do and I once put one pair of Turquoisines in an 8 by 8 foot aviary containing four pairs of then quite rare ., lutino Cockatiels. Believe me, gentle T urquoisine people, Turquoisines can be down­ right savage. The pair of Turks trounced and terrified all eight of the Parakeet Cockatiels. It was the female Turk who was the roughest. She commandeered Neophema pulchella all of the nest boxes - actually enter­ ing the boxes to drive the nesting by Sheldon Dingle, Alhambra, California Cockatiels out. Needless to say, that experiment didn't last long. Turquoisines do well on a diet of lmost all of you are quite little parrot which is more challenging Budgie mix with a few sunflower familiar with our beautiful than the Zebra Finches and Budgies seeds included and lots of greens. A cover bird, the Turquoisine with which they started. Some fruit, mostly apple, was eaten by Parakeet. It is one of seven species Turquoisines have long been one of my Turks but they really relish leaves belonging to the genus Neophema. A my favorite species. Off and on over of chard, lettuce, spinach and several resident of southeastern Australia, it fre­ the years I've kept and bred them with species of weeds I commonly fed. quents open forests and grasslands excellent success. For aviculturists in high density often along water courses. It is a cavi­ Years ago, when almost all aviaries areas where noise could be a problem, ty nester using holes in trees, stumps, had dirt floors and piperazine was the the Neophemas are ideal aviary birds. or even logs on the ground. All commonly used worm medicine, inter­ They are very quiet but do have a Neophemas are ground-feeding seed­ nal parasites were the bane of the pleasant little chirp that I always eaters favoring seeding grasses. After Turquoisines (and numerous other enjoyed. A normal sized backyard (50 all, these tiny parrots are only about the ground-foraging species as well). They x 100 feet or so) could contain many size of a big Budgerigar and can't be seemed fore-ordained to die of ascarid beautiful flights for the various expected to crack large seeds and nuts. infestations. Neophema species without the neigh­ (For more infonnation, on this genus With the advent of suspended cages bors even knowing they were there. see Dr. Vriends article on the common and a whole spectrum of excellent And believe me, dear friend, if you Neophemas.) wormers available, the Turquoisine want to splurge and lay in a supply of The Turquoisine's status in the wild has a much better chance today. I used expensive birds, the Turquoisines can has had its ups and downs. It declined to spend hours with the old micro­ help you do just that. There are several almost to extinction during the years scope monitoring the droppings of the color mutations that are rather costly. In from 1880 to 1920 probably from sev­ whole flock and keeping a sharp eye fact, one of the most beautiful birds in eral causes including habitat degrada­ out for the ova of various species of the world is the lutino version of the tion (for farming and grazing), a 1902 ascarids. And I always had trouble Turquoisine (again, my considered drought, trapping, and pOSSibly an epi­ mixing the right dose of piperazine for opinion). There is also a red-bellied demic of some sort. From about 1970 the various species of birds in the variety where, through selective breed­ its numbers have increased markedly flock. Some of you old timers can ing, a German breeder has extended and, at present, it seems to be doing recall, I'm sure, birds weaving drunk­ the red, nonnally on the thighs only, to well. It is on CITES. Appendix II. and enly and occasionally falling off their the point where the entire belly and not thought to be in great jeopardy perch - overdosed on piperazine. breast are brilliant red. I don't know the unless there is an unexpected and very I once tried breeding Turquoisines current market, but these extremely radical alteration of its habitat. colony style and detennined that it was dazzling mutations used to sell for pret­ Likewise, in captivity the Turquoi­ disastrous unless the little buggers ty hefty prices - enough to pay the seed sine seems to do fairly well. It seems were in a huge, well planted aviary. A bill with a little left over to save for a strange to me that there are some avi­ normal 8 foot by 4 foot aviary is just Hyacinth Macaw. culturists (the late Ralph Smith being right for one pair of Turks. Two pairs All things considered, I believe the an example) who have tremendous equals total death and destruction and Turquoisine to be one of the most success with the Neophemaswhile oth­ three or more pairs per aviary creates desirable and beautiful of all aviary ers, alas, can barely raise enough mass chaos but not much blood. Not birds. Your collection can be greatly babies to replace their losses. But the much breeding either. At least that has enhanced by adding a few pairs of overall success rate with captive been my experience with the species. Neophema pulchella whose very name Turquoisines is quite good enough to means beautiful. ~ supply the demands of newcomers to When I was young and foolish, I aviculture who want to try a beautiful tried things no prudent person would Updated ver.;ion of the 1988 Watchbtrd article. 42 Marchi April 2000