: overlooked avian jewels by Ubaldo Leli, M.D. Boston, Massachusetts

Introduction that does not restrict the export of several species of bowerbirds well Bowerbirds are large softbills ofthe non-endangered avian species, it established in public and private order Passeriformes, that inhabit should still be possible to obtain Australian collections. I also met a and ! There are some of the species from there. In number of aviculturists who have 18 species of bowerbirds, distributed addition to the legal issues, the lack successfully bred these , includ­ among eight genera!·2 These birds are of knowledge of the breeding habits ing Stan Sindel of New South Wales, peculiar in that they have developed of the bowerbirds has caused them who was kind enough to give me their building skills to an extreme not to be commonly bred even in detailed verbal accounts of his meth­ degree, which they demonstrate in ods ofhusbandry. These data, in addi­ their courtship display object: the Table 1 tion to the published accounts of bower. Classiliealion 01 Bowerbirds breeding that have appeared else­ Bowerbirds were discovered early Genus Species Common Name where?·6 are precious for aviculture. I Ailurodeus' buccoides White-breasted after the first European settlers () me/anotis Sponed Catbird believe that public and private collec­ reached Australia, although they crassirostrisc tions owning bowerbirds may greatly inornatus' VogeJkop were not initially recognized as an (Gardenerbirds) mcGregoriae McGregor Bowerbird benefit from the application of the independent group and were classi­ subalaris Streaked Bowerbird husbandry protocols described in fied with the orioles and the honey­ flavitrontis Golden-fronted Bowerbird these articles. I also hope that this suckers~ Traditionally, these birds papuensis Archbold's Bowerbird paper will prompt aviculturists to Chlamidera' lauterbachi Yellow-breasted Bowerbird have been considered relatives of the CeNiniventris Fawn-breasted Bowerbird give more attention to these magnifi­ birds of paradise. However, recent maculata Sponed Bowerbird cent birds before their importation is DNA studies suggest that they are nuchalis completely eliminated. I am con­ more closely related to the wattle­ Prionodura n9wtoniana~ vinced that efforts to preserve spe­ birds ofNew Zealand (family Callaei­ Ptylonomyncus violaceus b cies diversity will be futile if as many dae), the starlings and the Corvine Scenopoetes dentirostris~ Tooth-billed Bowerbird genera as possible are not established assemblage? Sericu/us aureus in captivity within a short time. (Regent Bowerbirds) bakeri Fire-maned Bowerbird Bowerbirds are not common avi­ chrisocephafusc Except, perhaps, for the cockatoos, cultural .subjects, but they are fre­ The majority or the 18 speDeS 01 bowerbirds are distributed In New GUlllea. (From '~ birds from southeastern Asia and quently present in well stocked zoos. a-MollomOrphlcspeciBS New Guinea are more exposed than b-SpBCiBsalsoprBsBll1III AuslrBhB They are rare in aviculture primarily C-SpBClBS ollly pfBSBll1 ill Auslralia any other group to danger of extinc­ because their two main sources ­ tion from habitat destruction and Australia and Papua New Guinea ­ zoos, and there are, unfortunately, human disturbance than from trap­ do not allow export of their avifauna too few aviculturists specialiZing in ping for the pet trade. Placing a under any cicumstance except for softbills who have given attention to species on the C.LT.E.S. appendix I occasional exchange of surplus this group ofbirds. (endangered species list) hardly domestically bred stock with zoos. I have neither owned (yet) nor protects it from the damage deriVing However, because Irian Jaya, the bred any of the bowerbirds, how­ from destruction of its natural wester region of the New Guinea ever, during my last visit to Australia habitat. island, is part of Indonesia, a country in July 1991 I was impressed to find Among the species of bowerbirds most frequently seen in zoos and pri­ vate Australian collections are the Parrot Bands • Cockatiel Bands • Lovebird Bands beautiful Regent Bowerbird (Sericu­ lus chrysocephalus), the Satin ParakeetBands • CanaryBands • Handfeeding Syringes Bowerbird (Ptilonorhynchus viola­ All sizes ofplastic bands • Band Cutters • Nets ceus), and the Green Catbird (Ailtero­ Stainless Steel Feeding Needles edus crassirostris). In the U.S., very Pipettes • ClawScissors FAST few zoos have bowerbirds at this SERVICEI time, although the San Diego Zoo Send self-addressed. stamped envelope had Yellow- and Fawn-breasted for complete brochure. Bowerbirds on display. In the past, bowerbirds were shown in several L & M LEG BANDS zoos in this country much more fre­ P.O. Box 2943 • San Bernardino, CA 92406 quently. The Satin Bowerbird was (714) 882-4649 Mondaythru Friday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. (PST) bred at the National Zoo in Washing­ Closed month ofJuly for vacation. ton many years ago. Recently, one importer listed Spotted Catbirds

