articles and useful information

jardines

by deno lombard

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Lesser Jardines (P.g. fantiensis)

The Lesser Jardine is the smallest in the range. They are however the most brightly coloured of all the species. It would appear that mature females always have more orange than males but that their orange seems to be a little duller than that of the males. Mostly the orange on Lesser Jardines seems to be the colour of a ripe Orange (citrus fruit). The black markings on their wings are smaller and more abundant than on either the Greater or the Black-Winged Jardines. Their green colour also differs vastly from the Black-Winged-Jardine in the sense that it is more emerald coloured whereas the Black-Winged’s green is more of a darker bottle green.

Colour variations regarding the amount of orange in individuals differ greatly. No one individual have the same markings. It is also not uncommon that some males, even fully matured ones, only show a few specs of orange on the facial area. The best method to gauge a bird’s estimated age, other than having a veterinarian looking at the reproductive organs, is to look at the bird’s "socks". In adult birds there are always a distinct orange marking of about 5 mm between the wrist to the elbow. This is a very good indicator of a bird’s age. The older the bird the more pronounced the "sock". Youngsters do not have socks". They also do not have any orange markings. I have noticed that the earliest signs of orange in a youngster seem to be around the ages of 14 to 16 months.

Lesser Jardines are not bound to a specific breeding season and it is not uncommon for a pair to naturally breed for up to four times during a year. Clutches of between 2 and 3 eggs are usually produced. I have found Lesser Jardines to be excellent parents provided that no outside disturbance in the nest is encountered. They can however be extremely vicious when outside interference in the nest is encountered and I have had many a breeder call me and complain that the parents killed the chicks minutes after an inspection in the nest was carried out.

Black-Winged Jardines (P.g. gulielmi)


Black Wing Jardine
Black-Winged Jardines are larger than Lessers. In mature birds the black markings are also more elongated and are more dominant in relation to the green on the wing. I have seen some Black-Winged Jardines that did not even have a spec of green on the wings. It is my observation that the older the Black-Winged becomes, the darker the wings are. Chicks and sub-adults seem to have much more green on the wings and to the untrained eye such a bird can easily be mistaken for a Lesser Jardine.

The colour variation on these birds are not as vast as that of the Lesser Jardine and one could almost say that they are more true to a colour pattern than the Lesser Jardine. Also in this species I have found that mature females always have more colour than the males. The colours on the males however seems to be more intense. The orange colour on the Black-Winged-Jardine varies from a deep dark orange to an almost red colour.

Like the Lesser Jardines these birds will breed throughout the year. Breeding and attitude around the nest area are almost exactly as for the Lessers. Colouration on youngsters also takes about the same as Lessers to appear. Age can also be gauged by the "socks" of a bird.

Greater Jardines (P.g. massaicus)


Greater Jardine
These birds are the largest of all the Jardines.  Greater Jardines have very little colour in relation to the other two species. It is noticeable that a very small area, if any, of red is found on the forehead of these birds. Again females tend to have just a little bit more colour than males. Greater Jardines tend to have more or less the same type of black markings on the wings as Lesser Jardines. Their green colour in my opinion is however even more brighter than that of the Lesser Jardine.

Greater Jardines differ greatly from the other two species in that their beak is not as massive. A quick glance at a Greater’s beak reminds one of the beak of a hawk. Greater Jardines are not as robustly built as the other two species and appears more elegant. I think it is because of the proportionate size of the beak.

Greater Jardines breed only once a year and like most of the smaller African parrots they tend to breed between June and September.

General

I use a seven ply "L-nest" box for all my Jardines to breed in. Unlike "garingboom" nests this seems not to attract bees and rodents. There are however some of my friends that breed Jardines in all other type of nest boxes and it would thus appear that a Jardine is not very fussy when it comes to selecting a nest. The darker the nest box, the more secure the birds feel. Jardines generally become mature enough for breeding from about five years of age. I have found that males tend to be slower developers in relation to female birds. Therefore it is advisable to have a male bird of about 2 years older, pair up with a female.

My aviary measurements are 3.5m (length) by 1.2m (wide) by 2m (high). Of this, 1.5m are covered by a roof. I only use conventional aviaries. Double wired sides are a must, as Jardines get very protective of their area during breeding season.

When it comes to food I like to spoil my parrots. All my African birds are on the same diet. Agricol makes up a mixture of the following seeds for me:

5 kg Pofu white sorghum;
5 kg wheat;
5 kg oats;
5 kg mixed millet (white, jap and red);
5 kg mung beans;
10 kg rondo peas;
3 kg shelled monkey nuts and
2 kg hemp.

(In total this comes to 40 kg).

These seeds are soaked for 24 hours in luke warm water in order to provide the best vitamins, minerals and trace elements that the food naturally generates.


