Abstract
Many kinds of birds are kept in aviculture but I'm sure you will all agree that the parrot in its many varieties is the most popular bird in captivity. Most of you also know that about eight years ago Joseph M. Forshaw and William T. Cooper prepared a book that has become the aviculturists bible - Parrots of the World. In 1973 it sold for $75.00 and I bought twenty copies that went to various and sundry friends and acquaintances. I even kept several copies for myself.
Whenever a question regarding a parrot's identity arises, out comes Parrots of the World. Whenever we acquire a new species of parrot for our collection, out comes Parrots of the World. Even the officials in the U.S. Customs and U.S. Department of Agriculture refer to Parrots of the World while monitoring the bird imports into the country.
In short, the volume has had a great impact on modern aviculture. Forshaw's data and Cooper's outstanding paintings have become part and parcel of our lives.
Well, my friends, that inimitable pair has done it again. Forshaw has revised, updated, and expanded his early edition of Australian Parrots. Being an astute young fellow. Forshaw measured the success of his Parrots of the World and designed his second edition of Australian
Parrots on the same format. For this second edition Mr. Cooper was commissioned to create all new paintings of the Australian parrots. The plates are all new - none were taken from Parrots of the World. The paintings are exquisite.
Now I should get to the matter at hand.
My dear friends, a new book will be available to use about August of 1981. It is this second edition of Australian Parrots by Joseph M. Forshaw illustrated by William T. Cooper. It is published by Lansdowne Editions, Victoria, Australia, and distributed in the U.S. by Mereweather Press Inc., 420 Madison Ave., New York, New York, 10017.
This book is, as I have mentioned, designed as a companion volume to Parrots of the World. Both volumes should be on your shelf. The new volume will occasionally refer you to the Parrots of the World particularly regarding taxonomy and the origins of Australian parrots. Granted, most of you are disinterested in parrot systematics or fossil parrots but I mention this to point out the interrelationship between the two volumes.
What most of you are concerned with is the Australian parrots in captivity. But Joseph Forshaw, you say, is no great friend of aviculture - what can we learn about captive birds from him?
A healthy philosophy for one thing.
Forshaw may not be aviculrure's most ardent supporter but neither is he a downright enemy. He seems to look upon aviculture with some suspicion and some of it, alas, may be justified. But he says, ''Whether it be possession of one or two household pets or the housing of many birds in elaborate breeding aviaries, keeping parrots in captivity is an interesting, worthwhile hobby that can give much pleasure." True. One for Forshaw.
He further states that " ... aviculturisrs have an obligation to ensure that at all times their activities comply with appropriate state or territory wildlife protection legislation." Also true. As a personal aside though, I might suggest that a good legislation should reflect reality in order to earn respect. The recent CITES fiasco that categorized virtually all psittacines as threatened does not engender respect for
the law.
Another point that Mr. Forshaw casts light upon is the aviculturist's claim that captive breeding is an act of conservation. He says it just isn't so. "Aviculturists should acknowledge that they keep and breed birds because it gives much enjoyment and satisfaction: there is no need to seek justification by claiming to be saving species from extinction." Hmmm! True again, I suppose, but maybe only partly so.
We can and should acknowledge the pleasure we derive from our birds. That fact is indisputable. We can also suggest that a self-sustaining captive population of a species serves as insurance against some future condition that could wipe out a feral population. Such a captive population is, indeed, a factor in conserving the species if something goes wrong in nature.
A few days ago while researching some literature from my bookshelves I read in an undated old book, ''These birds are common to Mexico and to all the southern states of America, where they always congregate in large flocks ..... the Carolinas ought to take a prominent place with the fanciers, and I recommend them to amateurs in this country." The author, of course, was speaking of the Carolina Parakeet. I admit to a lump in my throat when I read that passage. Who would have thought that in a few years not one bird of the species would remain alive - not one bird.
If the fanciers had taken the good advice the Carolina Parakeet could have been established in captivity.
The same holds for the Paradise Parrot (Psephotus pulchem'mas). A few were imported into European aviaries before the turn of the century but they were allowed to die out. Then in 1902 a great drought occurred in the Paradise's habitat in Australia and was followed by serious overgrazing of the land. The blow was more than the already declining bird could stand. The last verified sighting took place in 19 2 7.
In this age of quick and catastrophic change, who can guarantee the future of any bird? Captive breeding is just another way to hedge a bet on a species' survival even if it isn't obvious at the moment.
