The Natural History of Cage Birds

Old magpies, which may easily be taken in winter with lime-twigs placed near some bits of meat, can be taught to remain in the yard by keeping the wings cut till the following autumn, when they may be let grow; from this time there is no fear of their not coming with the poultry, and in spring they will not fail to build near the house, and seek food for their young in the kitchen. I must repeat again that nothing shining must be left in the way of these birds, as they will carry it off immediately, and hide it with great care, let them have as much food as they like besides.

I have lately received a letter from one of my friends, in which he expresses himself thus: – “I have reared a magpie which comes like a cat to rub itself against me until I caress it. It has learnt of itself to fly into the country and return. It follows me everywhere, even for more than a league, so that I have much trouble to rid myself of it, and when I do not wish its company in my walks and visits I am obliged to shut it up: though wild with any other person, it marks in my eyes the least change in my temper. It will sometimes fly to a great distance with other magpies, without however connecting itself with them.”

THE ROLLER

Coracias Garrula, Linnæus; Le Rollier d’durope, Buffon; Die Mandelkrähe, Bechstein

This bird resembles the jay in size and form, and is twelve inches in length, of which the tail measures four and a half; the beak is blackish, before and behind the eyes is a blackish triangular spot, formed by the naked skin; the iris of the eye is grey; the whole of the head, the neck, the throat, the breast, the belly, the large wing-coverts, and all the under-coverts, are of a beautiful bluish green; the tail is of a dusky blue green near the base, becoming gradually lighter towards the end.

The female and young ones of the first year have the head, neck, breast, and belly of a reddish grey tinged with bluish green; the back and the last quill-feathers are of a light greyish brown; the rump is green, tinged with indigo; the tail blackish with a tint of blue green; the rest like the male.

Habitation. – In its wild state the roller may be found in Europe and the northern parts of Africa; it only frequents a few spots in Germany, and prefers forests and sandy plains to high mountains: elsewhere it is only seen during the time of its passage19.

In the house it may be let range at will after the wings are clipt.

Food. – When wild, its principal food is insects and worms; it also eats small frogs, bulbous roots, acorns, and grains of corn.

Breeding. – The nest, placed in the hole of a tree, is made of small twigs, hay, feathers, and bristles. It lays from four to seven white eggs, on which the male takes his turn to sit during eighteen or twenty days. The young ones do not acquire their fine colours till the second year; previous to this period the head, neck, and breast are of a whitish grey.

I had till lately thought that this bird was untamable; but Dr. Meyer of Offenbach has convinced me to the contrary, having himself reared them several times, and kept them in his room. This is his method:

The young ones must be taken from the nest when only half grown, and fed on little bits of cow’s heart, or any other meat which is lean and tender, till they can eat alone; small frogs, worms, and insects may then be added. The means which it takes to kill and swallow these insects are curious enough; it begins by seizing and crushing them with its beak, and then throws them into the air several times, in order to receive them in its throat, which is very capacious. When the piece is too large, or the insect still alive, it strikes it hard against the ground, and begins again to throw it in the air, till falling not across, but so as to thread the throat, it may be easily swallowed.

After having been fed thus long enough, a little barley-meal may be mixed with the meat. I have even brought it to eat bread, vegetables, and softened oatmeal, but it always prefers cow’s heart. I have never seen it drink.

It knows the person who takes care of it, comes at his call to eat from his hands, without however letting itself be caught: but it never becomes quite tame, and often defends itself with its beak. It makes very few movements unless to seek its food, and generally remains quite still in the same place. If it ever hops about the room it is in an awkward and cramped manner, on account of its short feet; on the other hand, it flies very well; but it must not be left completely at liberty in the room, or quite shut up in the cage, because it is so easily startled, and in its fright gives itself such violent blows on the head as would soon kill it. The best way is to clip one wing, and then let it range the room. These birds quarrel with one another, particularly in the evening, for their places on the perch. I have kept them for some time in a large aviary with small and great birds, and once with my pigeons which I kept shut up; generally I have them in my room, where they mix with several other birds: but whether alone or with companions they appeared equally healthy and active.

