Bird Scene Autumn 2019

ISSUE FORTY FOUR: AUTUMN 2019
BIRDSCENE
THE MAGAZINE FOR
HOBBYIST BREEDERS
AND CONSERVATIONISTS
LES RANCE
KEEPING
BUDGERIGARS
IN A COLONY
LANEY RICKMAN
BLUE-THROATED
MACAW
RESERVE
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ISSUE FORTY FOUR: AUTUMN 2019
THE MAGAZINE FOR
HOBBYIST BREEDERS
AND CONSERVATIONISTS
LANEY RICKMAN
BLUE-THROATED
MACAW
RESERVE
THE NATIONAL
EXHIBITION
6TH OCTOBER
2019
CONTENTS
BIRD SCENE: AUTUMN 2019
CONTENTS
40
DONATE TO OUR
CONSERVATION
FUND…
6
CLICK THE LINK BELOW:
www.theparrotsocietyuk.org/donations.php
16
6
16
KEEPING
BUDGERIGARS
IN A COLONY
Les Rance
LANEY RICKMAN:
BLUE-THROATED
MACAW RESERVE
Armonia
26
50TH ANNIVERSARY
OF THE PARROT
SOCIETY UK
By Alan Jones
ON THE COVER
BIRDSCENE
26
32
40
WINTER:
PREVENTING LOSSES
By Rosemary Low
THE NATIONAL
EXHIBITION 2019
Les Rance
16
LES RANCE
KEEPING
BUDGERIGARS
IN A COLONY
FREE
WINTER EDITION OUT
2ND DECEMBER
2019
6
40
BIRD SCENE: Issue Forty Four: Autumn 2019
BIRD SCENE is run by The Parrot Society UK, Audley House, Northbridge Road, Berkhamsted HP4 1EH, England.
FOR SALES AND EDITORIAL ENQUIRES Telephone or Fax: 01442 872245
Website: www.theparrotsocietyuk.org / E-Mail: les.rance@theparrotsocietyuk.org
The views expressed by contributors to this magazine are not those of The Parrot Society UK unless otherwise
explicitly stated
BIRD SCENE 3

Les Rance, Editor, The Parrot Society UK | www.theparrotsocietyuk.org | les.rance@
INTRODUCT
I
am writing this Introduction on in the hobby. In the UK because of our
19th August and as I do I think of maritime climate we have not been so
the 2019 breeding season that has affected by global warming, only this
in just two words ‘been challenging’ as week I had a visit from a German
far as breeding successes have been hobbyist breeder who told me that in
concerned. Generally I keep the same northern Bavaria where he lives it is
stock each year and carry out similar becoming too hot in the summer to
management, my birds are used to breed his small parakeets. He has been
their aviaries and the excellent array of forced to move the birds indoors and
food that they receive but those
breed them in the winter even though
constants have not produced results as it is cold at this time of the year and he
good as 2017 and 2018, in my opinion has to supply heating to the rooms he
the blame lays squarely with the uses for his birds.
weather, it has been too cold and
As a comparison last year I wrote ‘For
changeable for most of this summer many years bird keeping has been a
and my results have not been as good relaxing past-time, however, for
as the previous two years. I know of hobbyist breeders that keep their birds
UK breeders who have had success in unheated aviaries through the poor
with their stock but generally they are weather experienced this spring and it
in the minority. I think the Report for did not last long, it can also be a
2019 will read ‘Could have done
worrying time, however, now that the
better’ it reminds me of my school weather is much warmer the birds
days!!
seem more relaxed and there are
There is no doubt that bird breeding plenty of reports that birds are
is not an easy past-time, there are breeding well this year in the UK.
many challenges that we encounter Those who keep their stock in breeding
and we need to spend a considerable rooms where they can easily turn up
amount of time both looking after our the heating however are in a far more
stock and watching our birds to decide satisfactory position.’
what we can do to help them have an In this edition of Bird Scene there is
easier and less stressed life. However, I an article by myself on my experiences
guess that if bird keeping and breeding with Budgerigars which I spent quite a
was easy we would soon lose interest considerable time writing, I do hope
04 BIRD SCENE

theparrotsocietyuk.org
ION
BY THE
EDITOR
LES RANCE
you enjoy it. Also we are starting the
serialisation on the presentations by
leading international speakers who
attended our 50th Anniversary
celebrations at Chester Zoo which
were skilfully written by our Chairman
Alan Jones, there is a vast amount of
interesting information within and I
am sure you will learn a great deal
from studying them. As the evenings
start to draw in each week it is time to
consider how we protect our birds in
their aviaries, I am certain you will
find the article by Rosemary Low
‘Winter: Preventing Losses’ of
particular help in suggesting actions
you can take to help your birds.
This is now the forty fourth edition of
Bird Scene, how quickly eight years
can pass when you are
working on project
– the first FREE
on-line bird
magazine produced
in the UK. At 48
pages this is quite
a big read! We
are always
happy to receive
articles about the
species that are
being exhibited
at The National
and are very pleased to give publicity
to the club supplying the information.
Regular readers will know that Bird
Scene as been produced to publicise
The National Exhibition held each
year at our October Sale Day/Show at
Stafford County Showground which
will be held on Sunday 6th October
and to promote our Conservation
efforts for threatened parrots in the
wild. An archive of earlier editions of
Bird Scene can be found on the Home
Page of our website www.
theparrotsocietyuk.org so if
you would like to see
earlier versions
please do log on to
our site.

