Aggression in Aviculture
WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY PETER ODEKERKEN

As Published in Australian BirdKeeper Volume 23 Issue 6 Dec/Jan 2011

I’m not talking about aviculturists not seeing eye-to-eye. This article relates to the challenges we face when keeping birds and will hopefully help to prevent or at least minimise mishaps occurring.
I’m sure that most experienced aviculturists would have had to cope with aggression at one stage or another. One important consideration when purchasing species is whether or not they are aggressively inclined—such as lories and lorikeets, the Psephotus group, broad-tailed parrots such as Rosellas and Australian Ringnecks and, in the case of finches, the Crimson and Black-throated.
Of course there are individuals in passive species that can be even more aggressive and we will generally see this behaviour at some time or other. White Cockatoo species can be violators to the extreme where a compatible and often known breeding pair, for example, have a dispute which results in the male either maiming or killing his mate. As you can imagine these experiences are not pleasant to encounter and, while there are no set practices that will definitely stop aggression, there are ways to minimise it—some of which I hope to cover in this article in an effort to save aviculturists from heartache.
No doubt readers will have overcome these problems in a different manner to what is discussed here and I would encourage readers to send a few lines to ABK on their own experiences—your contribution could help newcomers and experienced bird keepers alike to avoid disappointment.
If for instance you were to purchase a pair of Red-rumped Parrots Psephotus haematonotus it is likely that both the male and female birds would be aggressive towards other species in the aviary or birds in adjoining flights. Therefore a solution—and this holds true for all known aggressive species—is to house them separately and use double-wire netting with a gap of at least 25mm between. Although this can be a more expensive way of keeping birds the rewards and comfort of not fearing for other species far outweigh this cost.
Breeding in this way also reduces conflict and results will be better—although in some cases breeding results can actually be impaired when housing birds in this fashion as well. Closely related or similarly aggressive species often hang on the wire and bicker with the adjoining aviary occupants instead of getting on with reproduction. Therefore, it is better to place species that have little tendency to fight next to an aggressive species—such as Red-rumps next to a pair of Princess Parrots than perhaps a pair of Hooded Parrots beside a pair of Regent Parrots. Where possible you may also be able to place more space between aggressive species.
Double-wire can be replaced by solid partitions of metal sheeting however I don’t favour this system as many aviculturists experience hot summers where solid partitions can make conditions very uncomfortable for your birds and reduce breeding opportunities by stressing them unnecessarily. In some instances minor interaction between neighbouring pairs can actually stimulate breeding.
 

Wildlife And Eco Tourism—The New Way To Holiday in North America

Bird watching or a birding and wildlife tours are a nature lover’s favorite activity. The wonderful species of animals will excite and delight you. You will gain an infinite amount of knowledge and perspective by learning more about the wildlife species.

Going on a bird watching and wildlife trip are the ultimate dreams of any nature enthusiast. There are some amazingly lovely species of birds and animals out in the wilderness waiting to be seen and admired. Whether you are recent bird watcher or a veteran, every such trip is sure to exhilarate you. It is better to choose an organized tour with other like minded enthusiasts. Such tours are guided by an expert birder who has a command of the local fauna and geography. Customized tips are ideal for wildlife and bird clubs.

Wild life and eco tourism are capturing people’s imagination like never before. More and more people are attracted towards watching endangered species and delicate ecological systems. They are interested to discover for themselves the natural habitats of animals and birds. More families are opting so see a wildlife sanctuary or a national park as part of their holiday itinerary. Children can have both fun and education at a wildlife preserve.
 
Generally, most bird watching tour companies classify the tours according to the topography and geography of the area. North America is usually divided into foothills, mountainous birds and prairie birds. Such clearly divided trips are designed to give you a more defined knowledge about the birds of a particular area. It is a given that you will also get to experience the beautiful scenery and fragile ecosystems occupied by the rare species of the birds.

These professionally organized tours are guided by qualified and experienced ornithologists and biologists who are an authority on a wide range of birds and wild life. The varied and colorful wildlife of the USA includes Bison, Elk, Mountain Goats, Rocky Mountain Big Horn Sheep and Grizzly Bear. The birding tours are not necessarily limited to bird watching only. You can find out about the other aspects of the nature tour from the tour companies. They cover a wide range of flora and fauna. These tours are organized for the economy traveler also. It is a myth that the wildlife tours are exorbitantly priced. You can easily find the tour which fits your budget and allows for sufficient sight seeing.

Spotting the migratory birds brings great joy to birding enthusiasts. There are migratory hotspots on both the east and the west coast. So, you can make a nature trip irrespective of your geographic location in the country. The fall is the season to spot migratory birds on the east coast. The Great Blue Herons, the Broad Winged Hawks, the Falcon and the plover are some of the feathered wonders that flock the Cape May, New Jersey.

