Hills District Branch · Ass't Show Sec. Mark Valvason 130 Chapel Lane Baulkham Hills 2153 9862...
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Hills District Branch BSNSW Inc. Established 1974 NEWSLETTER JULY 2012
Transcript of Hills District Branch · Ass't Show Sec. Mark Valvason 130 Chapel Lane Baulkham Hills 2153 9862...
Hills District Branch BSNSW Inc.
Established 1974
NEWSLETTER JULY 2012
Cover Photo: Sky Blue cock
Willie Dokter Holland
Hills District Branch BS NSW Inc. Committee 2011-2012
Position Name Address P/Code Phone Email
Chairman Peter Dodd 7 Rocca St Denistone East 2112 9888 5631 [email protected]
Vice Chair. Harry Charalambous PO Box 990 Wahroonga 2076 O417209416 [email protected]
Vice Chair. Craig Buckingham 44 Barellan Ave Carlingford 2118 O408602381 [email protected]
Secretary Kathy Manton 44 Clifton Rd Marsden Park 2765 9627 7748 [email protected]
Treasurer Ian Manton 44 Clifton Rd Marsden Park 2765 9627 7748 [email protected]
Show Manager Craig Buckingham As above
Show Manager Richard Abraham 3 Edwards Rd Middle Dural 2158 9651 3689 [email protected]
Show Secretary Cliff Spare 10 Olive Lee St Quakers Hill 2763 9626 0300 [email protected]
Ass't Show Sec. Ross Selig 617 East Kurrajong Rd East Kurrajong 2758 4576 7093 [email protected]
Ass't Show Sec. Jeff Mansfield 59 Broughton St Strathfield 2135 9861 0393 [email protected]
Ass't Show Sec. Mark Valvason 130 Chapel Lane Baulkham Hills 2153 9862 6644 [email protected]
Ass't Show Sec. Harry Charalambous As above
Ass't Show Sec. Paul Brett 3 Spring Rd Kellyville 2155 9629 3210 [email protected]
Ass't Show Sec. Peter Kerr 7 A Laurel Close Hornsby 2077 9940 3385 [email protected]
Publicity Officer Ray Galbraith 5 Gardiner Rd Galston 2159 9653 1538 [email protected]
Editor Santo Calabrese 65 Tallowwood Ave Cherrybrook 2126 9875 2647 [email protected]
Ring Registrar Graeme Gordon 35 Watkins Rd Baulkham Hills 2153 9639 9603 [email protected]
Events CoOrd. Craig Buckingham As above
Librarian Paul Brett As above
Catering Officer Jo Zammit 7 Grevillea Rd St Clair 2759 9834 6541 [email protected]
M'gmnt. Delegate Craig Buckingham As above
M'gmnt. Delegate Stuart Williams 7 Kerry Rd Schofields 2762 9627 1415 [email protected]
Alt. Delegate Ray Galbraith As above
Trophy Steward Brian Findlay 14 Brabyn St Windsor 2756 4577 9535 [email protected]
Auditor Harry Charalambous As above
Auditor Helen Charalambous PO Box 990 Wahroonga 2076
New Member CoOrd. Ross Selig As above
New Member CoOrd. Lloyd Mullens 23 Flinders Rd North Ryde 2113 9802 0780
New Member CoOrd. Kevin Nesbitt 103 Blackwell Ave St Clair 2759 9834 1587 [email protected]
M'Ship Registrar Peter Dodd As above
Webmaster Daniel Child 11/105 Hammers Rd Northmead 2152 O410628691 [email protected]
Floor Member Andre Ozoux 79 Morrison Rd Gladesville 2111 9816 5914 [email protected]
Floor Member Ken Mitchell 22 Salter Court Harrington Park 2567 4647 4444 [email protected]
Floor Member Dave Zammit 7 Grevillea Rd St Clair 2759 9834 6541 [email protected]
Floor Member Tommy Hancock 71 Pitt St Richmond 2753 4578 1723 [email protected]
Returning Officer Paul Brett As above
Trustee Craig Buckingham As above
Trustee Daniel Child As above
Services Manager Stuart Williams As above
From The Editor
July brings us to the Annual General Meeting for our branch and the quest for a dedicated group of members to maintain our status as the premiere NSW Club. It takes a lot of work to maintain the type of Club that Hills is and we also need new people with fresh ideas and vision to stay that way. Don’t take the lazy option that everything will just happen. It won’t, it needs people to make it happen.
Also this month is Hills Branch Sale Night where members can bring their excess birds and sell them to fellow members. No birds sold until after the AGM, 2 birds per show cage, 12 birds per nappy cage, breeders name & price on cage plus blank sticker for names of persons who may be interested in the same bird.
Many thanks to John Halas for introducing the members Forum on our Hills website. Have a look at it and join in, you will see there are a wide range of topics, from birds for sale, feeding, general talk, exhibition budgerigar health and many more. It’s a great way to communicate with your fellow members.
http://www.hillsbranch.com.au/forum/
I’m sure members were
Membership renewals are now due, if not paid by 27th July, "Budgerigar" & Hills newsletter will not be sent & a late fee of $5 will apply .