Lesser Jardine
I feed 100 birds and I use about 1 kg of the dried mix for soaking every day. To this soaked mixture I ad 500 grams of soaked striped sunflower seeds and 500 grams of dry, (not soaked), sunflower seed.

I add a soft food mixture, like one of the Aviplus products, of about six tablespoons to it. This absorbs all extra moisture of the soaking and gives the food a very nice texture. I also add two kg. freshly chopped veggies to this mix. ( celery, carrots, sweet potatoes, parsley, beetroot stems, radish, Patti pans, green and red peppers, red chilies and butternut).

I add two teaspoons of Bright and Healthy Spirulina and six teaspoons of Beefee powder to the mixture, mix it through well, and feed it fresh every day. I feed my birds only once a day. Each bird receives two tablespoons of this prepared food. Add more or give less food according to what the particular pair dictates. I do not have ad-lib self feeders in my aviaries and therefore force my birds to eat what is presented to them.

"For the birds" takes on a new meaning!

by trevin van der walt

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I have been breeding exotic birds since primary school days. When keeping birds in a controlled environment all their needs for a healthy life have to be taken care of e.g. housing, water, safety, community and especially Dietary requirements. Much scientific research has been done over the years to establish the nutritional needs of the birds. Protruded foods and nutritional supplements of the highest quality have been produced and are commercially available to aviculturalists. The bird keeper knows exactly what vitamins and minerals and more importantly in what proportions his birds are getting daily for healthy and proper functioning of their life organs. This is important because, for example, too much calcium has the same negative effects as insufficient calcium. The diet of the birds will determine their immunity to disease, their vitality, their plumage condition, their ability to produce healthy offspring, their longevity and general wellbeing. A lack in nutrition manifests itself in overweight problems, deformity in bone structure and joint problems, respiratory problems, feather problems and a multitude of infections due to weak immune systems.

It is amazing how many parallels exist between a bird’s situation in a cage and modern day life of the human, as far as nutrition is concerned. Our bodies are not receiving the necessary nutrition from our daily diets to function properly, to maintain good health and to fight off disease. The ailments and conditions experienced at present are a reflection or consequence of the nutrition our bodies have received. Most of the ills such as obesity, diabetes, respiratory ailments, skin problems, bone and joint problems, heart and circulatory problems, mental and psychological problems, digestive problems, weak immune systems etc. are directly caused by or manifest themselves as a result of incorrect nutrition. Our food sources today have become a "controlled" situation: we have very little choice of what we eat. This being due to the fact that we are not aware of what has gone into the production of the foodstuffs. "Special Assignment" recently gave some indication of the dangerously high Antibiotic and Hormone levels in the chicken meat we eat. The amounts of chemicals and preservatives used in making the food grow faster, last longer and look better is frightening. The fast foods and prepacked foods for consumption today have very little if any nutritional value. People are thus unaware of whether they are nourishing their bodies correctly or merely sustaining life until such time as the effects of weakened body functions manifest themselves.

Pet owners and breeders know exactly the composition of pet food as every package has a composition list. We consumers on the other hand have put this responsibility in the hands of the food producers and manufacturers. They in turn are driven by economic factors to produce as much as possible, in as short a time as possible and for the product to last as long as possible. We have lost our instinct to select food which the body requires (the only evidence of some form of instinct seems to occur through cravings which come about when there is a chronic deficiency in the body), instead we are influenced by advertising to select on the basis of trend, taste and appearance. This is especially the case with the youth. A "quick fix" mentality has also developed as a result of our lifestyle. There are many examples of tablets being taken to treat a multitude of symptoms. Many people go out to dinner with antacid tablets in their pockets, an advert tells you that if you want to lose weight take two tablets and you can eat as much as you like, a concern is also the ease with which children are put on drugs for concentration and behavioral problems etc. A trend is, however, starting to develop where individuals are taking responsibility for their own wellbeing by becoming more knowledgeable in the need for good nutrition. It has been predicted that the wellness industry is going to become the biggest industry of the first decade of the 21st century. This is already evident from the large number of businesses producing and advertising herbal remedies for a myriad of ailments. Only a consumer educated in this field will survive the bombardment and be able to make the correct choices. In conclusion it appears that the consequence of the latter part of the 20th Century’s lifestyle has "come home to roost". In the meanwhile my birds and I will continue benefiting from our daily dose of nutritional supplements.

Pointers for choosing birds and aviaries

by trevin van der walt

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When starting with birds you need to make some choices and do some research. Firstly decide on whether you are going to keep hookbills or finches.

Hookbills: The larger varieties in this group require sturdy cages with strong mesh types. The frames of cages for the larger species must be built from metal. Any exposed wood must be to be hard and the perches must be sturdy. Very little vegetation survives in their cages. The birds in this group can often only be housed with their own species and often only one pair per unit. Please note that many of these species are very noisy.

