THE DIGITAL EDITION parrot Volume 6 Issue 11 April 2020 ISSN 1176-0761 IN THIS ISSUE: PSNZ Northland Branch Bird Sale Breeding Ban Ruffles Feathers Stimulating Breeding in Parrots Eclectus in New Zealand Training Techniques for Parrots Photo © Simon Degenhard Photography Parrot Society Committee 2019 – 2020 PRESIDENT Mary-lee Sloan Ph (027) 448 7816 [email protected] SECRETARY Heather Flowers Ph (09) 420 2500 Mob 021 059 1192 [email protected] VICE PRESIDENT Mark Davies [email protected] SHADOW Hayden van Hoof Ph (022) 315 0363 VICE PRESIDENT [email protected] TREASURER & Gavin White Ph (09) 407 6611 MEMBERSHIP STEWARD [email protected] SERVICES Mary-lee Sloan Ph (027) 448 7816 [email protected] MAGAZINE EDITOR Yvette Harris Ph (027) 480 9347 [email protected] WEBSITE Brian Flowers Ph (09) 420 2500 Mob (021) 039 4007 [email protected] ADVERTISING Chris Patterson Ph (09) 625 6707 [email protected] NEWSLETTER Christine Matthews Ph (07) 868 5339 Mob (027) 442 2466 [email protected] GENERAL COMMITTEE: Kevin Pulman, Brian Flowers, Uli Elmiger, Ph (07) 823 0466, Email: [email protected] Fred Mead, [email protected] PATRON Davy Jones LIFE MEMBERS Davy Jones, John Warne, Ferry Moormann, Jim Trevett REGIONAL CONTACTS: Waikato: Uli Elmiger (07) 823 0466 Email: [email protected] Palmerston North: Richard and Kerry Dodunski, (06) 323 8339, Email: [email protected] NORTHLAND BRANCH PRESIDENT: Dave Bentley (President) 027 633 3249 or 09 439 2999 VISIT OUR WEBSITE www.parrot.co.nz H NEWS H INFORMATION H SERVICES H MEMBERSHIP PARROT SOCIETY IS ON FACEBOOK! We’d love you to become a fan! Keep up with the latest news & gossip. 4877 FOLLOWERS AND COUNTING! www.facebook.com/parrotsocietynz in this issue . Editor’s Squawk ...............................................................4 PSNZ Northland Branch Bird Sale ................... 6-7 Breeding Ban Ruffles Feathers ....................... 8-10 Stimulating Breeding in Parrots – Tony Silva ..................................................................12-16 Eclectus in New Zealand – Pauline Colpman................................................. 18-27 Training Techniques for Parrots – Caleb Probett ......................................................28-35 Kākāpo News ..........................................................36-37 Breeders Column ................................................. 38-39 Cover Photo: Male Eclectus in hollow tree trunk nest Articles & Photos Wanted. This is your magazine, and we appreciate any input you may have to deadline for contributions for next issue: its contents. If you have any articles, photos, comments, suggestions or 20 JULY 2020 feedback, please email Yvette Harris [email protected] *There is no Volume 5 Issue 11 version of this magazine. ADVERTISING SPACE AVAILABLE VISIT OUR WEBSITE For more information, contact www.parrot.co.nz Chris Paterson, (09) 625 6707, email: [email protected] DISCLAIMER: While every effort has been made to ensure that all information in this magazine is accurate and up to date, H H The Parrot Society of NZ cannot be held responsible for unforeseen consequences of the use or misuse of information. NEWS INFORMATION The opinions expressed in letters or articles in this magazine are not necessarily those of The Parrot Society of NZ. H SERVICES H MEMBERSHIP ELUSIVE Magazine designed by Yvette Harris, Elusive Design Ph (027) 480 9347 • [email protected] GRAPHIC DESIGN • TYPESETTING • LAYOUT • PRINT MANAGEMENT www.elusivedesign.co.nz PARROT |April 2020 | 3 Editor’s Squawk Hi Everyone! Well, the global situation is changing on a daily basis due to Covid-19. This mag almost made it to the printers but the country went to Level 4 very quickly and had to be put on hold. So you get the digital version this time! (Printed version TBA). Sadly, we were supposed to have our annual Bird Sale in Auckland, but because of the virus and the ban of indoor gatherings of more than 100 people, we had to cancel. Hopefully next Rainbow the Ringneck certainly year we can carry on as normal! doesn't mind me working from home! The Northland Branch certainly had a fantastic turnout for their annual sale, see pages 6-7 for some great photos. Thanks to the team who put that together. And don't forget, our conference is booked for next year - a fantastic event to look forward to! Our very own PSNZ President Mary-Lee Sloan was in the news recently after Auckland City Council released information regarding a proposed ban on breeding parrots and exotic reptiles. To say it's "ruffled feathers" is an understatement. We need to join together and do what we can to fight this needless ban! See article page 8-10. Thank you again for those who have contributed to our magazine. And a huge shout-out to those essential workers, including our own Christine Matthews, who works as a nurse in Thames. Stay safe and well everybody. Yvette Harris