Attractive Qualities. – They have few other attractions besides their beautiful plumage, for their voice is only a harsh croaking “crag, crag, craag20.”

THE GOLDEN ORIOLE

Oriolus Galbula, Linnæus; Le Loriot, Buffon; Der Pirol, Bechstein

This species, the male of which is very beautiful, is about the size of a blackbird. Its length is nine inches, of which the tail measures three and a half, and the beak one. The head, neck, back, breast, sides, and lesser wing-coverts, are of a brilliant golden yellow; the wings and the tail are black, with yellow gradually increasing to the outer feathers.

The female is not so brilliant, the golden yellow is only visible at the tip of the olive feathers in the tail, and in the lesser and under wing-coverts. All the upper part of the body is of the green colour of the siskin, the lower part greenish white with brown streaks, and the wings grey black.

Habitation. – When wild, it generally frequents lonely groves, or the skirts of forests, always keeping among the most bushy trees, so that it is rarely seen on a naked branch; it always frequents orchards during the time of cherries. It is a bird of passage, departing in families in August, and not returning till the following May21.

In the house, if it cannot be let range at pleasure, it must be confined in a large wire cage.

Food. – When wild, its food is insects and berries. In confinement, and if an old one be caught by means of the owl, like the jays, it must be kept at first in a quiet and retired place, offering it fresh cherries, then adding by degrees ants’ eggs, and white bread soaked in milk, or the nightingale’s food. But I confess there is great difficulty in keeping it alive, for with every attention and the greatest care, I do not know a single instance of one of this species having been preserved for more than three or four months.

Breeding. – The scarcity of the golden oriole arises from its breeding but once a year. Its nest, hung with great art in the fork of a small bushy branch, is in shape like a purse, or a basket with two handles. The female lays four or five white eggs, marked with a few black streaks and spots. Before the first moulting, the young ones are like their mother, and mew like cats. If any one wishes to rear them they must be taken early from the nest; fed on ants’ eggs, chopped meat and white bread soaked in milk, varying these things as their health requires, and as their excrements are too frequent or too soft. In short, they may be accustomed to the nightingale’s food. I must here remark that a very attentive person alone can hope to succeed22.

Attractive Qualities. – I have seen two golden orioles that were reared from the nest, one of which, independent of the natural song, whistled a minuet, and the other imitated a flourish of trumpets. Its full and flute-like tones appeared to me extremely pleasing. Unfortunately the fine colours of its plumage were tarnished, which almost always happens, above all if the bird be kept in a room filled with smoke, either from the stove or from tobacco. One of my neighbours saw two golden orioles at Berlin, both of which whistled different airs.

Its note of call, which in the month of June so well distinguishes the golden oriole from other birds, may be well expressed by “ye, puhlo23.”

THE HOOPOE

Upupa Epops, Linnæus; La Huppe, Buffon; Der gemeine Wiedehopf, Bechstein

The length of this bird is twelve inches, of which the tail measures four, and the bill, which is black, two and a half.

The iris is blackish brown. The feet are black and very short. There is a tuft on the head like a fan, formed of a double row of feathers, all of them tipped with black.

Habitation. – In its wild state, the hoopoe remains, during summer, in woods near meadows, and pasture land. In the month of August, after hay-harvest, it goes in flocks into the plains; it departs in September, and does not return till the end of the following April. It is more frequently seen on the ground than perching24.

In the house, it is not kept in a cage, but let range at will; it is very chilly, at least it is so fond of warmth that it is constantly on the stove, and would rather let its beak be dried up than come away from it.

Food. – When wild, it may be continually seen in fields, searching for its favourite insects among cow dung and the excrements of other animals. Some people put it into their granaries to clear them of weevils and spiders; this has succeeded very well, but to say that it also eats mice, is certainly an error.

In the house, it may be easily reared on meat, and white bread soaked in milk, to which meal worms must be added from time to time.

