Parrot Society of Australia News

Record keeping for breeding season

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 11:17:35 GMT

Record keeping is an important part of running a successful breeding set up. Birds should be identifiable by rings and/or microchips and pairs should be recorded in a book or an electronic device (make sure you back up files).

There are many benefits to record keeping, such as identifying pairs that are doing well or not doing well. Making sure you are selling unrelated pairs. Tracking previous clutches and comparing them to current ones. Being able to know the genetic make up of mutation birds. Knowing hatch dates and therefore ages of chicks.

Sometimes there are problems or successes that you can't pinpoint until you look back over previous records and notice patterns. This is especially helpful for breeders to correct problems experienced in the past.

What should I be recording?

You should first record the ring number and/or microchip number of each parent. A note of the type of box and nest material used. The nest step is to note the breeding behaviours, keep a close eye out for aggression or egg breaking.

When eggs are laid, the egg should be recorded as well as a date or number written on the egg itself (a 2b graphite pencil works well and will not damage the chick inside). An accurate recording of date laid on the egg will give you an accurate incubation time frame. Incubation can vary and it's definitely worth your time to write the temperature and if the day was dry or wet during the incubation period because these factors will change the incubation time.

Once the chicks hatch, a note of their colour and size is helpful. At this point parental behaviour should be monitored. Some birds will exhibit problem behaviours when chicks reach certain ages, or if they decide to breed again. Age of banding should be noted because it gives you a timeframe for future chicks to be banded.

Night Parrot found!

Fri, 21 Aug 2020 11:08:11 GMT

Off the beaten track in Western Australia's Martu country, the illusory Night parrot (Pezoporus occidentalis) has been spotted by Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa rangers. A wonderful result after two long years of using sound recorders to pinpoint the birds and coax them out from hiding.

Once thought extinct, as of now this is the fifth confirmed location of a Night parrot in Western Australia. The two recent recordings occurring in separate areas of the vast Pilbara desert, although the recordings all appear to be in salt lake country.

This wonderful project has been a collaboration between the Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa rangers and Dr Stephen Murphy from the University of Queensland. "The recent discovery of night parrots on Martu country is a great example of two-way science, where detailed knowledge of country was combined with Night Parrot ecology to identify the kinds of places the species might persist. The discovery illustrates how supporting people to be on country - Which maintains and builds knowledge - can lead to nationally significant conservation outcomes" said Dr Murphy

They nest in large spinnifex grass clumps, this and their low flying nature makes them vulnerable to fire. "We'll keep looking for them around the lakes. If we find that nest, we'll do a bit of burning, not too much, to protect them" said Martu ranger Gavin Nanudie. Highlighting the importance of the Aboriginal Ranger Program, which is managing more than fourteen million hectares of country, protecting not just the Night Parrot, but many other native wildlife species.

Blue and Gold Macaws

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 04:24:38 GMT

One of the most stunning aviary and companion parrot subjects that we have in Australian Aviculture, the blue and gold macaw is something incredibly special for any discerning Aviculturist.

The wild-type bird has a beautiful palette if colours, but there are a variety of colour mutations evident across the world. These include the lutino, blue and white, opaline, and a few others. All are gorgeous in their own right, but extremely rare.

The population is certainly increasing, which brings the focus back to securing birds of the highest quality from reputable Aviculturists. Those that provide plenty of space, enrichment, and a quality diet; and also those who are happy to impart information to new macaw-keepers.

You can discover more information about blue and gold macaws by clicking below. Please note you'll need to be a financial PSOA member to view it:

Species Info Page

If you're searching for a blue and gold macaw for your flock, check out these links below:

Breeder Database

Avi-Trader

Congratulations to the 2019 Management Committee

Tue, 26 Feb 2019 14:45:52 GMT

Another AGM has now passed, and we can all welcome the brand new Management Committee with open arms!

Firstly, it goes without saying that we should thank David Bennion for his many years of service to The Parrot Society of Australia; both in the positions of Editor and Membership Registrar.

Dave has retired from his roles, and will continue as part of the PSOA family as a Life Member!

Secondly we'd like to thank Garry Stack and Lloyd Dowling for their tenure on the PSOA Management Committee. Garry as Vice President, and Lloyd as General Committee, have provided a great deal of effort to the running of the Club.

Lastly we would like to thank the Management Committee for 2019, including some new faces. More information can be found here:

Committee

PSOA Breeder Database: A Growing Community

Wed, 03 Oct 2018 13:45:46 GMT

With the prevalence of online bird scams, and the social media crackdown on advertising animals for sale; how do people know where to turn when searching for reputable Aviculturalists?

The new Parrot Society of Australia website has established a growing community for Members to advertise (free as part of their Membership) their own bird-keeping efforts.

The guarantee for people searching for birds is this: every single person on the PSOA Breeder Database is a current financial member of our Association, and their ongoing support for the Club is a testament to their belief in raising the perch in Aviculture.

