Bearded Reedling
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
,Systematists used to cIa sify them as Bearded Reedling in the Babbler Family (Timaliidae) then in the Paradoxomithidae, and Natural and Captive more recently in Muscicapidae the current name for the Parrotbill Family, by Rosemary Flamion, Los Osos, CA or Panuridae, the Reedling Family. Not only do the monotypic Reedlings >. Q) have one genus, but they have only () ctl a: one species as well. Q) c ctl (5 Although Reedlings are exclusively >. .!) Palearctic (Europe through Asia) and o '0 .s= live in north temperate climates, their a.. numbers have been greatly reduced in severe winters. In an outdoor aviary, setting provisions should be made to keep them above 45F and sheltered from winds above 30 MPH. My Reedlings have endured temperatures as low as freeZing where I had to break the ice on their pond, but I wouldn't recommend it. I believe that the upper temperatures should be kept in the 70s and 80s with ventilation in summer, cool areas in the aviary, some direct sunlight but also areas of shade. Reedlings have three different sub species including the nominate Panurus biarmicus biarmicus, found from East Anglia area of England through most of Europe in wetland patches; Panurus biarmicus occiden talis, found in the Balkan Region of Europe; and Panurus biarmicus russi CUS, found in southeast Europe, south ern USSR, central Asia, and Asia Minor, which has paler plumage than the other two subspecies. Reedlings are permanent residents in most wetlands but may partially migrate to escape harsh weather. They are well known in mar hy vegetations, reedbeds, Bearded Tit or Bearded Reedling. sedge bogs, and freshwater margins and marshes. he Bearded Reedling Panurus hear their metallic contact call "ching", Reedlings feel at home in my aviary. biarmicus was introduced to "ching", "ching" sounding like two I planted my aviary with round bladed T the American avicultural com coins being hit together. rushes such a bullrushes (Phragmites)) munity about three years ago. I was Reedlings are excellent aviary and cattail (Typha)) umbrella plant (Cyperus fortunate to obtain three pairs with two zoological subjects because of their alternafolius)) miniature papyrus pairs surviving. Since I live near a vast bold nature, inquisitiveness, complex (Cyperus papyrus), low, flat-bladed wetlands and in a coastal temperate cli social behavior, unusual feeding sedges (Carex)) and grasses such as mate, I felt that Reedlings would adjust habits, and quiet beauty. Yet few zoos bamboo, perennial clumping gras es, easily to an outdoor aviary. have them on display. As ofDecember and others. Some of the plant materials Although these small, long-tailed 1998, only Berlin (1.0), Durham Zoo, reach the ceiling of the aviary. I pack reedbed foragers blend into their native PA (1.0), NY Bronx (0.2), Tokyoueno my aviary with plant materials in spring wetlands environment, their tawny and (1.0) and Zoologischer Garten Koln through summer and reduce the plants tan tones are striking in an aviary set had specimens. Reedlings are hardy during the winter. I have a replacement ting. I hear their short wings whirring as birds and are not usually bothered by set of plants if needed. they move about in an aviary. Often I humans walking into their aviary. Reedlings drink, bathe, and feed the afa TCHBIRD 17 from a concrete pond with four pools is about 17g, they appear much larger c o and a fountain. They will stand in the than they weigh. They have short .~ u:::: uppermost pond, bend their knees to wings necessary for flight in a bed of ~ get their chests and wings wet. Then vertical plant materials. They have rel- ~ they dry offon a nearby perch by shak atively long black wading legs, and ~ ing and preening. one of them has large feet for holding onto reeds in a i drowned in the pools. I add duckweed breeze. They have three long toes for- it (Lemna) and other pond plants to the ward and one long toe back. Their lower pool. They also enjoy scratching black nails are relatively long in order in the large metal tray filled with soil. to hold on to plant material. They can Once they were erroneously called use their foot to scratch their head but "Bearded Tits," but now Bearded would prefer their mate to preen them. Reedling and Reed Pheasant are the I have also een them intentionally correct common names. Bearded tand on a dandelion seed head in Parrotbill is also used. order to keep it from moving. The French call them mesange a At first fledge, I banded with ''J'' moustaches (meaning tit with a mous bands but feel that these are too large. tache); in Italian, they are called baset "E" bands would probably