residents of Pandemonium, these terrestrial doves used to be called Celebes. Their native Indonesian island changed its name to Sulawesi, so the bird’s name changed as well. Our shy birds overcame their fear of humans enough to creep forward when offered meal worms. These irresistible delicacies are the perfect conduit for vitamins, so we “dust” the worms in vitamins before feeding them to the birds.
Also known as the Yellow-breasted Ground Dove, the elusive Sulawesi measures about a foot long. Both sexes have similar plumage, though female colors are slightly duller. Females incubate their one, cream-colored egg for eighteen days. Young fledge at twelve days but are not independent for several more weeks. Adults spend most of their time pecking through foliage for seeds and fallen fruit.
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Goura victoria
The Crown Pigeons (Victoria Crown, Blue Crown, and Sheepsmaker Crown pigeons) are native to New Guinea. They are regal-looking birds, reminiscent of peacocks despite being members of the Columbidae family, which includes pigens and doves. Visitors to Pandemonium Aviaries who see Crown Pigeons for the first time have commented that these birds look like feathered puppies because their gait causes a curious ‘wagging’ of their tails as they move.
Crown pigeons are the largest pigeons in the world– a distinction that used to be held by the Dodo bird until its extinction in the 1600s. Unless measures are taken to save this amazing species, Crown pigeons may head that way as well. They are on the decline for similar reasons– hunting for their meat and feathers. These birds’ friendly natures and inability to fly quickly make them easy game for hunters. The prognosis for their long-term survival is not positive. As the human population of New Guinea increases so does pressure on birds like the Crown pigeons, increasing the possibility that these beautiful birds may go extinct in the wild.
Conservation in New Guinea faces extraordinary challenges. We are fortunate, however, that there are some Victoria Crowned and Blue Crown pigeons in the USA. These birds were imported before the Wild Bird Act of 1992. Our ARC project will be putting some of this stock and their offspring under conservation and thereby preventing the Crown pigeons from going extinct.
Tangara cyanicollis
These fruit and nectar eaters are still common in the wild but they are captured and exported in such numbers that it is only time before their numbers will fall. Pandemonium has a breeding program in place to develop husbandry standards so that birds can be bred in the US instead of removing them from the wild. The Blue necked tanagers hang out with the Owl finches. We kept both species indoors this past winter. They were very happy to get outdoors where they have an aviary all to themselves.
Our Blue necked tanagers eat nectar which we make in house. We soak soft bill pellets in the nectar. In addition, we provide a variety of fresh fruit and an insect mix. We are happy to share the recipe for the nectar so please email us if you’d like to make nectar like this for your frugifore birds.
According to Wikipedia, the Golden Pheasant or Chinese Pheasant, (Chrysolophus pictus) is a game bird of the order Galliformes (gallinaceous birds) and the family Phasianidae. It is native to forests in mountainous areas of western China but feral populations have been established in the United Kingdom and elsewhere.
The adult male is 90–105 cm in length, its tail accounting for two-thirds of the total length. It is unmistakable with its golden crest and rump and bright red body. The deep orange “cape” can be spread in display, appearing as an alternating black and orange fan that covers all of the face except its bright yellow eye, with a pinpoint black pupil.
Males have a golden-yellow crest with a hint of red at the tip. The face, throat, chin, and the sides of neck are rusty tan. The wattles and orbital skin are both yellow in colour, and the ruff or cape is light orange. The upper back is green and the rest of the back and rump are golden-yellow in colour. The tertiaries are blue whereas the scapulars are dark red. Another characteristic of the male plumage is the central tail feathers which are black spotted with cinnamon as well as the tip of the tail being a cinnamon buff. The upper tail coverts are the same colour as the central tail feathers. Males also have a scarlet breast, and scarlet and light chestnut flanks and underparts. Lower legs and feet are a dull yellow.
The female (hen) is much less showy, with a duller mottled brown plumage similar to that of the female Common Pheasant. She is darker and more slender than the hen of that species, with a proportionately longer tail (half her 60–80 cm length). The female’s breast and sides are barred buff and blackish brown, and the abdomen is plain buff. She has a buff face and throat. Some abnormal females may later in their lifetime get some male plumage. Lower legs and feet are a dull yellow.
