Abstract
Books make wonderful holiday gifts because after Christmas is over and before hatching begins in earnest, aviculturists have a little time to catch up on their reading. Most bird fanciers enjoy reading about their favorite species, even if they disagree with the author. There are many classics in avian literature that would make wonderful gifts, but we have selected some more recent releases, most of them readily available, so you can see the range of topics on the market to delight the bird lovers on your shopping list.
The Audobon Society Handbook for Birders by Stephen W. Kress, Charles Scribner and Sons, New York, NY, 1981. $17.50, hardbound, 332 pages.
It pays every aviculturist to know something about wild birds. The more one knows about wild birds the better one can care for captive ones. And bird conservation is more important today than ever. The general information in this volume will help one to gain a more complete understanding of the part birds play in the overall scheme of things.
This volume is a complete guide to the popular and rapidly growing activity of bird watching. A recent U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service srudy suggests that bird watchers were the best informed group regarding ecology and animal life topics. And the author helps you to become a better bird watcher. The techniques can even be used for observing the behavior
of your aviary birds.
There are sections on what to look for when observing birds, how to choose and use binoculars, how to photograph birds, educational programs, research programs welcoming amateurs, periodicals and organizations, and building a library.
Many photos, charts, and drawings illustrate the volume and add greatly to its interest. It is well written and will make a great gift to anyone who enjoys birds.
Adventures with Talking Birds by Catherine Hurlbutt. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune, NJ. 1981. Hardbound, 285 pages.
This is a personal story of one woman's experiences, successful and unsuccessful, comic and tragic, in teaching birds to talk.
The cover is misleading in that it features an Amazon, cockatiel, macaw and budgie. Although the author does write of her work with budgies and cockariels, the only other important psittacine character in her book is a rosebreasced cockatoo. She is much more interested in the Corvidae.
Ravens, crows, mynahs, starlings, magpies, even jays are the birds the author tries to educate. She deserves a great deal of credit for keeping these birds alive in a cage situation, in addition to coping with their mess. She is good with birds and loves them dearly, but to her dismay hers is not the voice they learn to imitate. In her early experiments, her budgies transferred their loyalty to her mother and learned from her, and later birds could not resist mimicking Hurlbutt's neighbor, Mrs. Hamm. Some people have the touch for handling birds, some people have the knack for training birds, and some people have the voice for teaching birds to talk. The author does not have chat voice, and admitting chis lack is much of the charm of the book.
Nevertheless, her observations will be invaluable for people who share her fantasy of teaching birds to talk, and her advice on care and feeding is solid gold for chose kind individuals who get involved in rescuing abandoned and injured native birds.
As a sample of her conclusions, she thinks chat budgies have the best vocabularies, cockatiels are the best whistlers, Indian hill mynahs have the best "human" voices, and ravens are the most intelligent.
This book is hard to put down. Bird lovers will find it as personal and informal as an old friend.
Handbook of Macaws by Dr. A.E. Decoteau, T .F .H. Publications, Nep-
tune, NJ, 1982. $16.95, hardbound, 125 pages.
Again, the 8 'h x 11 size and the many color photographs make this volume well worth having. It is a modest "coffeetable" book, if you will.
The text is nicely written and well organized and covers all aspects of macaws. The first section deals with keeping macaws in captivity-feeding, housing, breeding, ex hi biting-and an excellent section on preventive medicine.
The second section treats the species of macaws and is an excellent, informative reference source. All the species are listed and illustrated either with wonderful photos or artistic representations. The species that are similar are shown together with the differences pointed out.
Many helpful hints about caging and handling these large birds will be appreciated by anyone owning one or more. Indeed, the book may well convert those who have hitherto held little interest in these brilliant new-world parrots. All parrot lovers would enjoy having this book.
Breeding Birds at Home by Ji.irgen Nicolai. T.F.H. Publications, Inc. Ltd., Neptune, NJ.1981. Hardbound,154 pages.
''The most important discoveries which were made on cage and aviary birds during the last decade did not come from 'rarities' or 'first imports,' but instead, without exception, they came from species which are commonly available and of which 'everything' should have been known."
Dr. Nicolai advocates providing as natural an environment as possible for our captive birds, along with crediting them with a great deal of adaptability.
Rather than trying to discuss the breeding requirements of all birds, Dr. Nicolai focuses on Grass Finches and Waxbills, Whydahs, Finches (including canaries), Thrushes, Warblers and Flycatchers, and Doves.
These birds are profiled as to range, habitat, easy to keep/difficult to keep, dietary requirements, compatible I incompatible with other birds, and which ones.
Many species are pictured in both full color and black and white photographs.
This book would be a most welcome gift, especially for a beginning finch fancier.