Breeding the Oriental White eye with Help of Nest Supports

Abstract

Nest site support can have critical influence in the successful raising of softbill birds. Two aspects are discussed for nest site support; a) the setting up of a suitable nesting habitat and b) the placing of a nest support structure.

Nest site support was given to accomplish successful breedings by one pair of Zosterops and four pairs of Pekin Robins (Leiotbrix lutea) in the year of 2000. All five pairs were given nest site support which resulted in the hatching of 13 clutches of eggs. The writer feels that the support given to establish and to build a non-failing nest was instrumental and is note worthy of publication.

Setting Up the Birds

Four unsexed Oriental Whiteeyes were purchased in. May 1999, with the hope that at least one pair would form among the birds. The birds showed no difference in size, significant coloration or weight. The White-eyes were weighed on an electronic letter scale while baited to a dish placed on it. They all weighed 12 grams. As it turned out three birds began to sing shortly after placing all four in planted aviary while one was not observed singing and presumed to be a female.

After two months a pair of Pekin Robins was added to the aviary. The four White-eyes stayed close together and no obvious pair formation took place. As a note of interest, the Pekin Robins appeared to be affected by the boisterous troop of White-eyes and only commenced building a nest in late August, once the White-eyes were moved to another aviary. The following fall-to-spring the four birds remained compatible in an indoor flight (9' X 8' X 8' h), again housed together with a pair of Pekin Robins. In the middle of March 2000 two White-eyes paired up and attempted to build a nest in a bamboo plant. The pair showed some aggression towards the other two males, but no serious conflicts were noted. The tolerance is attributed to the dense planting which included bamboo and potted hem.lock fir. As a word of caution, despite the described compatibility of the four White- eyes, there are many report of intense intra-specific aggression where birds may even kill one another. A small space without sight barriers and escape opportunities elevates this problem once pairs are formed and territories are being established.

Breeding

However, since this enclosure was designated to breed Pekin Robins, the pair of White-eyes and the extra two males were transferred on April 20 to other enclosures. The pair was given a space 4' X 61 X 7'h in a comer of a greenhouse. A potted hemlock fir and pruned-off tall stalks of bamboo were added to create a suitable nesting habitat. The pair was offered 12 to 15 inch long pieces of split raffia and various lengths and various types of dry grasses, moss, and lichen to assist in nest construction. Within two days the White-eyes began to weave strands of raffia in the hemlock 40 inches above ground level.

 Apparently the preparation of the habitat suited the birds to start nesting. However, the pair had difficulty forming the nest in the site they had selected. After observing their futile attempts, a nest support structure was hastily placed in the spot.

Support for the Nest

The support structure is made out of 16 gauge galvanized wire shaped into a ring with and two to three crossing wires forming a basket. The wire ends are left long enough to reach past the rim of the basket to help secure the structure in place. The diameter is about three inch and the depth of the basket about two and a half. The wire is wrapped with raffia to cover all metal surfaces, the thought being, that when the the nest support structure blends in with material the birds have placed, there should be less hesitation accepting it.

The pair reacted to the intervention and delayed nest building for part of the day until night fall, but resumed next morning and completed a rather untidy nest within a day. On April 26. three eggs were noticed and the birds began incubation.

The following day the nest had tilted, spilling the eggs to the ground. The writer had not wrapped the wire ends well enough around the thin branches of the hemlock, nor had the birds tied the nest in place with additional strands of raffia, which had been observed in other cases. It appeared that the female was very anxious to lay her eggs, which stopped nest building.

To correct the failure, the writer wrapped a piece of hexagon 1/z inch chicken wire around the bottom of the nest basket to retain the nesting material better. The nest was tidied up and anchored back in the same location. This time more diligently. The birds were let out of the enclosure during this procedure to explore the service area to distract them.

 

 

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