BY
LES RANCE
(Budgerigars) have that wonderful
balance of a playful inquisitive
personality and good intelligence
and for a small bird their talking
ability is well known.
06 BIRD SCENE

FEATURE
KEEPING
BUDGERIGARS
IN A COLONY
Budgerigars have for many years
been a very popular bird to keep
and as they are easy to manage
they are an ideal bird for the beginner.
With so many different colours they
appeal to a wide range of bird keepers
and pet owners who find Budgerigars to
be great companions and the ideal pet,
especially if the owners are not able to
keep larger parrot species due to space
restrictions. Baby Budgerigars at eight
weeks of age are feeding themselves and
at this age they are easy to train
especially if you only have one bird as
they are keen to join a ‘family’ and bond
with a human. They have that wonderful
balance of a playful inquisitive
personality and good intelligence and for
a small bird their talking ability is well
known. In a colony when you approach
their aviary they will come to the front to
greet you, they seem genuinely pleased
to welcome you and show great interest
in you. This is very pleasing for the owner
and gives you great pleasure as it allows
you to easily interact with your birds.
Budgerigars are a native of Australia and
have a nomadic lifestyle following the
rain clouds around the dry interior of this
vast country, when the clouds finally
deposit their rain the grass seeds sprout
and quickly grow in the ideal damp and
warm environment. The Budgerigars use
these conditions to find a location to
nest and raise a family as the grasses
produce their green seeds which are
BIRD SCENE 07

eagerly eaten and fed to the babies. The
wild Budgerigar is green which gives it
good camouflage and some protection
from the native hawks that predate the
flocks, some of which are large if the
rains have been plentiful. It is the
availability of the rains that stimulate the
birds into breeding condition, whereas
our wild birds in the UK are generally
stimulated by increased daylight which
indicates the weather will warm and then
there will be an increase in insects and
other food to help our birds raise healthy
youngsters.
During the summer of 2016 I decided to
dedicate one of my twelve foot long
outside aviaries to a colony of
Budgerigars and once I saw the excellent
stock owned by my good friend Gerald
Massey I knew where my new birds were
going to come from! At our summer show
at Stafford I booked four pairs of 2016
bred youngsters for delivery at The
National Exhibition in October. When the
day of delivery arrived I was very excited
and really looking forward to seeing the
birds that Gerald had selected for me, I
was not disappointed because they were
08 BIRD SCENE

FEATURE
fabulous. The feathering was excellent,
they all had tail feathers and there were
no missing wing feathers, they could all
fly strongly and were a wonderful mixture
of colours, I was delighted.
Their aviary was fitted with eight
identical nest boxes all hung at the same
height of five feet above the sand floor
and protected from the rain by a glass
fibre roof which covers ¾ of the length of
the flight allowing the last three feet to
give the Budgerigars access to rain and
natural light. If the nest boxes are not
identical and hung at various heights
When the day of delivery
arrived I was very
excited and really looking
forward to seeing the
birds that Gerald had
selected for me, I was not
disappointed because they
were fabulous.
there is invariably competition for the
highest box as this is regarded as the
prime residential location for a pair of
Budgerigars and it is quite possible that
they will fight for that box. Consequently
all my boxes are the same size and hung
BIRD SCENE 09

Their standard seed is
50/50 Budgerigar mixture
which is 50% canary seed
and 50% mixed millets. I
provide this in steep sided
bowls to reduce waste,
placing them on the
feeding tray about four
feet above the aviary floor.
on the wire of the aviary all at the exact
same height. They are of a small parakeet
style with eight staples on the inside
below the entrance hole to form a ladder
for the birds to climb down to the
wooden concave where they lay their
eggs, the top of the box lifts off for nest
box inspection and to ring the babies.
One great advantage of breeding in a
colony is that the birds can pair with the
partner of their choice. This does appear
to give greater fertility and hence larger
clutches. My young Budgerigars rapidly
settled into their accommodation and
were soon investigating the nest boxes
and this was early October. By November
I was close ringing youngsters with 2016
rings with my initials on them and the
parents were also wearing 2016 rings!
This just shows how eager, fit healthy
well feathered Budgerigars are to
reproduce. They are fed plenty of green
food, Chickweed is a favourite and also
germinated wheat and oats which is
greatly relished and my home made egg
food each day. Their standard seed is
50/50 Budgerigar mixture which is 50%
canary seed and 50% mixed millets. I
provide this in steep sided bowls to
reduce waste, placing them on the
feeding tray about four feet above the
aviary floor. They also have two smaller
10 BIRD SCENE

FEATURE
BIRD SCENE 11

seed dishes placed on a tea tray on the
floor of the aviary as Budgerigars love to
forage for food on the floor of the flight,
often as many as twenty birds will be on
the floor at any one time. The tea tray is
ideal because it is light but strong and
any husks can easily be removed from the
flight and the tray washed in my bird
room kitchen to keep it clean.
Budgerigars should be provided with fresh
water every day, in the summer if it is
warm it is preferable to change their
water both evening and morning because
they have a habit of placing green food
in the water and I do not want it to start
fermenting. The smaller pet type
Budgerigars are prolific breeders, not
infrequently they will lay 7 white eggs in
a clutch, they lay every other day so a
clutch of 7 eggs will take 14 days to
produce, they start to incubate after they
Budgerigars should be
provided with fresh water
every day, in the summer
if it is warm it is preferable
to change their water both
evening and morning
because they have a habit
of placing green food in the
water and I do not want it to
start fermenting.

