Foreign Birds

	Green Strawberry Finch - Amandava amandava (Sometimes called Tiger finch} A nice quiet finch bred in Australian aviaries, the normal seed mix being quite adequate with perhaps some extra pannicum added. Lays 4 to 6 white eggs - incubation 12 days. They are not the easiest birds to breed, hence the high price. Pic D Bell ©
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	Blue-capped Cordon Bleu Uraeginthus cyanocephala - Ethiopio to Tanzania. I suppose you could say the Blue-capped Cordon Bleu is a mutation of the Normal Red cheeked Cordon. However they must be kept separately to not cross-breed. These beautiful birds are my favourite, and this particular one is about 10 years old. May be in a mixed collection but only one pair per aviary. Four to eight small eggs are laid with incubation commencing at about the third egg. Common ailments are egg-binding, chills and worms. Pic D Bell ©
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	Blue-faced & Red Faced Parrot Finches (a)Erythrura trichroa (b) Erythrura psittacea. Distribution Caledonia. Beautiful red and green finches - red faced must be kept apart from blue-faced, to prevent cross breeding. 2 to 3 pairs per colony is desirable. They are lively birds and need space to fly. They prefer red pannicum to yellow, fruit and egg and biscuit. Mealworms and white ants must be offered prior to mating and during the breeding of the chicks to at least fledging age.
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	The ones that didn't make it! Red faced parrot finch, Blue masked lovebird, Hen weaver, gouldian finch, and red hooded siskin - stuffed birds on driftwood. RIP Pic D Bell
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Parrots
	Newtons Parakeet Psittacula exsul A sub species of the Alexandrine parrot, from Ceylon, Afghanistan and western Pakistan through India to Indo China. Also in the Andaman Islands. Good aviary bird, with a loud screeching cry. Breeds from November to April and feeds on seeds, nuts, fruits, berries and blossoms. Avid nectar eaters and also like fleshy petals of mhowa blossoms. Incubation lasts 21 days.
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	Yellow Shouldered Amazon Amazona barbadensis Coastal Venezuela islands off the coast and the Netherlands Antilles. A harsh, screeching note, in captivity. These parrots breed in April and May, and nests in hollows in trees, or in cavities and clefts in rocky escarpments. They congregate when feeding in flocks of 60 - 80 and feed on fruit of the organpipe cacti. They are very fond of mangoes.
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	Blue and Gold Macaw (Ara araraunta) Picture taken in Hawaii - where these birds are pets and great attraction to tourists. Common in forests in more remote parts of Panama south through Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela. They inhabit forests and tall palms and associate in pairs. They feed amongst the branches of tall trees. Breeding takes place in Trinadad in April and May and nests are holes in deep Palms. The flight is direct but slow but is quite fast for such a large bird.
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	To be added soon
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	Cotton material depicting various forms of bird life.
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	New Zealand Weka (Weka-pango) A species of Rail which, on predator-free islands in th Pacific area, lost the power of flight. The Weka Rail is one of the few New Zealand birds which Captain Cook mentioned in his "Voyages". Among the farmers it has a somewhat bad reputation. They attack full nests of eggs, tap a hole with its bill in each one, and suck the contents. It is semi-nocturnal in its habits and remains concealed during the day. The North and South Island of New Zealand each have Weka of different specie. It also roams the sea-shore and looks for kelp.
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	New Zealand Little Spotted Kiwi (Kiwi pukupuku) The Grey Kiwi is distributed over a great portion of the South Island. It frequents the woods and being nocturnal in its habits, must be sought for in prostrate hollow trunks, natural holes or caverns among the roots of the large forest-trees. It breeds in these localities and the nest has sometimes been taken from under a clump of tussock. The Kiwi is in some measure compensated by the absence of wings by its swiftness of foot.
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	New Guinea White Breasted Ground Dove (Gallicolumba jobiensis) Widely distributed in New Guinea, this make a very interesting aviary bird, and breeds well. Usually in pairs, they spend a good deal of time foraging on the ground. It takes seeds from the bamboo both while bamboo is growing and after seeds fall to the ground It lays two eggs and both birds incubate, the cock during the day and the hen during the night.. Hatch in approximately fourteen days, and grow rapidly. A beautiful addition to the aviary. I once hand fed a baby dove from 3 days old - place the mixture in a plastic bag and cut the corner off. The dove then inserts it beak with a sucking movement, similar to the the way it feeds from the mother bird, taking crop milk from her crop.
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	New Guinea Cassowary (Casuaritius casuarius) Height to 1.8m. Widely distributed in New Guinea and also Northern Queensland in the Daintree area, cassowaries are large flightless birds of the forest floor. They are shy and retiring and feed on fallen fruits, fungi, insects and small dead animals. The breeding season in Australia is from June to October.
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Lorikeets
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	Red Lory (Eos bornea) General plumage red - islands of Indonesia. Great aviary bird and very lively and vibrant. This lory is very common in the coastal zone and in montane forests up to 1250 m. Flocks of 20 or more are usually seen in flowering trees. They eat fragments of flowers and small insects, and they love the nectar, specially from umbrella trees. Pic D Bell ©
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Doves
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	Bleeding Heart Pigeon (Columba luzonica) Native dove of the Phillippines now endangered in that country, owing to their use as food. These beautiful doves are very touchy birds, and can drop dead in your hand. Care must be taken when catching up these birds. Cocks choose their hen and stay with her for life. One pair to an aviary is best, but they get on well with finches in the same aviary, as long as they are left alone. They build an open nest of twigs and small branches, preferably in the outside flight as they love the rain. They lay two eggs and the young birds, usually a hen and a cock, grow very quickly and care must be taken to remove the young when they are self dependent. Parents can turn on the young if they want to go back to nest and can attack and kill the young. Fruit and white ants are a favourite food, along with specialist pigeon mix of seeds. They love bathing in the cool fresh rain water and it is a pleasure to own these birds Pic D Bell ©

	.	Pastel Blue and Sydney Yellow Lovebirds - Agapornis roseciollis These small parrots come for different regions of South Africa and are hardy birds, breeding profusely in Australian aviaries. They commence breeding in late March until October when the nest boxes are removed. An ideal bird for beginners and make good pets. Pic D Bell © More on Lovebirds: http://ozbird.com/ozlovebirdsoc.htm
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	..	Lutino Fischers - A mutation of the peachface, with red eyes and red beak and legs, with white tipped tails, these birds are somewhat smaller in size and must be specially bred to keep up the overall size. Pic D Bell ©
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		Blue Masked Lovebirds. A much sort after mutation of the normal Black Mask, these birds must also be bred through the Black Mask from time to time, in order to keep a good sized bird. Pic D Bell ©
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