Leaf Bird (Cucak Hijau) - Chloropsis Aurifron

In the earlier essay, the same topic, about the Leaf Birds, I have to say that this bird species has several sub species, which they have a little bit differential in the color of the feathers and minor in size. At least there are 2 kinds of this bird in Indonesia, one origin in Java and another one is in Sumatra. I have collected those two kinds just to get their pictures to be presented in here.
The first 2 pictures are showing the Leaf bird of Sumatra origin. They are a little bit smaller in size, about 100 mm and it is relative and varies. One common different colors are the yellow [green to yellow] in the front part of head. The black color at the throat [only appears on cock/male only]is the same with the Java Leaf bird, except a pair of blue feathers, mustache shape, continuing the beak line and this color won't seen clearly, as it place in the black feather's color as the back ground.
The major green color also different, seems a bit of magenta color also appears, and also yellow, mixed with the green. This bird is singing very often, better than its closest brother in Java. The sound variation also better than the other one. Unfortunately, its songs could not be too long, generally, they used to sing the short songs repeatedly.
The bird also better in copying other bird's songs. Very smart and more intelligent. All its songs seems duplicated and generated from other birds, it is rare to hear its original songs, which very specific.
The next two pictures are showing the Leaf bird from Java origin. We can see the colors of the feathers are different than the previous Leaf bird. The green color is closely just like 'leaf', pure green. No blue feathers appears at the throat. No yellow color at the front head part. It is also seems bigger in size than the Sumatra origin. The most valuable thing is, it has a very loud sound. The songs it sings also little bit longer. In the birds competition, this kind also has more fighting spirit, which push them to sing better. For the time being, the Java origin Leaf birds are the most favorite one, better than the another Sumatra.
It is very interesting to know that some leaf birds has several different color variations to each origin. Decades ago, some bird importer had introduced Leaf birds comes from China. This bird is more colorful, much prettier than its relatives in Indonesia, has different shape and function of beak. The beaks are closely looks like the nectars and honey eater, rather than fruits or insect eater. It is common to teach them to consume factory bird food, besides the fruits & insects,in Java and some birds may could adapt in its behavior. But this is rarely could happen to the Leaf birds from China, purely they only consume and eat insects, fruits & honey [mixed with water]. They also sing very often in a long song. Today, we could not found any Leaf birds from China, since the importing or exporting from China is stopped. The picture of this bird is shown by clicking in here.
The last picture is showing those both birds are in the bathing cages, before their daily sun bathing while the cages are cleaned up. It is also shows the different colors between them in the upper part [seen from above]. Unfortunately I have decreased the picture quality due to easier up loading, but this matter also have decreased the pictures quality itself. The right one is from Sumatra and the left is from Java.

Silver-Eared Mesia/Pancawarna [Leiothrix Argentauris]

Leiothrix is a genus in the Old World babbler family. Among the Old World babblers proper, they belong to a clade also containing at least the liocichlas, barwings, minlas and sibias. The sibias are possibly their closest living relatives (Cibois 2003). The Silver-eared Mesias are common in the highlands & very sociable (usually in a group) and quite friendly. They are delightful to watch, and one of the most colourful species.
This bird kind used to be popular together with its closest relatives, the Red-billed Leiothrix, Leiothrix Lutea, in Java they are called 'Robin', since early of 80's until end of 90's, when the imported birds from China mostly stopped.
This birds has not much variation in songs, usually they only sings 2 or three kind of songs. In the way they singing also little bit boring, as they use to sing one single song in repetition. Based on this fact, the bird lovers in Indonesia usually uses this bird as a pattern bird to be duplicated by other singing birds. Some birds which used to be the copier are Hwa Mei [Garrulax Canorus], Kacer [Copsycus Saularis], Murai Batu [Copsyscus Malabaricus] and many more.
Beside of its songs or sound, some bird lovers may loves its appearance, as this bird's feathers are colorful. It is the reason why this bird in Indonesia used to be called 'pancawarna', which means 5 colors.
It is very difficult and very rare to find this bird tamed in the hand of bird lovers. Usually they are very wild, agile, used to fly and jump over around in its cage.
The hen can not sing, except one screechy sound and this is the most important parameter to classify its sexing, instead of the feather's colors. Sexing by the colors is easier when the birds are not singing. The cock has more colorful, bright and shiny, in opposite of the hen, which paler and duller than the cock, with less bright colors, more yellow than orange and has golden or tawny yellow upper tail coverts (red in males). It is also difficult for sexing the juvenile, when they can not sing yet. The juvenile's feather colors are remaining the same between the cock and the hen, both are paler. This condition will change when they are molting.