This page sponsored by Arnotts There is no substitute for quality
What's On in 2012? There are the events of the coming 12 months or so. Hills Branch Monthly Meetings are the 4th Friday of the month. ________________________________________
July
29th - New England Branch Annual Show
August
1st - Closing date for Budgerigar Articles. 5th - West Sydney Branch Auction (TBC) 11th - Newcastle BS Auction 12th - Newcastle BS YBS 19th - St George Auction 26th - Canary & Cage Bird Federation - Annual Dinner
September
9th - Tamworth Budgerigar Society YBS 1oth - BSNSW Management Meeting, 8.00pm, Blacktown RSL Club, Second Ave, Blacktown. 16th - Northside Branch Annual Show
October
1st - Closing date for Budgerigar Articles. 14th - BRASEA Auction 21st - Shoalhaven Branch - Southern Cup YBS (TBC) 21st - New England Branch YBS 28th - St.George/Illawarra Branch YBS (TBC)
November
4th - Central Coast Branch YBS 4th - Canberra Branch YBS (TBC) 11th - Penrith Valley Branch Annual Show 12th - BSNSW Management Meeting, 8.00pm, Blacktown RSL Club, Second Ave, Blacktown. 25th - Sydney Annual Lawn Show
HILLS BRANCH LIBRARY
BOOKS: Budgerigars – Cyril Rogers Budgerigar Matings and Colour Expectations Breeding Budgerigars – Cessa Feyerband & Dr. Matthew Vriends The Complete Book of Parakeet Care (budgerigars) All About Budgerigars – Frank Pratley Budgerigar Medicine – Dr. Rob Marshall Best In Show – Gerald Binks Beginner’s Guide To Parrots – Greg Jennings Beginner’s Guide To Canaries – Brian Robinson & Scott Adams A Complete Introduction To Canaries – Al David Beginner’s Guide To Cockatoos – David Alderton A Guide To Rosellas CD’s Daniel Lutoff Gerald Binks Interviewed by Jeff Attwood at his aviary (Parts 1 & 2 on one CD) Doug Sadler Talks to James Hunt Terry Tuxford on Food, Utensils & Good Health Parts 1 & 2 (on 2 separate discs) Aviary Visits to H. W. & M. Hough, D. Topliss, A. Shaw & B. Wild – Part 2 Lutoff & European Slide Show Yorke Budgerigar Variety Bible 2004 Visit to the aviary of Clare & Terry Pilkington Hills Seminar with Dr. Harry Cooper & K. Kokoschke on Selective Breeding – Disc 1 & 2 Slide Show of D. Lutoff and J. Mannes Birds Golden Cob Seminar Adelaide 1993 – Dr. Harry Cooper Diseases, Drugs & Colour Part 2 Ed Lane & Son Interviewed on Breeding and General Care BW Show 1987 – Lane & Son, Roy Aplin & Pilkington Discs 1 & 2 Question & Answer Time with Dr. H. Cooper and T. Tuxford Hills Branch BSA Seminar Feb. 2, 1985 – discs 1 & 2 1998 BW Show with Doug Sadler, G. Binks & A. Ormerod – Discs 1 & 2 Gary Watson at Gazzard, Sadler & Mannes Aviaries Saving The Darkwing – Don Burke Budgen Version 5 – Budgerigar Genetics and Illustrations – K. Yorke
Any of the above books or CDs are available to any Hills Branch member free of charge by asking Paul Brett at any monthly meeting or branch function or by contacting me on 9629 3210 or [email protected] or they can be posted to members at the expense of the member.
Breeders Portrait
Willie Dokter
Important
All my birds are natural bred and 100% free of I.V.F.
Willie and his wife Jansje live in a beautiful thatched house in the village called Heerde in the east
of Holland. The house is surrounded by a big manicured garden that includes a big pound and an
orchard and also a vegetable patch to supply his birds with fresh vegetables through the year. His
Bernezenner dog can be found either in the garden or the house, Willie and his wife have a great
passion for him in a different way as for the budgies.
Willie is in the hobby for a good few years but had a few breaks for various reasons. His budgie
passion can be divided in two periods, the first one was 25 years ago when he had birds from
Dutch breeders, that time he admired the stud from the Belgium breeder Jos Backx who had great
feathering on his birds even in those days. Belgium that time had good breeders, but the cream of
the crop was to be found in Great Britain. He loved his journeys to Brittan especially the passion
the British breeders showed in talking about their hobby and their hospitality was second to none
when visiting. A few times he brought a bird from Ernie Sigston home.
Fitting out the bird room
About 4 years ago Willie made a restart in the
hobby. He first orientated on a practical
inventory for his bird room. While visiting the
German partnership Shiller and Lautenslager
(now Schiller) he found what he was looking for
their bird room was fitted out with products
from the company called OESIG in Germany.
He paid a visit to the family Oestringer that own
the company and became great friends with
them, Siegbert Oestringer is also a passionate budgie breeder and he helped him out with the ins
and outs of the modern budgerigar world.
The house where Willi and Jansje were living 4 years ago was up for sale so he needed cages
and flights that could be moved easily. The cages were made to size the way he wanted them and
could be extended whatever way he wanted. The 60 sqm bird room Willie has now is fitted out
with 60 breeding cages and 6 flights on wheels, they can be moved outside through the French
doors to be cleaned with a power hose. The cages and the flights are made from aluminum and a
hard PVC.
The bird room is situated in the house and next to the bird room there is a similar size utility room
fitted with a small kitchen unit with hot and cold water this area is also used to prepare and store
the food. Willie is very strict on hygiene and washes his hands with F10 before and after he visits
the bird room. Although he keeps 300 to 400 birds in average one can’t smell the birds for he has
3 big extractor fans and the windows open whenever it’s possible. OESIG also fitted a completely
automatic, light, heat and humidity unit in his bird room. The light glow up in the morning till full
strength and fade down in the evening , the humidity is kept on 70% with an automatic spray
device and the temperature is kept constant by either switching on the heating or starting the
ventilation.
