Old German Owl

Family: Columbidae
Family: Columbidae

Distribution:
The "old" German Owl was definitely known of in the nineteenth century, but around 1870 Oriental Frills and Anatolian Owls were imported into Germany. Crosses with these breeds and other varieties altered the head properties of the German Owl and there became a short-beaked breed. In about 1894 fanciers developed a standard for this new variety and the number of the original "old" German Owls was greatly diminished. It was not until 1956 that there was an active re-establishing of the original breed. Today it is again popular and is shown throughout Germany.
The German Owl has been known in the United States for many years and its standard is listed in the National Pigeon Association's Encyclopedia of Pigeon Standards. This has led many American breeders to believe that the German Owl is the older breed and that the Old German Owl is a new breed, when, in fact, the Old German Owl really is older.

Description:

Care and feeding:

The Old German Owl will do best housed in a roomy aviary, and will also be a perfect choice for a free flight bird housed with a dovecote.
It's main diet can be a commercial dove and pigeon mix generally consisting of seed, cereal, and legumes. This must be supplemented with greens rich in minerals, vitamins, and calcium. Grit and gravel are also essential.
See About Doves & Pigeons: Housing and About Doves & Pigeons: Care and Feeding for more information.

Social Behaviors:
Old German Owls have a very friendly demeanor and are fairly tame. They are fun to keep and are peaceable. They form permanent pairs and should be kept together.
See About Doves & Pigeons: Social Behaviors for more information on social behaviors of doves and pigeons..

Activities:
You will enjoy them for their acrobatic antics as well as their attractive markings both in the aviary and when they are in free flight. These birds do best in an aviary or dovecote because they need room to fly.

Breeding/Reproduction:
This is a very easy pigeon to breed and their beaks are long enough to feed their own young perfectly well. They are very good parents.
See About Doves & Pigeons: Breeding/Reproduction for more information on breeding.

Diamond Dove

Family: Columbidae
Scientific Name: Geopelia cuneata
(also Strictopelia cuneata)

Subspecies:

• Diamond Dove
  Geopelia cuneata cuneata
• Geopelia cuneata mungi

Distribution:
The Diamond Dove is found in central and northern Australia. They are members of a group commonly called the Turtle Doves. They inhabit open terrain, grasslands and sparsely wooded areas especially around water. They are also found in the parks and gardens of cities and towns.

Description:
The Diamond Dove is a small bird, a little larger than a canary, with a long tail. Mature birds are about 7 1/2 inches (19 cm) long and will weigh about 1 1/2 oz (45 g). Their average life span is about 10 years.
The head, breast, and neck are a light bluish-gray and the back is a light brown. The tail is a dark gray with the middle feathers tipped in black and the outer feathers tipped in white. The lower abdomen and under the tail are a creamy-white. The upper half of the wings and the shoulders are a brownish-gray scattered about with small white spots circled in black, thus the 'diamond' appearance. The lower half of the wing is a more chestnut color. The eye is orange-red surrounded by a coral-red orbital eye ring. The beak is olive brown and the legs are a pale pink.
The male will have a darker head, neck, and breast than the female and the orbital eye ring will be larger, though these characteristics are not readily apparent until they are at least 6 months old. A young bird will have a browner head and overall feathering, and the eye and surrounding orbital ring will be paler.
There are several mutations and color varieties of Diamond Doves with the most popular being silver. Others include varieties that are all white, dark gray, very brown, red, yellow, cinnamon, and pied.

Care and feeding:
Diamond Doves are usually kept in an aviary, but they can also easily be kept in a large parakeet cage with 3/8" bar spacing. The minimum size of the cage should be at least 18" square. Cages that are longer and wider are more important than tall cages as these birds flutter around and do not climb.
Like the Ringneck Dove they are quite hardy. If they are kept outdoors and are accustomed to cold weather, they can take below freezing temperatures for a couple of days, but it is best to provide a heat source.
A good finch or parakeet seed mix supplemented with greens rich in minerals, vitamins, and calcium is a fine diet. They not only enjoy their greens but will also enjoy spray millet, especially white millet. They also require grit and cuttlebone.
See About Doves & Pigeons: Housing and About Doves & Pigeons: Care and Feeding for more information.

