If you always seem to end up with a handful of wriggling, protesting bird, next time try this wonderful little trick. If your bird begins to struggle and complain while being held, lightly stroke his throat, starting just below the base of the beak and stoking lightly down the center of his neck down to his breastbone.

Just a light stroke is all that's needed. If done properly, you will find that he will settle down almost immediately. I have had birds stroked this way relax so much that I could open my fingers, and they would remain lying peacefully on their backs in the palm of my hand, with no restraint, and showing no signs of fear.

Just why this works so well, I am not sure. Some say that it acts on the nerves to cause a mild temporary paralysis, but they all seem to retain their grip on my fingers, and can and will move if the situation seems to warrant it. Others say that this stroking action calms them because it is so obviously not the action of a predator.

Whatever the reason - work it does, and utilizing it can make holding your bird easier and less stressful for all!

"I am a former breeder of Gloster canaries, but since my husband developed allergies, I shut down to avoid adding to the problem. I miss them so! Any ideas on coping?"

My answer;

"Hello! I don't know if you realize this, but most people who have to stop keeping birds because of feather dust can still keep one or two canaries around, sometimes more - because most canaries have little to no feather dust! If your husband suffered from a different kind of reaction - try using a special seed mix which excludes canola, also rapeseed - that's the small round blackish-reddish seeds that look rather like a cabbage seed.

"I couldn't find such a mix locally, although I hear they are out there, so I have a mix made for me. The contents vary somewhat with the season, but the basic mix is 80% canary grass, 10% oat groats, 5% niger, and 5% mixed treat seeds...and they get a spray of millet occasionally too, and of course greens and such! The birds thrive on this diet.

"Eliminate any kind of canola from your diet, too, and you could note a quick improvement - I did, and so has almost everybody with allergies I've talked with about this.

"It seems canola is an allergen trigger, and can sensitize certain individuals to allergens. While this is well known to specialists, this fact doesn't seem to have filtered down to sufferers much yet. Especially in a 'dusty' form, like when canaries have been cracking and husking the seed, it will over-sensitize some individuals to the presence of other environmental allergens, resulting in the development of new or stronger allergies.

"Why this is not more well-known I am not sure - but I do know that eliminating all canola from both the birds' diet and my own (including products containing canola oil), has allowed me to continue keeping and breeding my canaries on a somewhat reduced scale, even with allergies and asthma."

Welcome to the Companion Birds eZine

For bird people who care.

Hello!   Welcome to the 30th issue of Flock Talk!

Send any ideas, tips, tricks, stories, or comments here. Thanks for reading!

Robirda

Bird Site Report


George Miksch Sutton Avian Research Center

The Sutton Research Center is a private, non-profit organization affiliated with the University of Oklahoma's Oklahoma Biological Survey, and has raised a fascinating website dedicated to, as they put it, "finding cooperative conservation solutions for birds and the natural world through science and education."

They are involved in some of the biggest projects to do with birds on the planet, ranging from the reintroduction of Southern Bald Eagles, intensive field research on declining grassland bird populations, captive breeding of endangered species, and world wide raptor surveys, to the use of NASA thermal-imaging cameras to study incubation temperatures.

Take your time browsing about this site and reading - you will learn about the ins and outs of some fascinating projects, and likely will be very glad of it, too!

Sources Wanted

Feature Article

More than any other factor in the environment of a canary, is one issue. It lies at the heart of any canary, whether breeder or pet. It relates to what they are, why they do what they do, how, and when.

Canaries evolved so that their bodies respond physically to the amount of light which enters their eyes. This will trigger the beginnings or endings to some extreme physical changes, which can affect his personality, his health, his appearance, attitude and lifespan. This trait is known simply as ...

byR C McDonald
copyright © 2001.
www.robirda.com

It used to be, that keeping canaries was a pretty reliable project - a pet canary would sing all year long, except during the summer when he was moulting. Breeders knew just when in the spring they could expect their birds to want their nests, and that there would be time for only two or so nests before it was time for the summer moult.

Of course, that was before the advent of artificial light. Nowadays, canaries are only predictable if all they are seeing is natural daylight, or lights which are on only during the daytime. That can be a big if, too! Generally though, the lengthening days of spring signals the start of breeding season for canaries.

Those who get eggs and/or chicks at other times of the year, have used artificial lighting before or after darkness outdoors. This makes the birds react as if the season is different than it really is.

Many breeders deliberately use artificial lighting to get a jump on the season. According to my experience, this is not the advantage you'd tend to think, as early-season clutches seem to have a higher percentage of infertile eggs than will occur later on, and often the better birds will be those who hatch later in the season.

One of the biggest problems for many newcomers to keeping canaries is learning to understand that their canaries literally react physically to the length of the days they are experiencing.

People are also photo-sensitive, if to a rather minor degree. Still, each winter will bring new cases of the disease known as SAD, that is, Seasonal Affective Disorder. This is a kind of depression that has been tied, in humans, to a lack of sufficient natural light.

Most of us don't tend to think much about any of this, though - we are too busy! We think nothing of hopping up in the middle of the night and flipping on the lights, to jot down a note, or finish a task. The fact is, though, that if much of that light is seen by your pet canary, it will stimulate him physically, the same way daylight does.

His system reacts as if it is suddenly dawn. This triggers his internal 'clock' to start producing the physical changes which go with the day and the season in which days of that length occur. For a look at the kind of daylengths canaries evolved for, visit this chart.