The fluorescent light are not the ordinary type but once that radiate UV rays, he also installed two
“endrokines lights”, these were developed by a German doctor who treated patients that suffered
with depression and before that these lights were used in the Zoo s in the parrot section. So all
and all the birds Willie has are living in a small palace.
Feeding
Although F10 is a disinfectant Willie likes to feed his birds with natural products that are not being
sprayed. His vegetable garden is a great help in this as I mentioned before. His feeding system is
more or less taken over from Reinhardt Molkentin (SA). As seed Willie mixes three brands, Melior
(Lutolf mix Switzerland), Weiss (a mixture from a German breeder who grows his own seed)
Versele Laga Premium and in separate bowls they get a small seed called Fonio paddy.
The egg food is called Animal Premio Vital (also a German product with a good amount of animal
protein) mixed with a few hard boiled eggs. Sprouted seeds as in fast sprouting oats and barley
are added as well as vegetables containing, carrots, beetroot, broccoli, parsley etc.
As additives he uses Breedmax and Vogel bio a herbal product and also an oil called Megabectol,
these are all added to the egg food mixture. Grit and minerals are always available. The water he
uses is treated and is given as a sparkling water to this he adds cider vinegar three times a week.
Dead In Shell Youngsters
Dr. Colin Walker, Australia
I regularly receive calls from aviculturists that fertile eggs are failing to hatch i.e. that the embryos these eggs contain are dying in the incubation period. Many aviculturists immediately think of Salmonella when they see this, when in fact all infections together including Salmonella account for less than 5% of all dead in-shell youngsters. So just why do these youngsters die? Most young that die in the egg usually die either in the first few days of incubation, or alternatively the last few days of incubation.
In the first few days, embryo death is usually due to either inadequate incubation leading to too low a temperature to keep the chick alive, excessive jarring of the egg that either fatally damages the chick or yolk, or alternatively, a genetic problem affecting the chick which is incompatible with life.
Towards the end of incubation, chicks usually die as a result of problems associated with hatching. As incubation ends; the chick has to shift from getting its oxygen through the membranes that surround it, to breathing air. It also re-absorbs its yolk sac which supplies it with both food and immunity. If the temperature or humidity is incorrect at this time these processes fail to occur correctly and the chick can die.
Between the beginning and end of incubation, the chick is essentially just growing and it is here that nutrition and infection become more important. If the young chick is lacking a nutrient it needs for growth or becomes infected, it may die.
This past year has been a particularly good breeding season for me. Nearly every egg that was fertile has hatched and the resultant youngster has been successfully weaned. Although pleasing, this situation is not always the case despite the best of care. I did however, have one aviculturist mention to me last week that he had had 30% of all fertile eggs fail to hatch. He did not seen overly concerned and appeared to think that nothing could be done. This is far from the truth. An embryo fatality of 5% could be regarded as normal; anything more than this should arouse suspicions of a problem.
For those of you having a problem with dead-in-the-shell youngsters let’s have a look at the potential problems that can arise with each of these periods of incubation in more detail, so that hopefully the problem can be solved.
Embryonic Death At The Start Of Incubation
Handle With Care
Deaths early in incubation can be detected by opening the egg and seeing that it is in fact fertile, but that the embryo is only poorly developed. As mentioned earlier, the usual cause is poor incubation leading to the egg becoming cold after development has started. Possible causes include over interference by the breeder, inadequate control of nest box mites, old arthritic birds, poor nest box design, poor parenting, nest box too hot or too cold or poorly ventilated, outside disturbances etc.
Also as mentioned earlier, eggs are very vulnerable to vibration type injuries early in incubation. Shaking or jarring can kill the developing embryo either directly or by rupturing the yolk. This is of particular relevance when eggs are being transferred for fostering. Embryos that are unlucky enough to have genetic abnormalities usually also die early in incubation. Genetic problems are more likely to occur with in-breeding.
Deaths From Day 4 To Day 14 Of Incubation
This is the longest period of the incubation process and yet it is the time when least deaths occur. The embryo is simply growing. The growing chick receives its nutrition from the yolk and deaths here can reflect nutritional problems in the hen. Hens that are correctly fed are more likely to produce nutritious yolks that support healthy embryos. The effect of breeding bird nutrition is much underrated. By simply feeding a blend of 2 or 3 seeds and a calcium supplement such as grit, it is not possible to prepare the hens for breeding. Aviculturists who believe they can do this often accept as normal an elevated embryo death rate or several weak chicks in the nest.
Although embryos can die of infection at any time during incubation, it is at this time of growth that they are most vulnerable. Certainly, there are some infections that can be carried by the hen that can infect the ovary such as Chlamydia and Salmonella. These can be incorporated into the egg at the time of its formation, and subsequently infect and kill the embryo as it grows. Infection can also pass through the oviduct wall into the egg. However, these types of infections, that enter the egg prior to laying, are in the minority.
Most infections that develop are caught in the nest after hatching. Nests that are dirty, poorly ventilated or excessively humid lead to egg- shell contamination and movement of infectious agents into the egg. Egg quality is also important. Cracked, thin, misshapen or rough eggs allow easier entry of infection and are more subject to trauma. Poor eggs can be due to oviduct disease, but are more often associated with a nutritional deficiency – in particular calcium. Some aviculturists will have noticed eggs with translucent clear lines running around the outside of the egg showing the eggs rotations, as it was passing down the oviduct. These thin areas can be an early sign of calcium deficiency.
