E. J. Boosey — Bourke’s Parrakeet



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generally preparing it as a nursery for her family. If, on the other hand,

she does not, she at first registers her disapproval by paying frequent

but cursory visits in order, apparently, to make quite sure that it is

entirely unsuitable. Then, having made quite sure, she will indulge in

a premature moult, rather than make use of such a travesty of a suitable

nesting site.


Bourke’s, however, behave quite differently. As soon as the

nest-box is hung in the shelter, both rush outside and pretend to be

completely terrified of it, though the cock considers himself justified in

indulging in a slight courting display, which often consists of jumping

on to the wire netting and making short rapid runs up it, duiing which

the wings are depressed to show the lavender blue of the shoulders.


His wife then inspects the nest and her inspection is brief, but

extremely thorough.


If it suits her you may expect eggs within a week or so. If it does

not she will show you as much in no uncertain manner. It will be

carefully examined, found wanting, and thereafter completely ignored,

and the only thing to do if you desire a brood of young Bourke’s is to

provide her at once with another nest-box of an entirely new type, and

preferably hung in a quite different position to the first one.


Generally speaking, Bourke’s are particularly partial to a natural

log, or, failing that, a box completely covered with bark. They seem

to like inspecting the entrance hole while clinging on to the bark as

a Woodpecker might, and an ordinary plain wood box does not, there¬

fore, appeal to them.


Once the hen has decided that she approves the nest provided for

her, she will disappear inside it and will hardly be seen again until the

young brood is a week or ten days old.


This may cause her owner a certain amount of anxiety, particularly

as the majority of hen Parrakeets do not begin to sit until the third egg

has been laid, but on no account should one interfere. If the hen is

dead on the nest from egg-binding there is nothing further to be done

about it, and if not one’s over-anxious interference may cause her to

desert, so it is far best to leave well alone and hope for the best.


When the young brood is hatched no particular extra food is

necessary except possibly a little of their ordinary seed mixture (to