24 ]une/]ulyI992 ( melanotis) and Fawn­ few juvenile Green Catbirds in the and is velY rare. breasted Bowerbirds ( aviaries of Stan Sindel, kept in a cerviniverltris). Clearly then, keep­ mixed collection with (Sphe­ Ornithology ofthe ing bowerbirds is a dream that avicul­ coteres viridis) and l)arrots. They Bowerbirds turists in the U.S. can still achieve. I were quite friendly with people and Bowerbirds can be grouped accord­ will describe briefly here some of the seemed rather intelligent. ing to their breeding habits into two few s1)ecies n10st con1n10nly ke1)t in These species, along with other groul)s. A first grou1) of n10nomor­ Australian and American collections. birds l)resent both in northern Aus­ l)hic birds with males indistinguish­ The Regent Bowerbird (Se1'"iculus tralia and southern New Guinea, able from the fetnales includes the chrisocephalus) is the most beautiful such as the Blue-Faced catbirds and the grassland bower­ of the Australian bowerbirds. The (Entomyzon. cyanotis), are still avail­ birds. These birds forn1 stable pairs size of a large blue-jay, its l)lumage able to American aviculturists and and are monogamous. A second has a silky, velvety texture and is col­ need all the attention we can give group of highly dimorphic birds ored jet black, excel)t for the lores, them. This is especially true for the l)ractice polygamy, build a bower crown, nal)e, sides of the neck and Fawn-breasted Bowerbird, which has and do not forn1 pairs. However, wing prin1aries where the color is a been studied very little in Australia son1e of the monon10rphic species, rich golden-yellow. The eyes are because it lacks a gaudy plun1age, such as the Fawn-breasted Bowerbird bright golden-yellow in the adult ...... - _ male, and brown in the juveniles and in the feluales. The female is drab brown, mottled in very light beige, with black patches on the crown, throat and back. Juveniles look like females. They start their attempts to build a bower at about three years of age, when their plun1age is still irreg­ ularly yellow, and the eyes a l)ale lemon color. They become sexually BECAUSE . .. mature at six years ofage. The male Satin Bowerbird (Ptilon­ Not Every Bird orhyncus violacetls) is a crow-sized Gets Topper Bird black bird. Its 1)lun1age is silky shiny Ranch Diets blue-black. The eye is electric blue. .. . YETI The female Satin is brown with a reg­ ular pattern of lighter markings on the body, darker on the back parts. Her eye is also electric blue. The Fawn-Breasted Bowerbird (Chlamidera cerviniventris) is a monomorphic, grey-brown bird, with feathers tipped in white. The underparts are fawn-colored. It has some white around the eye. The bill is black and slightly curved. This bird is very similar to the Yellow-breasted Bowerbird (Chlamidera lauter­ bachi), except that the latter has a pronounced yellow wash on the belly and black, instead of white, on the face~ ~m~ L~fO R The catbirds are crow-sized, solidly es fer1i\ity built birds, predominantly green­ _ \ncreos colored. The Green Catbird (Ailuro­ deus crassirostris) has nearly no markings, is paler in the underl)arts, ~~ and has a red eye. It is very similar to _ P\US Minero\~ the (Ailurodeus for strong BIrds melanotis), except for the missing & Eggs black markings on the feathers. The two species also inhabit sel)arate ter­ ritories: the , Queensland and Southern New ASK YOUR LOCAL SUPPLIER Guinea, and the Green Bowerbird, New South Wales. These birds have a MADE TOPPER BIRD RANCH EAST TOPPER BIRD RANCH WEST cat-like call and can become very ENnRELY Route 19. Box 529 1466 N. Carpenter Rd. IN U.S.A. lexington. NC 27292 Modesto. CA 95351 tan1e and human-in1printed. I saw a (704) 352-8100 (209) 524-2828