Both males and females have yellow legs and yellow bills. Despite the male’s showy appearance, these hardy birds are very difficult to see in their natural habitat, which is dense, dark young conifer forests with sparse undergrowth. Consequently, little is known of their behavior in the wild.
They feed on the ground on berries, grubs, grain, leaves and invertebrates, but roost in trees at night. While they can fly, they prefer to run: but if startled they can suddenly burst upwards at great speed, with a distinctive wing sound. Although they can fly in short bursts they are quite clumsy in flight and spend most of their time on the ground. Golden Pheasants lay 8-12 eggs at a time and will then incubate these for around 22–23 days. The male has a metallic call in the breeding season.
Chloebia gouldiae
These finches are known for their vivid colors. Endemic to Australia, they are experiencing a worrying decline in population numbers. John Gould discovered these five-inch birds in the mid nineteenth century, naming them after his lovely wife. There are three distinct head colors: red, yellow, and black. There is also a growing number of chest and back color mutations, varying from gold and silver to lime and lilac.
The 1992 estimate for population in the wild was 2,500 mature birds, classifying Lady Gouldians as endangered. These numbers continue to decline, despite a current conservation program. Prefering tropical savanna woodlands, Lady Gouldians are nomadic birds that move to a new location when food and water become scarce. New diseases compounded with fires in their forest territory have greatly reduced the population. The Australian government is trying to implement a recovery and management project, but attempts at reintroduction have so far proved unsuccessful.
Flamboyant hues make the finch very visible to predators, so flocks of up to a thousand individuals used to gather for protection. Adults mate on sparse slopes, breeding in the early part of the dry season when there is abundant food. Male courtship is an elaborate show of dancing and ruffling. The male bobs his head, puffing out his chest and fluffing out his forehead feathers. Once mated, both parents help incubate the clutch of four to eight eggs. Young birds begin to venture out from the nest when they are about twenty days old, gaining full independence at about forty days.
Young Lady Gouldians are very fragile until their final moult. According to some scientists, the parents play a vital role in ensuring the viability of offspring. Other species of finches such as Society finches and Spice finches are less successful when rearing Lady Gouldian chicks. Scientists have also discovered that females in Northern Australia are controlling the sex of their offspring by choosing the head color of their mate.
These jewel-colored bundles of energy are always in motion. No matter how many times we try to count Pandemonium’s Lady Gouldian finches, we always come up with a different number! When these beauties first arrived, we wanted to be able to tell them apart so we marked them with colored bands. This probably confused the birds in their search for mates since we now know that they pick their mates partially based on color. Furthermore, they use not only the visible spectrum, but also the ultra-violet. We were using artificial “bird-specific” lighting which lacked range. Once moved outside, the flock seemed much happier. Now we have them outside our office window where we can watch their antics all day long.
There are only about 1500 of these once plentiful birds left in their native Australia. Research to determine why the wild flock has declined so much has netted very interesting results. You can read about this in our blog posts about Lady Gouldian finches.
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Taeniopygia bichenovii
These tiny Australian birds are always zipping about with an insatiable zest for life. They are not nearly as colorful as the Lady Gouldian, but their bars and speckles lend them a certain distinctive beauty. Their beaks are also unusually silver and glossy. Both sexes are very similar in appearance, but males have slightly broader bars and brighter white feathers on the face and chest. These finches are one of the smallest Australian birds, measuring about four inches. Owl finches love millet and seeding grasses as well as spinach, broccoli, and carrots. They eat just about anything and regularly steal food from the Blue Neck tanagers that share their aviary.
Owl finches are a challenge to breed, because they require a great deal of privacy when raising chicks. Adults reach maturity at about nine months, younger females sometimes produce egg-bound chicks. In a mated pair, both parents take turns incubating the clutch of four to six eggs for about twelve days. Both parents stay on the nest at night. Chicks are only brooded for about ten days, and mature into independent birds after around five weeks. First time parents sometimes neglect their babies or toss them out of the nest, and the chicks’ quiet peeps occasionally go unanswered until it is too late. Adult male calls are two notes that sound a bit like a cat call. Females make a quiet “meep” sound. Unlike Gouldians and other flamboyant birds, young Owl Finches closely resemble mature adults but sport an additional tuft of baby feathers on their heads. Young finches grow their adult feathers at about two months of age. If babies lose their parents, they can be successfully fostered by Zebra or Society finches.
