The Natural History of Cage Birds

In the house its fierce and impetuous character makes it necessary to keep it in close confinement.

Food. – In its wild state it constantly seeks the insects which live under the bark and in the wood of trees; it also eats ants, and in winter will even take bees from the hive.

In the house it is fed on nuts, ants’ eggs, and meat.

Breeding. – The female lays three or four perfectly white eggs in the hole of a tree; if the young are to be tamed they must be taken from the nest when only half fledged; it is impossible to tame adults or old ones; we cannot even make them eat.

Attractive Qualities. – The beauty of its plumage is all that can be said of it; for it is so fierce, quick, and stubborn, that it can only be kept by means of a chain. I know no instance in which every kind of attention has rendered it more docile and agreeable: it is always untractable. One or two of these chained birds, however, do not look bad as a variety. It is curious to see them crack the nuts.

THE GREATER SPOTTED WOODPECKER

Picus major, Linnæus; L’Lpeiche, ou Pic varié, Buffon; Der Grosser Buntspecht, Bechstein

This bird is rather larger than a thrush, nine inches long of which the tail measures three and a half, and the beak one. The legs are three lines high, and of a bluish olive; the iris is bluish, with a white ring; the forehead yellowish brown; the top of the head and the back black; the nape of the neck crimson; the shoulders white, the wings and tail black, and streaked with yellowish white; the belly of a dirty reddish white, the part about the vent crimson.

The female has no red on the nape of the neck.

Habitation and Food. – This woodpecker continually ranges woods and orchards in search of its food, which consists of insects, beech-mast, acorns, nuts, and the seed of pines and firs. In order to crack the nuts, it fixes them in the clefts of the trees. The female builds its nest in the hole of a tree, and lays from four to six white eggs. Before moulting the head of the young ones is red. They must be taken early from the nest if they are to be tamed. They are fed and treated like the green woodpecker.

THE MIDDLE SPOTTED WOODPECKER

Picus medius, Linnæus; Le Pic varié à tête rouge, Buffon; Der Mittlerer Buntspecht, Bechstein

This is only distinguished from the former by being rather smaller: the beak is more slender, and very pointed. The top of the head is crimson, and the region of the vent rose-coloured. It is, besides, less common, and the young which are reared are not so untractable, though never very docile27. They are generally kept in a cage, and fastened by a little chain.

THE LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER

Picus minor, Linnæus; Le Petit Epeiche, Buffon; Der Kleiner Buntspecht, Bechstein

This bird is the size of a lark, five inches and a half in length, two of which are included in the tail, and the beak measures seven lines. The feet are of a greenish black; the rump is white; the top of the head crimson; the nape of the neck black; the back white, with transverse streaks of black; the under part of the body is of a reddish white grey, and the sides are streaked with black.

The female had no red on the head.

Habitation and Food. – This rare species inhabits forests of beech and oak, skilfully catching the insects under the bark and moss of these trees; it even flies to the ground to seek the same food among the grass. While rearing the young ones, they must be kept in a cage.

THE WRYNECK

Yunx torquilla, Linnæus; Le Torcol, Buffon; Der Gemeiner Wendehals, Bechstein

Though it is six inches and a half in length, it is not larger than our lark, because its tail includes three inches and a quarter, and its beak nine lines. The iris is of a brownish yellow, the feet, two claws of which are before and two behind, are short, strong, and lead colour. The head is ash-coloured, speckled with small rust-coloured spots mixed with some white ones. The top of the head and half of the back are divided lengthwise by a broad black streak, edged with rust colour; the rest of the upper part of the body is of a fine grey, streaked and speckled with black, white, and rust colour. In the female the belly is paler than in the male.

Habitation. – When wild, it is a bird of passage, which departs during the first fortnight of September, and does not return till the end of April, frequenting groves and orchards. In August it goes into gardens and fields planted with cabbages and other vegetables.

In the house it is better to let it run about at will than to keep it in a cage, where it would soil its feathers, particularly those on the belly and breast, while playing.