afa WATCI-IllIRD 25 Chlamidera cerviniventris), also do ing, eight yellOWish wood shavings, seems that a symbolic correspond­ not form stable pairs and build two pieces of yellow-green onion ence exists between the color of bowers~ peelings, eight snail shells, one body parts of the bird related to the Based on their habitat, five groups cocoon, six cicada numphal cases, courtship - the eye color for the of bowerbirds are recognized~ The numerous small yellOWish green Satin and the pink speculum for the Catbirds that live in the forest, the flowers and a very large number of Spotted Bowerbird - and the color Archbold's Bowerbird of the high yellOWish-green leaves, mostly the of the objects chosen to decorate the mountain forest, the Gardenerbirds stiff, serrated leaves of Banksia ser­ courtship bower! that build a maypole-type bower in rata...."3 It is clear that the Satin Some bowerbirds, particularly the patches of forest floor, the Regent Bowerbird prefers blue and, to a les­ Satin Bowerbird~ complete their Bowerbirds of the lowland and hill ser extent, yellow or yellow-green bower by painting it. These birds forest, and the Grassland Bower­ objects for the decoration of its deposit layer after layer of a blue­ birds, non forest dwelling and mono­ bower. Other bowerbirds are also black paint on the internal walls of morphic. this choosey, with the Golden the bower, and maintain this painted Bowerbirds have gained them­ Bowerbird (Prionodura newtoni­ coat very carefully during the breed­ selves fame as the architects of the ana) using primarily white bones, ing season. The color coat, which avian world, because the males ofthe the Spotted Bowerbird preferring can reach a thickness of several milli­ dimorphic species build a very elab­ pinkish objects, and the Fawn­ meters, is produced by charcoal orate display (bower), where they breasted Bowerbird employing green powder mixed with saliva. The birds attract the females and mate with berries to decorate the bower~ paint their bower by holding a piece them. The bowers are classified into Concerning the color preferences of charcoal (fires are very common in four principal types~ The"court", of the objects used for decoration, it the Australian countryside) in their typical of the Toothbilled Bowerbird is interesting to note that the Satin semi-open bill. While their beak (Scenopoeetes dentirostris), a Bowerbird has an electric blue eye, finely grinds the charcoal, the saliva cleared area of the forest decorated present also in the female, but absent flows and the bird deposits this with green leaves; the"mat", of in the juveniles, and the Spotted "paint" on the twigs that compose Archbold's Bowerbird (Archboldia Bowerbird has a bright pink display the bower3. This ritual is considered papuensis), a carpet of mosses and speCUlum in the nape. Therefore, it part of the symbolic transfer effects ferns; the"avenue", of the Regents and the Satin Bowerbirds, which Type ofbowe1'S built have two parallel upright walls form­ by bowerbirds. ing a central avenue; and the' 'may­ pole", of the Yellow-fronted Gar­ dener (Amblyornis flavifrons) and A: bowerofthe the Golden Bowerbird (Prionodura "avenue" type, newtoniana). According to recent builtby the Regent, theories, bowerbirds have progres­ Satin, Spotted and sively transferred their gaudy display Fawn-breasted plumage 'to the bower! This has pro­ Bowerbi1'ds. duced birds that build progressively more elaborate and decorated bow­ A ers, but with drabber and drabber plumage! Bower construction follows spe­ cific rules regarding orientation with respect to north-south direction, and B:bowe1'ofthe "maypole" is completed by elaborate decora­ type, builtby the tions~ For example, the bower of the McGregor Bowerbird.. Satin Bowerbird is made of two walls of tWigs with a central avenue decor­ ated carefully with moss where the o female walks before intercourse, is C and D: other''maypole" type bowers decorated with a number of different builtby the Vogelkop and the objects of blue color, and is StreakedBowerbirds, respect­ "painted" in blue-black by the male~ ively. (From 1). In a published report, the follOWing objects were found decorating a Satin Bowerbird bower found near AUdley, in the royal National Park in Austra­ lia, " ... eight laundry blue bags, ten pieces of blue matchb?x, one blue cigarette packet, a pIece of blue string, thirty-four pieces ofblue glass, seventeen blue feathers, one blue marble, a blue invitation card t? a dance, a white ticket with blue pont- 26 June/July1992 mentioned above. None of these rearing duties. activities take place for the mono­ Birds with such extremely varied Hummingbirds morphic species that form stable habits represent a formidable chal­ pairs. lenge for the aviculturist who tends Lories·Tanagers During the breeding season, to think of bonded pairs as the natu­ Rare Finches females regularly visit bowers of ral reproductive unit. This Victorian males (which are built in the same idea has led many to make errors in Park Birds spot year after year), mate and get the setup of some species, and has Singing Birds fertilized. Then they return to their led them to be labeled as "difficult to .' other birds upon request • less conspicuous territories to finish maintain in captivity" or even Also have high building their nest, lay their eggs and , 'unbreedable~' quality nectar diets! AUrea '/'." raise their young entirely on their Bowerbirds, like hummingbirds, Dick Schroeder Don Wells own. barely tolerate the presence of (619) 73~;~~~~J~!