Social Behaviors:
They are good-natured social creatures that do well when kept in cages or in aviaries. Being very peaceful and tolerant, they can be housed kept with finches and canaries. They form permanent pairs and mates do well if kept together.
See About Doves & Pigeons: Social Behaviors for more information on social behaviors of doves and pigeons.

Activities:
The Diamond Dove gets its exercise through short flights about the aviary. If kept in a cage, the larger the better so they can get some exercise there too.

Breeding/Reproduction:
These are one of the doves that is dimorphic, meaning it can be sexed visually. It generally takes several together in order to tell the difference between the male and female, but the male will have a noticeably larger orange ring circling the eye. This difference, however, does not become apparent until they are about 6 months old so younger birds will be difficult to determine.
Though Diamond Doves are not as prolific as the Ringnecks, they will breed in either a large cage or an aviary. They will need a nest, an open canary nest will work fine. Provide nesting materials such as dried grass and small twigs.
They female will lay two eggs which will hatch in 13 - 14 days. Be sure to remove the young when they are weaned as the parents may start attacking them in an attempt to run them off. They do make very good foster parents for the young of other similar sized doves.
See About Doves & Pigeons: Breeding/Reproduction for more information on breeding.

Umbrella Cockatoo

White Cockatoo
Family: Cacatuidae
Scientific name: Cacatua alba

Description:
Umbrella Cockatoos are a full-sized cockatoo. They are primarily white with long wide crest feathers that resemble an umbrella when raised. The underside of the wings and tail is also frequently tinged with yellow. They have black beaks and dark-grey feet.

Care and feeding:
A roomy cage is required (minimum 2 ft. x 2 ft. x 3 ft. high) unless the bird is to be let out for extended periods. Many birds can spend most of their time on a play pen or parrot perch. They eat a variety of seeds, nuts, fruits, and commercial pellets, as well as the same nutritional foods humans eat.

See About Cockatoos: Housing and About Cockatoos: Care and Feeding for more information.

Distribution:
Is found in Obi, Halmahera, Ternate and Tidore in the central and nothern Moluccas, Indonesia.

Size - Weight:
Mature birds are about cm (12 inches) in length. They are among the largest cockatoos.

Social Behaviors:
In the wild, Cockatoos are friendly and peaceful. They are generally seen in small groups among the treetops.

Breeding/Reproduction:
The hen will usually lay two eggs which will hatch in about 30 days. Both parents will brood and the young will wean in about 3 months.

See About Cockatoos: Breeding for more breeding information.

Sexual differences:
Hard to tell with young birds. As they get older the iris of the females' eyes will develop a reddish color, the males' eyes will remain black. This is not always completely accurate so other means are necessary if you need to know "for sure" what sex a particular bird is.

