Breeding Results at the Keston Foreign Bird Farm, Season 1933 49


Purple Sunbird comparatively dull and listless until the sun shines on

him; then he becomes instantly alert, shakes his feathers, and begins

his warbling song. He bathes on a spray of flowers which I have dipped

in warm water.


BREEDING RESULTS AT THE KESTON

FOREIGN BIRD FARM, SEASON 1933


By E. J. Boosey and Alec Brooksbank


In spite of the glorious summer of 1933, with its long hot days and

wonderful sunshine average, the breeding results here at the Keston

Foreign Bird Farm have not been noticeably better than usual among

the Parrakeets, while some of the Finch results were definitely dis¬

appointing.


The following is a list of birds which reared young ones successfully

during the season :—


Parrakeets : Brown’s, Rosella, Stanley, Barraband, Turquoisine,

Bourke’s, Blue-wing, Elegant, Many-coloured, Bing-neck, and Bed-

rump X Hooded hybrid. Budgerigars, Cockatiels, and Swainson’s

Lorikeets. Lovebirds : Black-cheeks, Nyasa, Fischer’s, and Peach¬

faced. Finches : Gouldian, Zebra, Bed-headed Parrot, Ruficauda,

Long-tailed Grass, Heck’s Grass, Bicheno, Cherry, Silverbill, Bengalese.

Also Diamond Doves.


Our old breeding pair of Brown’s, who have regularly produced

seven and sometimes more young in one season, hatched and reared

only two in the first nest this year, the remaining three chicks being dead

in the shell. While in their second nest they hatched four out of five

all of which they allowed to die when about one week old. At the time

this happened the weather was stiflingly hot and thundery. In fact,

just about the day they must have died, our house narrowly escaped

being struck by lightning, though whether this had anything to do

with the death of the young Brown’s it is naturally quite impossible

to say. It is curious, however, that never before has this particular pair

of birds failed to rear every single one hatched.


Stanley’s did quite well, one hen with a dropped wing producing,


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