~U71-8330 In the wild, the diet of bowerbirds another individual of the same spe­ consists largely of fruit, with a var­ cies, much less one of a related spe­ iable amount of insects and arthro­ cies, in the same territory. Therefore, pods, depending on the species? Dur­ these birds have to be kept individu­ Award Winning Habitals ing the breeding season and the rear­ ally. One of the most important Thai Address the Most ing of the young, bowerbirds observations reported by Stan Sindel Important Elemenls of become nearly totally insectivorous about the Regent Bowerbird is that Quality, Functionality, and some species, notably the cat­ when the pairs were kept together in BIRD CAGES AND \ ACCESSORIES and Safety birds, will feed the young and eggs of a 15 foot long, 10 foot high and deep • OUlSideFeederSystem • 5Year Warranty • Bird Proof Door Latch • Unique Lower Apron and Disposal Tray System other species to their chicks, reminis­ aviary, the male was found several • Four Cage Sizes Accommodate Conmes, Cockatiels, Amazons, Cockatoos, Maca"~ and More cent of the similar habit of crows, times listless and looking as if it were • Three Non· Toxic Cage Colors: White, Gray, Almond magpies and jays. Bowerbirds are on the verge of dying. Apparently, CALL NOW FOR FREE G4TALOG AND INFORJI1ATlON ON very choosy about their insect pref­ the female kept it from feeding. This THE FINFST BIRD G4GES AND ACCESSORiES AVAIlABLE! erences. They will select only certain happened even after a second feed­ 1-800-336- BIRD or1-619-438-4442 types of moths and other local ing station was added to the aviary. 2270 Camino Vida Roble • Suites I & J• Carlsbad, CA 92009 insects (Stan Sindel, personal com­ Consequently, the birds were moved FAX: (619) 438-6636 munication). Fortunately, Stan Sindel to separate, adjacent aviaries. Under has figured out a substitute diet for us these conditions also, the male was in captive breeding5.6 found listless and nearly dying on sev­ eral occasions. Therefore, pairs of AVICULTURAL Husbandry And Breeding Regent (and Satin) Bowerbirds are SOCIETY OF Housing andBreeding Setup. now kept by Stan Sindel in adjacent QUEENSLAND The breeding setup for the bower­ aviaries divided by a solid partition Welcomes new members birds that Stan Sindel has devised has for half of its length. A wire door An Australian Society catering to all birds both in captivity and in the wild. We publish a bi-monthly been rewarded by successful breed­ allows communication between the magazine on all aspects ofaviculture and conser­ ings of the Satin and the Regent two aviaries for the mating to occur, vation. Anyone interested in membership please contac\' Ray Garwood, 19 Fahey's Road, Albany Bowerbirds? Because it takes into when the time is appropriate? Creek, 4035 Queensland, Australia. Annual consideration the non pair-forming Under these conditions, the male subscription: 522 (A) airmail, or 516 (A) surface. character of these birds, it should be builds a bower, and will decorate it, if Please remit monies or bank drafts in Australian currancy. regarded as the prototype setup for given the appropriate objects. When species weary of other individuals, the female is ready to breed, she and even of their own mate; the most starts building a six inches wide and notable example of this type of birds two inches deep, unlined twig nest? being the hummingbirds. She then spends time in front of the Birds are extraordinalY among the wire partition, shoWing interest in The Avicultural Society vertebrates, in that their variety is the male courtship. At that time, the of America, Inc., extreme. Extreme differences in door is open three or four times a day Welcomes new members. body size and diet parallel enormous for periods of about one hour. Dur­ differences in breeding habits. For ing these brief encounters, the example, in the Black-breasted female accepts the courtship of the Button Quails (Turnix melanogas­ male and intercourse occurs. After­ ter) and the cassowaries (family wards, the female returns to her sec­ Casuariidae), the males sit on the luded quarters amd starts laying eggs eggs and rear the young. The Ama­ and touching up the unfinished nest. Founded 19Z7 zona parrots and the cockatoos prac­ The female will usually nest in the tice a totally conventional monoga­ most secluded area of her aviary, out We publish a monthly bulletin on all mous marriage, and the Alexandrine of sight of the male? In natural condi­ aspects of aviculture. For member­ Parrots only pair during the breeding tions, males are highly polygamous ship information please contact: Helen Hanson, (714) 780-4102, ASA, season. The hummingbirds and the and will service numerous hens every Inc., P.O. Box 5516, Riverside, CA bowerbirds are polygamous and the season. 92517. Yearly dues $20. Foreign males never meet their offspring, It is interesting to note here that members please add $5 to cover post­ with the females by themselves this setup is extremely similar to the age (U.S. funds only). entirely taking care of incubation and successful setup that Dr. Karl