Greater Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

Family: Cacatuidae

Scientific name: Cacatua galerita Subspecies - (4) :
Greater Sulphur-crested CockatooCacatua galerita galerita
Triton CockatooCacatua galerita triton
Medium Sulphur-crested Cockatoo(also called: Eleonora Cockatoo)Cacatua galerita eleonora
Cacatua galerita fitzroyi
Distribution: These birds can be found in New Guinea including the offshore islands, Aru islands, and northern and eastern Australia. It has been introduced to other places including New Zealand, the Palau Islands, and Indonesia.
Description: Greater Sulphur-crested Cockatoos are a full-sized cockatoo. They are primarily white with a yellow or "sulphur" colored crest on the top of their head. The underside of the wings and tail is also frequently tinged with yellow. Mature birds are about 48 cm (19 inches) in length. They are among the largest cockatoos. In many respects the Greater Sulphur-crested Cockatoo resembles the Lesser Sulphur-crested Cockatoo. Technically these two species would be referred to as 'superspecies', meaning two similar species that are geographically separated. Besides size, the Greater Sulphur-crested being a larger bird, there are a few other criteria used to identify them. The Lesser Sulphur-crested Cockatoos have a heavier, wider, and less protruding beak, their crest is usually narrower, and the bare skin around their eyes is much whiter. Birds that are called the 'Medium Sulphur-crested Cockatoo' are generally the Eleanora Cockatoo Cacatua galerita eleonora, a subspecies of Greater Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, though in earlier writings this term sometimes referred to larger individuals of the Lesser Sulphur-crested Cockatoo.
Care and feeding: A roomy cage is required (minimum 2 ft. x 2 ft. x 3 ft. high) unless the bird is to be let out for extended periods. Many birds can spend most of their time on a play pen or parrot perch. They eat a variety of seeds, nuts, fruits, and commercial pellets, as well as the same nutritional foods humans eat. See About Cockatoos: Housing and About Cockatoos: Care and Feeding for more information.
Social Behaviors: In the wild Cockatoos are friendly and peaceful. They live together in flocks of 20 or more birds. They enjoy and require a lot of affection and attention. It is often recommended that they be kept in pairs so they will keep each other company. This can help to reduce the amount of time you will have to devote to an individual bird.
Breeding/Reproduction: See About Cockatoos: Breeding for Cockatoo breeding information.
Sexual differences: Hard to tell the sex of young birds. As they get older the iris of the females' eyes will develop a reddish color, the males' eyes will remain black. This is not always completely accurate so other means are necessary if you need to know "for sure" what sex a particular bird is.

Yorkshire Canary

"John Bull canary"

Family: Fringillidae

Scientific Name: Serinus canaria domesticus
Distribution: Research indicates that the the present day Yorkshire Canary has quite a diverse heritage. Its development dates back to the mid 1800's in England. It was first shown in 1870 in Yorkshire, thus its name. In 1894 the Yorkshire Canary Club was formed which approved the initial ideal type for this variety, but it was not until 1935 that the desired standards used today for this "type canary" were reached. The Yorkshire was developed from crossbreeding the common canary with the Lancashire, Norwich, and Belgian canaries to add such qualities as length, improved color and feather quality, vigor and stance. The Yorkshire Canary seen today is a large canary with an attentive bold bearing, excellent feathering, and a graceful distinctive outline.
Description: The "Gentleman of the Fancy" canaries, the Yorkshire Canary is a "type canary" bred for physical appearance rather than color or song. This is one of the largest of the canary types, reaching lengths of over 6 inches (15 cm), with the average being about 6 3/4 inches (17 cm). They are tall, slender and symmetrical; being broad across the upper body with a narrow waist and a bold alert stance The feathers are short, tight and silky. They can be found in colors of green, yellow, buff, cinnamon, and white.
Care and feeding: Like all canaries, the Yorkshire Canary enjoys wide open spaces so provide a roomy cage. Do to their size, they will need an even larger cage and nest box than other canaries, Provide a cage with vertical bars and small perches of different size for foot exercise. Have at least 1 perch set high in the cage for the canary to roost (sleep). The cage should be placed high, so the canary can look down on us so to speak. Canaries eat mainly canary seed and rape seed. Vitamin coated canary seed mixes are readily available at a pet store. Greens are also enjoyed and can be offered daily along with a little calcium in the form of a cuttlebone. They do like to bath, so should be offered a bird bath. Cage cleaning and toe nail trimming is about all the maintenance canaries need. See About Canaries: Housing and About Canaries: Care and Feeding for more information.
Social Behaviors: They are good-natured social creatures that do well when kept in cages or in aviaries. They are timid birds though and should not be housed with parakeets, lovebirds, or other hookbills that tend to be more aggressive birds by nature. Male canaries should be kept in a cage by themselves to ensure quality singing. Males can be territorial and pairing up with two male canaries in a cage can cause fights. In a spacious aviary canaries can generally be housed with other canaries, finches, and other hardbills.
Activities: Canaries do not require toys, mirrors or any other form of entertainment, a swing is all they need to keep themselves occupied. Most of the time, canaries are simply enjoyed for their beauty and singing. However, some canaries are allowed out of their cage to perch or are show canaries and therefore require taming or training. See About Canaries: Handling/Training for information on taming and training.
Breeding/Reproduction: Most canaries breed easily and readily if provided with quality food, lighting, secure surroundings, and conditioning. The Yorkshire Canary is relatively easy to breed and will readily rear their young. They are best bred in breeding cages.They lay their eggs in a nest. The female will lay 3 to 6 eggs, one per day. It is best to allow a hen to have only two clutches. See About Canaries: Breeding/Reproduction for more information on breeding.

