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ISSN 1492-8132
Issue 134, © 2005
No reprints without permission
Sponsor's Space
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Christmas Sale!! Save up to $168.00 on selected wrought iron cages, until Dec 31st!
The folks at Bird & Cage aim to provide bird keepers with a great selection of good quality birdcages and accessories for great prices, along with some of the best customer service you will find anywhere, and their customers agree, they do a great job!
A recent customer says,"I just wanted to thank you for the beautiful cage I ordered. It arrived in 8 days and was well packaged and in excellent condition. The cage exceeded my expectations in looks and was easy to put together. Your prices are great and I will recommend your company to others. Thanks again."
For a full selection of cages and cage accessories, visit BirdandCage.com.
Canary Lighting Fact
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For canaries, light, and to a lesser extent, heat and diet are the main indicators that breeding season is nearing.
With canaries, lighting is critical, and if the lights stay on longer than usual even once, a healthy canary will see that as a sign that the days will soon be getting longer, and will begin eagerly preparing for breeding season...
For that reason a timer is highly useful, when it comes to taking control of the lights near your canaries. It saves the difficulty of trying to keep an even schedule turning the lights on and off manually, which can be very difficult to do - if you want to have a life, that is! That means a timer can be more of a help than you might at first think, since it takes so little encouragement to set a wintering canary to thinking of spring.
Help Needed
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Do you know of a great bird site which deserves a review? Maybe you have a favourite tip or trick that you like to use, or know of a product that has made your bird's life better or easier to manage in some way? Why not share them with other Flock readers? Just send an email here.
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- Home
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- Breeding
- Photographs
- Flock Talk
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- Canary FAQs
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- Tug 'N Swing
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- Bird Cages
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- Questions?
- Contact
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"I love your website, your information has made me a very well-informed canary friend/owner. Thank you."
"Thank you for your love of birds and your commitment for helping those of us who are learning to share our lives with our feathered friends!"
"Robirda's website, bird board and e-zine are invaluable tools for any birdlover."
"I ordered 'Canary Tales' by Linda Hogan last year...Although I fully recommend buying the book, I find Robirda's book much more complete, easier to read with less difficulty finding information."
"Just a short note to tell you how great your ezine is... As a long time bird lover I thank you for your wonderful mag. Keep up the great work!"
Welcome to Robirda's Companion Bird eZine
For breeder or pet bird owners who care.
Website News
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This issue features big sales from two of our sponsors; Bird & Cage, where you can save big on selected cages, and Antique Bird Prints, who is offering 20% off any of their items, to Flock Talk readers. See their ads for more details!
We're pleased to be able to tell you we've opened our new Articles Archive up for your visits! There's a search tool of course, but we've also added a 'Browse' tool that will allow you to see lists of articles on a given topic. Even better, we've included a comment form at the bottom of each article!
There's even a link to our new RSS feed, so you can keep up to date without having to visit the site! For now, we're only archiving Robirda's articles, but we plan to eventually include all the wonderful and informative Flock Talk articles published in the past. Drop in and visit, at www.robirda.net
It's been a busy month here; CDs, books, and calendars are almost flying off the shelves! If you want a Canary Calendar, order soon before they're gone!
Feature Article
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You've decided that your canaries don't get enough natural daylight, and you want to add some lighting to the area where your bird lives. But what kind of lights should you use?
Supplemental Lighting
by R C McDonald
www.robirda.com
Copyright © Dec 2005
Regular lightbulbs can help to brighten anybody's day - but they aren't anything like natural sunlight, nor do they offer similar benefits as does natural sunlight. Natural, direct sunlight has a wavelength (in the long-wave ultraviolet) that when of sufficient strength, will react with the preen oil on the bird's feathers, converting it into the precursor of Vitamin D. This is then ingested while preening and converted by the bird's body into a useful form.
Some owners think that this means our birds will be healthier if they live out of doors. To a certain extent, this is true, but there are numerous dangers also associated with living outdoors; among them are issues such as increased exposure to disease, whether through insect bites or direct or indirect contact with wild birds, as well as exposure to predation, infestation, and more; the list is too long for the scope of this article.
What it adds up to, though, is that unless you are willing to put a lot of money into constructing an outdoor aviary that will protect its inhabitants from those issues and more, our birds are more likely to have a longer lifespan living indoors.
It's tempting to think that keeping indoor birds near enough to a window to be exposed to sunlight for part of the day will help to keep the birds healthy, and it's very true that, as long as they have shade as well as sunlight available, most pet birds will enjoy sunbathing when they have the chance.
