PET BIRD PERSONALITIES (5): Diamond Doves, Eclectus, Finches

Diamond Doves

Diamond doves are native to Australia. They take their name from the pattern of small white dots found across their otherwise gray wings. About a dozen color forms exist besides the wild gray form, including cinnamon, red diamond, yellow diamond, and snow white.

Diamond doves can be housed with small finches in community aviaries. A pair of birds can also be kept in a roomy cage. They eat a variety of grass seeds, supplemented with moistened cornbread or well-cooked hard-boiled eggs. Diamond doves will also eat chopped green food if it is offered.

Diamond doves are prolific breeders in captivity. Chicks hatch after a two-week incubation period, and they can leave the nest ten days after hatching. Sexes can be determined when the chicks are about 6 weeks old, and the young birds are capable of breeding when they are about 5 months of age.

Eclectus

Eclectus are large, solid parrots from the South Pacific. They are not usually cud-dly parrots and seem to prefer sitting on their owners’ hands or on a perch near their owners.

Some eclectus may pick their feathers. Females can be moody during breed-ing season after they become sexually mature at about 4 years of age. Females are traditionally more aggressive than males.

Eclectus have different vitamin A requirements than other parrot species.

Ask your avian veterinarian for suggestions on the best diet for your eclectus. Provide these parrots with large cages and time-out on a play gym or with you to keep them content.

Finches

Finches are small, active cage birds from Asia, Africa, and Australia.They are well suited to community aviaries or flights, although a pair or a single pet finch can easily be kept in a cage.

Some species are noted for their colorful feathers, while others sing pleasant songs. Finches are often admired from afar rather than being cuddled and held by their owners, although some may learn to enjoy sitting on their owners’ shoul-ders.

In aviary settings, finches may have their feathers picked by cagemates. If you find a picked finch, you may have to remove him from the aviary in order to allow his feathers to grow back. (Source: Julia Rach Mancini: Why Does My Birds Do That?)