have their first egg and with an
incubation period of 18 days the first
babies hatch well before the eggs 4,5,6
and seven which means that these babies
are at a disadvantage as the early babies
are becoming quite large before the last
ones hatch and often number 7 does not
survive even though the hens are feeding
all the babies. You should aim to close
ring your babies to make record keeping
possible. When ringing at between five
and eight days of age I hold the baby in
one hand with a foot grasped between my
first finger and thumb, then the ring is
slipped over the two longest toes, along
the foot and up the leg shank, I then pull
the two remaining toes through the ring
with my fingers or a small pointed stick, I
do find that some of my own saliva
placed on and inside the ring does help
this exercise especially if the baby is a
Fit healthy young
Budgerigars will fly from
the nest box when they
are five to six weeks old
at which point they are
fully feathered. The brood
of youngsters can be
removed from the parents
when the youngest has
been out of the nest box
for eight days as they will
all be feeding themselves
by that time.
bit larger than the norm as the saliva
acts as a lubricant. Fit healthy young
Budgerigars will fly from the nest box
when they are five to six weeks old at
which point they are fully feathered. The
brood of youngsters can be removed from
the parents when the youngest has been
out of the nest box for eight days as they
will all be feeding themselves by that
time. Although in an aviary environment I
tend to leave them there for several
months so that they can learn ‘life skills’
from their parents and other adults
present. Of the 70 babies bred in 2017 I
have not had a single baby with an
undershot beak which is normally caused
by a build up of food that lodges on the
inside of both the upper and lower
mandibles, this food becomes very hard
but can be quite easily removed with a
match stick. Also I have not experienced
BIRD SCENE 13

‘messy feeders’ where the parents deposit
their regurgitated seed all around the
face of their youngsters whilst feeding
them. These pet type Budgerigars are
excellent parents with high vitality and a
great desire to breed. With most of the
colour mutations it is easy to tell the sex
of individuals, just look at the cere, the
area above the upper mandible, it will be
blue for cocks and brown for the hens.
When building an aviary for your
Budgerigars the best wire to use is
weldmesh with a size of ½” x 1” you can
use the thin 19 gauge which is cheaper
but I prefer the heavier 16 gauge because
if in the future you want to keep a larger
species such as Eastern Rosellas the 16
gauge would be fine for them whereas the
14 BIRD SCENE

FEATURE
19 gauge might be chewed through and
your birds escape. In addition the 16
gauge is easier to work with especially if
you are using wood rather than tubular
aluminium as the main structure. Your
design will be dictated by the space you
have available but do remember that it is
preferable to have a plastic roof over 75%
of the top and provision to stop the cold
winter winds blowing through the flight.
An inside shelter where you can fit an
electric light and dimmer to increase the
feeding time during the winter months
will make life easier for them to cope
with the winter conditions. You must also
ensure that the structure is rat proof by
including suitable footings as a base,
once rats get into an aviary they are
difficult to eradicate and will kill and eat
your birds. If you keep Budgerigars in an
outside aviary with a grass floor you
should consider the possibility of a build
up of intestinal worm eggs that stay
viable for long periods in the damp
conditions of such a floor. I once had a
light green hen breeding with four babies
in such a set up and found her dead one
morning. When I checked at post mortem
she had thirty four ¾” long worms in her
intestine. Fortunately the cock raised the
four babies. By using sand on the floor
and keeping this dry by using a plastic
roof over the majority of the flight the
worm eggs quickly dry up when they fall
on the sand and cannot turn into worms
if the bird ingests the dried up worm egg.
This year I selected 6 pairs of my 2018
bred budgerigars to breed with, these are
all blue series colours and I placed these
in a 15feet long aviary. All the hens laid
their eggs fairly close together which
allowed me to move the youngsters
around between nest boxes so that each
hen had youngsters that were roughly the
same size, which gave each baby a much
better chance of not getting crushed by a
much larger nest mate. In the first round
19 youngsters were produced and are
happily flying in the aviary with the
parents. The second round is progressing
well with 18 young hatched by 19th
August and I am fairly certain that I will
get a few more yet. I guess that by the
end of the second round there will be at
least 38 youngsters from the original 12
parents, a very satisfactory year for these
Budgerigars.
DONATE TO OUR
CONSERVATION
FUND…
CLICK THE LINK BELOW:
http://www.theparrotsocietyuk.org/donations.php
BIRD SCENE 15

In 2018 The
Parrot Society
donated $4,000 to
Asociacion Armonia to
assist them with the
project reported
below
LANEY RICKMAN
BLUE-THROATED
MACAW RESERVE
BY: ARMONIA
16 BIRD SCENE

FEATURE
Blue-throated Macaw
(Ara glaucogularis) Marton Hardy
Asociación Armonía created a second Blue-throated Macaw Reserve in August 2018, the
Laney Rickman Reserve (681ha/1.683ac). This reserve is protecting vital breeding
habitat in the Southern subpopulation. The 2018-2019 breeding season was highlighted
with the highest ever reproduction result since Armonía started the nest box program. A total
of 9 nest boxes were used and 12 Blue-throated Macaw chicks fledged into the wild
population. A total of 81 Blue-throated Macaws left Armonía’s nest boxes
to date.
1. Laney Rickman Reserve Goals
Our main goals for 2019-2020 to ensure a continuous development and protection of the
Laney Rickman Blue-throated Macaw Reserve are:
1. Protect and increase vital breeding habitat for the Blue-throated Macaw
2. Increase nest cavity availability (nest boxes)
3. Establish Visitor/Interpretation Centre for local education
• Quarterly visits from local schools learning about conservation
• Establish basic visitor infrastructure (toilets & research dormitory)
4. Create impenetrable firebreaks throughout the reserve
5. Create wildlife friendly fencing around the reserve’s perimeter
6. Begin small scale ranching (100 head of cattle) to fulfill governmental requirements
7. Establish a Blue-throated Macaw monitoring protocol
8. Study southern subpopulation Blue-throated Macaw local movement
BlueBlueBlueBlue-throated
BIRD SCENE 17

