Learn more about keeping your own birds and get your free gift into the bargain

My next main post about pet birds from Australia will be published in about a week from now (or less depending on the time I have) and will feature the ever popular grass parakeets, so watch this space!

In the meantime if you would like to know more about looking after your own pet birds then pick up a copy of my pet bird keeping ebook available from any of these 4 locations:

Instant download at MyEbook

Or also here at Payloadz

On cd-rom from Amazon

On Amazon Kindle

Please email me if purchasing through Amazon Kindle as I do not get notification of any sales at the time of purchase.

You'll be glad you did, especially as I'm giving away not one but two free gifts for anyone who makes a purchase.  When your purchase has been confirmed your free gifts will be whizzing across cyberspace to your inbox.

Stanton Birdman

Update, 26 August 2011.
You can now get to all the above links from my new one-page website, where I am also giving away a FREE ebook.  Go there now!  http://www.birdkeepingsecrets.com/

Thanks for your interest!

Australian birds as pets - More information about rosellas

There are several species of rosella, all belong to the genus platycercus which refers to the shape of their tails ie. broad or flat, a common feature in all rosellas.

Medium sized parrots averaging about 12 inch in length, give or take a couple of inches either way depending on the subspecies. All are native to Australia and the nearby islands and have distinct cheek patches and a scalloped appearance to the plumage on their backs.

Absent from the barren outback but quite common in coastal areas where they live in suburban gardens and parks, woodlands and forests, and farmland.
Most live together in flocks or small groups out of the breeding season which is when they then pair up and go their own way. Their natural diet consists mainly of seed and fruit.

Their bright colours make them popular pet birds and in captivity can live for over 20 years, please note however that they are usually very aggresive towards other captive birds with which they have to share their home. For this reason it is advisable to keep them in pairs or alone although I have kept golden mantle rosellas in a large aviary with budgies, cockatiels, and kakarikis with no problem. If doing this though you must be sure to have a large aviary so the birds can get away from each other if they need to.

WARNING: don’t ever keep different subspecies of rosella in the same aviary or cage, they will fight to the death so be sure to prevent them from getting at each other if keeping more than one subspecies. The same applies if trying to keep more than two rosellas of the same subspecies together also.

Green Rosella  Platycercus caledonicus

Sometimes called Tasmanian rosella, the green rosella is not actually native to Australia but to Tasmania and Bass Strait islands. This is the biggest of the rosella family averaging about 14.5 inch (37 cm) in length, and is often regarded as the easiest rosella species to keep in captivity.

The green rosella showcase: Avian Web, Wikipedia, and not just one video but another one also.

Eastern Rosella  Platycercus eximius

This subspecies is predominant mainly in the south east of the country but also Tasmania and has three recognised subspecies itself. Mainly occupying light woodland areas, but these birds have also been introduced to New Zealand where feral populations exist in the North Island, Hutt Valley and Dunedin in the south island. The eastern rosella is about 12 inch (30 cm) in length and is a very popular pet where the bright and colourful plumage is a big attraction.

Of course we like Wikipedia and Avian Web so much because we get more information from there, now let's watch a movie.

Crimson Rosella  Platycercus elegans

Also called Pennant’s rosella and Occupying mainly forests and gardens in east and south east Australia but also introduced to New Zealand. The crimson rosella has five subspecies, of which three are actually crimson in colour. In the wild they will gather in small groups, pairs of feeding parties outside the breeding season. Found mainly in coastal and mountain forests and woodlands. Popular pet birds that are about 14 inch (36 cm) in length.

Welcome to the crimson rosella show!  Avian Web and Wikipedia, and by special guest appearance here, and here.

Pale-headed Rosella  Platycercus adscitus

Often known as Mealy rosella this species inhabits open woodland areas and is native to north east Australia. The pale-headed has two subspecies and is very closely related to the Eastern rosella. The length is approximately 33 cm (13 inch) long but almost half, about 15 cm (6 inch) of that is the tail.  The pale -headed rosella is also sought after by bird keepers and does make a hardy pet which is easy to keep.

Pale-headed rosella on Wikipedia and Avian Web, and starring in its own show here.

