although non-aggressive to the other inhabitants, and look very attractive amongst the greenery. We have, on occasion, had a bird escape through a hole in the wire and stay at liberty for up to a week before recapture. Typi cally, the escapee never wanders more than 100 yards from its mate with whom it stays in vocal contact and whom it returns to visit every few minutes. The escapee also visits the second pair of cardinals and scolds and squabbles with them through the wire, the resident male fluffing out his plumage and singing loudly while trying to attack the bird outside. Breeding activity often begins around the end of March. The pairs have both built their own nests and used canary nest pans fixed into the trees. ests built by the birds have consisted almost entirely of pine needles, fine twigs and grasses and been placed about 10 feet high, immediately under the ceiling wire in Breeding the a dense clump of Pine. In contrast, the canary nest pan chosen was totally exposed at six feet high, Red;crested Cardinal attached to a small limb of a nearly naked Russian Olive and Virtually unlined. at the Iracy Aviary We avoid interfering as much as (Paroaria coronata) possible with the birds, merely check ing on the due hatching date or there abouts, to see if the chicks have by D. Grenville Roles, curator Salt Lake City, Utah hatched, although we do, of course, keep a close eye on the birds to make Found over a large area of South Females can often be distinguished sure that incubation is proceeding America (southeast Brazil, eastern from males by the more orange-red normally and that the chicks, when Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay and north coloring of the head and crest as hatched, are being brooded and fed. ern Argentina), Red-crested Cardinals opposed to the deeper scarlet of the A mixed-species aviary obviously are typically birds of wet scrub and males. This species has been main has a wide range of feed provided, shrubbery. tained at the Tracy Aviary and bred including seeds, pellets, chopped The species has also been intro here intermittently for a number of frUits, mashed boiled eggs, meat, fish duced to, and appears to be flourish years. and insects of which the Cardinals ing in, certain locations in Hawaii and The two pair are housed in quite have free choice. The only addition to southern Florida. Other introduc large flights with year-round access to the feeding regimen when the birds tions into south Africa and the heated shelters, which they never are breeding is a separate supply of Agalega Islands in the Indian Ocean spend time in other than to eat and mealworms dusted with Vionate, failed. drink. The smaller flight is 12 x 8 x located well away from the large and A member of the Emberizinae, its 10 feet high, planted with a stunted greedy, not to mention less agile, and closest relatives, apart from other Russian Olive and a small Euonymus hung upon the wire wall of the aviary. members of the genus Paroaria, shrub, which is shared by Bleeding The chicks fledge when less than half include old world Buntings as well as Heart Doves, Turquoisine Grass Para grown and are extremely difficult to American Sparrows and Juncos. It is keets and Saffron Finches. The larger find in a planted aviary. Greyish not a close relative of the American flight is some 30 x 15 x 10 feet high, backs, whitish underparts and brown Virginian Cardinal (Cardinalis car planted with Pines, Ailanthus, a ish heads, they remain totally immo dinalis), which is a member of the couple of Acers and Euonymus bile and almost invisible until a Cardinalinae or Cardinal Grosbeaks. shrubs. Other inhabitants of this parent approaches, when they will Simply though strikingly plumaged flight are Scarlet and White-fronted leap into action with loud cries, with warm grey upperparts, wings Ibis, Silver Teal, Mountain Witch begging to be fed. and tail, white underparts and jubil Doves and orthern Orioles. Both Pairs have recycled as many as three antly crested, bright red head, this flights are turfed. times a year here and can be quite .. active and energetic bird is simple to The birds have bred successfully in prolific with a clutch size of up to maintain and relatively ea y to breed. both aviaries and are quite active four.•
22 December / January 1991