Whydahs

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Whydahs are ideal subjects for housing with weavers or birds of a similar size. Because whydahs are among the largest and more aggressive species of finches, do not house them with birds of smaller or weaker species, such as smaller waxbills.

Keep them in a large well-planted aviary, since they must have adequate room to exercise their active nature. Once acclimatized, they will be hardy enough to withstand typical winter conditions in a temperate climate, providing they have access to a snug and protective shelter. During nights of very severe winter weather, however, you should lock your birds in to protect them.

Feeding whydahs is relatively easy, because all they require is a simple mixture of yellow millet, white millet, canary grass seed and rape seed, although an excellent supplemental seed diet can consist of teazle, sunflower seed, flax, niger seed, anise, sesame seed, oats and poppy seed. They will also appreciate a selection of livefood, such as small mealworms and baby crickets, and a limited amount of suitable greenfood.

In addition to the simplicity of feeding and accommodating them, the great appeal of keeping whydahs centres around the magnificent appearance of cock birds throughout the breeding season and their fascinating courtship behaviour. The cock whydahs grow magnificent tail plumes that can reach 28-40cm(11-16in) long. Out of breeding season, whydahs measure only 13cm(5in) and cocks and hens appear very similar, making sexing a difficult task.

Many whydahs are parasitic and will lay their eggs in the nests of other birds. This is why it is vital to choose carefully which birds to house with your whydahs. Most parasitic whydahs target particular species. For example, the paradise whydah parasitizes the melba finch in the wild and will also accept it as a host in
captivity. Therefore, if you wish to breed paradise whydahs, it is essential to house it with melba finches.

The pintail whydah parasitizes more than one species; in fact, it can lay its eggs in the nests of 19 different species of birds.

Although fascinating, their parasitic behaviour produces a poor breeding record in captivity. Nevertheless, you can encourage breeding by housing the birds in a large, naturally planted aviary with a plentiful supply of available nests. Providing the ideal environment is essential for breeding success.

Canaries

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Canaries are among the most commonly kept birds in captivity. They range in size from 10 to 17cm (4-6.7in), depending on the variety. Such a size should not present many housing difficulties. In fact, a cage 40cm(16in) long is perfectly acceptable for one bird, although two birds would require a 50cm(20in) cage. A rectangular wire cage is the most hygienic. Fortunately, canaries do not make much mess, so you only need to clean their enclosure thoroughly once a week. Furnishing the cage with toys is a good idea as it averts boredom, but not to the point of overcrowding; one or two toys – replaced periodically – is quite sufficient.

Canaries are relatively hardy, and once fully acclimatized will happily live in an outside aviary throughout the year, providing they are protected from heavy rain or draughts. In fact, locating the cage or aviary in a sheltered area is vital in order to cut down their exposure to draughts.

Canaries are very easy to feed; all they require is a simple canary seed mixture, plus a little supplementary greenfood and grit for their digestion. It is quite common for canaries to live on a seed diet only, but they do benefit from and enjoy fresh greenfood. Canaries are sensitive to changes in their diet and will thrive on an unchanging feeding mixture and routine. Provide an increased amount of food throughout the breeding season.

Many people enjoy keeping canaries, not only because they are easy to look after, but also because they sing. Only the males have this ability, however. If you want to buy a canary solely for its song, choose a male roller canary, as these birds have been bred specifically for this purpose. Even though canaries can sing beautifully, they cannot perform tricks or imitate the human voice, like budgerigars. It is the cock bird’s ability to sing that distinguishes it from the hen.

Another advantage of keeping canaries is that they live much longer than most other birds of a similar size. Their average lifespan is 10 years, although some have been known to live for up to 20 years. This factor, together with the convenience of their simple diet, their minimum space requirement and the fact that they pose no threat to children or strangers, explains why canaries continue to be such popular pet birds. Not surprisingly, therefore, they are particularly suitable birds for beginners to birdkeeping.

You can safely leave canaries on their own for up to two days, providing they have sufficient food and water. If you plan on being absent for a longer period, be sure to ask a friend or neighbour to check on your bird every other day.

As canaries can be rather timid birds, it is not a good idea to mix them with other birds larger than themselves or with birds that may bully them. It is possible, however, to keep a cock and a hen together, as long as you separate them two months before the breeding season begins – unless, of course, you wish to breed from them.

Canaries are not the easiest birds to breed and you may also experience difficulties in encouraging the adults to rear their youngsters.

A clutch consists of four or five eggs, laid on alternate days. So that all the eggs hatch at the same time, it is common practice to replace a freshly laid egg with a dummy egg and then return the real eggs when the hen has finished laying. This makes it easier for the hen and achieves a better success rate. Canaries begin to build their nests in early spring and, once they have laid all their eggs, incubation lasts 14 days. The chicks fledge 14 days after hatching. Canaries are quite capable of breeding several times in one season.

