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I keep and breed a small number of Australian grass parakeets. This blog provides information and pictures of my birds and a log of their breeding activities. It is also a photo blog of landscapes and wildlife. My dog Buster may also make an appearance. For Nest Box Live - click the link above or visit my website!

Sunday 30 June 2013

Latest fledglings

4 of pair 4's chicks have left the nest. Probably the best birds this year. I wasn't going to keep any young this year, but I may be tempted with the very red cinnamon opaline hen in the first picture.

Red opaline cinnamon hen

Red fronted opaline cock

Other red fronted opaline cock in the middle

Other red cinnamon opaline hen (slightly more orangery than the other)

A fed fronted cinnamon hen still needs to fledge

And here it is, pair 3's single chick. I'm very disappointed with the parents doing this. However, the chick is a big strong bird and will have its feathers back in a few weeks or so.

Wednesday 26 June 2013

latest pictures of the reds

 I was wrong. A cinnamon hen in the middle, between the two cinnamon red opaline hens and the green opaline cock in the corner.
The other green opaline cock at the other end of the box.

The next pictures will probably be when they fledge.

Saturday 22 June 2013

Cinnamon makes sexing easy

Due to the sex-linked inheritance of cinnamon, both cinnamon opalines on the right will be hens, the green opalines (a third is at the other end of the nest box) will be cocks.
Assuming dad is not split for yellow (he may be);
Red fronted cinnamon / opaline cock x red fronted yellow opaline hen gives;
Cocks
50% Green opaline / yellow cinnamon
50% Green /yellow cinnamon opaline
Hens
50% Cinnamon / yellow
50% Cinnamon opaline / yellow
All red fronted. But why some are more red than others...I don't know.

Wednesday 19 June 2013

Amazing colours

Very excited about pair 4's chicks. Cinnamon opalines. But why is one showing such are darker red than the other? It's not the addition of yellow as the flight feathers are to dark.




However, I'm not to happy about pair 3. They have servery plucked their chick.

Sunday 16 June 2013

more red feathers

Pair 3's chick is doing OK, but does not look like it's going to be that red.

Pair 4's chicks are doing very well. Looks like dad is split for opaline, not sure about yellow yet but the two on the right (in the bottom two pictures) are starting to show a significant amount of red feathers.

Taken Friday

Taken today

Sunday 9 June 2013

Acrobatics









more red back turks and update

Pair 1
Have started second clutch

Pair 2

All pair 2's chicks have now fledged. Like last year I had to throw the last one out as the mother is sitting on eggs again. Two red backs.




This little one is a way behind the other two and was on the floor for a few days after it was thrown out. At least now it can get off the ground. Still it is better here than being in the nest box, where I'm sure it would have been attacked by the mother.

Pair 3
The single chick is not feathered up yet. I'm hoping for more red than the mother. This picture was taken without the flash on and shows a hint of red coming through.  

Mother
  Pair 4
It's definitely 5 chicks, Ugly!
 
Benagalese
The five chicks

Getting fed

Two of the chicks

Wednesday 5 June 2013

Latest in the boxes

Pair 3's single chick.

Pair 4's chicks. Still not sure if it's 4 or 5.

Sunday 2 June 2013

another fledgling

One of pair 2's chick has fledged early. Very small and this is one of the big ones!