Food. – In its wild state, the wryneck lives on insects, for catching which it has a very long cylindrical tongue, with a hard point, that can be insinuated into all the chinks and fissures of trees. Ants’ eggs are a very favourite food, and it does not dislike the ants themselves. Towards autumn, when the latter fail, it is contented with elderberries till the time of its departure which never varies.

In the house it must be first given ants’ eggs; and then by degrees the universal paste, to which it soon becomes accustomed; but, as it is delicate, in order to preserve it for some time, the nightingales’ food agrees better with it. It is very amusing to see it search all the cracks and crevices of the room for insects; and if a few ants’ eggs were now and then put there, it would give it the greatest pleasure.

Breeding. – Its nest, which it places in the hole of a tree, is formed of moss, wool, hair, and straw. It lays eight eggs, which are white, and very smooth. The adults and old ones are difficult to preserve and tame; but the young ones may be easily reared on ants’ eggs, and the universal paste, made of the crumb of white bread.

Mode of Taking. – In general it is caught by putting lime twigs round the nest; but if the weather be stormy, as in spring, when it is busy searching the bushes for insects, it may even be taken by the hand. The one I now have was brought to me by a little boy who had taken it in this manner.

Attractive Qualities. – Independently of its beautiful plumage, it is very amusing to see it make those movements which have given it its name of wryneck. It lengthens its neck, and turns round its head, so that the beak points down the back. Its general position is quite straight; the feathers of the head and throat very smooth, and the tail spread like a fan, at the same time bowing low. If it be irritated, or even if its food be brought, it slowly leans forward, raising the feathers on its head, lengthening and turning its neck, rolling its eyes; it then bows, spreads its tail, and murmurs some harsh sounds in its throat; in short, it puts itself in the most singular attitudes, and makes the most ridiculous grimaces. At other times it seems to have a melancholy disposition. In spring the male often cries in a full tone, gui, gui, gui, gui, to call its female.

M. de Schauroth informs me that two wrynecks which he reared became so tame, that they would hang about his clothes, and begin to warble as soon as they heard him, or saw him even at a distance. One day, being wearied and teazed with its incessant cries, he drove one out of the window; but having called it towards evening, it immediately replied to his voice, and permitted itself to be taken. One of these birds, which he let range about at will, having perched on a neighbouring tree, he had only to hold out and show it the box containing its food, and it returned immediately.

THE TOURAKO

Cuculus Persa, Linnæus; Le Tourako, Buffon; Der Turako, Bechstein

This Bird, which is about the size of a magpie, has been placed among the cuckoos by Linnæus, and those who have copied him, only because its cry is couc, couc; for in no other respect does it belong to this genus. Its beak is short and thick, and resembles that of the pigeon in shape; the upper is bent over the lower, and of a reddish brown; the nostrils are covered with feathers; the iris is nut-brown; the eyelids are edged with small red warts; the opening of the throat is wide, extending to the back of the ears; the nails of an ash grey; the head, throat, neck, top of the back, with the upper wing-coverts, the breast, upper part of the belly and sides, are covered with soft silky feathers, of a beautiful deep green; the feathers on the top of the head gradually lengthen into a large triangular tuft, which the bird raises at will, and the tip of which is red. The green in the tuft is sometimes mixed with white.

Observations. – The Tourako, which I have seen, belonging to his Highness the Duke of Saxe Meiningen, is one of the most elegant, mildest, and tamest of all foreign birds which I know. Its cry is couc, couc, couc, at first repeated slowly and distinctly, afterwards more quickly, and then in a rapid and continued succession. Notwithstanding the form of its feet it does not climb or hop, but runs as quickly as any partridge across the room, and often, pressing its wings against its body, makes several long leaps of ten feet.

Food. – The tongue is not perceptible on opening its beak, and it swallows every thing whole which is given it. It is fed on fruit and bread cut in small pieces; it has been remarked that it has a crop.