Breeding. – The hoopoe lays from two to four eggs; its nest, placed in the hole of some tree, is a mixture of cow dung and small roots. The young are easily reared on the flesh of young pigeons; but they cannot pick it up well, because their tongue, about the size of half a bean, and heart-shaped, is too short to turn the food into the throat. They are obliged to throw their food in the air, holding the beak open to receive it.

Mode of Taking. – In the month of August, when a field has been observed which the bird frequents most, a small well-limed rod of about eight inches in length must be placed on a mole-hill, having two or three meal worms fastened to it by means of a thread about three inches long. As soon as the hoopoe sees the worms it darts upon them, and thus makes the lime twig fall upon itself, which embarrasses it. But these birds, whether taken young or old, can very rarely be preserved.

Attractive Qualities. – Independently of its beauty, its droll actions are very amusing. For instance, it makes a continual motion with its head, tapping the floor with its beak, so that it seems as if it walks with a stick, at the same time shaking its crest, wings, and tail25. I have had several of them in my house, and have always been diverted by their singular grimaces. When any one looks at them steadily, they immediately begin their droll tricks.

The following is an extract from a letter written by M. von Schauroth on the hoopoe, which I think it is well to insert here:

“With great care and attention, I was able last summer to rear two young hoopoes, taken from a nest which was placed at the top of an oak tree. These little birds followed me everywhere, and when they heard me at a distance showed their joy by a particular chirping, jumped into the air, or as soon as I was seated climbed on my clothes, particularly when giving them their food from a pan of milk, the cream of which they swallowed greedily; they climbed higher and higher, till at last they perched on my shoulders, and sometimes on my head, caressing me very affectionately: notwithstanding this, I had only to speak a word to rid myself of their company, they would then immediately retire to the stove. Generally they would observe my eyes to discover what my temper might be, that they might act accordingly. I fed them like the nightingales, or with the universal paste, to which I sometimes added insects; they would never touch earth-worms, but were very fond of beetles and May-bugs, these they first killed, and then beat them with their beak into a kind of oblong ball; when this was done, they threw it into the air, that they might catch it and swallow it lengthways; if it fell across the throat they were obliged to begin again. Instead of bathing, they roll in the sand. I took them one day into a neighbouring field, that they might catch insects for themselves, and had then an opportunity of remarking their innate fear of birds of prey, and their instinct under it. As soon as they perceived a raven, or even a pigeon, they were on their bellies in the twinkling of an eye, their wings stretched out by the side of their head, so that the large quill feathers touched: they were thus surrounded by a sort of crown, formed by the feathers of the tail and wings, the head leaning on the back, with the beak pointing upwards; in this curious posture they might be taken for an old rag. As soon as the bird which frightened them was gone they jumped up immediately, uttering cries of joy. They were very fond of lying in the sun; they showed their content by repeating in a quivering tone, “vec, vec, vec;” when angry their notes are harsh, and the male, which is known by its colour being redder, cries “hoop, hoop.” The female had the trick of dragging its food about the room, by this means it was covered with small feathers and other rubbish, which by degrees formed into an indigestible ball in its stomach, about the size of a nut, of which it died. The male lived through the winter; but not quitting the heated stove, its beak became so dry that the two parts separated, and remained more than an inch apart; thus it died miserably.”

“I once saw,” says Buffon, “one of these birds which had been taken in a net, and being then old, or at least adult, must have had natural habits: its attachment to the person who took care of it was very strong, and even exclusive. It appeared to be happy only when alone with her; if strangers came unexpectedly it raised its crest with surprise and fear, and hid itself on the top of a bed which was in the room. Sometimes it was bold enough to come from its asylum, but it fled directly to its beloved mistress, and seemed to see no one but her. It had two very different tones; one soft, as if from within, and seemed the very seat of sentiment, which it addressed to its mistress; the other sharp, and more piercing, which expressed anger and fear. It was never kept in a cage by day or night, and was permitted to range the house at pleasure: however, though the windows were often open, it never showed the least desire to escape, its wish for liberty not being so strong as its attachment.

“This pretty bird accidentally died of hunger. Its mistress had kept it for four months, feeding it only on bread and cheese.”