Figure 1: Laney Rickman Blue-throated Macaw Reserve is located 42 kilometers south of Trinidad (Beni
department capital), and 213 kilometers southeast of the Barba Azul Nature Reserve (Armonía’s first reserve
to protect Blue-throated Macaw habitat). Armonía protect vital Blue-throated Macaw habitat in 2 isolated
subpopulations (estimated subpopulation range indicated in light green).
2. Reserve Creation
The Laney Rickman Blue-throated Macaw
Reserve was established on the 28th of
August 2018 to protect the most important
breeding habitat of the endemic and
Critically Endangered Blue-throated Macaw
(Ara glaucogularis) southern subpopulation.
The reserve measures 681ha/1.683ac and is
located in the Loreto municipality, Beni
Department, Bolivia (fig. 1).
With the support from the Parrot Society
UK, Van Tienhoven Foundation and Susan
Hillard, Armonía was able to kickstart this
new Blue-throated Macaw Reserve with many
management activities: contracting our new
park guard Cesar Flores (world’s most
knowledge expert on Blue-throated Macaw
nest box monitoring) (fig.2), the placement
of the “Laney Rickman Reserve sign” (fig.3),
patrolling the reserve with our newly
purchased quad-bike (fig.4), and helping to
gain local support through presenting our
conservation actions at municipal and
departmental events.
Figure 2. Cesar Flores, Armonía’s new park guard
for the Laney Rickman Blue-throated Macaw
Reserve who has been working for Armonía since
2009. Picture taken by Marton Hardy.
18 BIRD SCENE

FEATURE
3. Nest box Program
(2018-2019 breeding season)
Figure 4, above: Armonía’s park guard Cesar
Flores (left) and Tjalle Boorsma (right)
planning patrolling activities with the newly
purchased quad-bike (supported by International
Conservation Fund of Canada, IUCN-
NL, Parrot Society UK and World Land Trust).
Picture taken by Marton Hardy.
Figure 3, left: With support from the Van
Tienhoven Foundation we kickstarted
management activities within the Laney
Rickman Reserve including the placement of
the “Laney Rickman Reserve entrance sign”,
thanking the donors who helped purchasing
this new reserve. Picture taken by Tjalle
Boorsma.
Summary
The 2018-2019 breeding season resulted in
the best nest box year ever: highest number
of occupied nest boxes (9) and highest
number of successfully fledged chicks (12)
(table 2). This year’s nest box program
received support from ARTIS Amsterdam
Royal Zoo, International Conservation
Fund of Canada, IUCN-Netherlands and
Parrot Society UK. The 12 chicks fledged
from 6 different nest boxes, and were all
located in the Laney Rickman Reserve.
Through Armonía’s 14-year nest box
program, 81 Blue-throated Macaw chicks
successfully fledged into the wild.
A total of 5 breeding birds were confirmed to
be ringed individuals, fledged from
Armonía’s nest boxes in previous years,
returning to breed. These are important
indicators of increasing population
recruitment where fledged birds survive and
reproduce, showing the successfulness of
this program. The first ringed individuals
used our nest boxes in 2015 (for more
BIRD SCENE 19

FEATURE
Figure 5 left: Successfully fledged
Blue-throated Macaw chicks in nest box
PBA18 (SA1: St Augustine Alligator
Farm). The largest chick fledged on
the 9th of march, followed by the other
two chicks on the 18th of March. Picture
taken by Cesar Flores.
Figure 7 inset left: Luis Miguel Barbosa
(Reserve Coordinator Assistant)
installing new nest boxes in the Laney
Rickman Reserve for the 2018-2019
breeding season. A total of 10 new nest
boxes were placed, 8 refurbished and
60 made ready for the Macaws to occupy.
Picture taken by Marton Hardy.
information watch: https://www.facebook.
com/AFABirds/videos/460776861070056/).
Also, Armonía created a nest box that
stopped competition for breeding cavities
between the common and abundant Blueand-yellow
Macaw (Ara ararauna) and the
endemic Blue-throated Macaw (fig.9). In
2013 we decreased the entrance hole to 10
by 10 cm, preventing Blue-and-yellow
Macaws from using them. The 3 Blue-and-
Yellow Macaws that did us the nest boxes this
year, literary made their own entrance
through destroying the walls.
Results 2018-2019
breeding season
A total of 60 nest boxes were prepared
(fig.5) for the 2018-2019 breeding season:
43 in Laney Rickman Reserve; 12 in La
Cantina ranch; and 5 in Las Trancas ranch.
We decided not to prepare nest boxes in the
Santa Rosa ranch (low costs benefit)
monitored in previous years, due to low
success rates in the past and logistical
difficulties faced during the rainy season
(extreme flooding). Preparation of nest
boxes included the placement of 10 new
boxes, refurbishing 8 boxes, removing wasp
and bee nests and putting timber scrapings
in all 60 boxes used for breeding bed.
A total of 20 nest boxes (33% occupancy
rate) were used by 6 different birds species
(table 1 & annex 1): Blue-throated Macaws
(9); Blue-and-Yellow Macaw (3); Chestnutfronted
Macaw (2); White-eyed Parakeet (1);
Black-bellied Whistling Duck (6); and an
unidentified Woodpecker (1).
Table 1 (above). Summary of nest box usage by different species in the reproductive period of 2018-2019.
A total of 20 nest boxes were used divided over 2 locations (16 in Laney Rickman Reserve & 4 in La Cantina).
A total of 2 nest boxes have been used by 2 different species (more detailed information in annex 1)
BIRD SCENE 21