Lovebirds

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Lovebirds range in size from 13 to 15cm (4.5-6in), and for such comparatively small birds, they do have a relatively long lifespan of 10-15 years. As members of the parrot family, they are intelligent and have an inquisitive personality.

Housing lovebirds presents no problems, for a typical aviary used for accommodating parakeets is more than suitable, providing they have easy access to an inside enclosure and that a third of the roof is covered with plastic sheeting to offer shelter from heavy rain. It is possible to keep lovebirds in relatively small cages, although the minimum size should be 90x60x60cm(3x2x2ft); anything smaller is not acceptable. Once acclimatized, most lovebirds are hardy birds and will live very happily in an outdoor environment. More delicate species, such as the Madagascar, or grey-headed, lovebird, however, will be happier if accommodated inside.

The disadvantage of keeping lovebirds is that they can be particularly aggressive with any species other than their own. Never house lovebirds in a mixed aviary. It is possible to keep them on a colony basis, but this requires some experience and cannot be recommended to beginners. At the outset, it would be advisable to keep lovebirds in pairs.

It is vital to provide and regularly renew supplies of chewing material, as lovebirds adore to chew. Also try to create an interesting environment for the birds; if they become bored they may seek amusement in plucking each other’s feathers.

As with housing, feeding lovebirds should present little complications. They will thrive on a simple seed mixture consisting of canary seed, millet, rape seed, sesame seed and oats, supplemented with milo (small round seeds also known as red dari), sunflower seed, safflower seed and greenfood, although, as with all parrot species, cuttlefish bone is often welcome.

There are no external differences between the sexes in most lovebirds, so they must be scientifically sexed. (The exceptions are the Abyssinian and Madagascar lovebirds, in which the females are basically green but the males have coloured heads.) The breeding behaviour of this group is known to be rather unusual, for not only do they build their nests within the actual nesting chamber, but many species also transport the nesting material.in a very bizarre way – by carrying it in the plumage of the rump rather than in the beak. They like to strip bark from branches for nesting – especially willow – so provide a supply of fresh branches.

Lovebirds are quite capable of interbreeding with other species, and this is another good reason why they should only be housed with their own species. The peach-faced and Fischer’s lovebird will breed readily if kept in pairs with sufficient nesting materials. Rarer species tend to be more difficult to breed, but with experience you should succeed. An average lovebird clutch consists of three to seven whitish eggs, usually laid twice a year. The incubation period is 18-24 days and fledging should occur 42-56 days later.

Conures

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Conures
With a size range of 16-45cm(6.3-18in), conures can be classed as medium-sized parrots and, if well cared for, they will live up to 20 years or more in captivity.
The most suitable housing conditions for these birds are within a large outside aviary. Compared to parakeets, conures are excessively noisy birds and most are too large to be kept in an indoor cage as pets. The cactus conure is an exception and is more suited to a spacious indoor cage. As with most parrots, conures can cope with the majority of winter climates once they are acclimatized, providing they have adequate shelter. Only in extreme conditions will you need to lock them in.

A good conure diet should consist mainly of larger seeds, such as sunflower, safflower, and peanuts, plus some millet. You should have no problems buying typical parrot mixes suitable for your size of bird. Remember to offer supplements of fruit and greenfood.

Conures are much cheaper to maintain in good health than larger parrots, but they do produce excessive amounts of noise. Some species are worse than others, but in general, all conures are vociferous. They are also extremely destructive birds, so you will need to replace the perches in the enclosure every four weeks or so.

To help prevent rapid destruction, cover the connection between the perch and the aviary with sheet metal or strong wire mesh. Otherwise, you will discover that within a week the bird has chewed the edge of the perch and it will have fallen to the floor. Do not replace wooden perches with plastic or metal ones, however, because it is essential for the birds to chew if they are to remain healthy and happy.

Some conures can be kept on a colony basis, but this requires more attention and cost than keeping them as pairs.

Sexing conures is not the easiest of tasks; the majority of species have no external differences and so it is best to have them scientifically sexed to ensure that you have a true pair. Many species of conures can be successfully bred in captivity. The clutch varies from two to five eggs, sometimes seven, depending on the species. The incubation period lasts 23-28 days and the young fledge approximately 56 days later. When supplying the nestbox, add an inner lining of wood chips and bark to prevent the birds destroying the nestbox itself. Conures will not tolerate interference within the nestbox, and so for successful breeding leave the birds totally undisturbed during this period.