THE CUCKOO

Cuculus canorus, Linnæus; Le Coucou, Buffon; Der gemeine Kukuk, Bechstein

Although it is not larger than the turtle-dove, its length is fourteen inches, but seven of these are included in the tail, three quarters of which are covered by the folded wings. The beak, black above, and bluish beneath; the feet have two claws before and two behind. The head, the top of the neck, and the rest of the upper part of the body are of a dark ash colour, changing like the throat of the pigeon on the back and wing-coverts.

In the female, which is smaller, the upper part of the body is of a dark brown, with dirty brown spots, which are scarcely visible. The under part of the neck is a mixture of ash grey and yellow, crossed with dark streaks. The belly is of a dirty white, with dark transverse lines.

Habitation. – When wild, it is a bird of passage, which arrives in April and departs in September, and even much sooner, according to an English observer.

In the house, it may be let run about, or confined in a large wooden cage.

Food. – When wild, it eats all sorts of insects, particularly caterpillars on trees.

When confined, it is fed with meat, insects, and the universal paste made of wheat-meal.

Breeding and Peculiarities. – Every one knows that the female cuckoo never sits upon her eggs, but intrusts that care to other birds, particularly those which feed on insects, laying one or two eggs in their nest.

In order to tame a cuckoo, it must be taken from the nest: I never tried myself, but several of my friends have. As this is a curious bird, and most bird-fanciers like to have it in their room or aviary, I shall here insert some observations on this subject, by M. von Schauroth, who was before quoted.

“The cuckoo possesses hardly any qualities which would render it fit to be a house bird: if old, it is too obstinate and voracious, generally it is furious, sullen, and melancholy. I have reared several; the last was taken from the nest of a yellowhammer: its eyes were not opened when I took it, yet it darted at me with fury. Before I had had it six days it would swallow in a passion everything that came near it. I fed it on bird’s flesh, and was obliged to continue this food for a long time before it could feed itself. Its motions were so quick in jumping or moving that it would overthrow any cups of food which happened to be in its way. Its tail grew very slowly. It was never entirely tamed; it would dart at my hands and face, attacked every thing which came too near it, and even the other birds. It ate the poultry paste in great quantities, and discharged in proportion, which made it very dirty; I have even seen it, like the ostrich, eat its own excrements. Its short and climbing feet are so awkward that it cannot walk; it makes two or three jumps, but flies very well.”

“Though cunning and solitary,” says Buffon, “the cuckoos may be given some sort of education. Several persons of my acquaintance have reared and tamed them. They feed them on minced meat, either dressed or raw, insects, eggs, soaked bread, and fruit. One of these tamed cuckoos knew its master, came at his call, followed him to the chase, perched on his gun, and if it found a cherry tree in its way it would fly to it, and not return till it had eaten plentifully; sometimes it would not return to its master for the whole day, but followed him at a distance, flying from tree to tree. In the house it might range at will, and passed the night on the roost. The excrement of this bird is white, and in great quantities; this is one of the disagreeables in rearing it. Great care must be taken to keep it from the cold from autumn till winter; this is the critical period for these birds, at least it was at this time that I lost all which I had tried to rear, besides many other birds of a different species.”

THE MINOR GRAKLE

Graccula religiosa, Linnæus; Mino ou Mainate, Buffon; Der Mino oder Plauderer, Bechstein

This bird is the size of a blackbird, ten inches and a half long, of which the tail measures three, and the beak one and a half. The feathers on the side of the head are short, like velvet, but on the top, descending towards the back of the head, they are the general length; on both sides of the head there is naked skin, which begins under the eyes, and extends to the back of the head, but without uniting; its breadth is uneven, near the eyes it is wide and yellow, but when the bird is pleased or is angry this colour varies. Black is the predominant colour of the body, with some tints of purple, violet, or green, according to the different light it is in; the feathers of the tail have a white streak.