Of the 9 occupied nest boxes by Bluethroated
Macaws (table 2 & annex 2), 8 were
located in the Laney Rickman Reserve (fig.
6) and 1 in the La Cantina ranch. A total of
25 eggs were produced, 15 chicks hatched,
of which 12 chicks successfully fledged. A
total of 5 breeding individuals were ringed,
fledged from Armonía’s nest boxes in
previous years. Three of the 9 occupied Bluethroated
Macaw nest boxes have been used
by Blue-throated Macaws in previous years,
indicating favorable breeding conditions.
Table 2 (above). Summary of nest boxes used by the Blue-throated Macaw in the 2018-2019 breeding season.
A total of 9 nest boxes were occupied, 25 eggs produced, 15 chicks hatched and 12 chicks successfully fledged.
This makes 2018-2019 the most successful breeding season since Armonía started the Blue-throated macaw
nest box program in 2005. LR is Laney Rickman Reserve (more detailed information in annex 1 & 2).
Figure 6. Location of occupied
nest boxes in the Laney Rickman
Reserve presenting the acronyms
of the sponsors. Red indicator
points show occupied Bluethroated
Macaw nests of which
12 chicks successfully fledged.
A total of 4 nest boxes were occupied
in the La Cantina property
of which 1 nest box was occupied
by Blue-throated Macaw but
failed (these nest boxes are not
indicated in the map).

FEATURE
Asociación Armonía nest box program: Tjalle Boorsma
Long-term results
Armonía’s nest box
program
Armonía’s nest box program started 14 years
ago through the support from Loro Parque
Fundación and the Bird Endowment with
the Nidos Adiptivos Program. In 2005 we
placed 20 nest boxes which resulted in a
100% occupancy by a number of bird species
including 1 Blue-throated Macaw pair. This
clearly indicated limited natural cavity
availability as well as the nest boxes being
an attractive breeding environment. Since
then a total of 55 nest boxes have been used
by the Blue-throats. A total of 146 eggs were
produced, 99 chicks hatched of which 81
Blue-throated Macaws successfully fledged
into the wild (fig. 8).
Our 14-year nest box program showed on
average a 31% egg loss (infertile eggs,
damaged eggs or predated eggs) and an 11%
mortality rate of hatched chicks. Chicks that
died in the nest boxes were the smallest
chicks often hatched long after the oldest
individuals. Little information is available on
the survival rate of the fledged birds, but the
return of ringed individuals during the 2017-
2018 and the 2018-2019 breeding season is
a promising indicator demonstrating the
success of this program.
Over time, Armonía created a nest box that
stopped competition for breeding cavities
between the common and abundant Blueand-yellow
Macaw (Ara ararauna) and the
endemic Blue-throated Macaw. At the start
of the program entrance holes measured 12
by 25 cm. In 2013 we changed the entrance
hole to 10 by 10 cm. Before 2013 between 15
to 27 nest boxes were occupied by Blue-andyellows,
while after 2013 we reduced it to a
maximum occupancy of 3 nest boxes
(including years with 0 nest box usage) (Fig. 9).
BIRD SCENE 23

FEATURE
Figure 8. Nest box occupancy of Blue-throated Macaw and number of fledglings presented over the 14 years of Armonía’s nest box
program. The 2018-2019 breeding season resulted in the highest ever Blue-throated Macaw nest box occupancy (9) and the
highest ever number of successfully fledged chicks (12). Over the 14 years, a total of 81 Blue-throated Macaws successfully
fledged Armonía’s nest boxes
Figure 9. Nest box occupancy of Blue-throated Macaw vs Blue-and-yellow Macaw presented over the 14 years of
Armonía’s nest box program. Since Armonía started experimenting with entrance size (from 12 by 25cm to 10
by 10cm) between 2013 and 2015, competition between these large macaws significantly dropped.
24 BIRD SCENE

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38 44 :PARROT SOCIETY MAGAZINE
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BY
ALAN JONES
50TH
ANNIVERSARY OF THE
PARROT SOCIETY UK
06 26 BIRD SCENE

FEATURE
FOLLOWING OUR
50TH ANNIVERSARY
CELEBRATIONS AT CHESTER
ZOO ALAN JONES WROTE
REPORTS ON ALL THE PRESENTATIONS
FROM THE EXCELLENT INTERNATIONAL
SPEAKERS WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THE
WEEKEND. THESE REPORTS WERE VERY
DETAILED AND I FEEL THAT THEY ARE VERY
WORTH REPRODUCING IN BIRD SCENE. I DO
HOPE THAT YOU ENJOY READING THEM.
LES RANCE EDITOR
As we approach the end of 2016, we
can look back at fifty years of the
Parrot Society and our marking of
this landmark year with pride. Aside from
our usual open days at various venues
around the country, our local meetings in
various areas, and our national shows at
Stafford, our magazine has recorded in
June this year an historical look back at
the Society from its formation by Norman
Cooper in 1966. This article contained
extracts and pictures from early
BIRD SCENE 27

magazines, and charted the progress of
shows, membership, and conservation
projects. In May several PS members
visited Brazil to see three of these
conservation projects first hand. The
whole Brazilian adventure has been
detailed in the commemorative book
‘Brazil 2016 – Conservation in Action’,
now available at all our shows and
on-line via our website. All profits from
the sale of this book will go back to the
PSUK Conservation Fund. Throughout the
year, the specially designed 50th
anniversary logo has marked this
milestone, and celebrations culminated
with our highly successful and wellreceived
anniversary seminar at Chester
Zoo in September.
The quality of speakers and the range of
subjects covered were such that all PSUK
members should have the opportunity to
benefit from the event. Unfortunately the
video recording of the meeting was not of
sufficient quality to be able to offer
copies on disk for sale, but short clips
may be posted on our website, and
meanwhile a series of articles
summarising the content of the talks,
with some pictures illustrating the event,
will appear in our magazine.
The over-all theme of the seminar was
Worldwide Conservation Projects in Birds.
It would have been very easy simply to
present a catalogue of projects involving
different species, but our excellent
speakers gave a variety of approaches to
28 BIRD SCENE

