toos often become imprinted on hu mans, Le. they think that you are Little Corella they, even down to treating a particu (Cacatua sanguinea) lar human as their partners. So they long for your company and attention byJohn McGrath which they will reciprocate if YASS, NSW, Australia offered. Little Corellas make excellent People often ask me what does a ~ aviary inhabitants. As long as they are Little Corella look like? The easiest ~:=--::~~~;::8 provided with timber perches to way to describe to a lay person what ~~~~!I'f""-:ci chew, a well balanced diet and fresh a Little Corella looks like, is like a ~ water, you can expect a pair to breed Galah, but white. Most people are g for 20 to 30 years. Once your pair is familiar with the Galah, but on the ~ bonded, they will spend hours mu other hand are not familiar with the ~ tually preening and become totally E Little Corella. The standard answer is ~ devoted to each other. The young usually a puzzled "Oh!" ~ pair should be introduced as early in The Little Corella is very similar to ~ age as possible, say at 12 months or the Galah in size and shape, but with ~ younger if possible. I would think basically snow white, immaculate ~ that Little Corellas would commence plumage. The birds have grey feet, a ~ to breed at around five years of age a.. hom colored bill, and a blue peri and continue to reproduce for the ophthalmic eye ring. Most specimens period of time mentioned before. carry a tinge of reddish-pink feather Most white cockatoos have a similar ing between the bill and the eye. life span to humans. Sometimes this extends to below the A suitable aviary would be 1.2 eye. The white plumage is suffused meters wide, 2.1 meters high, and 6 with lemon-yellow. This can be ob meters long, with a suitable hard served when the wing and tail too species, are very intelligent wood perch secured at either end, feathers are outstretched in the parrots and therefore hand reared steel tube construction, a shelter pro threat pose, or while the bird is in birds deserve extra treatment. Unfor- vided at least 1.8 meters deep and flight. tunately because hand reared cocka- roofed to at least the same depth. The Little Corella's voice could be a drawback to those attempting to hold this species in suburbia and re main appeasing to the neighbors. It has a series ofhigh pitched screeches and a waving wail which can be heard for many kilometers. To accurately sex these birds, I suggest surgically sexing, a com monly performed operation these days. It should be performed by an avian veterinarian. The Little Corella occurs over a vast area ofmainland Australia, mainly the drier interior and to the northwest coast. They also occur in various sub species to the islands to the north of Australia. There are also several sub species on the mainland ofAustralia. They can occur in massive flocks of literally thousands of birds, to some times a solitary pair. Man has cropped areas where the Little Corella is local and hence great con flict between man and bird occurs. When the birds attack this newfound food source, it results in the death of thousands ofbirds per annum. Little Corellas make very interest ing pets either caged or at semi freedom; hand reared examples are fine for this. They become proficient talkers and will even learn basic tricks. Little Corellas, like all cocka- afa WATCHBJHD 61 The walls could be completely cov worms to his pair. I was able to identify my pair from ered in the same material as the shel You can also give your birds chop special individual features. The cock ter. The remainder of the roof should and chicken bones, or thawed, fro bird's crest was taller and narrower be covered with an opaque material. zen mice or baby mice or rats. I am and was more tightly feathered; the Mesh should be at least 3 to 4 mm in sure the birds would love this extra hen being looser in feather around diameter, and 25mm by 25 mm protein. the head and body generally. If you square wire. A door could be pro Grit and calcium supplements take time to study your individual vided, which could be the entire should be proVided. For breeding pair, you will observe these special front ofthe enclosure. Little Corellas, a log of approximate features for yourself. A concrete floor is nearly essential dimensions as follows could be sup They laid three eggs and hatched to help cleaning of the aviary. It is plied: 900 mm to 1000 mm deep three chicks which is not an uncom also used to stop the Corellas from with an internal diameter of 280 mm monclutch. digging out and pests such as rats to 300 mm, and the end sealed off I held this pair in my aviary from from digging in. The aviary should with a section of flat iron or similar. 