As the Website is still very new, Members are gradually beginning to advertise their Aviaries in the Database. We aim that within the first twelve months to have over 100 Aviculturalists on the Database.

If you'd like to be part of the PSOA Breeder Database, you'll need to be a current financial Member:

Join the PSOA

And you can view our Database right here:

PSOA Breeder Database

Parrot News - September & October 2018 is ONLINE

Thu, 20 Sep 2018 13:40:43 GMT

We love our Magazine - Parrot News! It's an information filled insight into Aviculture, and read all across the World!

Our latest edition has some incredible feature articles:

The Twenty-Eight Parrot: A Breeder Experience
Your new PSOA Website: Officially Launched
Fence Post Nest for Rosellas: Wild Birds Breeding
Free Flight: Companion Parrots with Dot Schwartz
Parrots 2018 Wrap-Up

Plus, you can view heaps of archived editions of Parrot News online from any device whilst logged-in!

Check Out The PARROT NEWS Magazine

The Parrot News July/August Edition is now ONLINE

Tue, 21 Aug 2018 18:11:26 GMT

Our most recent edition of Parrot News is now online and available to be viewed by Members! We also have a growing archive of previous issues, all able to be read whilst logged-in to our Website!

The most recent edition takes a look at the Breeder's view on keeping Hooded Parrots; one of Australia's most beautiful Native Parrots! It looks at a variety of different measures for keeping them, as well as mutations, diet, and much more.

We have our regular President's Report, with Scott Hovelroud discussing his trip to the Northern Avian Conference, and a snippet on the proposed changes to Wildlife Licensing in Queensland.

We have another article by Tony Silva too, looking at the aggression of the Cockatoo species.

There is also a fantastic spread on The North Brisbane Bird Sale, held in the Moreton Bay Region in Queensland, which had a record turnout for us this year! Some incredible photos and memories to share.

If you are a Member, and want to check out this issue and others online, please click the link below.

Magazine Archive

Parrot Society of Australia Drought Relief

Wed, 15 Aug 2018 05:30:00 GMT

Support for Australian Farmers is now of the upmost importance. At our most recent Management Committee Meeting it was decided that The Parrot Society of Australia would do its bit to raise much needed funds for Drought Relief.

Our farmers are in severe drought conditions with 99% of Australian farmers affected. This drought has been ongoing for the past several years, making life on the land tough for the farmers and their families.

The efforts by the Australian public and Corporate sponsors have been outstanding in recent times and The Parrot Society of Australia wants to ensure we offer as much support as possible too!

Throughout the months of August, September, and October the PSOA will pledge 5% of its entire revenue from Parrot Supplies Australia and 5% of financial Memberships with the Society to the effort. We will donate this through Rural Aid, who provide fantastic avenues of support for farmers and their families.

How can you help?

Shop Online with Parrot Supplies Australia

Join The Parrot Society of Australia

We thank you for your assistance with raising funds for Australia's drought stricken farmers!

August General Meeting

Sat, 11 Aug 2018 12:47:16 GMT

Our next meeting is just around the corner, and we couldn't be more excited! Why? We love providing people with the platform to join in one space, learn, and share experiences about our common interest; Aviculture!

This time round we're welcoming Mark Davies, who has been heavily involved with The Parrot Society of New Zealand for some time. He's now calling Australia's majestic Sunshine Coast home, and is looking forward to sharing his insight to our guests. Mark's topic will be Nutrition: Parrots, Breeding, & Pet Birds; so make sure to come armed with plenty of questions!

For more information, please click the link below.

August General Meeting

Our New Website Is Coming...

Tue, 31 Jul 2018 05:23:54 GMT

In the modern World we are constantly being challenged by improvements to technology and information sharing. For Associations like The Parrot Society of Australia it is fundamentally important that we continue to strive towards delivering new and innovative ways to support Australian Aviculture.

In 2016/2017 we began to toy with the idea of upgrading our current website, or developing a new one. We had to identify what the issues we had were, and how could we make running our Society easier in the long term future. Some of those issues we faced were...

Lack of mobile/tablet responsiveness
A Membership Management system that was performed using Excel spreadsheets
An online Membership system that didn't sync with other interests in the Society
The inability to manage our Events online
Underused features on the website

One of the first improvements we made was by introducing the Parrot Supplies Australia Online Store. This had been in talks for over a decade in The Parrot Society, but in 2017 we managed to make that a reality. Absolute huge improvement for the Club!

With technology improving, we began to investigate options that could help us look after our Members better. We found a fantastic system called Wild Apricot, and with that Advance Web Design who specialise in helping Associations across the World with streamlining their model.

In August 2018 we will introduce a brand new look Website, that allows us to achieve the following for our Members and the General Public:

Fully responsive website to mobile and tablet users
Complete Membership Management system
A comprehensive Resources section (that will continue to grow!)
A full Breeder Database of Parrot Society Members
Avi-Trader Online
Event registration and management - all online
Parrot Trust of Australia fundraising and promotion
Plus HEAPS more!