Embryonic Deaths At The End Of Incubation
Parts Of An Egg
Through incubation a membrane called the chorioallantois develops around the chick. The chorioallantois acts a bit like a human placenta, in that it delivers air to the embryo after it diffuses through the shell. At the end of incubation the chick must swap from a chorioallantoic respiration to breathing air. It does this in two stages. First it internally pips. This involves cutting a small hole into the air chamber at the end of the egg and starting to breathe the air it contains. At this stage vibrations can be felt in the egg and chick will sometimes vocalise.
After another 12 to 36 hours the second stage begins, with the chick cracking the shell and breathing external air. While this is happening the last of the yolk sac which is the chick’s nutrition during incubation, is drawn into the navel. This eventually ends up as a tiny sac in the wall of the small intestine called Merkels diverticulum and lasts the whole life of the bird. Interestingly, during this time, the chick also drinks the clear fluid around it called the amniotic fluid. This amniotic fluid, and also the yolk sac contain the antibodies that protect the chick from infection in the first few weeks of life.
While all this complex physiology is going on the chick is vulnerable to problems. Too high or low temperature or humidity during this time will adversely affect the chick. The usual problem is too high a temperature, or too low a humidity. This combination causes the shell and shell membrane to become hard and dry. This can lead to a healthy chick becoming exhausted. In addition to this, the chick quickly becomes dehydrated. I am sure many of you, myself included, have helped these chicks hatch only to find them dead later. These chicks often die because they are dehydrated. Such chicks if given small drops of water will often suck them down greedily and survive. These dehydrated chicks are called “sticky chicks” because of the way they stick to the dry shell membranes. They are often found dead after hatching a quarter to half the way, emerging from the
shell. If removed from the shell they often have unabsorbed yolk sacs and there is often dry, gluggy albumen still in the egg.
For consistently high hatch rates, it is vital the breeding birds have access to a bath around this time. If not possible the underside of the hen and also the eggs can be lightly misted with water from a spray bottle. In most species, ideally the nest box should have a humidity of 70% and the sitting bird needs to keep the eggs at between 36.5 to 37.0 degrees Celsius. If unsure, a thermometer and hygrometer can be placed in the nest box.
Summary
In summary, hatchability can be dramatically improved by three simple steps:
Improving nutrition in the months prior to breeding. A clean nest for every round and ongoing nest box hygiene. Access to a bath around hatching or spraying to increase humidity by the breeder.
If attending to these matters does not help, your avian veterinarian will usually want to review the aviary environment and your management practices, test the hens for infection, or do an egg autopsy.
Article printed from Budgerigar.co.uk: http://www.budgerigar.co.uk
Goal Setting With An Eye For Detail
Jason Walker, New Zealand
As the breeding season comes to an end, the next phase on the budgie calendar immediately kicks in; a time when great care and attention is given to ‘grow on’ and ‘train’ those young birds to their full potential and to rest and rejuvenate the adult birds.
Progressively during the coming weeks and months you should be monitoring your stud as a whole and setting goals in your mind for the up coming show season, as well as for the next breeding season. Part of this process is deciding if you need to part with any birds (young or old), or if you need to purchase any new stock to facilitate your set goals. Personally I see little point in retaining birds if you have no use for them.
When setting your goals and making important decisions, always bear in mind the current pictorial standard. The best way to determine just how good (or bad) a budgie is, is by noting how many faults the bird displays; the less faults the better the bird. So line up your birds in single cages and do some systematic comparing by starting with your greens first (as if you were a judge at a show) and you will soon see that the process of elimination becomes easy.
Retain only the best and exhibit and breed only with these. It is fair to say that some faults are a lot harder to eliminate than others, and often only the more experienced and seasoned members will know what they are. Therefore it is also a good idea to seek the advice and opinions of a trusted member who keeps good quality birds themselves.
The next few weeks is also a good time to wash breeding cages, ready for next season, and to make sure that your show cages are as good as you can get them so not to disadvantage your birds chances of winning on the show bench. However, your immediate task is preparing the young for show.
Show Training – Hints and Techniques
Show training requires little physical effort on your part but may mean the difference between winning and loosing on the show bench. So the choice is yours if you train your birds or not! A good temperament (or nature) can be bred into any stud of budgies but this does take time.
One proven way to train young birds to be steady and relaxed in a show cage starts with frequent handling of the chicks as they are developing in the nest box. This also helps to maintain a calm and trusting adult bird psyche. Having said this, common sense prevails so not to hinder the natural nurturing required of the chicks by their parents.
Spend sufficient time in and around the bird room and aviary in a relaxed manner without making sudden loud sounds or sudden deliberate fast movements. Also, don’t be averse to having visitors to your aviary, as different voices, stature and even attire can help in the training process. A radio playing in the birdroom can also help in getting birds use to different sounds.
When you first introduce your young birds to the show cage, do not put seed in for the first few times. Most young birds will simply play and skid around in it instead of perching. Some birds prefer to climb all over the wire cage front, so simply cut a piece of Perspex (or similar) to fit on the inside of the cage front during training times. In the event of a bird always sitting on the floor, a short term attempt to fix this is to cover the floor of the cage with water. This certainly keeps the birds off the cage bottom but you may also run the risk of such birds not feeding at shows. Consequently they may lose condition and be susceptible to associated health issues at a later stage.
Spraying Birds With Water
I disagree with the technique of spraying birds with water when in a show cage (for feather conditioning). A show cage is an area that the bird is meant to perform in, feel safe in and look its best – not to expect to be drenched with water and end up looking and feeling half drowned.