But, by and large, I believe Mr. Forshaw is correct when he suggests most aviculturisrs do not have conservation uppermost in their minds when they build a collection of birds. Prestige and profit have a lot to do with it. Let us grant him that point as graciously as he grants us the priviledge of responsible bird keeping.
For his part, Forshaw includes in his
Introduction a large, well done section on parrots in captivity. He talks a little · philosophy then goes on to a very good section on housing (he shows diagrams of aviary design); feeding, including some good diets; breeding (including diet and techniques for hand feeding baby parrots); and ailments. I found the Introduction to be very readable, informative and rather unbiased.
Although I suspect most of you will hasten to the major portion of the volume which treats the species and subspecies on an individual basis, I recommend reading the Introduction. It will give you things to think about.
The genera and species data begin on page thirty five and continue to page two hundred ninety. There are fifty four species listed and fifty four magnificent, full page color plates. Mr. Cooper is an absolute master. His birds are perfect in color, form, and posture. My own collection contains many Australian birds and I constantly marvel at their various hues and colors as I see them in the sun and in the shade. The only way to describe such beauty is through paintings equally exquisite. Mr. Cooper succeeds to perfection. This is one book you will enjoy even if you can't read.
After studying the painting of a particular bird you will, of course, want to read about it. Forshaw presents a great deal of information on each species. The format of the text is like that found in Parrots of the World but includes much more data. The first improvement you will notice is the category of Other Names. Forshaw uses the names common in Australia but not always common here. He says Mulga Parrot when we would say Many-colored Parrot, for instance, and Regent Parrot for what we call the Rock Pepplar. Happily, in this edition of Australian Parrots he lists all of the common names that are generally applied to a species. That is a desired convenience.
He then goes on to a description of the bird, gives its Distribution then its Status. Under Status it may surprise you to learn that the rather common aviary bird, the Princess of Wales Parrot, is a rather uncommon bird in the wild. Forshaw says it is so seldom observed that it is generally considered to be rare. In all of his travels and field studies Forshaw, himself, has not had the good fortune to observe the Princess Parrot in the wild.
Further categories of interest are Habits, Movements, Flight, Calls, and Feeding. By careful reading of these categories one can become familiar with natural behavior of one's aviary birds. Many of us feel that the more natural our
captive environment is the better chance we have to breed the birds. It is good to know, for instance, that the Mulga Parrot (which is one of my favorites) eats seeds, greens, and insects and larvae. They also nibble on charcoal and grit. I have enough property to plant a number of trees and shrubs that are native to parts of Australia and can thus provide my captive birds with much of the same fare their wild brethren enjoy. Forshaw has thoughtfully provided me with the Latin names of the plants I desire.
Probably of greatest interest to the American aviculturist are Forshaw' s rather extensive categories called Breeding and Aviary Notes. They, naturally, vary a bit with each species treated but the notes can be very helpful. In his Parrots of the World Forshaw made no such concession to aviculture but in this second edition of Australian Parrots he goes out of his way to accommodate the interest of the bird breeder. For example, he explains how the Hooded and Golden-shouldered Parrots prefer a nest box with an entrance spout and how several members of this Psephotus genus tend to quit brooding their babies too early and breeders have saved the babies by providing heated nest boxes.
Other facts of great interest to the aviculturist are included in the Aviary Notes. Forshaw mentions many hybrids and expresses doubts regarding other reported hybrids. I only just recently heard of a cross breeding between a Redrumped Parrot and a Cockatiel. I twas nice to learn that Forshaw doubts this breeding as I did. But he did verify a cross breeding between the Red-rumped and the Elegant Grass Parakeet which surprised me.
If one will study Australian Parrots closely one will learn a great deal about the birds. One's knowledge will be expanded in unforeseen directions and one cannot help but become a more knowledgeable bird keeper.
The price of this forthcoming volume is $100.00. I have heard people say that it is not worth that much but how can one determine fair prices these days? Parrots of the World, a much bigger volume, sold for $75.00 in 1973. Today it demands a price between $300.00 and $400.00. I wish I had kept the twenty volumes I originally bought. This second edition of Australian Parrots will cost you the price of going to dinner in a good restaurant and it will increase in value, which is more than you can say for your dinner. I recommend the book. Although Forshaw and Cooper will make money on the volume, it is money well earned. They have provided a very great service to aviculture and we should take advantage of it•