Western Rosella  Platycercus icterotis

Sometimes known as the Stanley rosella this little parrot is native to timbered areas and eucalyptus forests in south west Australia. Usually found in pairs but will form groups of about twenty or so to forage. The western is the smallest rosella averaging about 10 inch (25.5 cm) with two subspecies. As with many rosellas these are often kept as pets or aviary birds where, as is usual with rosellas, their bright colouring is desired.

Read about the Western rosella at Avian Web or Wikipedia.

Watch a short movie featuring Western rosellas in the lead role.

Northern Rosella  Platycercus venustus

Also called Smutty rosella or Brown’s parakeet and is native in the north of Australia as it’s name implies, ranging from the Kimberleys and through Arnhem land to the Gulf of Carpentaria. The northern rosella is the second smallest of the common breeds at about 28 cm (11 inch) long. They live singurlarly or in pairs throughout the open savannah country.

Northern rosella on Wikipedia and Avian Web and YouTube.


All the above are available to the bird keeper but the desire for birds with colourful plumage has outstripped demand in many areas so a premium price often accompanies the purchase of a rosella. Don’t expect to pay less than £80 for one unless you’re lucky!


Check out the rosella pictures on 'Facebook'

Habitat damage hub

Wrote a hub a while ago and submitted it to HubPages

It's about the habitat damage caused by human demand for pet birds please click on this link and read it!

Once you've read it please share it with everybody!

Thanks!

Australian birds as pets - An introduction to rosellas

Of all native Australian birds used as pets the rosellas are amongst the most sought after. This is due to their wonderful variety of colouring, their size and their unique markings. Their scalloped feather markings on the back is what makes them unique in the avian world. There are several different species of rosella, all of them unique in their own way, and they all have similar requirements when used in aviculture.

Common in all rosellas is the scalloped pattern to the feathers on the back and all have distinctive cheek patches. A very colourful and medium sized parrot native to Australia and the surrounding islands. On the Australian mainland these colourful birds tend to inhabit areas of farmland, woodland, forests and suburban gardens and parks, in the coastal mountains and plains but not the outback. Specific breeds tend to inhabit a particular area. Most species of rosella live in large flocks in the wild but not all.It is commonly held that their name originates from the area of Australia in which they were first noticed by early pioneers, the Rose Hill area of Sydney.

The most common species appear to be: Western Rosella - smallest of the species with two subspecies itself and is found in south west Australia. Crimson Rosella - five subspecies and inhabiting east and south east Australia. Green Rosella - the largest species and native to Tasmania. Pale-headed Rosella - two subspecies and found in the eastern part of Australia. Eastern Rosella - three subspecies and although native to the eastern area of the country they are found in many regions including Tasmania and have been introduced to New Zealand where feral populations can be found. Northern Rosella - mainly found in the north as the name suggests but can also be seen in open savanna country and a few other areas, this one is also more likely to be found in small groups or just in pairs in the wild. All these are popular as pets.

An aviary is the best option when keeping rosellas in captivity as this ensures an environment as close to their natural habitat as possible. If an aviary is not an option then they will do OK in cages, as long as the cage is adequately large enough for their requirements. They will need to have regular exercise outside the cage however and should get the opportunity to have a fly around. These birds are not usually talkers and will mainly chirp & squawk, although they could learn a few unique sounds or the odd whistle. A single rosella will form a very strong bond with its owner.

An important warning with regards to keeping rosellas:

They are best kept alone or in pairs as they can be very aggressive towards each other if a lot are enclosed together, a strange thing about captive ones this is as they tend to live mainly in flocks in the wild. Whether kept in aviary or cage try to only have no more than two, and ensure they are of the same species subfamily. These birds will fight to the death in captivity if different sub-species are allowed access to each other, so make certain that if keeping more than one type of rosella to separate the different sub-species by housing in separate aviaries or cages. If the aviaries are connected together you must at the very least double-mesh so as these birds cannot get any physical contact. Beautiful birds yes, they do have these requirements however, but they are easily achievable.

