ISSN #1492-8132
Issue Number 4
copyright © 2000
all rights reserved
no reprints without permission

I do try to limit spinach, chard, and other related greens, such as sorrel, during breeding season, especially for hens - these greens contain fairly high levels of oxalic acid, which can interfere with the proper digestion of calcium. Hens need a lot of calcium while laying eggs (which most will do whether or not a male is present), so I like to play it safe and feed greens high in calcium, like kale.

I often mix coarse-grated carrots into the chopped greens, the birds seem to like the look of this, and the extra vitamin A which the carrots provides is very good for them!

Whether you own a single pet, or a houseful of breeders, do please remember to give your birds lots of dark leafy greens!

As long as you are careful with the flame, this is a very easy and effective way to check for the presence of an unsuspected draft; simply remove the bird's cage, then put the lit candle in the place the cage usually occupies.

Wait for a few minutes for the candle flame to steady down, then observe it from a little distance.

Is it flickering? Then it is certain there is a draft.

If it is not flickering, there is still some checking to do - open and close nearby doors or windows, and turn furnaces on and off, watching the flame all the while.

Whenever it flickers, a draft has gone by; make note of its source and direction (from the way the flame leans) and remember to provide your bird with shelter from it which he can use if he so desires. Often this can be as simple as a cloth draped over a corner of the cage.

Welcome to the Companion Birds eZine

For bird people who care.

Hello! Welcome to the 4th issue of Flock Talk - I hope you like what you see! If you have comments, criticisms, or stories to share, please send them to Robirda.

Bird Site Report
Frank's Fife Fancy Canaries
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Fields/6270/

Although it is on a Geocities site, and so has those unfortunate ads, this is a wonderful site to visit, even if you are not specifically interested in the Fife Fancy canary itself. Frank is a very knowledgable canary breeder, and has posted a wealth of informations, ideas, songs and pictures on his website

Even better is his personal brand of friendly German charm, which permeates his website - why not drop in for a visit?

Feature Article

Hello! This issue I would like to discuss a topic which has always fascinated me. Over the years, I have seen many examples of it in action, and today I would like to share just a few of the tales I have witnessed or been told with you. I found each to be heart-warming and inspiring.

In fact, most led me to want to be a little better person myself. I am talking about examples of ...

The first is a little tale which arrived in my email one day; it was sent in by Liz Gaverluk. Liz wrote;

"There is a river which runs very close to a house in which my friends live. As a result they regularly interact with the animals and birds that call the river their home - often on a daily basis.

"A few weeks ago Jane noticed a mallard duck who was caught up in fishing line. Despite efforts with everything from a goalie net borrowed from my father, to her own wedding veil, she could not catch the duck, distressed though it obviously was.

"Finally she was able to secure it in a cage and soon she and the duck were on their way to a vet who specializes in wild life. He was able to untangle the frantic bird and under anesthetic remove a fish hook from her throat. To help identify her in the future, he also made a black mark on her leg.

"Her name, of course, became 'Dot', and it wasn't long before she was back in her dangerous river home.

"A couple of weeks later, an awful racket arose on Jane's deck. Upon opening the door, Jane was surprised to see that it was Dot! She was very agitated and Jane soon realized that a short distance away there was another mallard duck all wrapped up in fishing line!

"Using the cage she had used for Dot, this retrieval went a little easier and again off they went to the vet.

"He cut the fishing line off her - part of it was wound around her tongue so tightly it had swollen up like a sausage. She too now is back in the river.

"How amazing and almost unbelievable, that a duck would know how to summon help for her feathered sister! I think the term 'bird brain' is definitely a misnomer!

"How very sad it is that the people who use our rivers for recreation don't use their brains and try to keep it clean.

"Hopefully Dot doesn't have to ask for help again, but if she does, she knows where to go!"

Liz Gaverluk
© Oct, 2000

Episodes of similar compassion which I have witnessed occur between birds are a diverse group of interactions - they range from the understanding of my canary hen, Peepicheep, who allowed a lonely little cordon bleu hen to sit on her eggs when normally she would have ferociously driven away any intruders, to that of the young male scarlet-chested parakeet, Valentino, who risked his life and limb to save a young canary hen from starving and teach her to eat.

One of the most interesting interactions of this nature I have ever witnessed came from an abused Amazon parrot - he was a sad parody of his once-beautiful self when I first saw him, missing most of his feathers except the primary flight feathers on his wings, most of his tail, and his head - he looked like somebody had parked an Amazon's head on the body of a turkey, plucked for cooking, and on his breast he bore scars, where he had torn his own flesh in his frenzies of feather-plucking.

