Here is a question sent in from Ernie:

We have obtained two rescued male Peacocks from The RSPCA, do you know if we can get a female from anywhere to allow them to breed in the wild. They have unlimited access to properties to roam around here where we are. Nth of Gympie.

All the neighbours have adopted them and feed them, they are quite tame. Any info or help appreciated. Thank you.

If you have anything to add, please use the comments below, or send us a response through our contact page.

Unfortunately, the contact form on the contact page has been broken for quite a while now. It did appear to be working, but no emails were sent through.

We were not aware that this was happening, so any requests sent were lost. We apologise for this inconvenience, and we hope it hasn’t caused too much trouble.

If any of you have wanted to ask a question, please do it now – I am all ears!

To make up for this bad customer service, I will hopefully be upgrading the site in the next few weeks. This will give you all a much better user experience, and some new ways to list your birds on the Breeders Market. I will release more details as they come to hand.

There is an interesting debate going around at the moment, in fact if truth be known, it has been going on for years.

The Broken Head Aviaries site has an article relating to the origins of the Red Winged Red Faced Pytilia, and whether or not it is a mutation, hybrid or a seperate species.

I agree that it is not easy to find any concrete data on the subject, and I hope that someone helps out and adds a comment.

Check out the Red Wing Red Faced Pytilia Finch article at Broken Head Aviaries and shed some light on the issue.

This may not be the most groundbreaking discovery, but scientists from the Centre for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications in Barcelona have found that birds with relatively larger brains live longer than those with smaller brains.

The Technology and Science branch of ABC News (USA) reports that the scientists tested parrots and crows (with larger brains) against smaller brained birds (such as pheasants) and found that the bigger brains actually allow the birds to cope with environmental challenges.

Birds with bigger brains are also said to more easily colonise newer areas and environments, as well as cope with changes to their habitat and seasonal patterns.

The UN News reports that a ban on all live bird imports from Africa and other areas is a disappointing move that will force trade into the black market. The EU has made the move to try and restrict the spread of the bird flu virus.

The ban, however does not affect the trade of poultry, a major source of bird flu.

Many poor African nations make a good trade out of exporting live birds, which are abundant in their natural environment. The UN reports that this new ban may decrease the importance of wild birds to the community and therefore reduce the efforts made to conserve them.

A report from the Science Daily Research News states that there is a real possiblity that macaw parrots could soon be extinct in the wild.

17 macaw species exist – one is extinct, one is extinct in the wild, and seven are on the endangered list.

Habitat destruction, the pet trade, and native hunting for feathers and food are leading to the decline.

The report states that despite their fame and popularity, very little is know about the habits of the bird. Studies are underway to learn more about the parrots, leading to better ways to preserve the remaining species.

Whenever I recieve an enquiry, I like to post it here to see if any bird breeders in our online community can help out. This one is a little out of the ordinary, but extremely acheivable.

I’m needing to find a particular type of bird for a photograhic shot we have coming up in November. It needs to look something like a Raven or Magpie it can’t be cuttsey or cuddley looking, it needs to have a long sharp beak if you know of someone you can put me onto that would be great.

Can anyone suggest a bird variety that would fit this description? Dose anyone have a pet Magpie that is not cutesy or cuddly? If you have a bird fitting this description please contact us and we will pass the message on. If you could suggest a species, please leave a comment at the bottom of this post.

I have started to add a few Frequently asked questions to the FAQ page.

The first few relate to the issues surrounding adding your listing. A lot of people are not adding their company name correctly. It should probably say “breeders name”,  or “listing title”, because that is what it will be used for. Unfortunately, we cannot approve any listing that doesn’t contain a proper company name. The listings must be easily searched, and a good company name is vital.

We are starting to see a few people signing up for the Breeders Market Directory. There are only a few free premium listings left, and then it will be up to you to upgrade your own listing.

To all those that have a listing – don’t forget to log into your user area and add your descriptions, images and products.

Your description lets everybody know what you do, what birds you have and any other details you want them to know.

Your images can be of anything related to your listing. It could be a photo of you, of your birds, or of your aviaries. Just follow the size guidelines.

When you have birds for sale, tell everyone about them, by adding your products. This will not only show up in your listing, but when people are searching for products for sale.

The Breeders Market Directory offers you a great way to reach buyers, and all it takes is a little bit of time to get the most out of your listing.

And Remember… If you need any help, dont hesitate to ask.

I received an email from a user of the Breeders Market.

Hello,

My name is alyssa. I am really wanting to breed my white dove with a white or ring-neck dove. I currently have a female and want to buy a male. I am willing to give the interested seller pick of the brood once they’re hatched. My female is an excellent breeder.

Thank you,

Alyssa.

Can anyone help? Either Contact Us or write a comment at the bottom of this post.