CAGE BIRDS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23121, 20 August 1938, Page 7 (Supplement)

CAGE BIRDS

DURING the show season which has just been completed, it has been evident from the vast increase in the number of entries shown in the British bird section, that interest in this part of the bird fancy is very materially increasing. Of all the British birds acclimatised in New Zealand, undoubtedly the goldfinch is one of the most attractive, with its bright colours, vivacious manner and pretty song. Interest in the goldfinch as an exhibition bird is also increasing. Goldfinch Popular Mr. A. Howe, the noted Crystal Palace exhibitor and British bird judge, contributes the following notes on the goldfinch: "The goldfinch is the greatest- favourite among the Britishers, for he is a good songster and possesses more advantages as a show bird than any other. "The head is the most important part of any bird, and even to a greater degree does this apply to the goldfinch. Recently, one of the greatest authorities on budgerigars in Great Britain, Mr. Watmough, stated that the head of any bird, if weak or poor, no matter how good the bird may be otherwise, should make that bird stand cardless on the show bench, provided, of course, that there were a good-headed bird competing. This has been so with the goldfinch for as long as I can remember, but the head must be in proportion to the body no matter what size the bird may be. Symmetry of Head "Proportion and symmetry determine what the head should look like. So many birds' heads do look odd, particularly if the neck is weak. A really good goldfinch should have a broad skull, wide at the top, with the black wide and of a deep, velvety colour. "This black must be free from ticks of any kind, especially red or white. The bottom of the red blaze can go well down the throat, but must be clean-cut at the bottom, with decided corners, while the line from the corner of one eye to the corner of the opposite one must be clear and straight. "This line should just touch the evelid, but still retain its straight line, without a bend or a break, if the red blaze expands at the bottom, so much the better, but nevertheless, the edge must be straight. The red above the eye should go well back. Colouring Too Dark "Some goldfinches are spoilt by the black reaching too far into the scarlet at the nostrils, thus spoiling, the blaze. The colouring in some birds is too dark, and they usually have a blaze too dark in colour also. These very dark birds are usually called buffs, and should not be placed high in a class. "The bright-faced are the yellows, and these usually do not attain quite to the size of the buffs either in total size or in the area of the red blaze. They are, however, much brighter and

By TAILFEATHERS

Letters requesting information regardlni the care of cage birds will be antwered li (hit column eacn week. Readers are invite* to write to Tailfeathers, New Zealand Herali Office, Auckland.

better-looking. The standard length is ojiii., with the tail about Sin. long. "In outline, the goldfinch should.be of the Norwich standard type, not that of the overgrown Norwich that usually passes as Norwich these days. The long, thin Yorkshire type of goldfinch does not win at the Crystal Palace or other large shows. Good Exhibition Bird "A good exhibition finch should stand on the perch at an angle of 45 degrees, the body colour well contrasted, the tan colour of a nice, deep nutbrown, and without that lighter colouring on the crest. Although some books say that the birds should be chocolate brown, that shade is not the «ne that wins in England "In my opinion, the term 'chocolate brown' is a littlo incorrect, as it indicates a colour a little too dark. Possibly the colouring of chocolate is darker than it used to be when this description was used." (To be continued) ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS Maroa.—Budgerigar: It you have a partly-open shed, keep the birds in a rage inside the shed during the winter. They do not like being out in cold winds, but cold itself is not harmful. Do not put the birds outside on fine days rtnd inside at night. The variation of temperature is too great. A light green bird mated yellow bird would produce nil green birds with the yellow colour not apparent yet in them. Sky blue mated to yel.ow would produce all light green in colour, with hidden the factor to prbduce white birds. "Budgie," Nortii Auckland.—Budgerigar: Ybur birds has caught a chill through moving it from a warm place to a cold platfe. Keep it very warm, even putting a small electric light in its cage at night and covering with a warm blanket. It must be warm at four o'clock in the morning. Ydur food treatment is correct, provided they have broken sea shells in addition. It would be too drastic a treatment to put the birds in an out-door aviary n w when they' have been used to a warmer position. Wait until the weather is milder. A gabled roof boarded in at both ends would he better, also under the gable a font or two down the side, which gives an entrance to the aviary. Cold winds will not then blow into the warmer roof portion. K.0.N., TVaihi. —Budgerigar: The answers to all your questions re colours would occupy too much" space. You can get a small, cheap book on colour breeding which will give you a lot of information, or write again giving the exact colours you wish to- use and I will then give you the colour expectation. B.McK., Kpso:n.—Budgerigar: I will post you a booklet giving you much information on how to treat these birds. Yon put the husk in too soon, but .just leave the birds alone and allow the husk to remain where it is. They will probsbly throw out the present lot of clear eggs, then go to nest a second time when the weather is right and lay fertile eggs. If you get in difficulty after reading the notes I will send to you, kindly write again. W.X.. Masterton. —Budgerigar: Mate your greywing green with the white-blue suffusion hen. If a greywing is not mated to a good white bird or to " greywing bird, the greywing factor is hidden. You could breed from your cock bird in September, but it is a little young. "Beginner," Feilding.—Budgerigar: These birds will breed a single pair by themselves, but are more certain to go to nest if several pairs are together, either in separate enclosures in close proximity or in one aviary. An odd cock bird near the pair will often accelerate their nesting desires. Your nest box is satisfai tory, but there is no need for an opening at each end. I will send you some detailed notes on breeding and feeding. M.E., Mt. Eden.—Budgerigar: The continuous egg laying is most abnormal, the bird on a reduced ration of Australian Hungarian millet seed only, and omit the cod liver oil seeds. The bird, being a hen and a good talker, I am afraid letting her rear youngsters would be detrimental to her speech. Be sure and give the birds plenty of cuttlefish bone, otherwise over-production of eggs will weaken the hen. Try a little limewater added to the drinking water.