1968 until parting with them in the face north to northeast to take advan Fill this log to the top with rotten mid-1980s. During this period they tage ofthe morning sun. wood dirt, wood chips, soil, etc. raised young almost every year. They Water can be prOVided in either an Place it vertically on an old 12 gallon were of an unknown age when they earthenware dish or an enamel dish dmm in the shelter of the aviary. came into my possession in 1968. with a capacity of 10 to 20 liters. Take care that your particular dmm is This period of reproduction will help Seed could be supplied in a recep not msted out, allowing the log to fall substantiate my earlier claim as to the tacle similar to an upside down gar through. The Corellas will clean out reproductive capacity ofthis species. bage tin lid mounted clear of the the dirt, etc. to suit their require I believe in close-banding all my ground. Seed can be supplied pre ments. The log is placed on the dmm young birds with a closed metal ring, mixed. Suitable grains include sun so the aviculturist can monitor what which has particular information flower, oats, barley, plain canary, or is happening inside the log. You stamped into it, i.e. reference to French white millet. should be able to look down inside 31-1-81. You can keep a written Greens can be supplied on an easily and reach the nesting chamber easily. record and use it for data collection constmcted mesh shelf hung on the Be careful the pair doesn't over exca at a later date. inside of the front door. This will vate the log so you cannot reach the Hopefully this short report on my help keep the fresh green food off base. experience with a breeding pair of the floor. Sprouted seed can be given By being able to see to the bottom Little Corellas will encourage others in an easily cleaned, small tray inside of the hollow, you can see when the to take on the breeding and keeping the larger seed tray. birds lay, young hatch, etc. You can of these beautiful and interesting Greens are appreciated all year reach, measure and weigh the eggs cockatoos. Be careful when you mate round and can consist of heads of and chicks. This way if a problem de up pairs you select from the same seeding grasses, or just a handful of velops you have the upper hand by subspecies to avoid breeding a clover, and fmits and vegetables. This knowing before it goes too far. ,'mongrel" Little Corella. additional food is almost imperative My particular pair has bred in both Unfortunately I do not hold a pair when the birds have young in the natural logs and the old 10 gallon of Little Corellas at present, but have nest. From my 1981 diary notes, I see milk dmms that dairy farmers used to a single young cock. I soon hope to I fed a lot of milk thistle, apple, take their milk to market in. The nest venture back into this species to in pumpkin and even the aforemen receptacle was hung at an angle in crease my studies on the corella tioned handful ofclover. the shelter. The milk dmms were group in general. Particularly when the Corellas have provided with a mesh ladder and For further reference reading on young, they need the extra vitamins wood dirt in the bottom comer. The Little Corellas these books are recom and minerals supplied from soaked dmms had to be watched as they be mended reading: and sprouted seed. Nothing "flash" came hot in the warmer weather. I The World of Cockatoos by Karl need be soaked, just the normal dry now used the latter nest log on the Diefenbach seed mixed and soaked in water for dmm with good results. Parrots, Their Care and Breeding 24 hours and then rinsed twice daily In the last 10 years I've tended to by Rosemary Low to keep it from going sour. If you become more scientific in my ap Australian Cockatoos by Stan Sien wanted that little extra, some of the proach to aviculture. del and Robert Lynn legume family could be soaked, e.g. I now measure eggs and monitor Australian Parrots by Joseph M. Lupins, Field Peas, Mung Beans, etc. weight gains of young and record Forshaw The soaked, sprouted seed can be fed some for future breeding reference. Parrots ofthe World by Joseph M. to the birds after 24 hours or several Also, accurate weight measurements Forshaw days. Sprouted seed can be stored in are essential for correct administra Video Land of Parrots - White the refrigerator, with checks being tion ofparticularworming formulas. Cockatoos. made to make sure it remains fresh. In 1981, I made reference to the Editor's Note: Most American avi I have evidence to support the fact change in shift ofsitting ofmy pair of culturists know the Little Corella as that Little Corellas, along with most Corellas. Like all Cacatua sub the Bare-eyed Cockatoo. Very few of cockatoos, are partially carnivorous. species, Little Corellas take turns at the larger subspecies, CS. Sanguin My pair would actually catch and de incubating the eggs. The cock incu ea found totally in Australia, are seen vour mice and sparrows that found bates from about 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in American aviculture. These are their way into the Corellas' flight. I (estimated time), the hen taking the usually the smaller subspecies, C S. had a friend in Sydney who fed earth- night shift. Normantoni.• 62 April / May 1992 AMERICAN FEDERATION OF AVICULTURE, INC. A.F.A. LOGO BANDS
EVERY BIRD BRED SHOULD BE BANDED
Members of the AFA indicate the difficulty they have found in attaining traceable bands. Others reveal they do not band their birds because they only have one or two babies and to order bands anywhere they must order a minimum quantity of ten or twenty-five. To alleviate these problems and to provide yet another service to the AFA Membership, the Board of Directors has established this new program.