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Tauraco persa
These stunning feathered friends look like Las Vegas show girls, complete with eye makeup and fancy headdresses. They even share the expensive tastes of their glamorous counterparts, eating mostly blueberries and papaya. Their exotic palates cost a pretty penny… so let us know if you are interested in sponsoring their diet!
Persa Persas, like other turacos, can be aggressive with each other. When we first introduced our Persa Persa pair, Abu and Adanne, we used a “Howdy cage” which is a cage that is placed inside an aviary. We put Abu, the male, inside so that he and his new potential mate could get to know one another. Abu was not at all happy about this. After enough time had passed for Adanne to get acquainted with her new home and for the couple to get to know each other, we opened the Howdy cage so that that Abu could fly out. Contrary to our expectations that he would exit immediately, Abu stayed inside the cage until Adanne flew to the top of it and told him in no uncertain terms, “Come out!”
Holly and Hugh had lived in a small cage for many years. The person who owned them thought they were Rosellas, but in fact these birds are Barnard’s parakeets. Another name for Barnards is Mallees. They are native to Australia where they fly many miles every day. At Pandemonium Aviaries, they get to live a 25 foot tall aviary. It’s not like being in the wild, but it is a big improvement over their previous home. Holly and Hugh insist on bathing in the small water bowl that is meant for drinking instead of the large bird bath. See them on the Birdcam. They are the green and blue parrots that hang out on a top wire.
Aprosmictus erythropterus
Crimson wings are a beautiful species with bright green body plumage. Both the males and females have red on their wings, but the males also have a black ‘cape’ on their backs. The first crimson wing to come to us, Arwin, belong to a woman who was dying of cancer. When Prince was gifted to Pandemonium as a mate for Arwin,. she fell head-over-heels in love with him and pursued him until he fell for her. They now are very much in love. He feeds her; she looks at him with admiration in her eyes. It’s the classic story of a girl chasing the guy until the guy finally catches her.
Crimson Wings are endangered in their native Australia. We would enjoy having young Crimson Wings around, but this couple is probably too old to have babies. Arwin once laid a clutch of eggs and did a great job of incubating, but none hatched.
Psittacula alexandri
Endemic to China and Indonesia, this fifteen inch parrot is named for its moustache-like markings and usually lives for twenty years or more. Males are easily distinguishable by their red beaks, while females have duller feathers and black beaks. Younger birds are more difficult to sex because both males and females have a pinkish beak. Some specialists claim that the female can be distinguished by her more evenly curved head, while males have flatter foreheads.
Miko, our first Moustache parakeet, loves almonds. His loud screams let us know if he hasn’t had his daily almond fix. Should we ever run out of almonds, Miko alone would convince us to run to the supermarket. Miko would love a human to sponsor his almond addiction.
Moustache Parakeets have a reputation for intelligence and playfulness, and they need a good sized aviary and plenty of toys to keep them occupied. Although they are not as noisy as Ringnecks, they have been described as “feisty.” They are also quite outgoing and will try new food that other birds won’t touch. They speak more clearly than Ringnecks, although not as fluently as larger parrots. In the wild this bird is often seen in flocks of twenty or more. Observers often hear these flocks before they can be seen, a testament to their loud voices.
Moustaches mature at between two and three years old. Courtship starts in late winter, with hens begging males to feed them. Breeding between December and April, females lay a clutch of two to four eggs and incubate them for twenty days. Young Moustaches fledge in fifty days. Adults love seeds, and will eat spinach, kale, and dandelions. Apples and grapes are among favorite treats.
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Psittacula cyanocephala
The Plum-head parakeet is a native of India (subcontinental area) and its bright purple face coloration certainly lives up to its name. Two of our Plum heads came to us from Denver, Colorado and, instead of being shipped to San Jose, California, they went to San Jose, Costa Rica! After a week of phone calls and confusion, we welcomed two new parakeets, Costa and Rica, into our flock.
