Birds 1 Flashcards
avian biodiversity: species, orders, families
- 10,000 species
- 36 orders
- 243 families
o 50% in order Passeriformes
bird evolution
- Birds have evolved from reptiles
- Share many similarities
- Sauropsid = birds + reptiles
- Archosaur = birds + crocodilians
main conservation issues for birds
-Habitat loss and fragmentation
-Environmental toxins
-Caused by human activities
-Climate change
-Poaching and hunting
pet bird ownership rate in NA
about 3-5% of households
what is CITES
Paperwork: CITES (I or II)
o Travel to US: certificate of ownership and health certificate (only for pet birds)
5 freedoms
oFreedom from hunger and thirst
oFreedom from pain, injury, and disease oFreedom from distress
oFreedom from discomfort
oFreedom to express normal behaviours
typical characteristics of psittaciformes
- Highly intelligent species, colourful, long-lived, and talkative
how many psittaciformes, how many commonly seen in practice
- About 400 species in 4 families, but 20-30 species commonly seen in practice
categoical division of psittaciformes
- Typically divided into
o New- and Old-World parrots
o (see taxonomy table)
sexual dimporphism of psittaciformes
- Most species are not sexually dimorphic
how do we sex psittaciformes
- Sexing
o DNA
oEndoscopic (surgical)
oLaid eggs before
what type of psittaciformes are sexually dimporphic
oBudgerigars (wild phenotype)
>male has blue nose
oCockatiel (wild phenotype)
> white-yellow face for male
oCockatoos
-black iris for male
oPacific parrotlet
>blue line on male wings
oEclectus parrot
> male green, female red
usual housing for psittaciformes
Usually kept in large cages or aviaries
>birds should be able to spread wings completely without touching sides
>smaller cage more acceptable if birds let out during the day
at what temperature should trpoical psittaciformes not be kept outside
o Not outside when less than 5-10C
proper lighting for psittaciformes
o Birds can resolve alternating frequencies up to130-150Hz
(humans are 50-60Hz)
o Birds see in the UV
o No fluorescent lighting (halogen is fine)
how much socialization do psittaciformes need
- Highly social
o Needs lots of social interaction
o May need conspecifics
why is environmental enrichment important for psittacines?
- Highly intelligent and prone to behavioral issues
o Environmental enrichment
o Foraging opportunities
o Prevent reproductive behaviors
psittacines can be sensitive to what type of toxins in the environment?
Be aware of potential toxicities in environment (metal, toys, rarely plants]
diet for psittaciformes
o Pelletized diet (minimum of 60-70% of the
overall diet)
- Common brands include
Hagen (Tropican)
Kaytee
Zupreem
Prettybird
Mazuri
Harrison’s bird food (only through vets)
o Fresh fruits and vegetables
o Occasional seeds and nuts
diets not reccomended for psittaciformes?
o All seed diet
o Animal products
o Minimize table food( depends on owner’s diet)
o Toxic items
why should psittaciformed not be fed all seed?
- High fat low nutrient diet
- Lacks key nutrients such as vitamins (mainly A), minerals, proteins
- Selective feeders
toxic food items for psittaciformes
- Avocado
- Chocolate
- Alcohol
- (plants intoxication are rare in pet birds)
- Foods containing mycotoxins (poor quality corn and nuts)
- Salty food
is it easy to convert a seed eater to a different diet? how can we try?
- “Seed eaters” may be hard to convert
o Alternatives to pellets that are healthier than all seed diets
o Mix pellets with seeds, foraging…
baby parrots: when are they weaned? how do we feed?
o Most small parrots are
weaned are 1-2 months
o Most medium-large parrots are weaned at 3-4 months
o Need neonate formula
- Fed frequently (6-10 times a day) large
volumes
- Body temperature
- Don’t microwave
- Don’t store prepared food
legal requirements for birds of prey?
o CITES permit (depends on source), falconry license,
hunting license
where can someone source a bird of prey?
o Breeders
o Trapped from the wild
- Only red-tailed hawks, Cooper’s hawks, sharp-shinned hawks, and merlins
- Only juveniles
- Need to apply for authorization to MNRF first
o Non-releasable birds (with MNRF permit)
- Education centres
options for housing for birds of prey?
