Aviculturalists?.....
- Thread starter phoenix
- Start date
Terra Firma
Member
Blue "cheeked" Amazons???
PAT, do you mean Blue-fronted Amazons?
If so, they are becoming more numerous every year as more and more private aviculturalists are breeding them. We paid $4000 for a pair a couple of years ago and you can now buy a pair for a bit over half that. Market forces of supply and demand at work!!!
Tha Amazons are very personable birds and second only to the African Greys in their ability to mimic human speech.
In his landmark book "Aviculture in Australia" published 15 years ago, aviculturist and scientist Mark Shephard stated that there were only five species of conures available to aviculture in Australia, and none of them were Pyrrhura conures.
On second thoughts, maybe I shouldn't ask.
"Landmark" yes but definitive, no! Ask away.
Terra Firma
Member
My spinifex are housed in a large enclosure on their own. Poor management of any species will only end in dissapointment.
Terra Firma
Member
Ben, i have given up on small enclosures with too many birds housed together. Sorry, i should have explained myself better in regards to the comment, "placid". Placid in the way they walk around your feet like poultry.As you well know aggression with this species can be a problem towards other birds.
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There are very few Hyacinths in private hands in this country.
NEBRS figures in 2000 showed 13 birds held by 5 owners. These figures are a bit conservative! Some of these birds have bred since then but some of these birds have been pinched by the Feds since then as well.
These numbers are insufficient to sustain the species in this country long term.
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Yes - importation is not currently permitted.
The National Finch and Softbill Association of Australia is sounding the alarm on an apparent big reduction in the number of foreign finches here. There has been no legal importation of foreign finches since 1949 and although some species have been lost, many have continued in large numbers with no new blood until recently, when numbers have apparently dropped.
The situation is so worrying that the NFSA is contemplating seeking approval for legal import of small numbers of vulnerable species to introduce new genes into existing populations, while at the same time being realistic enough to acknowledge that the chances of obtaining permission for importation are slight.
The situation is not helped by the fact that export of foreign species of birds bred in Australia is on the increase. Australia is seen overseas as a "clean" country from which to obtain birds and an increasing proportion of foreign finches bred here are not available to Aussie aviculturists, but are sent overseas.
The situation is so worrying that the NFSA is contemplating seeking approval for legal import of small numbers of vulnerable species to introduce new genes into existing populations, while at the same time being realistic enough to acknowledge that the chances of obtaining permission for importation are slight.
The situation is not helped by the fact that export of foreign species of birds bred in Australia is on the increase. Australia is seen overseas as a "clean" country from which to obtain birds and an increasing proportion of foreign finches bred here are not available to Aussie aviculturists, but are sent overseas.
You've been reading the Australian Birdkeeper haven't you Ara. I was completely unaware that we were exporting large numbers of birds until I read that article. It is a very worrying situation for birdkeepers interested in foriegn species and is not a good look for aviculturalists or the 'free market' at all.
There are too many people in aviculture to make a fast buck.
For example, young macaws, (which of course are rare in Australia) and which should be kept for future breeding stock are being yanked from the nest to be hand-raised to spend a solo and sterile life as someone's pet.
African lovebirds, which need to be carefully husbanded to preserve what little genetic diversity that we have, are being thoughtlessly hybridised. It's getting harder and harder to find pure masks; a lot have Fischer blood in them. Lovebirds too are being exported.
There are, thank heavens, some big players in the bird breeding business which do have the best interests of Australian aviculture at heart. Long term, though, I think that there will be fewer exotic bird species available for the Aussie aviculturist.
For example, young macaws, (which of course are rare in Australia) and which should be kept for future breeding stock are being yanked from the nest to be hand-raised to spend a solo and sterile life as someone's pet.
African lovebirds, which need to be carefully husbanded to preserve what little genetic diversity that we have, are being thoughtlessly hybridised. It's getting harder and harder to find pure masks; a lot have Fischer blood in them. Lovebirds too are being exported.
There are, thank heavens, some big players in the bird breeding business which do have the best interests of Australian aviculture at heart. Long term, though, I think that there will be fewer exotic bird species available for the Aussie aviculturist.
ZYBen
Well-Known Member
Having been involved in some lovebird exports, mainly mutations in Nyassa, its certainly not an easy process and i applaude anyone who can get through it! I think the figures may have been somewhat exageratted.
I dont so much support these mass exports though. (if they are occuring)
*Note: not my birds but a customers birds aquired through my work as a bird dealer.
I dont so much support these mass exports though. (if they are occuring)
*Note: not my birds but a customers birds aquired through my work as a bird dealer.
Electus Parrot
Well-Known Member
Yes, I had no idea that we were exporting birds to other countries until I read the Australian Birdkeeper. They are now trying to gather as many animals of a species to save it, but the problem is with parrots they are being hand-raised and not bred - which is what Ara said. Many of the species we need to continue breeding (which are in low numbers) are scattered all over the country making them hard to get and many people do not want to give up their birds, which is understandable.
Nice to see this discussion going on. And the export is a similar problem here in the Netherlands. A lot of our quality birds being raised for big bucks to Italy or Germany. 
And you guys might be jealouse for what we have in our aviaries. I m a bit jealouse about the availability of several Ausstralian birds
.
B.e. the cockatoos (especially the black ones)and lorikeets. Although I wouldnt mind to get some bush budgies or rockparakeets.
ps my collection at the moment is a bit smaller then usual and I just have
cobalt-winged parrots (brotogeris Cyanoptera) and mountain parakeets (Psilopsiagon aurifrons)
the moment I have some more space the australian species will move back into the collection (mainly kingparrot, goldenshouldered, hooded's and prinsess of wales, which all are quite easily available.)
And you guys might be jealouse for what we have in our aviaries. I m a bit jealouse about the availability of several Ausstralian birds
. B.e. the cockatoos (especially the black ones)and lorikeets. Although I wouldnt mind to get some bush budgies or rockparakeets.
ps my collection at the moment is a bit smaller then usual and I just have
cobalt-winged parrots (brotogeris Cyanoptera) and mountain parakeets (Psilopsiagon aurifrons)
the moment I have some more space the australian species will move back into the collection (mainly kingparrot, goldenshouldered, hooded's and prinsess of wales, which all are quite easily available.)