Ideally, the bird should also sit at the front of the perch. This can be aided by modifying the training cage perches by cutting existing ones in half and mounting them on the wire front with a screw and flat washer.
Never put young birds into a show cage by themselves for the first time. Have a proven well behaved (role model) adult with them for the first few times. The young bird will be more inclined to settle quicker. Also, do not leave young birds in show training cages for too long to start with. Begin with 2 to 4 hours for a couple of days before even considering an ‘overnight experience’. When they do stay in the cage over night for the first time, be sure to let them out first thing the following morning.
Remove The Adult
Gradually build up the time they spend in a show cage and then when you think the time is right, remove the adult and replace with another youngster who is at about the same training stage. Then after a day or two these birds should be equipped to go solo!
Spend time carrying the cage around and repositioning it in different areas and at different levels, but never sit the cage on the floor or in front of another cage with a bird in it. This is very unfair on the birds and they will not perform to their full potential if this is done. Even go to the extent of putting the show cages into carry-bags, then into the car and go for a drive. This will all help when it comes to show time.
Young bird shows are a good way to give your birds the opportunity to get use to travelling and the acoustics of a show hall environment, as well as the other sounds that they may experience. Just remember that it is not the Judges job to train your birds.
Article printed from Budgerigar.co.uk: http://www.budgerigar.co.uk
THE BUDGERIGAR
The budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus)), also known as common pet parakeet or shell parakeet and informally nicknamed the budgie, is a small, long-tailed, seed-eating parrot. Budgerigars are the only species in the Australian genus Melopsittacus, and are found wild throughout the drier parts of Australia where the species has survived harsh inland conditions for the last five million years. Budgerigars are naturally green and yellow with black, scalloped markings on the nape, back, and wings, but have been bred in captivity with colouring in blues, whites, and yellows, greys, and even small crests. Budgerigars are popular pets around the world due to their small size, low cost, ability to mimic human speech, and playful nature.
The budgerigar is closely related to the lories and the fig parrots.[3][4][5][6] Although budgerigars are often, especially in American English, called "parakeets", this term actually refers to any of a number of small parrots with long, flat tails. The origin of the budgerigar's name is unclear, but the species was first recorded in 1805. In both captivity and the wild, budgerigars breed opportunistically and in pairs. Like most parrots, budgerigars are noted for their mimicry.
The budgerigar has been thought to be the link between the genera Neophema and Pezoporus based on the barred plumage. However, recent phylogenetic studies using DNA sequences place the budgerigar very close to the lories (tribe Loriini) and the fig parrots (tribe Cyclopsittini)
Anatomy and physiology
The anatomy of a male budgerigar
Wild budgerigars average 18 cm (7 in) long, weigh 30–40 grams (1.1–1.4 oz), and display a light green body colour (abdomen and rumps), while their mantles (back and wing coverts) display pitch-black mantle markings (blackish in fledgelings and immatures) edged in clear yellow undulations. The forehead and face is yellow in adults but with blackish stripes down to the cere (nose) in young individuals until they change into their adult plumage around three to four months of age. They display small, purple cheek patches and a series of three black spots across each side of their throats (called throat spots). The two outermost throat spots are situated at the base of each cheek patch. The tail is cobalt (dark-blue); and
outside tail feathers display central yellow flashes. Their wings have greenish-black flight feathers and black coverts with yellow fringes along with central yellow flashes, which only become visible in flight or when the wings are outstretched. Bills are olive grey and legs blueish-grey, with zygodactyl toes.
Budgerigars in their natural habitat in Australia are noticeably smaller than those in captivity. This particular parrot species has been bred in many other colours and shades in captivity (e.g. blue, grey, grey-green, pieds, violet, white, yellow-blue), although they are mostly found in pet stores in blue, green, and yellow. Like most parrot species, budgerigar plumage fluoresces under ultraviolet light. This phenomenon is possibly related to courtship and mate selection.
The upper half of their beaks is much taller than the bottom half and covers the bottom when closed. The beak does not protrude much, due to the thick, fluffy feathers surrounding it, giving the
appearance of a downward-pointing beak that lies flat against the face. The upper half acts as a long, smooth cover, while the bottom half is just about a half-sized cup-piece. These beaks allow the birds to eat plants, fruits, and vegetables. The beak of a budgerigar can clamp tighter than most other birds, keeping food or nesting supplies from falling out of its hold
The colour of the cere (the area containing the nostrils) differs between the sexes, being royal blue in males, pale brown to white (nonbreeding) or brown (breeding) in females, and pink in immatures of both sexes (usually of a more even purplish-pink colour in young males). Some female budgerigars develop brown cere only during breeding time, which later returns to the normal colour. Young females can often be identified by a subtle, chalky whiteness that starts around the nostrils. Males that are either Albino, Lutino, Dark-eyed Clear or Recessive Pied (Danish pied or harlequin) always retain the immature purplish-pink cere colour their entire lives.
It is usually easy to tell the sex of a budgerigar over six months old, mainly by the cere colours, but behaviours and head shape also help indicate sex.
A mature male's cere is usually light to dark blue, but can be purplish to pink in some particular colour mutations, such as Dark-eyed Clears, Danish Pieds (Recessive Pieds) and Inos, which usually display much rounder heads. Males are typically cheerful, extroverted, highly flirtatious, peacefully social, and very vocal.
Females' ceres are pinkish as immatures and switch from being beigish or whitish outside breeding condition into brown (often with a 'crusty' texture) in breeding condition and usually display flattened backs of heads (right above the nape region). Females are typically highly dominant and more socially intolerant.