FEATURE
this subject, to keep the interest alive,
and provoke thought and discussion
amongst delegates. The well-known artist
Eric Peake compered the whole day in
his inimitable fashion, introducing each
speaker and keeping things running
smoothly.
The proceedings were opened by the
showing of a DVD produced by Ray
Ackroyd in Australia, illustrating the use
of protective collars (originally made of
sheet tin, but now using clear Perspex)
around trees used as nest sites by
cockatoos in the outback. These slippery
collars prevent predatory lizards, cats and
snakes from climbing the trees to raid the
nests of eggs and chicks, thereby
…slippery collars prevent predatory
lizards, cats and snakes from
climbing the trees to raid the
nests of eggs and chicks, thereby
markedly increasing the successful
production of cockatoo chicks to
fledging age. This technique was
one of the first conservation projects
to be funded by The Parrot Society
in 1995 following a visit by Council
Member and founder PS member
John Mollindinia to meet Ray
Ackroyd.
markedly increasing the successful
production of cockatoo chicks to fledging
age. This technique was one of the first
conservation projects to be funded by The
Parrot Society in 1995, following a visit
by Council Member and founder PS
BIRD SCENE 29

member John Mollindinia to meet Ray
Ackroyd. This simple idea has been so
successful that it has been copied by
other conservation groups, and is still
supported financially by the Parrot
Society to this day.
Sadly, owing to injuries received in an
earlier accident, Ray was not able to
travel and attend our seminar in person,
but his film gave an excellent illustration
of the collaring technique in action, as
well as a taste of the habitat and wildlife
of the Australian outback. This
fascinating story, introduced by past-
Chairman David Coombes, set the scene
for the day, and showed the audience just
what could be done out in the field, with
a simple idea, limited manpower, and
some basic equipment.
The over-all theme of the seminar
was Worldwide Conservation
Projects in Birds. It would have
been very easy simply to present
a catalogue of projects involving
different species, but our excellent
speakers gave a variety of
approaches to this subject, to keep
the interest alive, and provoke
thought and discussion…
DONATE TO OUR
CONSERVATION
FUND…
CLICK THE LINK BELOW:
http://www.theparrotsocietyuk.org/donations.php
30 BIRD SCENE

FEATURE
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BIRD SCENE 31

BY
ROSEMARY LOW
Birds with special feeding requirements, ie, food that could
freeze, should always be housed in aviaries with access to
indoor quarters, with flaps or doors that permit the birds to
be shut inside at night.
32 BIRD SCENE

FEATURE
WINTER:
PREVENTING
LOSSES
Almost all losses of aviary birds
during the winter can be prevented
by thinking and planning ahead.
There is no doubt that our weather has
become windier in recent years. This aspect
can result in serious losses, through
aviaries that literally cannot stand up to
gales and because draughts can be deadly
for birds. We should protect and locate our
aviaries with this in mind.
BIRD SCENE 33

Now is the time to strengthen the roofs of
aviaries. Be certain that they are properly
secured using bolts and washers, as
illustrated. There is no excuse for flimsy
aviaries when the lives of your birds
depend on sound construction. Not only is
it false economy in the long term but
escaped birds suffer horrible deaths from
starvation, cold or hawk predation.
Needless to say, aviaries and their mesh
must be scrutinised carefully in case repairs
are needed.
Draughts and wind
We all need reminders of what can go
wrong if we become too blasé. Take
draughts, for example. In colder weather
they can be killers for birds. In the case of
cages within a building that lead to an
outdoor flight, the wind that enters
through the exit hatch could mean that
birds are permanently sitting in a draught.
For this reason the exit should be well
below the perch level. It can be at floor
level in half-depth inside cages.
Reducing the wind-chill factor is
extremely important. The best method is to
protect the sides of the aviaries, or those
that take the brunt of the wind, with
corrugated PVC sheeting, properly secured.
This can be attached to wooden frames and
screwed into position or the sheeting can
be bolted on to aviary framework.
In July 2015 the Met Office issued
statistics that showed the UK had
experienced, in the first seven months of
the year, the fewest calm days recorded
since 1993. A “calm” day is defined as one
on which at least twenty weather stations
have recorded a maximum gust speed of 11mph
or less. There were only eight such days.
When aviaries are erected, or before,
wind-breaks in the form of shrubs or trees
should be planted in appropriate positions.
Elder and hawthorn are recommended for
their rapid growth -- with the added bonus
in autumn of feeding the berries to the
birds!
Most parrots are hardy. Cold alone will
not have a harmful impact on healthy
birds. However, young parrots are less
In my opinion, no parrots
should spend winter nights
in outdoor enclosures in
northern Europe. All aviaries
should have an indoor part.
Most members of the parrot
family soon learn to enter
when the carer approaches at
night.
34 BIRD SCENE