Unfortunately, glass windows filter out the wavelength required for the chemical reaction that helps the birds to produce their own Vitamin D, so as an alternative, some bird owners like to offer a more natural lighting for their pets through the use of full-spectrum lighting, made to mimic (as the name indicates) the range and balance (although not the intensity) of natural sunlight.
But it can be very easy to become confused as to the exact quality of a given product - between product names and marketing tactics, sometimes it can be difficult to differentiate between true 'full spectrum' lights, and their lesser-quality cousins with similar names.
For example, some kinds of incandescent bulbs - the ones that screw into a regular light socket - are marketed as 'full spectrum', when they really aren't. Full spectrum, that is. They do mimic the naturally occurring wavelengths of sunlight to a degree, but they aren't capable of emitting the long-wave ultraviolet part of the spectrum that is so useful to our birds.
Another factor in this equation that is not always considered - and it should be - is that if you are offering a good-quality vitamin and mineral supplement, then you don't really need full-spectrum lighting to keep your bird healthy - reasonably bright lighting of the ordinary kind will do just fine.
Full-spectrum lighting is only an essential for those indoor birds who are not getting vitamin and mineral supplementation as a regular part of their diet - and since even true full-spectrum lighting still wouldn't provide them with everything else they need in the way of vitamins and minerals, and because it is so difficult to supply all the nutrients that a bird needs through the diet alone, the easiest way to ensure your bird is and remains healthy, is to supply reasonably bright lighting, and use a good brand of vitamin/mineral supplement.
If you decide you want a true full-spectrum bulb anyways, for now at least you will need to go with a flourescent-type lamp or fixture. There is a variety of full-spectrum flourescent bulbs on the market, selling for a rather wide range of prices. Some of these bulbs are better quality than others - and you can't always tell the difference by the price.
A good quality full-spectrum bulb should list its ratings and spectrum analysis on the box, for one starters - if you don't see these, you can't be sure that you're getting what you need, no matter what the name is, or what the marketing spiel says.
Plus, you need to realize that even if the bulbs are rated for the standard several thousand hours or 5 years, analysis of the light they emit has shown that they are likely to remain truly full-spectrum for only perhaps six months or so. At that point, though still working, they will cease to emit the long-wave non-burning ultra-violet wavelengths that do our birds (and us!) so much good.
It is also possible to find on the market, bulbs that emit almost all long-wave ultraviolet, with the only visible light emitted being a dark blue. These are most commonly known as 'black lights'. Black lights by themselves offer little visible light, and so need to be used in conjunction with regular bulbs, but they can be a useful source of supplemental lighting, when used together with an ordinary 'daylight' style bulb. Since most flourescent fixtures require at least two bulbs in order to work, setting up such a combination is easy.
One interesting fact I've noticed about black lights is that my birds love to sunbathe under them - an activity I have never seen occurring under any form of lighting other than sunlight.
Learning how to tell the differences between the various types of lights available on the market is an on-going, ever-changing process, as technology advances and manufacturing techniques change. It's possible that soon even bulbs that screw into an ordinary light-bulb socket may become able to be true full-spectrum lights - but for now, they can't.
Graphs of incandescent lights - even those termed 'full spectrum' - show clearly that their intensity of light peaks in the red wavelengths - mostly because an incandescent bulb emits a fair bit of heat. (Actually, that's true of all incandescent bulbs)
Sunlight, and flourescent full-spectrum bulbs, instead peak in the green wavelengths, in the center of the visible spectrum. Plus, a true full-spectrum light will emit a small percentage of ultraviolet light.
One good source of more information on full-spectrum lighting, are the books written by the scientist who did the ground-breaking research these lights are based on. His name is Dr John N Ott. Among his books are, 'Let There Be Light', 'Health & Light', and 'Color & Light: Their Effects on Plants, Animals & People'. These should be recommended reading for anybody interested in learning about full-spectrum lighting.
Originally a photographer, Dr. Ott's lighting requirements for certain shots led him to observe some odd but powerful anomolies in the way we then understood sunlight and its interactions with and effects on plants, animals and people.
It took him years to gather enough funding to conduct research, because mainstream science considered research into light to be "a waste of time". Driven to soliciting private funding, Dr Ott persisted, and decades later, his labs began producing results.
Some of those results have generated some interesting products - among them, some of the best indoor lights in the world. These are called Ott-lights. Among them are lamps made specifically to provide birds, fish, reptiles and other such creatures the lighting required for optimal health. These lights are popular with zoos and breeders, as well as pet owners.