Vision
Like many birds, budgerigars have tetrachromatic colour vision, but all four classes of cone cells operating simultaneously requires the full spectrum provided by sunlight. The ultraviolet spectrum brightens their feathers to attract mates. The throat spots in budgerigars reflect UV and can be used to distinguish individual birds.
Ecology
Budgerigars are nomadic birds found in open habitats, primarily in scrublands, open woodlands, and grasslands of Australia. The birds are normally found in small flocks, but can form very large flocks under favourable conditions. The nomadic movement of the flocks is tied to the availability of food and water. Drought can drive flocks into more wooded habitat or coastal areas. They feed on the seeds of spinifex, grass seeds, and sometimes ripening wheat.
Naturalised feral budgerigars have been recorded since the 1940s in the St. Petersburg, Florida, area of the United States, but are much less common now than they were in the early 1980s. Increased competition from European starlings and house sparrows is thought to be the primary cause of the population decline.
Alternative common names include shell parrot, warbling grass parakeet, canary parrot, zebra parrot, flight bird, scallop parrot and the alternate spellings budgerygah and betcherrygah. Although more applicable to members of the genus Agapornis, the name lovebird has been applied to them from their habit of mutual preening.
Several possible origins for the English name "budgerigar" have been proposed:
A mispronunciation or alteration of Gamilaraay gidjirrigaa i iri aː],[16][17] possibly influenced by the Australian slang word "budgery", meaning "good". This is supported by the American Heritage Dictionary.
A compound of "budgery", "good" and gar "cockatoo".[18] This is supported by the Oxford English Dictionary. The word "budgery", also spelt "boojery", was formerly in use in Australian English slang meaning "good".
The budgerigar was first described by George Shaw in 1805, and given its current binomial name by John Gould in 1840. The genus name Melopsittacus comes from Greek and means "melodious parrot". The species name undulatus is Latin for "undulated" or "wave-patterned". Gould noted the term betcherrygah was used by indigenous people of the Liverpool plains in New South Wales
Aviculture
The budgerigar has been bred in captivity since the 1850s. Breeders have worked to produce a variety of colour, pattern, and feather mutations, including albino, blue, cinnamon-ino (lacewinged), clearwinged, crested, dark, greywinged, opaline, pieds, spangled, dilute (suffused), and violet.
English or "show" budgerigars are about twice as large as their wild counterparts, and with a larger size and puffier head feathers have a boldly exaggerated look. The eyes and beak can be almost totally obscured by these fluffy head feathers. English budgerigars are typically more expensive than wild-type birds, and have shorter life span of about seven to nine years. Breeders of English budgerigars often exhibit their birds at animal shows. Most captive budgerigars in the pet trade are more similar in size and body conformation to wild budgerigars.
Budgerigars are social animals and require stimulation in the shape of toys and interaction with humans or with other budgerigars. Budgerigars, and especially females, will chew material such as wood. When a budgerigar feels threatened, it will try to perch as high as possible and to bring its feathers close against its body in order to appear thinner.
Tame budgerigars can be taught to speak, whistle, and play with humans. Both males and females sing and can learn to mimic sounds and words and do simple tricks, but singing and mimicry are more pronounced and better perfected in males. Females rarely learn to mimic more than a dozen words. Males can easily acquire vocabularies ranging from a few dozen to a hundred words. Pet males, especially those kept alone, are generally the best speakers.
Budgerigars will chew on anything they can find to keep their beaks trimmed. Mineral blocks (ideally enriched with iodine), cuttlebone, and soft wooden pieces are suitable for this activity. In captivity, budgerigars live an average of five to eight years, but life spans of 15–20 years have been reported.[22] The life span depends on breed, lineage, and health, being highly influenced by exercise and diet. Budgerigars have been known to cause "bird fancier's lung" in sensitive people, a type of hypersensitivity pneumonitis.[23]
Breeding
Breeding in the wild generally takes place between June and September in northern Australia and between August and January in the south, although budgerigars are opportunistic breeders and respond to rains when grass seeds become most abundant.[8] They show signs of affection to their flockmates by preening or feeding one another. Budgerigars feed one another by eating the seeds themselves, and then regurgitating it into their flockmate's mouth. Populations in some areas have increased as a result of increased water availability at farms. Nests are made in holes in trees, fence posts, or logs lying on the ground; the four to six eggs are incubated for 18–21 days, with the young fledging about 30 days after hatching.[8][13]
In the wild, virtually all parrot species require a hollow tree or a hollow log as a nest site. Because of this natural behavior, budgerigars most easily breed in captivity when provided with a reasonable-sized nest box. The eggs are typically one to two centimetres long and are pearl white without any colouration if fertile. Female budgerigars can lay eggs without a male partner, but these unfertilised eggs will not hatch. When the female is laying eggs, her cere turns a crusty brown colour. A female budgerigar will lay her eggs on alternate days.[24] After the first one, there is usually a two-day gap until the next. She will usually lay between four and eight eggs, which she will incubate (usually starting after laying her second or third) for about 21 days each.[24] Females only leave their nests for very quick defecations, stretches and quick meals once they have begun incubating and are by then almost exclusively fed by their mate (usually at the nest's entrance). Females will not allow a male to enter the nest, unless he forces his way inside.[24] Depending on the clutch size and the beginning of incubation, the age difference between the first and last hatchling can be anywhere from 9 to 16 days. At times, the parents may begin eating their own eggs due to feeling insecure in the nest box.
