Marquess of Tavistock—Swift Parrakeets



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SWIFT PARRAKEETS


(Leonanodes discolor)


By The Makquess of Tavistock


My success in breeding Swifts last year for the first time in Britain

has, I am glad to say, been repeated this year on a larger scale.


I began the season with two adult breeding pairs and their three

last year’s youngsters—two cocks and a hen.


Being somewhat short of aviary room I decided to try a venture

at “ colony ” breeding, my observation of the birds’ temperament

leading me to suppose that there would be no serious quarrels—a

forecast which has been fully justified.


In one aviary I retained a single pair ; these duly went to nest and

reared two youngsters. One of these, some time after it had flown,

was either injured or overtaken by some mysterious malady, completely

losing the use of its wings. Later, to some extent, its legs became

affected also and it started to breathe badly like a bird with inflamma¬

tion of the lungs. I gave up all hope of its recovery, but Swifts, unlike

some other members of the Parrot family (notably Yasas, New Zealands,

and young Plumheads), put up a tough fight against illness and when

I added bread and milk sweetened with honey to its diet of Allinson’s

it began slowly to improve and it is now able to fly again and has almost

completely recovered. It is the first instance I have ever known of

any sick Parrakeet recovering once it has begun to breathe through

its beak.


The second aviary contained an adult cock and hen and two young

cocks and a young hen, for which I provided four nests.


Swift hens, like Budgerigar ladies, do not seem to be conspicuous

for their fidelity. The adult hen deserted her spouse of 1936 for a younger

admirer, while the old cock consoled himself with the young hen. The

“ odd man out ” did not make himself a nuisance, beyond feeding the

young lady when her husband’s back was turned ! He was rather

an accomplished bird, having learned to imitate with surprising accuracy

the cries of the Ringnecks that formerly occupied an adjoining aviary—



