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Friday, August 20, 2010

Blue-Crowned Hanging Parrot [Loriculus Galgulus] 'Srindit'

This one is my new collection. A Blue-Crowned Hanging Parrot [Loriculus Galgulus] as Indonesian used to call it 'Srindit', a common name in the local markets. I have known this kind for a long time ago, but I have not had a chance to have one, since I don't like it's voice. But I think I have changed my mind, now I'm trying to keep it for the voice/sound purpose, as I would like to race an Asian Pied Starling [Jalak Uret/Sturnus Contra - Prev., Now Gracupica Contra] Chick, one month old. I used to race it that way, since a month old chick, then keep it for about a year together with other birds, which I'd like their sounds/songs to be imitated and embed it into this starling. I have successfully done it for many times. The last one I made, have been taken by a friend of mine, so I decide to make a brand new one, but with another sounds/songs type, a true unique one.

Like other Hanging Parrots, this species roosts upside down and may also take a bath in the rain in the same position. I just did not realize this fact, before. So, when the first night it stays in my house, I seen it slept with upside down position and I tried to make it right by bothering it. But as many times I tried to correct its position, it still be back to the upside down position. And I gave up. Then, the next day I just found out this fact via internet, this bird used to be like this, always. Ha ha ha, what a funny bird.

The general knowledge profile of this bird can be seen in the following:

Species Profile
Genus:
Loriculus
Species:
Galgulus

Size:
12cm (4.7 in)
Adult Weight:
28g (1 oz)

Races including nominate:
one

Colourization Adult: Male-in general green plumage; dark blue patch on crown; orange/yellow wash on mantle; red rump and upper tail coverts; band across lower back yellow; red throat patch. Bill black. Eye dark brown. Female-minimal blue on crown and orange/yellow on mantle; red throat patch absent; yellow band on lower back absent.

Colourization Juvenile: As in adult female but with grey forehead washed with blue; blue on crown and orange/yellow on mantle absent; green rump with feathers margined red. Bill yellow/brown.

Call: Calls made in flight shrill and squeaky. Group calls rapidly repeated or ringing. While feeding notes are occasionally shrill and with two syllables.

I got this bird from a friend of mine. He explained to me how to keep it fit, the feeding and other general knowledge regarding this bird. I give the diet as he suggested, feeding it with half ripe corn, half ripe banana fruit, seeds [millet, canary seed, etc.], insect/ant's egg and off course the water for its drink.

Hopefully, it is a kind with a crowd sound and often sings, so the Starling will reproduce its song precisely later when it gets mature.

New Love Bird

Well, as have get bored with my previous love bird, the yellow peach face, I have to have a little bit refreshment. So I sell that yellow one to my friend in the bird market. Fortunately, the next day when I just drop by in another bird market, suddenly there was a man offered me some love birds. I accepted his offer as we have deal in the price. Then I took it home, gave it a better cage and better foods for it.
I will not describe its color, as you could see it in the picture on above. The bird looks so young and the bad thing is, it was in the molting period ... so absolutely I just could not be often hear its songs. I have to wait until it finished its molting before I use it as a patron for the Asian Pied Starling [Jalak Uret/Sturnus Contra - Prev., Now Gracupica Contra] Chick. Its wings feathers ain't complete yet and some fine feathers looks started to grow. I also have found some small feathers in the bottom of the cage every morning.
The bird seems a little bit wild and this might needs several months to go to be tamed. It always seems afraid every time I put my hand into the cage, when I have to clean its cage.
The previous diet I found in its original cage was only couple kind of seeds; the millet and the canary seed. I tried to feed it with corn, immature maize, as an additional daily diet. At day one, it did not even touched it, but the next day, it had tried to take it. So, can be imagined what happened in the day after. Next time I am gonna try some vegetables kind, hopefully it also will like it. Varies of diet is very important to keep it in fit condition, to support it abilities in singing. It is a must in regards to its daily function as the patron bird, which have to sing for the whole day.
Many years ago, I have successfully created love birds with many variance songs, such as songs of prinias, asian pied starling, Sturnus Leucopsar Acridotheres, Alophoixus Bres, etc. But sometimes this condition would not be a permanent thing, when it hears the original sounds/songs of it kind too often, lets say: everyday, the song will be disappear in the end.