afa WATCHI3IRD 27 Shuchmann uses to breed humming­ birds in Germany? In this case also, the l)air is kept sel)arate, and only after the female llas built the nest and has given signs of being ready to lay, is t11e n1ale admitted several tin1es a .. day for the fertilization to occur. Catbirds and other monOn101])hic, l)air-forming species are kept in pairs in large aviaries, sometimes in mixed collections? However, if one plans to breed other birds together with the catbirds, care must be taken to choose an apl)ropriate combination of species. The catbirds have been reported to consume eggs and chicks of other species and feed them to their offspring, including eggs from birds much larger than themselves, such as the Red-tailed Black Cocka­ RegentBOloel'bird (Se1·iculus chrisocephalus). Adult male older than sevenyears. too (Calyptorhynctls banksii)?More­ From Stan Sinders collection, Nelu South Wales, Australia. over, they can be very aggressive with smallerspecies. (f) Q) ~ ..c Breeding :5 o All bowerbirds lay a clutch of two C/) 3 eggs, with rare occasions of clutches Q) z of one (Great Bowerbird3) or three Q) 3). "'0 eggs (Spotted Bowerbird The eggs c U5 are laid at intervals of two days and c co are oval. The color is variable, with (j) >­ some of the species having no mark­ .0 o ing (catbirds and Golden Bowerbird), o ..c 0... and others carrying whirled streaks or, rarely, spots (Satin Bowerbird) on a uniformly colored background. The background color ranges from off­ white (Golden Bowerbird), to crean1 (catbird) and yellow-green with vari­ able shades of earth brown or ochre (Satin and Sl)otted Bowerbirds)? G,·een Catbird (Ailurodeus crassirostris). F,·0111 Stan Sindel's collection, NellJ South Incubation time is not known, ex­ Wales, Australia. cept for the sl)ecies bred domestical­ >­ Q) ly?,6 It ranges from 18 to 21 days, and 5 :5 seems to del)end on the weather?,6 oo Fledging takes about 2 to 2-1/2 Q) .~ weeks. Some of the sl)ecies will "3 co double-clutch in case of loss of the 0... >­ 6 .0 first clutch (Green Catbird ). Nests o o are never very refined, in contrast to ..c 0... the meticulous quality of the con­ struction of the bowers? Materials used to build the nest are twigs, dry grass and leaves. Their size is ap­ l)roxiJnately six inches wide by two inches deel), internally.3

