Emerald Dove Husbandry Manual - Nswfmpa.org

Jennifer Brown ● Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica ● Husbandry manual
2m
Shade cloth
covering
25% o f t he
area
2.5m
Food and water
containers
Substrate
eg mulch
Fig 2: A sketch of an option for a holding area for an Emerald Ground Dove
4.3 Spatial Requirements:
The EAPAct (2004) does n ot h ave an y sp ecific r equirement as t o h ow much s pace i s
required f or t he E merald Dove. But th ere are c ertain c riteria that an y en closure m ust
meet;
• The si ze an d sh ape o f t he en closure must p rovide f reedom o f m ovement
horizontally and vertically
• The size must be large enough to
o Avoid undue domination by a group of individuals
o Avoid the risk of persistent and unresolved conflict between different species
o Make it possible for an animal to withdraw from contact from other animals
and people
o Ensure the carrying capacity of the enclosure is not exceeded
o Prevent uncontrolled accumulation of parasites and other pathogens
o Encourage exercise and behavioural enrichment
• Each animal must be provided with enough space in all directions to
o Take exercise
o To be protected from undue dominance and conflict
o To be provided with its social, breeding and husbandry needs
Brown, D. (1995) recommends that there is between 2-2.5 cubic meters of aviary space
per pair of birds and in my opinion this is a good guideline to follow.
4.4 Position of Enclosures:
The best a spect for a ny en closure i n the southern hemisphere is a n ortherly facing one.
Tall trees around the outside of an aviary can be an issue if they become damaged in a
storm and fall so this needs to be considered. Drainage also needs to be considered but
this can be controlled through a good aviary design. Other than these reasons an aviary
can be placed in almost any location.
4.5 Weather Protection:
The Emerald Dove is a hardy bird and can withstand weather extremes within reason. Any
enclosure used to house an Emerald Dove should be equipped with a shelter to give
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