Abstract
We have enjoyed a telephone rapport with Mike Fidler for quite a while now hut, unfortunately, did not have the opportunity to meet face to face . until recently when he came from his native England to the U.S.A. to visit relatives. We arranged a barbeque and visit with a few friends and Mike Fidler flew up to meet with us and talk birds, in England, Fidler is the Chairman of the Australian Finch Society for the umpteenth time. He has done presentations all over the world with the exception of the United States (other than the private slide presentation we got after the barbeque).
Fidler hegan keeping birds as a child and became a serious aviculturist at the age of 11 when he kept Budgies. He hegan specializing in Gouldians 34 years ago and has specialized in Australian and Parrot Finches ever since, receiving an award from the Avicultural Society for a first English breeding of the Pin-tailed Nonpareil Parrotfinch.
He is coauthor with Dr. Stewart Evans of two hooks: The Gouldian Finch and Parrot Finches, the Atnculturist's Guide. Fidler has a strong interest in conservation and preservation and is involved in a number of projects including the AFA's Red Siskin Project. He has also done field research on Australian and Parrot finches.
We took the opportunity of Fidler's visit to interview him for the AFA.
AFA - Which finches do you keep now and, among them, which are your favorites?
Fidler - Gouldians, of course, are my all time favorites and always will he. I have all the Parrot finches - other than the Katanglads - which are available at the moment in captivity. That includes the Tricolor, the Blue-faced, Red-headed,· Pin-tailed, and Bamboos. I had Katanglads hut lost them in a had snowstorm that turned all the power off for five days. that was a bit of disaster.
I also have some Red Siskins and some Australian Painted Finches. After the Gouldians, my favorites are the Bamboos and Painted Finches. I like them all, really. The Siskins are cute.
AFA - Do you plan to write more hooks in the future ?
Fidler - Yes. I'd like to rewrite the Parrot Finch book for several reasons. It didn't turn out the way it was supposed to in the first place so we've got to do that one. The Gouldian hook is out of print. We now have a lot more field information than we had when we first wrote it so we really ought to he rewriting it sometime.
Beyond that, the only things I really know about are the Australian finches and David Meyer form Newcastle, Australia is working on a hook about them. If he ever does complete it I'd never compete with it. He's a very accomplished aviculturist himself. He has bred the Beautiful Firetail, the Redeared Firetail and a lot of subspecies that most people in the world have not heard of. There is a small subspecies of the Red-browed Firetail which comes from Cape York. I had never even seen or heard of it until I saw it in his aviaries. There is a subspecies of Chestnut-breast that has never been mentioned anywhere in the literature. It also comes from Cape York. But, you see, he's got all that. He's got first hand experience. If he ever gets around to producing the hook it could he an excellent one. If he doesn't produce the hook, then, yes, I'll do a hook on Australian finches.
AFA - When was the Australian Finch Society established and were you involved since the beginning ?
Fidler - The Society was formed either in 1961 or 1962. The situation was parallel to the situation that is beginning to happen now with all the...