Waterslager Canary

Belgian Waterslager Song Canary, Malinois Canary, Water Singer

Family: Fringillidae

Scientific Name: Serinus canaria domesticus

Distribution: One of the oldest breeds of canary, the Waterslager Canary is also known as the Belgian Waterslager Song Canary, Waterslager Song Canary, Malinois Canary, and Water Singer. Like the term Waterslager, all these common names are different representations of this bird and its characteristics. The term 'water' describes the distinct sound its song is noted for, while 'Belgian' indicates its country of origin, and 'Malinois' is drawn from a French named town in Belgium where dedicated fanciers developed this breed (in English it is Mechelen, Belgium). Originating in Belgium, one of the earliest accounts of this breed were included in a French travelogue in 1713 where the author describes observing this canary while stopping at the town of Malinois, Belgium. It has been most popular throughout its history in Europe, and is growing in popularity in the United States and Canada.
Description: The Waterslager Canary is bred for its song rather than its physical appearance or color, but it is a fair sized bird reaching lengths of about 6 1/2 inches (16.5 cm). It has some distinctive traits to its head such as a larger more cone shaped beak and a sharper bite than other canaries, shiny bright black eyes, and when excited the feathers on the back of the head rise up giving it a bit of a crest. This canary has soft feathers and their colors are yellow and white, though in varying shades from pale to quite strong. Dark ticking is common and is usually accepted for show as long as it does not cover over a quarter of its plumage.
Care and feeding: Canaries like wide open spaces so provide a roomy cage. Provide a cage with vertical bars and small perches of different size for foot exercise. Have at least 1 perch set high in the cage for the canary to roost (sleep). The cage should be placed high, so the canary can look down on us so to speak. Canaries eat mainly canary seed and rape seed. Vitamin coated canary seed mixes are readily available at a pet store. Greens are also enjoyed and can be offered daily along with a little calcium in the form of a cuttlebone. They do like to bath, so should be offered a bird bath. Cage cleaning and toe nail trimming is about all the maintenance canaries need. See About Canaries: Housing and About Canaries: Care and Feeding for more information.
Social Behaviors: Canaries in general are good-natured social creatures that do well when kept in cages or in aviaries. However, the Waterslager Canary is not prone to being as sociable. They do not like to be handled and they do not particularly like the company of other canaries in the same room. All canaries are timid birds and should not be housed with parakeets, lovebirds, or other hookbills that tend to be more aggressive birds by nature. Male canaries should be kept in a cage by themselves to ensure quality singing. Males can be territorial and pairing up with two male canaries in a cage can cause fights. Older males do not even do well in flight cages or aviaries and are best housed separately.
Activities: Canaries do not require toys, mirrors or any other form of entertainment, a swing is all they need to keep themselves occupied. Most of the time, canaries are simply enjoyed for their beauty and singing. However, some canaries are allowed out of their cage to perch or are show canaries and therefore require taming or training. For singing contests the Waterslager Canary requires training. They are trained to sing well defined song segments, called 'tours. They can be trained either from listening to another perfect adult singer or from a recording. As they are also quite adept at mimicry, If they develop any faults in the song they must immediately be removed from any other birds being trained. See About Canaries: Handling/Training for information on taming and training.
Breeding/Reproduction: Most canaries breed easily and readily if provided with quality food, lighting, secure surroundings, and conditioning. They are best bred in breeding cages.They lay their eggs in a nest. The female will lay 3 to 6 eggs, one per day. It is best to allow a hen to have only two clutches. The Waterslager Canary is a more difficult bird to breed, though the males are often better parents than females. In general these birds have a hard time settling down especially if there are other birds around. They will not always sit the eggs, are not always good feeders, and can be prone to severely plucking their young. See About Canaries: Breeding/Reproduction for more information on breeding.