FEATURE
tolerant of uncomfortably low
temperatures -- something that should
always be borne in mind. They are often
less sensible about perching in sheltered
positions.
Before the onset of cold weather,
carefully examine all your aviary birds. If
any are underweight, they are the ones
least likely to survive the winter. Steps
should be taken to ascertain why this is the
case, with an avian vet check, if possible.
At least make an appropriate alteration to
the diet or accommodation or remove a
dominant companion who is harassing a
bird at feeding times.
Winter diets
Birds in outdoor aviaries must be in good
health to withstand our often rapidly
fluctuating temperatures in winter. Special
attention needs to be paid not only to diet
but also to the way food is provided. A seed
mixture that is appropriate during the
warmer months might fail to provide
sufficient energy in cold weather. Seeds
high in oil, such as hemp, perilla,
sunflower and safflower, can form a higher
proportion of a seed mixture. Sprays of
seeding dock that have been cut, dried and
stored are useful then, and also provide a
treat.
BIRD SCENE 35

Birds with special feeding requirements,
ie, food that could freeze, should always
be housed in aviaries with access to indoor
quarters, with flaps or doors that permit
the birds to be shut inside at night. Lories
and other species which feed mainly on
nectar would have to be fed at least four
times daily if the food was outside and the
nectar froze. This would be impossible for
people working long hours.
Protecting the food from mice is of the
utmost importance, especially in a colony
aviary where it is difficult to control the
amount of food eaten by individual birds
or pairs.
Hours of daylight and food intake
Electric lighting is as useful as heating in
many cases. It enables
birds to feed for
lengthened periods, thus
better
maintaining their body temperature. Food
is converted to energy, that is, heat. A
small species, such as a parrotlet or
lovebird, makes the most efficient use of
its food at about 80°F (27°C). The lower
the temperature drops, the greater the
intake of food needs to be. I am not
suggesting that indoor quarters are heated
to this degree -- about 54°F (about 12° C)
is adequate for most species. However, I
am suggesting that the quantity of food
might need to be slightly increased.
A dimmer switch is recommended in all
birdrooms, so that birds are not suddenly
plunged into darkness. The lights should
be dimmed at approximately the same time
each night as birds have an acute sense of time
and establishing a routine is good for them.
UV light and Vitamin D
Vitamin D deficiencies are
common in captive birds kept
with insufficient dietary
vitamin D. UV light assists in
Protecting the
food from mice
is of the utmost
importance,
especially in
a colony aviary
where it is difficult
to control the amount of food
eaten by individual birds or
pairs.

FEATURE
its absorption. Many psittacine birds are fed
a seed-based diet; seed is deficient in this
vitamin. (Please refer to my book Parrots
and Finches: Healthy Nutrition for more
information on this topic.)
The availability of UV bulbs for lamps in
holders made to stand on top of a flat cage
(such as a breeding cage in a birdroom) or
at its side, and for table lamps (for
companion birds), has made the provision
of ultra-violet light so easy. One or two
hours daily is enough. Prolonged exposure
might damage the eyes.
Cold weather and frost-bite
In outdoor birdrooms, heat is lost through
windows. In cold weather when there is no
need to open windows, I always tack heavy
bubble-wrap over them. If the birdroom
door is not a tight fit, I would suggest
hanging a heavy curtain over it to cut out
draughts.
One of the worst winter problems is frostbite.
This should never happen. If it does,
to me it indicates a lack of care. The
outcome is a painful loss of toes or even the
entire foot. I once saw an aviary parakeet
hanging from the roof by its beak. It had
no feet, only stumps. Such neglect is
totally unforgivable and can be prevented.
Wide wooden perches encourage a lower
roosting stance, thus feathers protect the
feet. It is a crime to use metal perches.
Roosting inside
In my opinion, no parrots should spend
winter nights in outdoor enclosures in
northern Europe. All aviaries should have
an indoor part. Most members of the parrot
family soon learn to enter when the carer
approaches at night. I know some people
will say “They prefer to roost outside!” It is
just a matter of training and the right
conditions. If the highest perch is in the
BIRD SCENE 37

inside quarters and
these are well lit,
with a window and with
electric light, parrots will
enter. Remember that some parrots will
roost on top of the nest-box if this is the
highest point. If nest-boxes must be in
position during the colder months, they
should be inside.
In my experience, if birds don’t want to
go inside you net them and place them
there. Most parrots hate being caught so
after two or three nights they decide that
voluntarily entering the inside part is a
better option!
Night dangers
Roosting outside is a major cause of
mortality. Birds of all species are
vulnerable to rats and stoats (in badly
maintained aviaries), cats, hawks and
Birds of all species are vulnerable
to rats and stoats (in badly
maintained aviaries), cats, hawks
and owls. Night frights (fireworks,
security lights and headlights) are
other dangers. Wind, snow and
frost at night can be lethal.
owls.
Night
frights
(fireworks,
security lights
and headlights) are
other dangers. Wind,
snow and frost at night can
be lethal.
Early morning inspection
If you cannot get up early in the
morning, my advice would be: don’t
keep birds! It is so important to
inspect all birds at first light, especially
during cold weather -- or earlier if
you have lights inside.
A sick bird found early in the day
can often be saved when placed under a
ceramic infra-red lamp. Because sick birds
deteriorate so quickly, this might not be
possible later in the day.
Also inspect your birds daily prior to
dusk. This might save the life of a sick bird,
which would not have survived the night. If
you are unable to inspect your birds at first
38 BIRD SCENE

