Dear John
If Galahs are not "the bird of your choice" it must be because you've
never known a hand-reared one. They're charming and amusing and VERY
affectionate and yes, my observations of the thousands of wild ones in
these parts confirms that coutship and breeding includes feeding. The
male actually delivers food to the female when she's sitting/brooding.
She will go to the nest entrance and stick out her head to be fed, just
as the chicks will do, when old enough.
Once out of the nest, the fledgelings congegate in "creches" in a
suitable tree or other perching area to which many pairs of parents
deliver frequent meals. The begging of the chicks is incessant and loud
and the Morgan river front Redgums are reverberating to the noise at
present. Little Corellas do the same but the begging noise of the
fledgelings isn't quite so loud.
Affection/bonding is shown by mutual preening (nuzzling) of the head and
neck regions and, just as with human children, seems to be a real need,
in all the cockatoos and parrots I've experienced. Most years, I find
myself with a young, rescued galah that's come to grief before it can
fly properly. These babies are completely unagressive if handled gently
and they respond instantly and pathetically, to the aforesaid
head/face/neck preening.
Galahs are most definitely a "bird of my choice"!
Cheers
Anne
--
Atriplex Services (Pronounced A-tree-plex)
Environmental Consultants, Landscaping Contractors,
Native Australian Plant Nursery, Educators.
http://www.riverland.net.au/~atriplex
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