The USA itself is a home to some of the most amazing national parks and wildlife preserves. These destinations are family friendly with reasonably priced lodgings and restaurants. You can take boat tours to watch the aquatic life in action. The wildlife preserves are the places to go if you want to see the cheetahs, giraffes and elephants. The safari tours facilitate a close and good look at the wild animals. Some of these animals are natives of Africa and Asia but you will get to see them right here in the USA. The marshes of the USA are home to a lot of species of amphibians and reptiles. Head to the Everglades National Park in Florida to see alligators, crocodiles, turtles, bobcats and a lot of snake species. Canoe rides are provided to more adventurous visitors.

The Banff national park in Alberta with its magnificent wildlife is a family friendly place. Children and adults will have a great time spotting elks, mountain goats and big horn sheep among other animals. You can also enjoy rafting, hiking, fishing and horse back riding here. The Yellowstone national park in Wyoming is another popular getaway where you can witness the wildlife in its full glory. Plan your next vacation in the great outdoors with your family where your children will not only have fun but will also learn to appreciate and conserve the nature.

There are also some great holiday ideas in Australia. For info on Bird Tours contact birdkeeper@birdkeeper.com.au

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Alonso Quevedo; President of Pro Aves, Rita Fenwick; VP of Development for ABC, George Fenwick; President of ABC, and David Caro; Exec. Director of ProAves. Photo: © ABC

Source and Photo by American Bird Conservancy / ProAves Columbia - May 20, 2010 

A new species of bird for science has been discovered and named after a leading conservation family. The new species of antpitta, native to Colombia, South America, was announced last night in a ceremony at the residence of the Colombian Ambassador, Carolina Barco. The bird is named Fenwick’s Antpitta (Grallaria fenwickorum), after American Bird Conservancy (ABC) President George Fenwick and his family.
  

The announcement was made after a comprehensive two-year study and review process following the bird’s discovery in 2008. The capture and evaluation process itself was remarkable in that it is one of the first times that a new species for science has been described from an individual captured, banded, measured, photographed, sampled for DNA, and then released alive back into the wild.

“I am deeply honored by this naming. I know it reflects in equal parts on the contributions of both my family and the ABC organization, both of which have sought to further bird conservation efforts in Colombia,” Dr. George Fenwick said. “I am especially pleased that this effort was achieved without the loss of the bird’s life. Rare and special birds such as this should not have to be sacrificed to this process,” he added.


Fenwick's Antpitta. Photo: ©Fundacion ProAves

“Your family and ABC have done much in the last 15 years in the name of Colombian bird conservation, and I look forward to continued great accomplishments in the decades to come,” said Ambassador Barco.

The bird that provided the so-called “holotype” for the description was captured in the Colibri del Sol Bird Reserve located on the Paramo del Sol massif in the western Andes of Colombia. The reserve is managed by Fundación ProAves – Colombia’s leading conservation organization and an ABC partner. The 11,322 acre reserve, founded in 2005, is known for a stunning array of threatened birds, including the Critically Endangered Dusky Starfrontlet that was rediscovered in 2004 after being “lost” for over 50 years, and which provided the initial impetus for the Fenwick family’s support to establish the bird reserve.

The new bird species inhabits a highly restricted area of montane cloud forest where dwarf bamboo thickets thrive on rich volcanic soils on the less-humid eastern-facing slopes; a habitat that has undergone extensive clearance for pasturelands in recent decades. The bird has been proposed as Critically Endangered under IUCN-World Conservation Union criteria, with a population described as extremely small and of great conservation concern, making it a priority for ABC.

Fenwick’s Antpitta is a medium-sized, cinnamon and gray colored, thrush-like bird, with a height of about seven inches, and a weight of only about two ounces. G.fenwickorum is distinguished from its nearest relative – the Brown-banded Antpitta – by complete lack of a brown breast band (with the breast instead being uniform slate gray) and lighter brown dorsal plumage. Its vocalizations are also distinct. The bird is shy, spending its time foraging on insects in the leaf litter, occasionally ascending to sing from bamboo stands.

The complete 21-page description of the species is available at www.proaves.org/rubrique.php?id_rubrique=451. The authors provided special recognition to the Fenwick family – George, his wife Rita (ABC’s Vice President for Development) and their children Cyrus, Sarah, and Rachel of The Plains, Virginia – as a “…..force for conservation in the USA and across Latin America, especially Colombia. Importantly, the Fenwick family dedicated their own personal resources to support Fundación ProAves to buy and save the 731 hectares [1,820 acres] of Paramo del Sol, establish the Colibri del Sol Bird Reserve and funded the research that led to this discovery. This commitment to bird conservation has saved many bird species.”

George Fenwick received a Ph.D. in Pathobiology from Johns Hopkins University. He created American Bird Conservancy in 1994. Among the significant number of conservation achievements made by ABC under his direction are: the creation of The Latin American Bird Reserve Network that to date consists of 41 reserves dedicated to the protection of many of the rarest bird species on Earth; success in influencing federal and state land management decisions affecting birds on hundreds of millions of acres of land US-wide; and an established record of addressing human-caused threats to birds throughout the Americas, including domestic cats, pesticides, collisions with tall towers, and fisheries bycatch – an effort that has demonstrably saved millions of birds each year.