The Last Black-Throated Laughing Thrush/Poksay [Garrulax Chinensis Chinensis] in Town

This is my new Black-Throated Laughing Thrush [Garrulax Chinensis Chinensis] or Poksay as we, the birds lover in Indonesia, like to call it that way. This bird kind used to be very famous in Indonesia in decade 80's, when the faucet of importing the birds from out side of Indonesia is widely opened. This is the paradise era for the birds lover in here as so many kind of birds from other countries, other continents, are easy to be found in varies. It is now very difficult to find this bird in Indonesia today. Some other birds also had same condition as this bird, such as Garrulax Canorus, Red-billed Leiothrix or "Pekin Nightingale" [Leiothrix Lutea].
Actually, first time I had this 'Poksay' is around 1984. I did not know how to choose which one is female and what is the male looks like. So, the first Poksay I bought was the female one, in which she could not produce any good sound. Just one single female song. What a pathetic beginner's way to learn. Secondly, I was smarter, of course I could get the male one, which already tamed, singing often. The price for male Poksay was 15,000 rupiah at that time and the female was about 7,500 rupiah, half price of the male.

It is now 2011. It's been 27 years after the first time I had my Poksay/Black-Throated Laughing Thrush. Suddenly, accidentally along my regular weekly trip of project's site visit from Surabaya to Bojonegoro, a regency, a city district of Province East Java, I found a Poksay, one of the Poksay left, stay alive, in 3rd millennium in Indonesia in a birds shop/seller. I said to myself, shit, this is very great, man ... So I asked the seller about the price to take this bird to be my collection. Whoaa, the price has been goes up 50 to 100 times from the first price I got many years ago. Ok, it is normal ... So I pay it and take it home.
This bird looks so good in condition, physically. No less, but a very mature one. For your information, the last imported Poksay came from China introduced in to Indonesia was around late 90's or at least in the early of 2000. So, imagine how old is it? It must be more than 10 years old right now ..... and it is still singing and fit in its condition.
When I took this bird to my home, it was in molting condition, so I did not even hear its sound or its sings. Several days later, once its molting period is out of the blue, it is start to sing. Unfortunately, the molting period for the bird which is very mature often took a little bit longer than usually happen to its kind. This means that its sings not as much as I hope, maybe I should wait until all the feathers are complete or replaced by new feathers.
I've been thinking maybe I have to buy some other birds to accompany this bird, which has sound or sings close to this kind. One of the bird that has sound looks like or closely sounded like this Black-Throated Laughing Thrush is the Oriole kind. Specifically the Black-Naped Oriole [Oriolus Chinensis Maculatus]. This bird has unique sound and I have found one, which had all criteria I want, in the same seller as I bought the Black-Throated Laughing Thrush. The Oriole, or 'Kepodang' as we used to call it, I mentioned had the criteria, was very tamed, sings very often and youngster. But the bad thing is, I think it also in the middle of its molting period, but fortunately it still sings very good.
The funny thing is, every time there is a cake seller is passing by, using its car and sounding the jingle of its brand, with funny music, this bird is singing suddenly. I did not realize this fact, until one day I realize by hear the same song of those two different entities, at the same time, everyday.