Buffon says, that one of these birds, which came from the Cape, ate rice; but that which I have seen would not touch it; on the contrary, it ate with avidity the stones of grapes, as well as bits of apple and orange; so that it may be concluded that fruit is its natural food. It is brought from Guinea, but may be found in other parts of Africa.

THE COMMON KINGFISHER

Alcedo Ispida, Linnæus; L’Llcyon, ou Martin Pêcheur, Buffon; Der Eisvogel, Bechstein

The length of this bird is seven inches, of which the short tail only measures one and a quarter, the legs are very short, being only four lines in height, and the outer claw is united to the centre one, as far as the first joint. The beak, an inch and a half in length, is strong, straight and pointed. The iris is dark brown; the top of the head and the wing-coverts are of a deep green; the one with transverse and the other with oval spots of a beautiful sky blue. The back and shoulders shine with the most beautiful blue. In the female the colours are darker, and the sky blue there is in them only meadow green.

Habitation. – When wild this is a solitary bird, which remains the whole year on the edges of ponds, streams, and rivers. During the winter it may be seen watching for its prey at the holes in the ice, placed on a stone or stick, or perched on the branch of a tree.

In the house it does not walk or hop, but flies or remains perched. It is very necessary to put some turf or branches in a corner, or it must be kept in a cage with a perch; it constantly remains in the same place.

Food. – In its wild state its food is small fish, leeches, and, indeed, all aquatic worms and insects. In the house it must be given as much as possible the same, accustoming it by degrees to eat meat. It is very rarely that those taken when old can be preserved. I have seen one, however, which ate even dead fish. The meat and small fish for its food must be put into a bowl of fresh water, large enough, or so firmly fixed, that it may not be easily overturned. When taking its food it does not hop to the bottom of the cage, but stretches itself downwards till it can reach the water with its beak, at least if it be not a young one reared in the house. – It will not eat while being looked at.

Mr. Paxton’s method of management. – “Having become possessed,” says Mr. Paxton, “of some young kingfishers last summer, we were very anxious to rear them; this we have accomplished, and, to the best of our information, it is the first time kingfishers were ever reared by hand. To accomplish this object we had a wire cage constructed about ten feet long, and four broad; the back part of the cage was made to imitate, as nearly as possible, the banks of a river; – through this cage a small stream of water was conducted, in which the birds received their food, &c. When the young birds were first taken from the nest, minnows and bullheads were their principal food; they have since been fed on almost every species of fresh-water fish, although they evince a marked preference for trout.

“Immediately on a quantity of small fish being put into the stream of water, they commence killing them, regardless of who may be near; and so surely do they strike, that, although we have repeatedly observed them, we never yet saw them miss their prey. As soon as they have caught a fish they kill it, by knocking its head against anything that may be near them. The quantity of fish consumed by each bird is almost incredible – we should think on the average not less than six ounces a day each; they could not exist twenty-four hours without food, so they quickly digest it. There can be no doubt that the sole reason of the kingfisher migrating to the sea-side on the approach of severe weather, arises from the voracity of its appetite.

“They are quite tame and domesticated, frequently sitting on the head or shoulder of the person who is in the habit of cleaning out their little dwelling. They are also very cleanly. We have observed them dive into the water as many as forty times incessantly, for the purpose of washing – this is generally done in the evening.

“Although they appear satisfied with their confinement, they are far from being friendly with each other; they fight with their wings, something after the manner of the swan; this is rather surprising, as they are very dexterous with their bills when seizing their prey.

“We have tried to rear others in a common cage, feeding them partly on flesh, but never succeeded.”

Breeding. – A hole at the edge of the water is the place in which it builds its nest, which is formed on the outside of small roots, and lined with feathers. Its eggs in general are eight in number, and quite white. In the young ones, before the feathers grow, the stubs are so long and straight that they might be taken for so many little bristles. As soon as the young can see clearly, and before the feathers begin to sprout, is the time to take them from the nest; they must be fed first on ants’ eggs, meal worms, and other worms and afterwards accustomed by degrees to meat; they will be preserved in good health for a much longer time, if care be taken always to give them their food in fresh water, rather than let them pick it up from the ground.