Finches: This group is a lot more petite and thus their cages need not be as sturdy. They do not chew wood and can be housed in wooden or steel aviaries. Aviaries can be planted as long as the growth of the plants outgrows the number of birds in the enclosure as there is some pecking of the plants. Many different species can be kept in the same unit without problems.

Breeder cages: Cages in both the above categories for the purposes of breeding need to be adapted according to the specific needs of the species being bred.

Location and aspect: Aviaries must face in a northerly direction and get the early morning sun. In our area the roosting area must be protected from the west. At night all birds must sleep in an area protected from draughts. The feeding stations in aviaries need to be sheltered from rain as birds will not eat wet seed. It is also useful to have inside/outside feeders to limit disturbances from entering cages to often.

Birdkeeping

by trevin van der walt

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HOUSING

FEED AND WATER

TENDER LOVING CARE

SEED

SOFT FOOD

VALUE OF BIRD KEEPING - FOR THE OLDER FOLKS

De-stress and relax with a touch of the wonders of nature. Escape for brief moments from the rat race and noise of modern day life.

VALUE OF BIRD KEEPING - FOR THE YOUNGER FOLKS

Learn important values of life through contact with nature. Develop empathy for all living things by nurturing and caring for birds. Build character through action and behavior.

“A person with interests makes an interesting person”

The Wonderful World of Birds

by trevin van der walt

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Spring is in the air and creation seems to come alive. This too is the most active and exciting time for aviculturalists. The birds are busy finding partners and building nests and the bird keepers and breeders are hard at work catering for their needs and requirements.

Our Urban landscape has altered the environment in which we live to such a degree that the original indigenous birds in the area have all but disappeared. The remaining birds are predominantly the opportunist/ scavenger species which dominate (crows, shrikes, exotic starlings, doves etc.). Isolated sightings of sunbirds and other species are still seen in large gardens and ‘greenbelt’ areas. The ever friendly and tame wagtails which were a common sight in most gardens are becoming very scarce as fertilizer and garden chemical intake takes it toll on their fertility. The Cape parrot which is endemic to our region is on the endangered list. The destruction of its natural habitat, food supply and nesting sites has been a major cause. This bird nests in yellowwood trees and a major portion of its diet consists of the kernels from the seeds of this tree. A group of volunteers annually set out to count these birds in the wild and the numbers remaining are alarmingly low. Great strides have however been made in aviculture to successfully breed these birds. If aviculture were as advanced in the 1800’s the Dodo may not have become extinct.

It is vital for the human spirit to be in contact and interact with nature in all its facets. The interest in birds is one aspect which caters for both young and old. Close contact and interaction with nature is the only way to instill empathy, develop attitudes and internalize values which will eventually dictate the actions and decisions made towards the utilization of our natural resources.

The therapeutic and de-stressing effects birds have on the human are increasingly being appreciated. Polsmoor prison has introduced a programme whereby the prisoners are rearing and caring for birds as part of their rehabilitation. With the lack of birds in our urban lifestyle, an aviary offers the only alternative.
The prevalence of garden aviaries is increasing forming focal points and extensions to gardens at private homes, guest houses, game lodges etc. These aviaries are vegetated with plants giving the birds natural nesting and feeding areas and forming micro ecosystems for the various species. Aviaries have also been built at homes for the disabled, old age homes and primary schools. Port Elizabeth is unique in that the residents are able to have custom built aviaries constructed to their needs and specifications.

There are many species of birds which can successfully be kept in aviaries but it is recommended that research be done before deciding on which birds to keep. Useful sources are the internet, libraries and speaking to breeders. Port Elizabeth has a few bird clubs, the one I belong to has over a hundred members. When deciding on having an aviary built the best point to start is to visit the Habitat tea garden / garden display centre in Walmer (next to Servi-Star) for ideas.
Techniques used and scientific research in aviculture has advanced to such an extent over the past decade that most bird species are being successfully bred. Bird breeders have been using supplements, spiralina, probiotics, protruded balanced nutrition etc. for many years; the need for these have only recently been realized in the human market. Sufficient birds are being bred worldwide to supply enthusiasts, the demand for birds captured in the wild is only created by unscrupulous blackmarket traders and they should be severely treated. Aviculturists across the world are involved in projects trying to save endangered species.

Port Elizabeth and surrounds has many game reserves offering an opportunity to come in contact with animals and Bay World caters for marine life but bird sanctuaries are lacking. I arrived here in 2000 with the intention of initiating the development of a bird world, based on Jurong bird park in Singapore, in the Happy Valley area. Sadly Port Elizabeth has once again lost out as a similar facility is now being erected along the Garden route near Plettenberg Bay but hopefully my dream will be realized in the near future: and the people of Port Elizabeth will be able to experience and share in the wonderful world of birds!