AFA now has available single or mUltiple bands in sizes suitable from Canary sized birds to Hyacinth Macaw sized birds. All bands will be imprinted with AFA's logo (the bird in the circle) and have the letters AFA vertically imprinted on the band. All bands will be closed, coded and traceable; made of aluminum.
BANDS ARE AVAILABLE TWO DIFFERENT WAYS: 1) If you only need one. two, three, etc. bands, you may purchase only what you actually need, in any size or combination of sizes. There will NOT be a year imprinted on the band. Color is Silver. The bands are traceable through a special coding and numbering system formulated by AFA and each band will have AFA and the AFA logo imprinted on it. 2) If you need ten or more of a specific size (25 or more of canary, parakeet, lovebird, cockatiel and exotic), you may purchase the minimum, or more, of the specific size with the AFA logo and the letters AFA imprinted on the band, plus choose your own coding and numbering system (on a first come basis), have the year and your state imprinted, if desired, and for an additional fee, choose a color.
WHICHEVER WAY YOU CHOOSE, BAND YOUR BIRDS
1) A.F.A. CODED BANDS I 2) CUSTOM CODED/COLOR BANDS I ANY l;U::;IUM l;U::;IUM l;U::;IUM l;U::;IUM l;U::;IUM l;U::;IUM l;U::;IOM l;U::;IUM c;U::;IUM BAND 1.0. QUANTITY PRICE TOTAL QUANTIlY QUANTITY PRICE COLOR COLOR CODE NUMBER YEAR STATE TOTAL SIZE inches WALL AFA EACH PRICE YOUR MINIMUM PER SPECIFY PRICE **** SEQUENCE ... PRICE approx approx CODING CODING MINIMUM .. PER MIN (2-4 maxim<.m) (4 maximum) (slate if none) CANARY· 7/64 0.022 0.50 25 7.50 8.00 PARAKEET 9/64 0.030 0.50 25 7.50 8.00 LOVEBIRD 3/16 0.038 0.50 25 7.50 8.00 COCKATIEL 7/32 0.032 0.50 25 7.50 8.00 EXOnC 17/64 0.032 0.50 25 11.00 12.00 SIZE #9 17/64 0.042 1.00 10 9.00 10.00 SIZE #9.5 9/32 0.054 1.00 10 9.00 10.00 SIZE #10 5/16 0.058 1.00 10 9.00 10.00 SIZE #12 3/8 0.065 1.00 10 9.00 10.00 SIZE #14 7/16 0.072 1.00 10 9.00 10.00 SIZE #18 1/2 0.090 1.00 10 9.00 10.00 SIZE #18 9/16 0.095 1.00 10 9.00 10.00 SIZE #20 5/8 0.110 1.00 10 9.00 10.00 SIZE #22 11/16 0.118 1.00 10 9.00 10.00 SIZE #24 3/4 0.125 1.00 10 9.00 10.00 -:>,zes"--,,,4, ea or ,,'ue. All amer Sizes, "IIICK, tl,ue, YellOW, ureen, Hed, c: range, VIOlet CA RESIDENTS ADD SALES TAX $ ···Bands dated succeeding years will be shipped after 12/26 CA RESIDENTS ADD SALES TAX $ POSTAGE & HANDLING $ 1.00 ····Sizes CANARY and PARAKEET CUSTOM CODE MAXIMUM is two (2) with year POSTAGE & HANDLING $ 1.00 TOTAL # TOTAL $ # SECOND CHOICE CODE NUMBER: TOTAL $ CANARY Band has AFA vertically only BAND MANUFACTURER IS CLOSED DURING JULY; ORDER ACCORDINGLY Each individual state may have its own banding requirements 10r exotic birds. AFA cannot w.,....ty that these bands comply with 1hose requirements. Each aviculturist should independenUy verify this.
My check/money order is enclosed for $
NAME: Charge my Mastercard or Visa account $
ADDRESS: Account # CITY: STATE:_ ZIP: Exp. Date TELEPHONE: L-) MEMBERSHIP #: Signature (First five numbers on WATCHBIRD mailing label) Mail your band order along with payment to: AMERICAN FEDERATION OF AVICULTURE, INC. POST OFFICE BOX 56218 PHOENIX, ARIZONA 85079·6218