Chick health
Breeding difficulties arise for various reasons. Some chicks may die from diseases and attacks from adults. Other budgerigars (virtually always females) may fight over the nest box, attacking each other or a brood. Sometimes, budgerigars (mainly males) are not interested in the opposite gender, and will not reproduce with them; a flock setting—several pairs housed where they can see and hear each other—is necessary to stimulate breeding. Another problem may be the birds' beaks being under lapped, where the lower mandible is above the upper mandible.
Most health issues and physical abnormalities in budgerigars are genetic. Care should be taken that birds used for breeding are active, healthy, and unrelated. Budgerigars that are related or which have fatty tumours or other potential genetic health problems should not be allowed to breed. Parasites (lice, mites, worms) and pathogens (bacteria, fungi and viruses), are contagious and thus transmitted between individuals through either direct or indirect contact. Nest boxes should be cleaned between uses.
Splay leg is a relatively common problem in baby budgerigars; one the budgerigar's legs is bent outward, which prevents it from being able to stand properly and compete with the other chicks for food, and can also lead to difficulties in reproducing in adulthood. The condition is caused by young budgerigars slipping repeatedly on the floor of a nest box. It is easily avoided by placing a small quantity of a safe bedding or wood shavings in the bottom of the nest box. Alternatively, several pieces of paper may be placed in the box for the female to chew into bedding.
Development
Eggs take about 18–20 days before they start hatching. The hatchlings are altricial – blind, naked, unable to lift their head, and totally helpless, and their mother feeds them and keeps them warm constantly. Around 10 days of age, the chicks' eyes will open, and they will start to develop feather down. The appearance of down occurs precisely at the ages (around 9 or 10 days of age) for closed banding of the chicks. Budgerigar's closed band rings must be neither larger nor smaller than 4.0 to 4.2 mm.
They develop feathers around three weeks of age. (One can often easily note the colour mutation of the individual birds at this point.) At this stage of the chicks' development, the male usually has begun to enter the nest to help his female in caring and feeding the chicks. Some budgerigar females, however, totally forbid the male from entering the nest and thus take the full responsibility of rearing the chicks until they fledge.
Depending on the size of the clutch and most particularly in the case of single mothers, it may then be wise to transfer a portion of the hatchlings (or best of the fertile eggs) to another pair. The
foster pair must already be in breeding mode and thus either at the laying or incubating stages, or already rearing hatchlings.
As the chicks develop and grow feathers, they are able to be left on their own for longer periods of time. By the fifth week, the chicks are strong enough that both parents will be comfortable in staying out of the nest more. The youngsters will stretch their wings to gain strength before they attempt to fly. They will also help defend the box from enemies, mostly with their loud screeching. Young budgerigars typically fledge (leave the nest) around their fifth week of age and are usually completely weaned between six to eight weeks old. However, the age for fledging, as well as weaning, can vary slightly depending on whether its age and the number of surviving chicks. Generally speaking, the oldest chick is the first to be weaned. Though it is logically the last one to be weaned, the youngest chick is often weaned at a younger age than its older sibling(s). This can be a result of mimicking the actions of older siblings. Lone surviving chicks are often weaned at the youngest possible age as a result of having their parents' full attention and care.
Hand-reared budgies may take slightly longer to wean than parent-raised chicks. Hand feeding is not routinely done with budgerigars, due to their small size, and because young parent raised birds can be readily tamed.
Colour mutations
All captive budgerigars are divided into two basic series of colours; namely, white-based (blue, grey and white) and yellow-based (green, grey-green and yellow). Presently, at least 32 primary mutations (including violet) occur, enabling hundreds of possible secondary mutations (stable combined primary mutations) and colour varieties (unstable combined mutations).
Mimicry
Male specimens of budgerigars are considered one of the top five talking champions amongst parrot species, alongside the African grey, the Amazon, and the Eclectus parrots, and the ring-necked parakeet.
Puck, a male budgerigar owned by American Camille Jordan, holds the world record for the largest vocabulary of any bird, at 1,728 words. Puck died in 1994, with the record first appearing in the 1995 edition of Guinness World Records.
In 2001, recordings of a budgerigar called Victor got some attention from the media. Victor's owner, Ryan B. Reynolds of Canada, stated Victor was able to engage in contextual conversation and predict the future.
Though some believe the animal was able to predict his own death as was claimed,[29] further study on the subject is difficult without the bird. The recordings still remain to be verified by scientific analysis. Critics argue Victor's speech in the recordings is not coherent enough to be determined as spoken in context.
MINUTES OF THE MONTHLY MEETING HILLS BRANCH - B.S.N.S.W. (Inc.)
Meeting held at Don Moore Community Centre on Friday 25th May 2012
MEETING OPENED: 8.20pm Harry Charalambous presided. PRESENT: As per attendance sheet. NEW MEMBERS: Tione Plowman and Kevin French. Welcome tonight to new members Tione and Kevin, and to James Matthews who joined last month. VISITORS: Craig Sutherland, Abi Haider, and John Hogarth APOLOGIES: Peter Dodd, Brian Findlay, Craig Buckingham, Andre Ozoux, Richard Abraham and Stuart Williams Moved that the apologies be accepted. Moved: M. Hill Seconded: L. Mullins PREVIOUS MINUTES: Moved that minutes are a true and accurate record. Moved: T. Hancock Seconded: K. Nesbitt BUSINESS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MINUTES: STCC. Thank you to everyone who made their birds available, and congratulations to those who had birds selected for Hills, and to those who had birds picked for the NSW Team. TREASURER’S REPORT: All accounts approved at previous General / Committee meetings have been paid.
