Abstract: I suspect there is a growing number of reader of Watchbird who, like I, dream of someday building wonderful aviaries and filling them with prolific breeding pairs of all the species of we have ever desired while, in reality, we are faced with the· challenge of providing the best possible care for our in an indoor and , in fact , a highly urban setting. We are constrained by busy work schedules , space limitations, and the fear that noisy will upset the neighbors next door, or across the hall. I do believe that, even in these situations, with careful planning and careful selection of species, it is possible to enjoy keeping that will thrive in an indoor environment and reward their keepers many times over with good health , fascinating behavior, companionship, and breeding uccesses. If you , like I, are an indoor aviculturist and find yourself leafing through bird books for species that catch your eye then may I sugge t you consider the Australian long-railed parakeets of the genus Polytelis: the Barraband 's parrot, the rock pebbler, and the Princess of Wales. They are often described as the ideal aviary birds but it is nor often recognized what affectionate and gentle pets they can be as well. I have kept all three of these beautiful as tame pets over the past three years, and Jove them to no end. These three species of Polytelis, or the polytelids, as they are generically called, range broadly through Australia : the Barraband 's parrot inhabits eucalyptus forest to semi-open land in southwestern Australia, the rock pebbler is found in similar habitat in southeastern Australia, and is sometimes seen in public parks in the Sydney area. The Princess of Wales, in contrast , leads a highly nomadic existence in the arid interior and , therefore, is much less frequently observed in the wild . Each of the three polytelids have well-established aviary populations in Australia and the .S., so any young bird acquired here will have descended from a fairly long line of captive-bred birds.
Publication Year: 1989
Publication Date: 1989-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
Access and Citation
AI Researcher Chatbot
Get quick answers to your questions about the article from our AI researcher chatbot