Monday, August 2, 2010

Leafbird/Cucak Hijau [Chloropsis aurifron]

Sci. name: Chloropsis aurifron
Family: Irenidae
Order: Passeriformes
Class: Aves
The Leafbirds are a small group of arboreal passerines found throughout tropical Asia. All are in the same genus Chloropsis so they are all closely related. Five species are fairly widespread in SE Asia/Greater Sundas; one is endemic to Sumatra, and two are endemic to the Philippines. Leafbirds tend to be various combinations of green, yellow, and sometimes a little blue, but perhaps the most attractive is the Gold-fronted Leafbird as seen on above, which can sometimes be found feeding on flowers.
Weight of Chloropsis aurifron ranges from 10-90 g, and has an average height of 15 cm (6 in), when measured from the top of the head to the tip of the tail and the bird is perched in an upright position. The length of the C. aurifron can range from 14 to 27 cm, or 5.5 to 11 inches long. The Golden-fronted leafbird is brightly colored, depicting vibrant colors of green, orange-yellow, black, blue, and turquoise. Males are pale green and the undersides are a lighter shade of green. The area from the forehead to the crowns center is an orange-yellow shade and the cheeks, throat and breast are black, and the chin a deep blue. The bend of the wing has a turquoise-blue patch of color. Females are not colored as vibrantly as the males. Chloropsis aurifrons are long, with relatively short round wings. The legs and toes of the leafbird are short, sturdy and strong. The bill of the leafbird is slender with an upper mandible that has a slight downward curved, and encloses the spiked tongue that enables them to easily feed on nectar. The plumage of the leafbird is rather dense and fluffy. Although not much is known about the physical differences between sexes and ages, the juveniles tend to resemble the females. Leafbirds are distinguished uniquely by the vibrant colored plumage that they display.
Chloropsis aurifron is primarily distributed throughout southeast Asia. The leafbird is found in different environments, ranging from forests to dry scrubs, although it is primarily a tree dweller and seldom touches the ground.
Chloropsis aurifrons are arboreal eaters. They are strong, long-lived birds that are very aggressive. Cocks are more aggressive than the hens. Females seem to get along with other birds, but the males are aggressive towards other birds including other male and female conspecifics. The Golden-fronted leafbird is also known to sing melodic songs with a cheerful whistle. Not much is known about the courtship behavior, but it seems to be rather excited, primarily consisting of chasing and screeching between the male and female. Its known that the male tend to hang upside down under the hen on the same twig. While little is known about the social behavior of C. aurifron, it is known that they will flock with several different species of birds.
The diet of the C. aurifron consists primarily of nectar, insects, and fruits such as guava, berries and figs. There is very little known about the reproduction and growth of C. aurifron. After the eggs are layed, the care of the egg is shared equally between the male and female. They rotate turns incubating the eggs until they are hatched. There are approximately 2-4 eggs per clutch. Eggs are usually gray with a cream or pink ground color and speckled or lined with a brown or red-brown color. After approximately 14-15 days of incubation, the eggs will hatch. Hatchlings are rather small and develop slowly for the first 3-4 days. The chicks open their eyes at about six days, and leave the nest after about 13 days. Chloropsis aurifron is not an endangered species. It is a popular cage bird, but does require open space and many branches to maneuver on. These technical data are taken from Honolulu zoo site.

This Picture is taken couple days ago. It is my new favorite collection, which I bought from a colleague. He told me that this bird is used to be a competition bird, as the previous owner of this bird get bored with it's songs, so he recommend me to take over it. Once I see it and hear it action, so I told my self that this is the perfect one.
The bird is already well tamed and copied a lot of other birds song. I have heard it sang the sound of Prinias [couples of sounds], Copsycus Saularis, Copsycus Malabaricus, Pycnototus Aurigaster, Pycnototus Goiavier, Parus Major, Passer Domesticus, Halcyon Cyanoventris, Alophoixus Bres, and some other birds sounds. Even it can also duplicates the sound of chickens and cat. What a bird ...