Bratang Bird Market - Surabaya

There are several bird markets that available in Surabaya city. One of those is Pasar Burung Bratang/Bratang Bird Market, which located in Bratang area. This bird market seems built in around late of 70's or early of 80's. I just visited this place first time in the end of 1983. At that time, the building looks still in good condition, I thought like it is been built in just couple years ago, still seems like a new building to me.
In early of 80's, when I used to go to this place, I've seen the front yard, that was the parking area today, used to be a place for hanging the birds. I was not sure, was that for the competition or exhibition or just for exercise. The steel pipe frame is set on that place with a small diameter of bamboo webbing/plait and a number is painted in there, functioned as points to hang the birds. Some birds as common popular birds to be exhibited that time were Chinese Hwamei or Melodious Laughingthrush (Leucodioptron canorum, formerly Garrulax canorus)Black-faced Laughingthrush/Poksay [Garrulax Affinis], Straw-Headed Bulbul/Cucak Rawa [Pycnototus Zeylanicus] and White-rumped Shama [Copsychus Malabaricus].
At the time I used to go to this bird market is the best time for some imported birds such as: Black-faced Laughingthrush/Poksay, Melodious Laughingthrush/Hwa Mei, Yellow Rumped Serins/Black Throated Canary, Gray Singing Finch, Kinds of Canaries, Red-billed Leiothrix/Pekin Robin, etc. It was so easy to get those bird kinds in the market, a thing that very opposite in conditions today, which those birds are very rare and no more imported birds available in the market.
Today, this bird market is still provides many kinds of bird, but the transaction is very minimum in number, also in values. Most of them are now also selling cages, in varies kind and type, in case to help their income, daily income, while they can not sells too many birds every month. This condition was caused by some issues and problems. One of those problems was the condition that not everyone is dealing or buying birds in the birds market. A lot of them are buying/trading the birds in the house [to house], on the birds exhibition or during birds championship, even trading via the internet, so this condition will kills the business in the birds market automatically.
The Bratang Birds Market's condition today was very needs concern. The building is getting poorer, the painting is more and more paler, the place is dirty, the electrical installation requires re-new, the floor tiles are cracks everywhere, dirt and needs to be replaced. The walls, as you could see in the pictures on above, is very dirty, stained by paints, and also gets rotted.
If you want to get the best quality of painted, hand painted or sprayed paint, cages in East of Java area or even in Indonesia in my opinion, this place is the right one. Some shops in Bratang are producing, in place, best cages, especially hand painted cages. Some shops which selling and producing painted cages also doesn't produces the cages in place, but they have another workshop and do the painting works in there. I have been in many birds markets in different places and different cities, been visited many shops that selling the cages for birds, and I have proven that I could not find better place than in here in order to get best quality of painted cages.
You can see in the both pictures on above, their main and major traded items were the cages. Some cages are still in raw material,ready to be set & finishes shall be applied, some of those cages were ready to be sold as seen in those pictures on above.

Amazing Fretworks: Carving Bird Cages Pt. 2

Once again, a friend of mine invites me to visit his store, located in Bratang Bird Market, Surabaya, where he sells a lot of high quality product of fretwork/carved bird cages. He would like to show me some new bird cages, just arrived from Solo, Jepara's Carving Artist products. The first one is a cage with carving that tells a story about war in Chinese ancient history. Well finished in very colorful and feels too bright for me. Very eye catching Cage.
The second picture is showing the cage, carved with a story tells about the legend of 8 [Chinese] gods. The carving itself is very good, better than the first one, but it has different carves style. The texture is fine, not too many bass-relief/bulge as it appears in the previous cage in the first picture. It is carved in a plain thin wooden material, opposite to the first one. The colors for the finishing works also softer, better color according to my opinion.
The next one is a cage, round shape and the size is bigger than the previous cages size. This size is designated for White-Rumped Shama [Copsycus Malabaricus], which has long tail or also can be used for Straw-Headed Bulbul [Pycnonotus Zeylanicus]. It carves shows no story but theme about the feline family; the lion, tiger, and their kind. The carving quality is fair enough, as fair as its natural finishes.
I like this simplicity theme. But in regards to its weight, I consider that in daily basis usage, it is not wise to use this cage. It will softly damage your nerve and muscular. It is too heavy to be simply lifted, even for a sturdy one. :-) The picture is showing the crown only and the full picture of the cage is available in the next picture.
Last but not least, the last one is a funny cage. Its carving theme is about a cartoon or comic, named 'One Piece'. This cartoon character was ever been a favorite one of my daughter. Anyway, this cage is not my favorite. Just for fun.