Pandemonium’s first Plum-head came from a humane society whose facility was not equipped to house exotic birds. After we got the call that this bird needed a home, we sprang into action. Because did not know much about them at the time, we had the bird DNA sexed– though we now know that we could have known she was female from her blue-grey facial coloration (males have a red-purple face).
Plum-heads used to be popular companion birds because of their compact size and mild, endearing personalities. However, this changed after Wild Bird Act of 1992; because they could no longer freely import stock, breeders stopped keeping birds that were not either high in cost, like macaws, or easy to breed, like budgies and canaries. Plum-heads form long-term breeding pairs; the mate maintain life long loyality to to one another. As with many species, the female incubates the eggs, but male watches out for predators and other dangers outside the cavity nest.
Like all birds, Plum-heads require abundant sunshine– we’ve found that ours prefer an eastern exposure. These birds are fairly hardy; they are able to survive temperatures below freezing as long as they don’t last more than a couple days, though they do need wind protection.
As we learned from experience, Plum-heads are very intelligent, inquisitive birds. Once, while doing foraging enrichment for large birds near their enclosures, we noticed the Plum-heads were watching the foraging very carefully. Intrigued, we offered them the same foraging toys and, to our amazement, they knew exactly how to get to the treats. Plum-heads require large amounts of stimuli to keep them entertained and mentally and emotionally healthy.
Trichoglossus haematodus
Our Rainbow lorikeets, Peeki and his first mate, Harli, had no offspring even though they had been together for 10 years. They were always grooming or playing with each other and seemed very much in love. After Harli’s death, we were surprised to learn that the lorikeet was a male! That explained why the couple had not had children! Harli the second arrived from a rescue group shortly after the original Harli’s death. At first it appeared that Peeki and Harli the Second did not like each other since they rarely interacted. Were were, therefore, very pleasantly surprised when they produced, first, two offspring and then an additional baby later. Now we have a family of five lorikeets. Lorikeets are little clowns and this group is no exception. All five hang upside down, hop around their aviary and make a mad dash for the bathing bowl after fresh water has been added.
Polytelis anthopeplus
Found in eucalyptus groves in southwestern Australia, Rock Pebblers have predominantly lime-coloured plumage with a green tail. This fifteen inch bird can be sexed based on plumage coloration. Males are more yellow, with green backs and red beaks. Female Rock Pebblers display a greener tint on their head and back plumage. These beautiful birds munch on an assortment of seeds and leaves, but also peck at small insects. It also nibbles on flower buds, larvae, and psyllids. Foraging in pairs or small flocks, they spend much of their feeding time on the ground. Unlike many birds, Rock Pebblers do not need digestive grit in their diets. They are relatively hardy but must be protected from excessive cold. With the expansion of farming in their native territories, these birds have begun to feed on cereal crops such as wheat. The Pebbler population has declined substantially and is listed as Endangered in New South Wales.
Rock Pebblers are easy going but nervous when nesting. Mature at two years old, the female broods a clutch of three to eight eggs for approximately twenty days. She seldom leaves the nest and is fed by the male. Both parents care for the young, who fledge at thirty-five days but only begin to fly around five weeks old. Juveniles all look like hens for about three months, but males tend to show more yellow when they fledge. Young birds will have their adult plumage by eighteen months. Rock Pebblers live about eighteen years in the wild, but they have been known to live thirty years in captivity.
Their flight calls are prolonged rolling cries, but landed Rock Pebblers twitter to each other and lapse into silence when feeding. They are among the most adept Australian parakeets at picking up whistles and words. Abraham, one of the many Rock Pebblers in residence, surprised us one day when he went up to a new bird and said “it’s okay.” We now use his calming spirit to reassure new arrivals, because he seems to sense when someone needs a friendly welcome.
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Platycercus eximius (Eastern Rosella), Platycercus elegans(Crimson Rosella)
These fiesty parrots hail from Australia, and can be found in Tasmania and even New Zealand. Originally they populated the open savannas, but as settlements expand they have started to appear in crop fields and pasture lands as well as parks on the outskirts of towns. In the wild, Rosellas snack on seeds, blossoms, and leaf buds. They flock to both treetops and peck up seeds from the ground, usually traveling in groups of ten to twenty, but there have been reported sightings of up to a hundred Rosellas in a flock. These energetic birds require a lot of exercise, so they flourish in a roomy aviary.
