68



W. H. Workman—Two Tame Birds



The Fruit Sucker is waiting for me on a branch. He is much more

of a gentleman and quietly lights on my finger while I pick out the

mealworms and give him his allowance, his little white tongue darting

in and out like a snake’s. He is in absolutely perfect plumage, a picture,

every feather in place, and as close and compact as a really healthy bird

should be. This has undoubtedly been achieved since he got into the

large aviary where he has free access to the open flight and a shallow

bath in all weathers, but at night he comes into the slightly heated

shelter and goes to sleep in an old box cage which I think gives him

extra protection. The Shama, too, is in perfect blue-black, white, and

chestnut plumage with a glorious long tail, so different from the

miserable one all frayed with which he arrived in April.


Many people are frightened of insectivorous birds because of the

soft food that has to be made up daily for them, but this fear is more

imaginary than real because soft food can be made up in a few minutes

from a few staple ingredients. They are as follows :—


(1) The dry insectivorous food which keeps indefinitely.


(2) Boiled rice, boiled by the cook dry as for curry.


(3) A good carrot for grating.


(4) A simple sponge cake also made by the cook.


(5) Mealworms.


(6) Fruit.


To make up the insectivorous food for these birds I take about

two dessertspoonsful of the dry food, add about a teaspoonful of the

rice, and crumble in sponge cake about the size of two walnuts. Grate

in about \ in. of a good thick carrot to supply moisture. If you

have no carrot handy use water, but carrot is best. Mix well together

into a crumbly mixture and fill a shrimp pot for each bird, which is

enough for a day.


The Fruit Sucker must have fruit and I give him the following

variety as obtainable but only one sort each day : one-quarter orange,

one-quarter small red American apple, 1 inch of banana, two or three

green grapes, or a bit of pear or two strawberries. The Shama does

not care for fruit although I give banana or apple to him, but I think

the Pekin Robins take it.


I hope the above notes on these two delightful species will encourage



