In a message dated 97-12-31 23:15:22 EST, you write:
<< The other day, in a pet shop in Hornsby, in Sydney's north, I was
surprised to see some 10 Gouldian Finches, 2 Hooded Parrots and 2
Princess Parrots. The owner said breeders who all had licences supplied
them. In Peter Slater's new book he predicts that the Gouldian Finch
will be the next bird extinct in OZ.
Should I be alarmed with the appearance of these finches and parrots in
the pet shop? Do the NPWS actually police how much trapping/capturing is
going on in terms of wild populations of these birds? Is smuggling
rampant in Australia? Perhaps the birds I saw were all bred from cage
birds anyway, and I don't need to worry. I am concerned nevertheless.
Anyway, Happy New Year and all that festive stuff.
LORNE.
>>
This is such a shame.
Gouldians are bred by the scads here in the US, in any kind of color mutation
even that you could imagine as well.
Princess of Wales parrots are bred fairly commonly here, at least in the state
of Fla USA where there used to be lots of import stations.
Hoodeds you don't see a lot of. I knew of one guy who bred them. He said they
were fairly hardy but would have a hard time in Fla hot humid weather. He'd
said he could go out and chase a hooded in a flight til it was exhausted and
tired and catch it, as opposed to Mulgas (which was what I was calling about)
which he said in that case would just drop dead; more delicate. I'd believe
it, when you do see them you only see males for sale.
It REALLY is too bad there is not a co-operative effort between US and Aus re:
different species. Here you guys could use the finches among other things, and
I understand some conures sell for incredible prices there, while most of us
would die for a galah.
I wouldn't be surprized if the above mentioned Australian birds are
domestically bred;
I've seen a video from a breeder there with many species, but many of them are
considered common here so I wouldn't know uncommon for you, or protected
except for example the Black 'toos and such, and the NZ kakarikis.
Barbara S. Taylor
Five Gates Exotics
Green Cove Springs, Fl
USA
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