Singing parrots - a fairly common species of birds, suitable for keeping in cages and aviaries. They are unpretentious to food, care for them does not present special difficulties. In response to the care and love, these birds will delight their masters with melodious singing.
Description
The range is southeastern and northeastern areas of Australia. Under natural conditions, birds gather in huge flocks and can “raid” on planting and sowing of cultivated plants. They feed on seeds, berries, fruits, insects. Most of the time is spent on the ground. Singing parrots are mostly small and medium-sized, with a long tail, the most diverse colors.
Males differ from females in a brighter, contrasting color with plumage and beautiful melodic singing. Singing parrots often settle near human habitation, arranging nests in barns, sheds and other buildings. In England, the singing parrot was first introduced in the middle of the XIX century. These birds live well and breed in captivity. With proper care, a singing parrot can live at home for 15 to 25 years.
Varieties
There are several types of songbirds.
- Yellow-winged, golden-shouldered or Queensland. The males on the wings, in the shoulders are large golden-yellow spots, and in the lower abdomen - red. The females are dominated by grayish color, with brown-green shades. These parrots are medium in size, rather calm.
- Hoody A distinctive feature of this type is the black “cap” or “hood” on the head. Males are colored brightly: various tones of green color prevail - from light turquoise to dark, olive. The central part of the back is gray-brown, the abdomen below is red with an orange tint, yellow stripes on the wings. In the plumage of females muffled, faded colors predominate.
- Red Spine. Birds are small - body length ranges from 26 to 28 centimeters with colorful plumage. The long tail (12–14 cm) is usually a darker shade. Males have feathers of bright, catchy colors. The back, head, chest are green, the belly is yellow, and the wings are greenish with a yellow spot in the middle and with blue wing feathers. On the back are several bright red feathers.
Although the plumage of females is light and inconspicuous, they are also very beautiful. These birds have a calm character, they quite peacefully relate to other species of birds, but they usually share territory with congeners.
- Red-tailed chenille. As the name implies, these parrots (males) have blue spots on the “face”, that is, near the ears, eyes, and beak. The back and chest are brownish, the belly is yellow-red, the wings and tail are blue-violet. Very beautiful, spectacular coloring. However, despite the external beauty and melodic singing, experts do not recommend this species for breeding at home, especially for inexperienced poultry farmers.
The fact is that behind the angelicly beautiful appearance lies a difficult character. Birds are aggressive and quarrelsome, enter into a fight with any representatives of the feathered tribe, not distinguishing between their own and others.
Content Features
Singing parrots have long been tamed by man and therefore well adapted to life in an apartment or house. However, there are some features of their content that you need to know to provide them with the most comfortable living environment. The main thing to remember: small cages are not suitable for these birds. It is better to settle them in an open-air cage, from 1 to 2 meters long, at least 80 centimeters wide, with a high ceiling.
In such a room, the parrots will have enough space to fly and train their wings.
A layer of sawdust or sand, about 5 centimeters thick, is poured on the floor. The litter is changed as it is polluted, it is better to do it once a week. It is necessary to equip drinking bowls, feeding troughs, pockets for sitting, as well as various toys for entertainment and physical activity, for example, ladders, swings, tree branches. It is necessary to feed parrots 2 times a day, in the morning and in the evening, approximately at the same time. Water in drinking troughs change daily.
The menu must include such food as:
- the seeds - sunflower, millet, oats, buckwheat;
- cereals - fresh and boiled corn, wheat in germinated form;
- legumes - boiled beans, lentils, peas;
- fruits - pears, apples, pomegranates, as well as exotic berries;
- vegetables - carrots, green sweet peppers, cauliflower, broccoli;
- greenery - chard, celery, branches of shrubs and trees;
- You can add porridge.
In addition, parrots eat well the most common weeds, for example, dandelions, wood lice, amaranth, wheat grass. Suitable and special food, which is sold in pet stores. And also in the cage must be standing bowls with crushed eggshell, chalk, fine-grained sand. Such additives are needed for better digestion and assimilation of food. Periodically, you can buy in the stores feeding and vitamins intended for parrots.
Important! Singing parrots will live without food for more than a day, so you need to follow the feeding regime.
You can not give the following products:
- milk, kefir, ryazhenka;
- chocolate products;
- coffee;
- avocado;
- parsley;
- fried foods;
- salt.
Be sure to look at the shelf life and appearance of any products intended for feeding. To avoid diseases, birds are given only high-quality and fresh food. The air temperature in the room where parrots are kept should be from 25 to 30 degrees with a humidity of about 65 percent. You can not put a cage near the heating devices or draft.
It is also necessary to avoid prolonged exposure to direct sun. Parrots are very fond of swimming. For them, they are satisfied with the “bath day” - they put a shallow but wide container with clean water on the floor of the enclosure. At the end of the procedure, the “bath” is removed.
Breeding
Singing parrots breed well at home. Their mating season falls on the autumn-winter months. It usually begins in September or October and ends in December or January. In some cases, this period lasts until May. By this time in the aviary set the nesting house of plywood or boards, the shape and size resembling the usual birdhouse. The bottom is better to sprinkle with sawdust or sand.
The male takes care of the female, spreads its tail, rises on its paws, and sings long and melodiously. The female reciprocates his love, the birds sit down beside him, cooing slowly, with their beaks sifting through feathers from each other. In the clutch there are from 4 to 8 eggs. The female incubates them very carefully, almost without leaving the nest. The male all this time takes care of her, brings food. After about 21 days, chicks appear. Parents take turns feeding them, at this time it is necessary to add to the menu proteinaceous ingredients of animal origin - chopped eggs, small worms.
Feeding lasts about a month or a little more. After that, the grown-up "kids" leave a cozy nest, but still remain in the care of older 2-3 weeks. As soon as the young birds become independent, they need to be transplanted into another aviary - otherwise the division of territory and fighting will begin, as they have no feelings of affection or kinship.
During the year, a pair of parrots can hatch chicks 2-3 times. To give the birds the opportunity to rest and go through the molting period, the nest is removed from the aviary for a while.
Diseases and their prevention
Like any animals and birds, parrots can get sick.Because of their low body mass, their metabolic processes take place very quickly, so do not neglect the treatment. In case of the slightest indisposition, it is necessary to immediately contact a veterinary clinic or a specialist ornithologist. It should also be remembered that there are diseases that can be transmitted to humans.
The main feature of any incipient poultry disease is a decrease in its activity. The parrot becomes sluggish, drowsy, sits in one place, cackling, the plumage looks sloppy, dims. He eats very reluctantly or completely refuses food.
Other symptoms include sore, watery eyes, nasal discharge, frequent sneezing, indigestion, diarrhea, nausea.
Often, illnesses arise from inadequate housing conditions, care and feeding errors. Birds need to move and fly a lot for good health and physical fitness. So, it is necessary to provide them with such an opportunity and keep them in large aviaries. The feed must be of good quality, not spoiled, without mold and rot. It should be poured in small portions, so as not to lie.
Should provide full and varied diet, including vitamins and mineral supplements. Feeding troughs and drinking bowls are rinsed daily. Cleaning in the aviary do weekly. Completely washed and disinfected about 1 time per month. Compliance with these conditions will make the content of songbirds a pleasant and easy task. Happy and healthy birds will please their owners for many years.
About what are the songbirds, see the following video.