Mode of taking. – When the place which one of these birds frequents most, and which is generally near an eddy in the water, is well known, a stake must be fixed to which the snare, called a springe, can be fastened; by this means the bird may be easily taken. Lime-twigs may also be put on a bush or stake near the water’s edge, provided it does not hang so much over the water as to risk the bird’s falling into it when fixed by the lime.

Attractive Qualities. – Its great attractions are its beauty, for it is not well proportioned, and all its motions are sudden.

THE NUTHATCH

Sitta Europæa, Linnæus; La Sittele, ou le Torchepot, Buffon; Der Nusshacker, Bechstein

The length of this bird is six inches and a half, of which one and a half is included in the tail, and three-quarters in the beak, which is strong, straight, a little flat at the tip; the eyes are greyish brown; the feet yellowish grey, the claws very strong. The forehead is blue only in the male; the rest of the upper part of the body is of a blue grey; the cheeks and throat are white; a black streak passing across the eyes extends from the base of the beak to the neck; the belly and breast are of a dingy orange colour.

Habitation. – When wild it generally frequents woods. In the winter it approaches villages, and will even fly into barns and stables.

In the house it must be kept in a cage made entirely of wire, as wood cannot resist the strength of its beak28.

Food. – In its wild state it lives on insects, which it seeks for in the trees, being able to cling to and run about the branches in any way: it also eats nuts and beech mast, which it skilfully fixes in the chinks of the trees, that it may crack them more easily.

In the house, it may be fed on hemp seed, oats, barley meal, or even bread. The way in which it crushes the hemp seed and oats is very curious; it takes as many as it can in its beak, and ranges them in order in the cracks of the floor, always taking care to put the large end lowest, that it may break them more easily; it then begins to despatch them one after another with the greatest skill and agility.

The lady who has been occasionally mentioned in the introduction, amused herself in the winter, and particularly when the snow was on the ground, with throwing, several times a day, different kinds of seeds on the terrace below the window, in order to feed the birds in the neighbourhood. These soon became accustomed to this distribution, and arrived in crowds when they heard the clapping of hands, which was the signal used to call them. She put some hemp seed and cracked nuts even on the window-sill, and on a board, particularly for her favourites, the blue tits. Two nuthatches came one day to have their share in this repast, and were so well pleased that they became quite familiar, and did not even go away in the following spring, to get their natural food and to build their nest in the wood. They settled themselves in the hollow of an old tree near the house; as soon as the two young ones, which they reared here, were able to fly, they brought them to the hospitable window where they were to be nourished, and soon after disappeared entirely. It was very amusing to see these two new visiters hang or climb on the wall or blinds, whilst their benefactress put their food on the board. These pretty creatures, as well as the tits, knew her so well, that when she drove away the sparrows which came to steal what was not intended for them, they did not fly away also, but seemed to know that what was done was only to protect and defend them.

These nuthatches remained near the house for the whole summer, rarely wandering, till one fatal day, at the beginning of the sporting season, in autumn, they no sooner heard the report of a gun than they disappeared, and were never again seen. It is possible that fear alone had driven them so far that they could not find their way home again; they did not know that there they would have been in greater safety.

If these birds are left at liberty in the room, they are accustomed, like the tits, to hide the greater part of what is given to them, to keep it for another meal; but their trick of piercing holes in the wood makes them inconvenient, and therefore it is better to keep them in a cage.

Breeding. – The nuthatch builds its nest in the holes of old trees, and lays six or seven eggs spotted with red.

Mode of Taking. – As it has the same taste for hemp seed and oats as the tits, it may often be caught in the same snare; it may also be taken in the area or barn floor trap. Its call is “gru, dek, dek.”

Attractive Qualities. – Its plumage, liveliness, agility, and great cunning in catching and hiding its food, are its most agreeable qualities.