- Kept outside
o Tethered (weathered)
o In aviaries - Tropical species or migrating species
o Inside in winter
o With heated perches outside
tenets of aviary design for birds of prey?
o Predator proof
o Easily cleanable (e.g. pea gravel)
o Prevent parasite intermediate hosts (earthworms, cockroaches…)
o Variety of perches (often covered with artificial turfs for falconry birds)
o Large enough for short flights
Falconry equipment and vocabulary
o Mutes=feces
o Casts=pellets
o Tiercel=male
why are Falconers are demanding clients?
o Expect that you know a minimum about
raptors and falconry practices
o Training is based on conditioning and food motivation (some falconers may “lower” their bird too much)
- Trade-off between food motivation and good muscle mass for flying
o Keep a close eye on their birds and weight regularly, keep logs
o Tendency to treat their birds themselves o Hard to build trust
diet for birds of prey
o Whole preys
- Quails
- Day-old chicks (high in cholesterol)
- Rats/mice
- Fish (need to add vit tabs)
- Pigeons (carrier of several diseases)
- Hunted preys for falconry birds (ducks, rabbits)
housing for columbiformes
- Kept as pets or in large “pigeon lofts”
o “cells” with nesting boxes
o Some lofts are open
Columbiformes aviary design
oPigeons are messy
- Separation from feces and food debris (wire mesh floor)
- Good ventilation
- Cleaned on regular basis
big columbiformes industry and general practices in it
- Pigeon racing is a big industry
o Pigeons are released far away (typically males) and
return to their cell on their own
o Many different types of races
o Owners tend to use a variety of supplements and drugs
o Seldom go to veterinarians
types of pigeons you would most likley see as a vet
- Most likely to see pet pigeons
- Some pigeons are farmed for meat
Columbiformes diet
oStrict granivorous oSwallow seeds whole
oNeed grit in their ventriculus to crush and digest seeds
how is the backyard chicken industry changing? how is it different from commercial?
- Rising trend
oPets and eggs
oDifferent breeds than in the poultry industry (“heritage” breeds)
backyard chicken housing
- Kept in a coop
oNeeds to be heated and well ventilated
oCleanable, changeable substrate
oPredator-proof (especially raccoons) - Predator trauma is a common cause of presentation
issues with backyeard chickens
- Loaded with diseases
o Not vaccinated
o Bacterial and viral diseases very common
o Impossible to avoid parasite transmission - Challenges with veterinary care
o Owners eat eggs
o Withdrawal times not determined for most drugs in eggs
o Lack of authorization to use drugs on layers
o Some drugs are not recommended for use - Chloramphenicol
- Cephalosporins
- Quinolones
- Metronidazole
backyard chicken diet
oSpecific pelletized diet (layers,
growers…)
oEgg-laying chickens needs more nutritious diet and more calcium
oOmnivorous, foraging outside
how are anseriformes usually kept, and why? what do they absolutely need?
- Pets or ornamental
o Frequently “pinioned” - Need water access
o Will develop problems without
Anseriformes diets, and important consideration
o Waterfowl pellets and plants
o Be careful with chicks and high-protein diet
Passeriformes: common reasons they are kept
- Companionship or ornamental birds
- Show
oSinging canaries
(males)
oGeneral appearance
Passeriformes housing
- Typically kept in small cages or aviaries
oSome fly in the house and go back to their cage
why is photoperiod important for passeriformes
oBreeding and singing
Passeriformes diet
oSeed mix
oChopped-up vegetables
oInsects (dusted with calcium)
o“egg food”
Baby wild passerine birds are common to find in what human setting? what do they eat, and what issues do they have that we must be attentive to?
o Extremely common in wildlife centres
o Most are insectivorous (or insectivorous when chicks)
o Susceptible to metabolic bone disease
o Need to be kept warm
o Hand fed with (will typically beg, q30-60 min):
- Moisten kitten pellets
(with added calcium)
- Dedicated songbird nestling handfeeding formula
(e.g. Mazuri)
- Home-made formula
- Live insects
what principles can prevent many avian diseases?
Optimal captive husbandry and diet may prevent many diseases