Our sincere thanks to Michael Sugg, Managing Director of Advance Web Designs and Advance Association Management for his (and his team's) assistance during this process. It's been fantastic to see these changes come to light!

Stay tuned and subscribe for updates to our News section!

Parrots 2018 - Done & Dusted!

Tue, 17 Jul 2018 04:00:35 GMT

Wow! What a weekend!

Parrots 2018 is a mammoth task for a group of Volunteers, but it's something we all thoroughly enjoy to continue to promote our ethos to "Raise The Perch In Aviculture"!

We flew in a great group of Speakers this year. One of our key points of interest was finding people who hadn't spoken at a Parrots Convention before (or for some time), and would provide a different perspective on Aviculture in general.

The weekend was a cold and early start for our feathered-adventurers making their way out to not one but four different private collections! Everything from understated Natives, to playful Amazons, rare Indian Ringneck colour mutations, and some of the most impressive gardens many of us had ever laid eyes on! It was a stand-out Aviary Tour, and a fantastic start to a knowledge-rich weekend.

We then all rolled in for the two streams of lectures, one focussed on Companion Parrots and the other on Breeding. Of course this was complimented by shared lectures, but all in all there was something for everyone; regardless of your interests. Between lectures there was time to view the range of Trade Stands, including that of the Parrots 2018 major sponsor - Vetafarm.

We also welcomed ABK, Animetics, Priam, Parrot Supplies Australia, and the Hagen Avicultural Research Centre (HARI); who were accompanied by none other than Mark Hagen himself! There were many bird-keepers who enjoyed networking with Mark, and learning a great deal more about the Tropican brands and its supply to Australia!

Then the pinnacle of our weekend is the Parrot Trust of Australia Conservation Dinner. We raised just shy of $5,000 for our vulnerable native species, which is a wonderful effort. Our President and Secretary decided to play the part of Auctioneer and Spotter, keeping the crowds entertained with a wondrous array of bird-related artwork, literature, and collectables.

We also welcomed to the floor a presentation on the Night Parrot, as well as the night being opened by Australia's Threatened Species Commissioner - Dr. Sally Box! Interesting conversation was sparked about the Orange-Bellied Parrot, with a view of having private Aviculture working closer with Government; all in aid of building a brighter future for Australia's bird species.

Another great addition was our 'Nutrition Panel', made up of Mark Hagen, Dr. Deborah Monks, Dr Stacey Gelis, and Daniel Gowland. This raised a great number of questions from the floor, and allowed for a science driven approach to Avian diets to be discussed; as opposed to the old rhetoric. It certainly gave many perspective, and was well received!

We're already well underway for planning Parrots 2020 - which we are hoping to be our best yet! Keep an eye on our website for updates.

Jurong Bird Park - What A Prize!

Tue, 05 Jun 2018 02:49:24 GMT

Parrots 2018 is fast approaching. This is The Parrot Society of Australia's biennial Convention, with people from across the World flocking to Queensland to embark on a weekend of education!

But, it isn't just about education. It's also about the great social atmosphere that our community has; sharing knowledge, and working towards improving Aviculture. To help reward our delegates for this year, The Parrot Society of Australia is donating a VIP trip to Jurong Bird Park, with flights and accomodation included!

Many will know that Jurong is famous for keeping some of the rarest species of birds in the World, including the Spix's Macaw! Not to mention a plethora of other beauties all in one spot. To be in a chance of entering this incredible prize, all you need to do is ensure you're a paying delegate at Parrots 2018!

North Brisbane Bird Sale 2018 - A Recap...

Wed, 30 May 2018 02:12:31 GMT

Well our annual bird sale for 2018 is done and dusted! Without blowing our own trumpet, we really pulled out all of the stops to bring you a better Event for this year. We certainly learned a great deal from 2017, which saw a huge influx of visitors with the improvements to Social Media marketing.

Continuing with that same ethos, we looked at making some key improvements based on the feedback from last year's Vendors and Visitors...

Inclusion of a 'cash-out'/ATM facility
Improved trade vendors
Better spacing to manage the large crowds
Changes to food vendor provisions
Greater variety of bird vendors

As many would know, The Parrot Society of Australia Management Committee are made up entirely of volunteers; but in our spare time we made every effort to execute this feedback for the 2018 Event. Our goal is to continue to "Raise The Perch In Aviculture", and here's some of the improvements we managed to accomplish...

Full 'cash-out' facility at the Event
Larger variety of trade vendors, with a wide array of different products
New layout, with wider aisles
Additional food vendor, with both on for extended trading hours
Through our marketing efforts we attracted a much wider array of Aviculturalists to put their birds on show
A full throttle Parrot Supplies Australia display
Bird-of-prey photo area

What this resulted in, following record breaking figures in 2017, was brand new records in 2018 - it was our biggest Event yet! Check out this great video from Brisbane Birds...

We are looking forward to an even better 2019, with the possibility of a second Bird Sale on the horizon!