Some birds, especially pets in families whose lights swing back and forth unpredictably, are never allowed to complete these annual changes comfortably and in their own time, but are instead physically pushed into suddenly beginning or ending them at the whim of their human family's convenience. This is very stressful for any canary, and over a long term, can lead to health problems, and a much shorter lifespan than otherwise might be seen.

Every year, many canaries are tricked into thinking it is spring when the holiday season comes along and suddenly there is more light and longer 'days', due to their human family's increased holiday socialization. Every year I hear of more 'surprise' Christmas hatchlings, and every year, some of them die, because once the holiday season is over, the house lights tend to go back to more normal timing, and suddenly the canary finds itself experiencing shorter days again.

In nature, the days becoming shorter means that the summer solstice has passed, and that winter is on its way - this is a signal to a canary to get those feathers replaced and renewed, fast, before the weather becomes changeable and unreliable. The birds go into a 'winter' moult, thinking it is midsummer, and usually this also means that parent birds will stop feeding any babies still in the nest.

This kind of scenario has made a lot of trouble for newcomers to canary-keeping over the years, and will probably continue to do so for some time yet. The only way out is to try to learn to understand the kind of effect lighting has on a canary. Once you have lived with them for a few years and watched the incredible annual changes they go through, it becomes a little easier to understand how completely this stimulus acts on their physical and mental systems.

Perhaps the biggest hurdle newcomers to keeping canaries must learn, is that if they are to successfully keep their canaries healthy, fit, and singing, their convenience will have to play second fiddle to their canaries' needs.

When it comes to lighting, creative minds can find ways to get around such limits as when lights need to be on or off, using such handy items as an extra-heavy cage cover, or a separate birdroom where even full houselights won't bother a sleeping canary. The fact still remains that such accomodation has to become a standard consideration, for those interested in keeping their canaries happy and healthy - whether a single pet, or a large flock.

One factor often left out of this equation is that of mental stimulation and attitude. Canaries are quite intelligent for their size, and some canary hens in particular can tend to take sudden notions. (many men will insist this is a trait all females share).

In my experience, some hens adore the idea of babies, and think of them year round. At the slightest sign that it might be getting close to breeding season, they will be busily building nests, and trolling for a response from the males around them. Other hens couldn't give a flit, and breed only when their bodies physically force them to.

My conclusion? They may all have similar physical systems, but each and every canary is as much an individual as we humans are. People are all physically similar too - but that has never stopped all of us from being individuals, each unique in our own special way. My observation suggests that this is equally true of all of the winged, furred or scaled creatures who share the planet with us.

Given that fact, it is my belief that it behooves us to learn all we can about how to understand and relate to this complex little creature known as the 'common canary'. After all, how else will we find out what else they still have to teach us?

by R C McDonald
copyright © October, 2001.
All rights reserved.
www.robirda.com

Website News

It was a great idea, but we had no such luck. Almost 2 weeks has gone by, and I am still not sure if we will be able to email this issue as scheduled, either. But I do want you all to know that we are working hard on this. If any of you have ideas which perhaps could help - or have the skills and willingness to help directly - do please let usknow, eh?

In the meantime - thanks very much for your patience and understanding through all the upheavals in the last couple of months - words can't say how very much it's appreciated!

Robirda

These birds are said to be difficult to breed, but that need not be so, if we take the time to attempt to emulate their native environment and food supplies in the habitat we arrange for them. It is particularly important to ensure that they get adequate exercise, as they have a reputation for getting fat and lethargic. In such a bird a lack of breeding success is a given.

Proper diet is an important factor too, and in particular, close attention should be paid to seeing that they do not receive too many fats in their diets. Generally a basic finch mix, mixed half-and-half with a basic canary mix, is good. This seed mix can be served soaked and well-rinsed, as well as dry. Another factor often over-looked is that these birds must be allowed to maintain a high level of activity. This means their aviaries must be as large as possible, preferrably planted heavily to simulate the dense jungles from which they originate.

Plants offer not only interest and exercise, but allow the birds to feel less exposed, safer and more sheltered in their habitat. They offer a multitude of natural nesting areas, and a plethora of perching options. Unlike many other species, these birds will not do extensive damage to plants sharing their aviary, making them a great choice for those who simply must have a planted aviary.

Remember to check our list of a few of the more common toxic and non-toxic plants which can be used in an aviary.

There are two dangers to think about when buying aviary plants. If you get your plants at a non-organic nursery, check carefully to make sure there is no pelleted fertilizer mixed in the soil. Usually this is a sign of a high quality plant, BUT your birds can be poisoned if they try to eat them. If you buy a plant with these pellets in the soil, take out the top inch or so of dirt and replace it with plain organic potting soil.

No matter what their source, leave ALL plants outside in the rain or hose them off for several days in a row so as to be sure to remove all traces of any sprays, insecticides, or fertilizers, before giving them to your birds.

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For You &
Your Birds,
With Love It is our hope that this ezine may be useful to those looking to learn about keeping pet birds. If you have found help you needed here, please consider joining our sponsors, and help keep Flock Talk and its web homes alive and well. Learn how here.

Our next issue is due out October 28th - until then, may you and your birds enjoy all the best of everything!

Robirda
October 14, 2001
Vancouver, BC