FEATURE
light in
cold weather, it is
not advisable to give them
access to the outdoor flights.
Early morning inspection is
the means of saving many
chicks in the nest. If the parents
have ceased to brood them
overnight they will not survive
long if they are not feathered. Just
one hour can be the difference
between life (moved to a brooder) and
death.
Damp quarters
Birdrooms and inside quarters
must be properly insulated and
maintained to keep out draughts and
damp. If the birdroom is damp, look for the
source of the problem and correct it. Pay
special attention to keeping the roof
watertight. If the felt is leaking, treat it
with liquid bitumen or renew the felt.
Meanwhile, maintain a low level of heating
to prevent mould forming, as this can have
serious disease
consequences for the
birds. In very wet
weather I use a
dehumidifier in the inside
quarters. Always remember, their lives
are in your hands. A careless attitude to
their welfare is not acceptable.
DONATE TO OUR
CONSERVATION
FUND…
CLICK THE LINK BELOW:
http://www.theparrotsocietyuk.org/donations.php
BIRD SCENE 39

BY LES RANCE
40 BIRD SCENE

FEATURE
THE
NATIONAL
EXHIBITION
6TH OCTOBER 2019
It is now twelve years ago that
The Parrot Society started out on
a venture of hopefully rebuilding
“The National Exhibition” that had
been run up until 2003 at the
Birmingham NEC. The defining factor
was whether it was possible for all
branches of our hobby to jointly
pull together and ‘make it
work’ after recording such a
success in the first year the
question was then whether
the enthusiasm would be
sustained. It has indeed
worked each year since the
first Show in 2007 the
numbers of exhibits have
increased and we are working hard to
ensure that even more varieties of
exhibition quality birds are on the show
bench for the 2019 event, despite the
BIRD SCENE 41

fact that breeding results have been
affected by the very changeable weather
conditions experienced this year.
The Parrot Society can only thank the
bird club officials that have all worked so
hard to increase the number of exhibits
year on year and made this exhibition the
success it has become. We are pleased
that the Yorkshire Canary Club, Norwich
Canary Club and the London Fancy Canary
Club three of our newer recruits are
settling in very well and are all enjoying
being part of the National Exhibition.
At our annual National Exhibition
management committee meeting held in
Coventry on 12th May it was decided that
clubs exhibiting in the Argyle Centre
could leave their hall in advance of those
in the Sandylands Centre to make it easier
for all clubs to leave the building. This is
a trial and will be assessed at our
meeting in the spring of 2020 to see the
42 BIRD SCENE

FEATURE
advantages and or disadvantages of this
change. There is no doubt that to hold an
annual meeting with all the clubs allows
issues to be discussed in an open forum
and gives each club the opportunity to
raise both large and small suggestions to
improve the running of the exhibition.
Arrangements are well in hand for the
next Show on Sunday 6th October 2019.
Each time we organise this Show we aim
to improve both the exhibitor experience
and that of the viewing public and the
points discussed at this meeting prove
invaluable in ensuring improvements
continue to achieve these goals. We will
again continue with the five trophies,
one for each section, these this year will
again be sponsored by Johnston & Jeff
Ltd. I am sure the clubs and exhibitors
are very happy with the outcome. In
order to store additional staging the 40’
long storage container located at Stafford
County Showground, has worked very
well, but it is now full!
BIRD SCENE 43

UK bird exhibitors now view this event
as the premier ‘all variety show’ on the
UK calendar. We are delighted that the
exhibition is obtaining increasing support
from both continental judges and
breeders who travel long distances to
attend this event. It is exciting to think
that in a fairly short time this exhibition
has been able to attract these dedicated
fanciers from all over Europe. The
continental influence is not only limited
to the fanciers, there is an increasing
demand from continental traders to
attend this event, further increasing the
range of products available to all our
enthusiastic visitors. At present we are
still very unsure of the effects of Brexit
on The National Exhibition and it would
be a great pity if changes had to be
made when the UK leaves the EU.
By combining this exhibition with the
already highly successful Parrot Society
October Sale Day at the superbly
equipped Staffordshire County
Showground a large proportion of the
exhibitors were familiar with both the
location and the available facilities. As it
is located only a few miles to the east of
junction 14 of the M6, vehicles can
quickly arrive at the Showground. “The
National Exhibition” will be again
sponsored by Richard Johnston of
Johnston and Jeff Ltd
who is our sole sponsor
and has supported us
from the start.
44 BIRD SCENE

We are indebted to the management
and editorial staff of Cage & Aviary
Birds magazine for the production
of a very well designed insert,
with our contribution being the
collation of the information
from all the exhibiting clubs.
The supplement will again be
spread over a number of editions
to ensure that the event obtains
maximum publicity in this excellent
publication, it will as previously carry
advertisements from all the exhibiting
clubs and details as to who to approach
to obtain the Show Schedule for your
chosen species. This supplement has now
become a feature of “The National
Exhibition”.
FEATURE

Since the show took on the name “The
National Exhibition” in 2010 the demand
for trade space has significantly
increased, with some new traders making
their first appearance this year. So
whatever your bird keeping requirements
they will be on offer at Stafford on 6th
October.
The Sandylands Centre and half of the
Argyle Centre will again be used to
accommodate the exhibits with the
‘booking in’ and club stands filling the
remainder of the Argyle Centre. In
addition part of the Prestwood Centre will
be given over to clubs
stands for those clubs that
participate in the
National Exhibition.
This facilitates the
management of
the exhibition
during the judging
of the birds and
allows both
exhibitors and
general visitor’s access to the exhibition
at the earliest possible time on the day.
The Parrot Society Council members
hope that all the exhibitors and the
officials of the specialist exhibiting clubs
have a very enjoyable day and we would
like to thank the clubs for all the kind
words and support that you have given
us. It will make the organisation of this
year’s “National Exhibition” a pleasure to
be involved with.

FEATURE
BIRD SCENE 47

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