Rosellas have a varied repertoire of calls. In flight, this parrot has a sharp note. When perched they sing a three note ascending scale, but a startled Rosella will let out a metallic screech. Rosellas produce a soft chattering babble while feeding. Though they are not known for talking these playful birds can be quite vocal. They are also quite active and love to climb and chew on branches. Rosellas tend to be aggressive toward other small birds, so they usually need their own aviary to cut down on bickering.
Though difficult to train, Rosellas are easily bred and have mating seasons twice a year. They build nests in tree stumps or hollows, and the female broods four to eight eggs for about twenty days. Young Rosellas become independent after five weeks, but in the wild young birds stay with their parents for several more months.
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Neopsephotus Bourkii
We rescued our first Bourkes after they had spent months at a humane society, unable to find homes. These seven inch parakeets are natives of Australia, and their endearing personalities make them very compatible with other birds. While many species pick on smaller birds, Bourkes live harmoniously with canaries and finches. They are quite social, enjoying the company of other birds and people. Although they are not known for talking, they do have a set of melodious chirps and whistles. Rosy Bourkes love to munch on sunflower seeds, kale, and chopped apples. In the wild they like to forage through the acacia scrublands of central Australia, so they prefer dry climates. Males and females appear quite similar, but a mature male Bourke has a blue band above his cere, the skin at the base of his upper beak.
Established pairs will breed at any time of the year, with a normal clutch numbering between four and six eggs. The hen will incubate her eggs for about twenty days. The male does not stay in the same nest box during incubation, but he makes frequent visits to dote on her and feed her. She is usually quite reluctant to leave the nest. Hatchlings begin to leave the nest after four weeks, and by eight weeks they are fully independent of their parents. Young birds leaving the nest are often clumsy fliers and sometimes collide with walls on their first few flight attempts.
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Neophema splendida
Also known as the Splendid Parakeet, this beautiful bird is nearing extinction in its native Australia. The male Scarlet Chested Grass Parakeet is an extremely beautiful bird with a green head, blue back, bright red chest and yellow underbelly. The blue-green female pales in comparison. It is quite difficult to determine the sex of a young bird, because males only begin to grow their characteristic red chest feathers after about three months. These parakeets grow to about seven inches and get along well with other small birds. They are quite active fliers, but their calls are subdued and melodious chirps.
Females are the main egg sitters, but males provide the female and babies plenty of food. These birds prefer seeds, but also peck at leafy greens and grains such as corn. Similar to the Rosy Bourke, Scarlet Chested Grass Parakeets have a clutch of four to six eggs that incubate for about twenty days, with young gaining independence around seven weeks of age. Several color mutations have emerged, including birds with pastel and cinnamon colorings as well as pied, silver, sea green, and white breasted blue birds.
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Neophema pulchella
An autochthon (indigenous native) of eastern Australia, Turquoisines prefer to live at the edges of woodlands and pastures. Deforestation threatens their natural habitat, and these eight inch parrots are now fully protected by Australian law. Most turquoisines choose to fly in pairs or small groups, but flocks of thirty to forty birds have been sighted. Their flying pattern is quick but directionally erratic and fluttery. Their conversational call sounds metallic and penetrating, while their feeding sound is much quieter twittering. Turquoisines congregate just before dawn for their daily drink, spending the rest of the morning pecking through grass for seeds. Retreating to the trees, these parrots weather out the midday heat among the branches. Most of ours are yellow, a color rarely found in nature.
Mature at five months, “Turks” become very aggressive during the mating season. From August to December males will court with showy displays. They fan their tail feathers and spread their wings, standing very tall to show off their colorful plumage while calling to females. For some strange reason, all of our male Turks like the same female. There was so much competition for her, we had to remove all of the males except one from the Aussie Aviary. This male must have felt like he hit the jackpot when he realized that all the competing birds were removed from the aviary!
Turks often populate tree hollows and logs without building twig nests of their own. Resting close to teh ground, their clutch of two to five eggs usually rests on a bed of tree detritus. The female will incubate her eggs for about eighteen days before hatching. They are hardier than Scarlet-chested parakeets, but still need to be protected from moisture and cold. In good conditions these birds can live for ten years.
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