Editor, Parrot Magazine. WANTED: Ask The Committee!!! Dead Birds for Taxidermy If you have a burning parrot question, our experienced parrot breeder committee are If you have any birds that are They have a passion on hand to help out! pining for the fjords, for birds and are willing to answer any questions you may have. please contact Chris who would like to buy them. If you would like to ask a question, please email Mark Davies at [email protected] Email: [email protected] Towoomba Towoomba THE PARROT SOCIETY Avicultural SocietyAvicultural Society 108b Fenlake Rd, Bedford, England PO Box 98, Toowoomba, 4350 PO Box 98, Toowoomba, 4350 Robert Darr, Editor, Ph 07 4663 7764 Robert Darr, Editor, Ph 07 4663 7764 Allan Anderson, President Allan Anderson, President Ph 07 4632 9209 Ph 07 4632 9209 Providing support and conservation projects for the world’s parrots. For information please contact: Loro Parque Fundacion, A monthly magazine with interesting 38400 Puerto de la Cruz and informative articles. Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain 1 years subscription [email protected] £19 or air £26 www.loroparque.com 4 | PARROT | April 2020 Lori Journaal Internationaal is an excellent quarterly magazine about Lories, Lorikeets, Hanging Parrots and Fig Parrots. A must for all Lorikeet lovers. Providing support and conservation projects for the world’s parrots. For information please contact: Loro Parque Fundacion, 38400 Puerto de la Cruz Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain All correspondence and enquiries to: www.loroparque.com [email protected] PARROT SOCIETY OF NZ CONVENTION 2021 A U C K L A N D • N E W Z E A L A N D Featuring NZ & International Speakers NOT TO BE MISSED PARROT | April 2020 | 5 Another Successful Bird Sale for the PSNZ Northland Branch Article by David Bentley, Northland Branch President Our Bird Sale was another great success, with plenty of birds being benched and being sold the catching catch was well used. There was a face painter on site, and every time I looked over there was someone in the seat. Also, Jo Moses with her "have a photo taken with a parrot" – great idea Jo! A big thank you to our sponsor David Graham from Higgins Intune. I would also like to thank all the members who were there helping, and those who donated to the raffle. Thanks to all the companies below for suppling to our main raffle (yet to be drawn): Chook manor Topflite Natures kai Barkleys on the river. 6 | PARROT | April 2020 PARROT | April 2020 | 7 Breeding Ban Ruffles Feathers Article by George Block, Stuff.co.nz | Published 13 Feb, 2020 Mary-lee Sloan (pictured with her sulphur-crested cockatoos) is vowing to fight an Auckland Council plan to ban galahs, which she breeds for export. Parrot and reptile lovers are up in arms turtle and a species of bearded dragon about an Auckland Council plan to ban will also be banned. the breeding and sale of their exotic Mary-lee Sloan, president of the friends. Parrot Society of New Zealand, runs a Professional parrot breeders who sunk commercial breeding operation at Huapai hundreds of thousands of dollars into in north-west Auckland. Among the birds their aviaries say the plan would wreck she breeds are galahs, a grey and pink their businesses. cockatoo endemic to Australia, which she But the council says it is seizing an exports as far afield as Japan. opportunity to prevent several non- Sloan said the ban will spell the ruin of her native animals becoming the pest thriving business if it goes ahead. plagues of the future. "It's basically going to close me down." The bans, set to come into force by 2022, The plan said galahs can compete with are part of the Auckland Regional Pest native birds for nesting spots and carry Management Plan 2019-2029. Among disease. the animals whose trade will become illicit are parrots including the sulphur crested They are a major pest of grain crops in cockatoo, eastern rosella, galah, and Australia and their impact on grain crops monk and rainbow parakeets. is likely to worsen if their populations increase in Auckland, it said. That The breeding, sale and distribution of reasoning does not wash with Sloan or reptiles including the red-eared slider other breeders. 8 | PARROT | April 2020 Those in the galah game take all possible Willem Bosman is a second- generation measures to prevent the escape of birds, parrot breeder who employs two staff. which can go for more than $1000 each, He breeds galahs, monk parakeets and Sloan said. sulphur crested cockatoos at his lifestyle "Everybody's got safety doors on their block just out of Whangarei and estimates aviaries, they don't want to lose their birds. he has spent close to $500,000 setting "Why have they just picked on these up the operation. certain birds and not picked on cats that The galahs can fetch $1200 each and are run wild?" almost exclusively exported.