Observations. – The minor grakle is found in both the Indies, in Jamaica, as well as in the islands beyond the Ganges, as far as Java. Their food is vegetable: those which are brought to Europe willingly eat cherries and raisins; if these be shown them without being given directly they begin to cry and weep like a child. They become exceedingly tame and confiding; they whistle exceedingly well, and chatter better than any parrot. The Chinese ladies are very fond of them; they are sold very dear in Java. In the inland parts of Germany nothing is so rare as one of these birds.

LARGE BEAKED BIRDS

The general characteristics of this group are, a beak large, but varying in size, very hollow, light, raised above, and hooked before; in the species immediately following, the legs are short, strong, and the feet formed for climbing; they are furnished with a tongue, thick, fleshy, and rounded like the human tongue, which renders articulation easy to them. All these birds are foreign, and ought to be reared from the nest when intended for speaking.

THE RED AND BLUE MACCAW

Psittacus Macao, Linnæus; L’Lra Rouge, Buffon; Der rothe Aras, Bechstein

The beauty of their plumage, and the facility with which they repeat words, are the two principal reasons for the introduction of parrots into parlours. Some imitate the songs of other birds and warble very sweetly. We have observed, that in order to speak distinctly the tongue must be thick, rounded, and the muscle loose enough to permit the requisite motion; hence it happens that parrots, above all those with a short tail, pronounce so very distinctly. The ravens, jack-daws, and jays come next to them; but the starlings and blackbirds surpass them in the formation of the larynx.

The red and blue maccaw is one of the largest of the parrot tribe, being two feet eight inches in length. The hardest stones of the peach cannot resist the strength of its beak, the upper mandible of which is very much hooked. The claws are directed forward, and two backward. The naked cheeks are covered with a wrinkled whitish skin. The head, neck, breast, belly, thighs, top of the back, and the upper wing-coverts are of the finest vermilion. The lower part of the back and the rump are light blue. The scapulars and large wing-coverts are a mixture of blue, yellow, and green.

The colours sometimes vary, especially in the wings and tail, but the species will not be the less easily known on that account.

The female very much resembles the male.

Habitation. – When wild it inhabits South America, and may be found in Brazil and Guiana, in damp woods, and always in pairs. In the house it may be let range at will, giving it a roost with several rings placed across. Like its fellows, it may be kept in a very large strong wire cage, high and wide enough to let it move with ease, and preserve its handsome tail in all its beauty.

Food. – In its native country the fruit of the palm tree is its principal food; our fruit it also likes, but white bread soaked in milk agrees with it better; biscuit does not hurt it; but meat, sweetmeats, and other niceties are very injurious; and though at first it does not appear to be injured, it becomes unhealthy, its feathers stand up separate, it pecks and tears them, above all those on the first joint of the pinion, and it even makes holes in different parts of its body. It drinks little – this is perhaps occasioned by its eating nothing dry. Many bird-fanciers say that the best food for parrots is simply the crumbs of white bread, well baked, without salt, soaked in water, and then slightly squeezed in the hand. But though this appears to agree with them pretty well, it is however certain that now and then something else ought to be added. I have observed, indeed, that parrots which are thus fed are very thin, have hardly strength to bear moulting, and sometimes even do not moult at all; in that case they become asthmatic, and die of consumption. It is clear that feeding them only on this food, which has very little if any moisture in it, is not sufficient to nourish them properly, at least during the moulting season, and while the feathers are growing again. I never saw a parrot in better health than one which belonged to a lady, who fed it on white bread soaked in boiled milk, having more milk than the bread would absorb, which the parrot drank with apparent pleasure; there was also put into the drawer of its cage some sea biscuit, or white bread soaked in boiling water; it was also given fruit when in season. It is necessary to be very careful that the milk is not sour.

Some young maccaws are fed on hemp-seed, which must always be of the year before, as the new would be too warm and dangerous. Yet they must not be fed entirely on this food, but there must be added white bread soaked in milk or water, as has already been mentioned, some fruit and nuts, but never bitter almonds, as they will infallibly kill all young animals. In all cases the excrements of the bird will indicate the state of its health, and whether the food ought to be changed or not.