Income from last General / Committee meeting: Nil
Accounts paid since last General / Committee meeting: - BSNSW (STCC entry fee) $ 100.00 Accounts received for payment tonight:
- S. Calabrese $ 41.70 Moved that accounts be paid and Treasurer’s Report be accepted. Moved: K. Nesbittt Seconded: R. Galbraith CORRESPONDENCE IN:
Hunter Branch Schedules
BIS Show schedules
BRASEA Auction catalogues
Kelwyn Kakoschke auction catalogue
Email correspondences via the website
CORRESPONDENCE OUT:
Reply emails to website queries Moved that the correspondence be accepted Moved: V. Tarpis Seconded: I. Manton GENERAL BUSINESS:
State Team Challenge. Kathy gave a report on the STCC and STS.
Awards Night- where it could be held, what night it best be
Distribution of the 4 x ANBC Standards that were allocated to Hills Moved that we take this matter to the Committee for a decision Moved: R. Galbraith Seconded: P. Brett
Website – need updated profile for the Mantons. Request for bird photos, etc.
Look at our strength and weaknesses with varieties and the possibility of purchasing birds to improve the Branches weak varieties
Bird swapping / mentoring / ring swapping
Lloyd has 60 gold rings available
Kakoschke auction on Sunday. Need help on Saturday afternoon to set up.
MEETING CLOSED: 9.45 pm HARRY CHARALAMBOUS KATHY MANTON VICE CHAIRMAN SECRETARY (ACTING CHAIRMAN)
MINUTES OF THE COMMITTEE MEETING HILLS BRANCH - B.S.N.S.W. (Inc.)
Meeting held at Dural Country Club, Dural on Tuesday 10th July 2012.
MEETING OPENED: 8.22 pm Peter Dodd presided. Peter expressed his thanks to everyone involved with the Auction, with special note to Robert Mead, Craig Angus, Jeff & Mike Mansfield. PRESENT: Ian Manton, Kathy Manton, Graeme Gordon, Craig Buckingham, Stuart Williams, Ross Selig, Cliff Spare, Harry Charalambous, Paul Brett, Richard Abraham, Jeff Mansfield and Peter Dodd. APOLOGIES: Ray Galbraith, Santo Calabrese, and Andre Ozoux Moved that the apologies be accepted. Moved: S. Williams Seconded: C. Buckingham PREVIOUS MINUTES: Moved that the minutes of the previous meeting as printed in the Newsletter are a true and accurate record. Moved: G. Gordon Seconded: H. Charalambous BUSINESS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MINUTES: Nil
TREASURER’S REPORT: All accounts approved at previous meeting have been paid. Income since last General / Committee meeting: Raffle $ 60.00 Auction Commission $9,102.50 Accounts received for payment: Richmond Trophies $ 385.83 Auction Vendor cheque payments $39,285.15 Eric’s Tendor Meats $ 139.80 North Rocks Rec Ctr –auction $ 585.00 North Rocks Rec Ctr – meeting $ 80.40 C. Buckingham – printing $ 133.00 Moved that the accounts be paid and Treasurer’s report be accepted – Moved: P. Brett Seconded: C. Buckingham CORRESPONDENCE OUT:
Emails re Auction
CORRESPONDENCE IN: Emails re Auction Newcastle Auction Catalogues Budgerigar magazines
Moved that the Correspondence be accepted- Moved: C. Spare Seconded: J. Mansfield GENERAL BUSINESS: Auction Wrap Up
Gary Gazzard overpaid $500.00 due to computer / paperwork glitch Not enough auction catalogues available in hall on the day Bidders registration forms not satisfactorily completed – too little info supplied by some Need info in from vendors earlier to enable catalogues to be out earlier
More advertising required other than Budgerigar & BRASEA – add Victoria next year Analysis of vendor sales – who to keep, who to drop next year Need to draw up guidelines / flow chart to ensure all task are completed next year Complaint about the quality of biscuits provided at the auction. Super auction should not have had “home brand” biscuits! BBQ ran out of bacon early in the day. Look at purchasing a large TV monitor as soon as possible – seek input from Robert Mead Next year have “live” internet access to the auction via Go To Meeting and Skype.
Moved that the club purchase a new toner cartridge for Peter Dodd’s printer. Moved: S. Williams Seconded: K. Manton Hall Bookings: North Rocks has been booked for all meetings and events for 2013 August Meeting: Bruce Bradford booked for powerpoint presentation Management Report:
Remaining ANBC Standards have now been distributed Profile in Budgerigar on Larry Brash Ken Denmeade editor for next Budgerigar issue KK Auction @ 12.5% commission. Not as successful as previous years Judges’ Panel AGM meeting next Sunday BSNSW Annual show to be 17.03.13 Society’s insurance changed to CGU at around half the price as previous RAS in 2013 on first two days of the show ANBC National. Letter to Management from Gary Watson complaining about the Team Carers. (Management to send disciplinary letters to both Jim L’Estrange and Gary Watson) Membership outraged by Don Burke & Warren Wilson’s comments published in media. Management to send letters of concern to both men. Voted that Branches and Associated Societies are not to include miniatures in the show schedules Monumental changes to the ANBC Standard with the placement of Yellowfaced Blue moved to the top part of the Matrix without combination. Will be effective from 1st January 2013
Hills Trailer: Has developed rust and may need work / moving to out of the weather.
MEETING CLOSED: 10.35 PM. PETER DODD KATHY MANTON CHAIRMAN SECRETARY