be better. tino; Spanish bigotudo; German ban Reedling chicks are not bothered by meise; Dutch Baardmannetje (mean closed bands family bands, or the ing bearded male); orwegian banding proce s. Skjeggmeis; Swedish Skaggmes, Danish The eyes of Reedlings are yellow in Skaegmejse; Finnish Viiksitimali; Dutch adulthood with a black iris but totally Baardmees; and Japanese Hige-gara. black as youngster . They are clo e-set Why is it important to learn these com for greater binocular vision and depth mon names? Since Reedlings inhabit perception. To increase their field of the areas of the aforementioned lan vision when hunting for flying insects, guages, scientific studies and ornitho they hold onto the aviary wire or a ver logical observations in their native tical plant and rotate their head in cir lands are important to research. cles. If they should' lock on" to a fly Bearded Reedlings are about 6 1/2 ing in ect, they can accurately judge it inches (16.5cm) long including the 3" distance. They quickly chase and inch tail. Although their adult weight devour it. Reedling nlale gleaning cattail.tlt~ffUJith SII1l on his hack. Reedlings are high energy birds and very active during the day and into the evening if I leave on a fluorescent light to attract night flying mo quitoes and other in ects. They will lay on the warm soil in a pot to unbathe. Reedlings are sexually dimorphic. The ruale are easily recognized hav ing two black stripes (mustaches) run ning from the eyes downward into a point. Konig found that the longer the mu tache, the more appealing to the § feluale. Hoi found that the male has a ~E copulatory organ, which disappears ~ during the non-breeding months. E ~ The male has a pearl-gray head, ~ bright yellow bill, rusty or rufous col ~ ored body, and a long, graduated tail, .l:: 0- which is also rufous. The male has Reedling chick about tu 0 months old (in the middle) II ith tll 0 Inales. black under-tail coverts which seem to 18 July/August 1999 enlarge as breeding season begins and are also two-toned with the lower half may have followed suit. I am wonder recede during the non-breeding sea gray and plume-like and the outer half ing if the term didn't originate with sons. The small wings (about 8 em) are tawny and more contour-like. When these Pa,nurus. barred with black, light tan, and rust molting, the gray interior feathering is In the wild the courtship flight seems lengthwise. Yet these small wings have very noticeable. Individuals will fluff to be a pair slowly rising vertically supported them in 50-mile flights from up feathers to solicit their mates to maybe 50 feet in the air and then drop Holland, across the North Sea, to East preen or to keep warm. They lower ping abruptly back to earth. Finally, the Anglia, England, where they have col their heads or twist their necks to male will exhibit on a stable perch by onized the reedbeds there. invite preening which seems to be a lifting his crown feathers, puffing out The female is paler than the male great social occupation. the beard and fanning out his tail. The with a rufous body and a lighter, green I noticed that they molt once per hen responds with a kind ofdance after ish-yellow bill. She also has barred year after the breeding season. They which she also spreads her tail. wings but the black is nearly absent. look very patchily feathered and lose Prenuptial courtship rites are abbre During breeding she gets dark areas their tails until new, soft feathers viated in an aviary since the ceiling is around her eyes. replace the old ones. only 6 feet high. The male Reedlings Reedlings are monogamous proba Primary stimuli for breeding behav are the dominant sexual partner. bly pairing for life in the wild. They iors of most spring breeding birds Chasing the hen seems to increase male travel in a colony. I believe the colony include increase of temperature, honnones. A hen which is not ready to is made up of family groups which increase in length of day, and availabil mate is pursued at high speed. A will associate but do not mate within family ity of food and nesting material. My ing hen will join the exhibiting male on lines. In the aviary their pair bonds have reedlings did nothing for two breeding a finn foundation like a'wooden nest been unbroken, but I have seen them seasons even with the above stimuli. box lid where the greatest mating suc have extramarital affairs. My most dom Last year I introduced two pairs of Star cess occurs. I have seen them mating inant alpha male has pursued the beta Finches and also moved the guinea pig on nearly every surface including the female to mate with her and has been hutches closer for increased insect pop aviary sides.