PASSERINE BIRDS

The birds of this group have the beak conical and pointed, in general rather strong, with both the mandibles moveable, and fit for peeling and cleaning grain. Their feet are slender, and their claws divided. Some of them do not confine themselves to grain, but also eat insects. Those which feed solely on seeds disgorge them into the crop of their young, the others simply put the food into their beaks. The greater part of them build their nests very skilfully. The females brood alone, or are very rarely assisted by the males in hatching.

This group and the following are peculiarly the real cage birds; those pretty and attractive little creatures which enliven our rooms with their songs.

Those which feed only on seeds may be tamed at any age.

THE CROSSBILL

Loxia curvirostra, Linnæus; Le Beccroisé, Buffon; Der Kreuzschnabel, Bechstein

The length of this bird is nearly seven inches, of which the tail measures two and a quarter. The beak, which is one inch in length, and very thick, has its two mandibles curving in opposite directions, and crossing each other at the points, whence the name. It is no fixed rule for the upper mandible to cross to the right or left, but its direction appears to be acquired when young. The shanks, which are eight lines high, and the beak, are brown; the iris is nut-coloured.

The change of colour, which some assert this bird is subject to three times a year, simply occurs as follows: —

The young male, which is at first of a greyish brown, with a little yellow, becomes after moulting entirely red, darker on the upper part of the body than on the lower, the quill and tail feathers excepted, which are blackish. This generally happens in April or May. At the second moulting this red colour becomes a greenish yellow, which is permanent; so that when red they may be known to be the young male birds, and when yellow the old ones.

The females are in general grey, with a little green on the head, breast, and rump, or irregularly speckled with those two colours.

From observations which have been made with great care and exactness, and which any one can repeat who wishes, it appears proved that an old male bird never changes its colour. In order to be exact as to these facts, it is necessary to observe the bird from the time of its leaving the nest; for, if one were to judge from those taken in a snare, one would certainly be disposed to think that not one bird resembled another: but all this variety depends on the different stages in moulting, which so very much affects the colours of the plumage.

Thus, in old male birds the forehead, cheeks, and eyebrows are spotted with grey, greenish yellow, and white. Wherever green and yellow are prevalent, the dark grey shows through, and has the appearance of spots on those parts, particularly on the back, for the tips alone are green and yellow.

The result of all this is, that when grey or speckled crossbills are spoken of, they are the young ones; when red, they have passed their first moulting; when crimson, they are near their second; and when spotted, red and yellow, they are two years old, and in full feather. To judge with exactness, these birds ought to be seen at the time of laying, but neither this nor the moulting has any fixed season; and this circumstance sufficiently explains the great variety and difference of colour which are found among this species.

These details also show that the crossbill is subject to nearly the same changes of colour as the linnet, and that the red colour which it bears for the first year is what peculiarly distinguishes it from other birds. One thing, which is rather remarkable, is, that the young ones reared in the house never take the red colour, but remain grey for the second year, or change directly into greenish yellow.

There are two kinds of crossbills, the greater and lesser; but the difference is not so great as some pretend, and nature is not more invariable in the size of birds than it is in that of men29.

Habitation. – When wild, the crossbill not only inhabits Europe, but also all the north of Asia and America, everywhere frequenting forests of pines and firs, where these trees, which are loaded with cones, furnish abundance of food.

In the house it may be let range at will, but a branch of fir, or any other tree, must be put near it, on which it can perch or sleep. If it be kept in a cage it must be made of wire; for, being so much disposed to peck and nibble, a wicker cage would soon be reduced to chips.

Food. – In its wild state the pine seed is its favourite food; the shape of its beak is peculiarly adapted for procuring these seeds, by separating the scales of the cones; it also gathers from the ground those which have fallen, and it does not neglect those of the fir, and even of the alder. When these fail it is contented with the buds of the same trees.

In the house, if it be let run about at liberty, the second universal paste will be sufficient; but if kept in a cage it must be fed on hemp, pine, and rape seed, and even elderberries.