Spanish Timbrado Canary

Family: Fringillidae

Name: Serinus canaria domesticus

Distribution: One of the newest breeds, the Spanish Timbrado Canary began to be bred by an organized breeders' association in the 1940's and 1950's in Spain. Being bred for a very loud very clear metallic sound with bell tones, the most common meaning of the name 'timbrado' is the ringing of an old-fashioned doorbell. The first rules of standard for this bird were established in about 1963, but have been updated at least three times since then.
Description: Though the Spanish Timbrado Canary is classified as a "song canary", it is also bred for appearance which can vary widely depending on where an individual bird is from.
Most Timbrados will reach a length of just over 5 inches (12.7 cm). As they are judged in shows for their appearance as well as their song, they need to be compact and robust looking, the chest must be wide, and the feet very short. The feathers need to be tight and the tail v-shaped but not too long. Their coloring is often closer to that of the wild canary, being greenish, but they are also found in yellow, white, cinnamon, and variegated. There can be no frilling or red coloring in its plumage.
Care and feeding: Canaries like wide open spaces so provide a roomy cage. Provide a cage with vertical bars and small perches of different size for foot exercise. Have at least 1 perch set high in the cage for the canary to roost (sleep). The cage should be placed high, so the canary can look down on us so to speak. Canaries eat mainly canary seed and rape seed. Vitamin coated canary seed mixes are readily available at a pet store. Greens are also enjoyed and can be offered daily along with a little calcium in the form of a cuttlebone. They do like to bath, so should be offered a bird bath. Cage cleaning and toe nail trimming is about all the maintenance canaries need. See About Canaries: Housing and About Canaries: Care and Feeding for more information.
Social Behaviors: Canaries are good-natured social creatures that do well when kept in cages or in aviaries. They are timid birds though and should not be housed with parakeets, lovebirds, or other hookbills that tend to be more aggressive birds by nature. Male canaries should be kept in a cage by themselves to ensure quality singing. Males can be territorial and pairing up with two male canaries in a cage can cause fights. In a spacious aviary canaries can generally be housed with other canaries, finches, and other hardbills.
Activities: Canaries do not require toys, mirrors or any other form of entertainment, a swing is all they need to keep themselves occupied. Most of the time, canaries are simply enjoyed for their beauty and singing. However, some canaries are allowed out of their cage to perch or are show canaries and therefore require taming or training. For singing contests the Spanish Timbrado Canary requires training. They are trained to sing well defined song segments called 'tours, and Timbrados can be taught to sing on cue. They can be trained either from listening to another perfect adult singer or from a recording. As they are also quite adept at mimicry, If they develop any faults in the song they must immediately be removed from any other birds being trained. See About Canaries: Handling/Training for information on taming and training.
Breeding/Reproduction: The Spanish Timbrado Canary is generally easy to breed. Most canaries breed easily and readily if provided with quality food, lighting, secure surroundings, and conditioning. Breeding season for most canaries is usually from December to April. They are best bred in breeding cages.They lay their eggs in a nest. The female will lay 3 to 6 eggs, one per day. It is best to allow a hen to have only two clutches. See About Canaries: Breeding/Reproduction for more information on breeding.