Table 2 Breeding Information for Bowerbirds and Catbirds

Regent Bowerbird Green Catbird Eggs Oval, cream-colored, marked Oval, cream-colored with purple brown whirling streaks and lines.

Clutch 2 eggs, laid every other day 2 eggs, laid every 2 to 3 days

Incubation 16 days, starting with the 21, 22, 24 days, starting with second egg the second egg. Birds may Unfinished bou'e1· builtby a Satin BOll erbird in the avia1·ies ofPauline Courtney, double clutch. Kuri Kuri, New South Wales. Note theplastic blue strip gathe1·ed by the bird in an Fledging 18 days 22 days attenlpt to decorate the bOlue1·. 28 June/ July 1992 Table 3 Diet for Bowerbirds and Catbirds

A: Softfood 1 tablespoon egg and biscuit canary rearing food 1 tablespoon lory nectar

B: Fruit 1 inch diced banana 1 inch diced, cooked carrot 1/2 apple 1 pod English peas seasonal berries and fruits according to availability

C: Insects Mealworms Grasshoppers Cockroaches (South American) Pinkies or mice*

The amounts given refer tf) a single bird. The insect component is given only occasionally when the birds are not breeding. It is consumed nearly exclusively during the first and second week of chick rearing (from 5.6) .

• P,nklesare g,ven(also m'C8lonlyto catb,rds parents gradually introduce some fruit into the diet of the chicks?·6 It is very important during this phase to use supplements containing vitamins and minerals in order to prevent rick­ ets, bone weakness and spontaneous fractures due to calcium deficiency? It is important to realize that live in­ sects, at least of the type consumed Satin Bou'e1'bird (Ptilonorhyncus violaceus) adult nlalefi'onl Stan Sil1ders collec­ tion, NSUJ: Aust1'alia. by bowerbirds, do not contain a ba­ lanced enough amount of minerals to en Q.) ro insure proper bone development? ~ A comment here on the type of live ..c :5 o food to be offered to bowerbirds (f) 3 rearing young is in order. In Australia, zQ.) aviculturists raise birds outdoors and

Q.) ""0 can catch plenty of insects with c us moth traps made of a lanlp sur­ C <0 rounded by an electrically powered (jj >. grid? The insects fly into the light and .D o get electrocuted. Then they fall into <5 ..c. 0.... the water pan at the base of the trap and can be served to the birds in the morning. Because of the very high amount of insects necessary to raise bowerbird chicks, however, Stan Sin­ del tried a variety of standard insects usually raised by aviculturists. Mea­ lwornls, crickets, grasshoppers and locusts were all accepted in different measure, but the best insects seenled to be the large South American cock­ roaches of the genus Periplaneta.s Adultfenlale Satin BOllJerbirdfronl Stan Sinders collection, NSUJ: Australia. These unpleasant , the size of about one inch, are wide-