Early Days

I have been introduced to care birds since I was a kid by my grand father, indirectly. He had several birds of pigeon kinds, such as: Spotted Dove [Streptopelia chinensis], Eurasian Collared Dove [Streptopelia Decaocto].
My own real 'career' in ornithology was started when I was in elementary school that time, by caring some pigeons/doves, buying some munias and weavers from 'mobile' birds seller, which using bicycle he brings a lot of munias and weavers. Some of those munias were stained by water base colors, pretty weird and he thinks it's funny for the kids. I don't think so. It was very stupid.
Couple years later, I was in junior high school, and this time was the beginning of my real ornithology session. I started to buy Black Headed Bulbul/Kutilang [Pycnototus Aurigaster], Yellow Vented Bulbul/Terucuk [Pycnototus Goavier], Straw-Headed Bulbul/Cucak Rawa [Pycnototus Zeylanicus] and by the time goes by, I went into other kind, such as White-rumped Shama/Murai Batu [Copsychus Malabaricus], Oriental Magpie Robin/Kacer [Copsycus Saularis], Pied Bushchat/Decu [Saxicola caprata], Black-naped Oriole/Kepodang [Oriolus chinensis], Black-faced Laughingthrush/Poksay [Garrulax Affinis], Streaked Laughingthrush/Samho [Garrulax lineatus], Asian Pied Starling/Jalak Uret [Gracupica Contra], Common Fiscal/Cendet [Lanius Collaris], etc. Some of the birds I bought in Kupang Bird Market, some of them I got from Bratang Bird Market and the rest I took from some birds sellers in some places around in Surabaya.
This picture is showing some of my collections in 1985, when I lived in Surabaya. Start from the left in the picture, inside the yellow small cage is my first 'Cendet', a Common Fiscal [Lanius Collaris], which is very stern, as I could remember. It seems always bite the hands close to it. The next one, in the middle, in the natural/brown cage, is 'Murai Batu', the White Rumped Shama [Copsychus Malabaricus]. This Shama is the smaller kind, its origin is Java. It has smaller size, shorter tail and shallower black feather in the neck. Its songs also not as good as its close 'cousin' which came from Malaya [Sumatra or Malaysia]. In Java, they used to called it 'Larwo', instead of 'Murai Batu' name. This kind, in Java, also already rare in the market or in the collector's hand and I think it was extinct by huge exploration during 80's to 90's era. The last one, first from the right, in the white cage, is the White Rumped Shama, a bigger kind, which come from Sumatra.
This 'Larwo' is very aggressive bird, it sings very often and very loud, since the dawn till the sun is set. It had good enough song any some variances, that was as I remembered. I got it from a bird seller who had a bird shop and he is a bird foods seller also, a small kiosk in Jalan Sumatra, Surabaya, a street side kiosk. Today, the kiosk is already swapped by local govt as they have planned to clean the city and try to make the city looks clean, neat and tidy in every place. Unfortunately, as they are the member of Copsychus family, they should be fed with Ant's Eggs or Crickets as they were the full Insects Consumers. This is the worst part, this dependence of high protein is making me always hunting for this bird food, which sometimes the availability in the market is unstable. I will takes time, effort and more money for this matter.

Amazing Fretworks: Carving Bird Cages

Couple days ago, I was informed by a friend of mine, he said that he had received new cages. They are just coming from the carver & fabricator, 'fresh from the oven'. He invite me to come and take a look at them. He knows that I am a fret-works lover. So, today I come and visit his shop in the bird market, located in the east part of town.In the mid of the day, I arrived, as I have called him before for appointment and to ensure that he is available at that time, and gladly he greets me. After a little bit chit chat, we started to talk about the stuffs. He presents it from a cage to other cage, explains the motif/theme of each cage.
I found an interesting one, a fine fret-work, carved cage that wears theme about 'Subali', one of the figures/character in 'Ramayana', a legend/story from India, also risen in the 'Hindu' religion. The story is written by Walmiki/Balmiki, a poet, which also risen as a poet in the story. This epic wrote the story about a kingdom 'Kosala' in India and also kingdom 'Alengka' in Ceylon, with intrigues and political acts contents. The story has simple line, easy for the reader's digest. I like the relief. It has finishes in colors, painted using air brush system. Full of colors ... Even the 'Batik', the original/traditional textile/costume in the relief also painted with the inscription style by freehand, a micro fretwork in painting.
Kwan Kong or Guan Yu, a Chinese legend, that telling the story about the Gods of War, also embedded in the cage's relief as seen in the next [second] picture. The finishes in natural color, close to the wood color, using the melamine or polyurethane clear coating for the final coat. The cage also equipped with a crown, wooden material base, that also fully engraved with small carving, with a same theme and character. The cage is column less, as the ductility and the strength of the cage are coming from the small bamboo bars only. The door also well decorated with fine fretwork, small carving with same theme and character also. The door's handle, the upper part also decorated. Small shape with fine craving are used as the locking system for the crown's hooks. It is a unique design for a cage.
The third picture is showing same type of cage as the previous one, a column less cage. The fret works is fine enough. The relief is telling about the legend of the 'Kilin' beast. This is also the Chinese story/legend, where the Barongsai tradition are started and arisen. Shortly, the story told, once upon a time, there was a monster arise in the village and destroy anything, no one could stop it. Suddenly, a beast, looks like a lion kind but it purely different, out of the blue and then fight the monster and successfully killed the monster. People named the beast as 'Kilin'. In the another day, a monster came up again and there was no Kilin to show up, so the people made the imitation of Kilin to drive the monster away. It was the beginning of the Barongsai tradition, which also has been introduced in Indonesia since hundreds years ago. Anyway, I really like this 'Kilin' theme.
The more detail in larger picture that showing the 'Kilin' pattern is available in the next picture on above. I like the cage's theme, but the cage's type, naturally I do not like the columns less kind. To me, carved columns in the cage is very beautiful. I also noted, almost all carving cages are very heavy and weighing the roof's bars and so the vertical bars, if it is columns less. So I think it is not clever to choose this type.
The picture in the left is a round shape cage. It wears same theme as the previous one, the 'Kilin' theme, but in round shape and also in different finishes type. This cage is using the color finishes, a very bright and eye catching color. This cage is addressed to be used for Love Bird, based on its dimension and shape. This cage is very tall. The base part, a horizontal round plate, is a very shiny black plain, so, think if I have this one, seems it is very sadly to say that the shiny one will be stained by the bird's waste .... hahaha.
This cage is my favorite cage. It has funny theme, the Cocks [male chicken. All about chickens. The carving style is looks like Balinese, but still seems Jepara in detail. Very fine fret work. The color is perfect, light brown, almost yellow, it is very natural color, as the wooden material it self. It has a lot of additional decorations, such as the corner stiffener, the crown, crown sides decorations, perches & food bowls accessories. All made in fine carves and so in same theme. It looks classy and has real good style.
The last picture is most simple one. The relief is not too small neither too detail. It is also not too heavy. But the fret works is still quiet good and so the finishes. The carves shows the 'Shio'. The Sheng xiao (Chinese: 生肖; pinyin: shēngxiào), better known in English as the Chinese Zodiac (Chinese: 中国十二生肖; pinyin: zhōngguó shí èr shēngxiào), is a scheme that relates each year to an animal and its reputed attributes, according to a 12-year cycle. It has wide currency in several East Asian countries besides mainland China and Taiwan. The finishes in colorful paint.