Understanding light and how it interacts with living beings - ourselves as well as our pets - is an ongoing process that demands the ability to be willing to adapt our understanding as more information is gained and technology adapts. Light, once thought to be not worth the time to research, is becoming a major player in the centerfield of research.
Recent studies in light technologies have shown phenomenal potential for the passing of information and storage of data using light. What's next? Keep your eyes peeled, you just never know!
by R C McDonald
www.robirda.com
Copyright © Dec 2005
BIG HOLIDAY SALE!! on Antique Bird Prints! New prints and books have been added to Antique Bird Prints.com, and we're in a mood to celebrate! So for a limited time, Flock Talk readers can claim save 20% off all the items we've listed for sale!
Most of these prints are gorgous, hand-coloured old-style lithographs of a wide variety of cagebirds - many of them canaries! They are perfect for holiday gifts, or maybe just for that special treat for for yourself - and don’t forget to look over the books, too, you just might find that special something you've been searching for!
To claim your discount, simply include a note with your order that you found our site through Flock Talk, and as soon as we process your order, we will return 20% of your purchase price!
Learn more at www.antiquebirdprints.com!
Robirda's book on keeping canaries continues to get a great response from readers. We're planning to release a black-and-white edition soon, but there is still a few of the full-colour first edition copies left, if you order soon!
This special first edition is packed with useful information and is loaded with full-colour photos (one on almost every page!) It's printed on acid-free paper with special long-lasting water-proof, colour-fast inks, resulting in a book that you will be able to refer to for years to come.
Each volume is hand-numbered and personally signed by Robirda. There's only a few copies of this special limited edition left, so don't miss your chance to get one of these unique books! Here's just one of the many positive comments we've received;
"I ordered 'Canary Tales' by Linda Hogan last year... Although I fully recommend buying her book, I find Robirda's book much more complete, easier to read with less difficulty finding information."
For full details, go to www.robirda.com/brats.html
"Everyone always asks me why my birds are such beautiful singers and breed such magnificent babies...I tell them that I learned from Robirda! While they give their birds all kinds of 'magical' formulas, I just follow your guide to 'keep it simple.' My birds are now very healthy, and there has been no recurrence of the infection. Thank Goodness!" R.C., Florida
Song CD
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Do you like to keep your canaries singing? Our CD of Robirda's canaries in full song stimulates pet canaries to sing more, and is a popular choice, either for one's self or as a gift. We have received a great deal of positive comments from many of our customers. Here's the most recent:
"I just wanted to let you know, our cats find your Canary Song CD highly entertaining - every time I put it on, they start running around the house, looking for the new birds! It's hilarious, and it's encouraged our canary 'Caruso' to finally start singing more, too; what a great CD, thanks so much!"
Find out more about our Canary Song CD!
Tips 'n Tricks
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If you cover your birds at night, but want them to be able to see the dawn - cover the top half of the cage all around, and leave it open at the bottom. Rather than leaving one side open, or leaving a gap at the top, try to see that at least the top half of the cage covered so that it is BLACK underneath - as thoroughly dark as you can manage!
If there's light in the bottom half of the cage in the morning, that's fine - he will be able to wake up and find his food and water, etc. But if there's light in the top half of the cage at night, it will disturb his sleep, and can make for out-of-season moults, too.
Stories Wanted
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Send us your stories of how your birds confuse and puzzle, interest and amuse you, and we will share them with the rest of our readers in a future issue. Just send an email here.
For you
& Your Birds,
With Love
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If you find help you need in this ezine or on one of our websites, please consider joining our sponsors.
Read testimonials or find out more about becoming a sponsor. If you're looking for something different, check our home page for links to all our great products!
Our next issue is due Sunday, Dec 18th. We hope you and your birds stay safe, well and happy in the meantime, and we look forward to seeing you all then!
"You have the most informative and helpful small bird site on the Web. I have found your information priceless and inspiring."
"Hi Robirda! Thanks for your thoughts. My little one is singing as loudly as ever. He looks much better today. Your advice was most welcome; I'm particularly grateful about the recipes! I sent you the same amount the vet charged me; you have done no less than he did. You are a real blessing to all of us canary lovers the world over."
"Thank you so much for the book on canaries. That is a really nice book. I needed one, because I bought my Mom two canaries, a male and a female, we don't know anything about them. I'm so glad to have this book, I couldn't believe how much was in there. Thank you so much!"
"I cannot thank you enough for your kind and considerate responses to all of our questions. Your website has really been a wonderful find for us! And we absolutely love your canary CD!"
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