When he was eventually brought into the common room with my canaries and finches, they took one look at him and panicked - their aviaries were suddenly filled with the whirling bodies and panicked cries of terrified songbirds, beating themselves like mad things against the wire walls of their enclosure.

I tried in vain to stop them, and suddenly realized that there was a new note mingling with the terrified cries of the smaller birds, and turned to look for the source.

It was Cato, the Amazon.

Standing proudly erect, his yellow gaze was fastened on the largest of the aviaries, and his eyes were soft and loving. He was crooning a parrot's love-song, in his hoarse, raspy voice, and I could tell that the canaries were also listening to him.

Slowly, their panicked flight was abating, and their terrified calls ceased - instead, they began to cling to the wire walls of their flights, and stare at this huge, strange new bird who crooned so enchantingly.

That was the turning point for Cato - as long as he could see the canaries, he was content; his feather plucking slowed and then stopped, and his diet improved immensely - if he saw the canaries eating something, he would try it too! (he had previously lived on sunflower seeds and water for at least 8 years, in a cage too small to even open his wings).

He was a bird so gentle and loving that he would scold us for making a toy doll squeak! (I think he thought it was saying 'ouch!')

I have witnessed, and heard of, many such examples of birds of various species caring for one another, too many to tell here; but what a shining example of courage, care, and compassion our pets can show us, if we allow them!

Were the world run by them instead of us, I think it would be a vastly different place - can we not learn something from their example?

Robirda
© October 15, 2000
Vancouver, BC, Canada

      Right, because the budgie (whose species name is really 'budgerigar') actually is a member of the parakeet family. Wrong, because so are many other species of parakeet - there are actually hundreds of various species of parakeet worldwide.

      The budgerigar is the smallest of the 'grass parakeets', a group of birds native to the hot, grassy inland plains of Australia. Birds in this group vary widely in size, from the tiny, delicate Budgie and the ephemereally-coloured Bourke, to the larger Rosellas and Red-rumped parakeets.

      So next time somebody tells you that a budgie is really a parakeet, you can say, "Well, yes, but a parakeet is not necessarily a budgie!"

      Do you like to tell stories about your birds, or have an odd bird-related fact or experience to share? Why not write us a short story about your bird or birds to share with other Flock Talk readers? Send your stories here, to Robirda

My answer;
"Yes there is - and here is a good one! Assemble the following ingredients;

2 boxes Jiffy corn muffin mix; 1 tsp. Spirulina; 1/4 tsp cinnamon; 3/4 cup rolled oats; 4 jars of baby food veggies (sweet potatoes and/or carrots); OR some canned pumpkin instead; 3/4 cup natural applesauce OR mashed bananas (or mix 'em); 1/4 cup peanut butter; 1/4 cup grated cheese; 2/3 cup grated carrots; 1/2 cup broccoli florets.

"Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Stir together muffin mix, oats, cinnamon and Spirulina in large bowl, and set aside.

"Put baby food, vegetables, applesauce, and peanut butter in a blender and whiz briefly (just til blended).

"Add veggies and cheese to dry mix and mix til they are lightly coated with the flour - then add wet mix to dry ingredients and fold together lightly with a spoon JUST til mixed. If mix is too dry, add a little orange juice. If it is too wet, a little more oats will help. Don't over-mix it!

"Spread in greased and lightly dusted with flour 9" x 13" pan, and bake for approx. 30 minutes or until done. OR use muffin cups and bake for approx 20 minutes. (Times may vary a little.)

"Let cool; cut into squares, (quarter muffins and half each quarter) and place in freezer.

"To serve simply heat a square or two in the microwave and crumble into your bird's dish. Then stand back before they run you over to get at it!

"You can also simply remove it from the freezer and let it thaw in the fridge and serve cold - they will still like it, but not quite as well as when you serve it warm...

"You can vary vary this recipe if you like. You can use mixed frozen veggies instead of the carrots and broccoli, or use small chunks of any other veggie you may have on hand - say, zucchini or sweet corn, or grated turnip, radish, etc. You can also used mashed sweet potatoes or squash instead of the baby food or pumpkin.

"If the good smell drives you nuts while it's cooking, go ahead and help yourself - just remember to leave some for the birds!

"If you are afraid of your family eating them all before you can give them to the birds, sprinkle white or yellow millet on top before baking, or else add 1/2 a cup of dried, lightly-crunched-up eggshells to the batter - that will remind them to not eat the bird-food!

"If you only have one bird, try making these in muffin cups, and sprinkle bird seed on top of the muffins you wish to keep for the birds - that way some can be for them and the rest can be for your family! (just don't tell the kids these are good for them, and they will never know the difference!)

"Happy birdy-cooking!!"