Diet: Front wing With outer Pronotum solid dark color. Pronotum usually With some pale streak at base. Bowerbirds are classic softbills and General color very dark pale area. General color seldom darker than reddish chestnut. Pronotum strikingly marked. will consume a mixed diet of frUit, brown to black. high protein soft food and live food, consisting of insects and small mam­ ll1als such as nlice? Table 3 describes the diet used by Stan Sindel to keel) and breed his catbirds and bower­ birds. 5.6 The live food is not essential outside the breeding season, because Australian Cockroach the birds are primarily frugivorous (Periplaneta australasiae) Smoky Brown Cockroach Last segment of Last segment 01 when not breeding. However, during cercus not twice cercus twice as (Periplaneta fuliginosa) as long as Wide. long as wide. the breeding season, sl)ecifically ~ ."'--Owl Brown Cockroach American Cockroach \, ... ,,(,.. -e...(\ during the first week of raising the (Periplaneta brunnea) (Periplaneta americana) chicks, the birds switch entirely to Cockroaches useful infeeding bOllJerbirds and catbirds dU1'ing the breeding season insects. This continues through the (Fronz 8). Stan Sindel probably usedPeriplaneta australasiae5,6. second week but, at this tinle, the

afa WATeRBIRD 29 spread in the warmer parts of the ful softbills still available to American Kuri Kuri, New South Wales, Aus­ u.s. as well as in Australia. They can aviculture, albeit on a limited basis. tralia, for the information and be easily caught using a container in Most of the species must still be photographs that they generously which some soft dogfood is placed, studied and bred in captivity. All New provided. Without their input this and putting it in corners or other Guinea species should be established article would not have been written. areas preferred by the insects. The before the transmigration program I also wish to thank Mr. Lawrence 1. roaches must be immobilized by that Indonesia is enforcing - moving Soucy for his helpful preliminary lightly cmshing their chest, and can large masses of populations from the evaluation ofthe manuscript. be stored in this semi-dead status in Indonesian islands into Irian Jaya ­ the refrigerator for two or three interferes irreversibly with the local References days~ Iflarge roaches are unavailable, wildlife. 1. Frith C.B., Bowerbirds and Birds ofParadise. I would try crickets, grasshoppers In the Encyclopedia of Birds (perrins c., and Unfortunately, the price of the few Middleton L.A., eds.) Facts on File, Inc., and locusts, immobilized by remov­ imported bowerbirds is high, and NewYork, 1985, pp.436.441. ing their legs, but I cannot ce11ify their space requirements difficult to 2. Beehler B.M., Pratt T.K., and that this will work. The insects must meet for the average aviculturist. Zimmerman D.A., Birds of New Guinea. be put in a smooth container with However, more affluent, experi­ Princeton University Press, Princeton, N}, high sides to prevent escape and 1986, pp.219·223. enced aviculturists and public zoos 3. Chaffer M., In Quest of Bowerbirds. Rigby immersed in a pan of water to avoid and aviaries should give as much Publ., Sydney, 1984, pp.45. invasion by ants (if your aviary is attention as possible to these species 4. Simpson K., and Day N., Field Guide to the outside)~ if we do not want to be obliged to . Penguin Books of Aus­ The constant supply of cock­ travel to museums or to the Southern tralia, Ltd., Ringwood, Victoria, 1986, pp.337. roaches has been claimed by Stan Hemisphere in order to see them in 5. Sindel S., Breeding the Regent Bowerbird Sindel to have been one of his most the future. Sel'iculus chrisocephalus. Australian Avicul­ important assets in successfully A final note - the breeding setup of ture (989), 43(6): 149-154. breeding bowerbirds and catbirds. dimorphic, non pair-forming bower­ 6. Sindel S., Breeding the Green Catbird Ai/ur­ His Green Catbird hen consumed 25 oedus cl·assirostris. Australian Aviculture birds is the prototype setup for other (991),45(6): 139-145. cockroaches a day during the first non pairing avian species with similar 7. Schuchmann K.L., Kolibris. Haltung unt days after hatching the chicks, and requirements, such as humming­ PJlege. Biotropik Verlag GmbH, Frankfurt increased to 50 roaches a day prior to birds. um Mein, 1979, pp.65-

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