Those cages are very fine art works, made by good carving artist, plus quiet good finishes applicator. So, in a long the stream of production & distribution, from the carver until ended in the cage seller, it had taken very much effort, cost and time for production, it is considerable that the price will be very expensive.

Asian Pied Starling's New Songs

This time I have to race a new Asian Pied Starling, 5 weeks old chick, because the previous one I have made before has been taken by a friend of mine. The previous one was 5 to 6 months old when it taken from me and equally I have race it since 5 weeks old. It has adopted the songs of Love Bird, Common Sparrow, Weaver, Black Headed Bulbul and its genuine songs & sounds.

I put it in the new light grey color bamboo cage, from Focus, a bird cage seller, which the dimension of the cage is wide enough for it. The cage quality is very good and it is very natural as the price I have paid for it, is more than fair, very high, compared to other same cages. The cage is as seen in the picture above. Neat, clean, seems very ductile and also durable.

I have planned to fill it with the songs of woodpecker, blue-crowned hanging parrot, love bird, weaver, sparrow [this one usually automatically will be duplicated as sparrows are around my house and often in daily basis come down into my back yard]. So, I am now ready and have procured those patron birds to be put close to this Asian Pied Starling. I planned to keep them close at least for 4 to 6 months ahead.

I bought the bird in Kupang Bird Market, in Surabaya. There are a lot of them in there, in a bird seller. Most of them are chicks, 4-6 weeks old and absolutely product of several bird farms. It is very difficult to find Asian Pied Starling in the wild, of course in the Java Forest. This bird kind already extinct in its natural habitat, Code Red in the list. It very lucky, because there are so many breeders has been successfully grew them in their farm's cages today, so now we could find it in the common bird market easily.

I ask the seller, how to select the male, what is the different, physically, while they are chicks. The seller explain a little bit and then I start to aim it. I choose one of them, which already could be independent, so I don't have to give hand feeding, and I choose the most tamed, friendly one and brave with human's hand.

It took about 3 days to tame and train it to move into the bathing cage every morning, while I can clean its cage. A little bit nervous, that was the first expression of the chick when I put it first time into the bathing cage. But as I have experienced before, many times I race the Asian Pied Starling since 5 weeks old, they were smart birds who can learn single thing we train, faster than any other bird. As you can see it in the picture on above, the bird is starting to adapt in the water, try to get water in the bottom of the cage.

After several weeks I keep and take care of the chick, I feel that the chick was a little bit too old for couple weeks. Means it should be younger if we want to form its sounds/songs. Seems the chick is already 7 weeks old, not 5 weeks as I have predicted [there is no reference available from the seller, neither the breeder, regarding the ages of the bird]. But I think positively, it still can learn and duplicate and make a good copy of other birds sound. I always expect that and wait for the prove. I will be patiently wait for the next several months ahead, until I can see and hear it sings its sounds.

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.