Most bird keepers will suggest that rosellas are not to be kept in a mixed aviary with other types of birds because of their aggressive nature. This may be so but I have in the past kept a pair of Eastern Rosellas (golden-mantled rosellas) in the same mixed aviary with budgies, cockatiels, grass parakeets and kakarikis and have had no problems, the rosellas tended to keep themselves to themselves and do their own thing. It would be best to get advice from an avian professional if unsure.

To summarise there are several types of rosella available to the bird keeper, but their demand can often lead to having to pay a substantial fee in order to purchase any. Their physical appearance however is well worth the expense.

 

All the information you need for looking after your pet birds is in my ebook, go to 

http://store.payloadz.com/go?id=941460 for your copy.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Pete_Etheridge

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6345378

Update

Today's nest box inspection revealed:  6 cockatiel eggs, 9 Java sparrow eggs in two nest boxes, 8 budgie chicks (5 in one box, 3 in another) and 3 budgie eggs.  Looking good!

A great day out for all the family

Located in the heart of rural Leicestershire in the UK is the village of Desford. Just a normal English country village apart from one main difference, the residents of Desford are used to seeing all types of foreign exotic birds flying and climbing about the village, many now consider that their village wouldn't be the same without the daily appearance of these birds. You see Desford is also the home of 'Tropical Birdland' (sometimes known as 'Tropical Bird Garden') a small visitor attraction within the village.

It is a great day out for all the family and especially those who are interested in exotic birds. Many of the feathered residents of 'Tropical Birdland' are free-flying, which basically means that they are allowed to roam free about the area; so don't be surprised when visiting there to find the occasional exotic bird coming along to share your lunch.

I don't really have the space to go into detail here but I have visited 'Tropical Birdland' with my family on a number of ocasions and we have always had a great time and returned home with some fond memories.

For more detail check out their website at http://www.tropicalbirdland.co.uk/ and then go and pay them a visit. You won't be dissappointed.

Pet birds - The impact of domestic demand on the natural habitats of exotic and foreign birds

Bird keeping is a very popular pass-time throughout the world. However the demand for exotic or foreign birds in the past and mankind’s increasing intrusion has had a dramatic effect on wild stocks and their natural habitats. Fortunately new laws are being introduced throughout the world in an attempt to maintain the ecosystem and put back what has been taken.

Some time ago many wild birds were captured from wild sources to be kept in captivity with the intention of breeding for the pet, zoo and show bird markets. This unfortunately led to many wild bird species being brought to near extinction. Fortunately nowadays this activity is carefully monitored and policed around the globe which has gone some way to restoring wild stocks. Unfortunately many species are still endangered - to a critical extent in some cases - so careful policing and monitoring methods will need to be ongoing for many decades yet to come - some possibly permanently. However mankind is now beginning to notice the damage done to wild animals, native plant life and natural habitats and is constantly striving to pay back what has been taken so, with optimism, things can only get better for our wildlife, however this will undoubtedly prove to be a very long task. Only with dedication and determination will this ever be achieved.

Many countries now ban the import of domestic livestock and many others impose a strict regime with regard to the matter. This is of course an absolutely necessary precaution to help achieve the desired results. This does of course mean that many previously easily available exotic or foreign pets now have to be bred in the country to meet the demand in the market. This coupled with inflation, has ultimately had an impact on the availability and cost associated with each species; They're not as cheap as they used to be! However many exotic or foreign pet birds are readily available for the right price with the most popular breeds being the least costly.

Many people keep birds as pets and many new enthusiasts are appearing all the time so the market is by no means saturated and there is still much demand. This assures that breeding conditions are being improved continuously with new technology being incorporated to improve the chances of success. Also many private breeders are making use of the demand to help fund the cost of their bird keeping ventures. Mass breeding is still going on but fortunately new regimes are often being incorporated to improve the living conditions of birds in captivity, sometimes brought on by the influence of animal rights activity, but this is a good thing and can only help.

To summarise almost anyone with a desire to keep exotic or foreign birds for whatever reason can find many to choose from and some at little cost. Almost every pet shop in the civilised world will have a stock of pet bird related foods and equipment. Bird keeping is proving to be a desirable pass-time with a massive market to meet demand.

Archive bird stuff

Remember when?

Click to view the Budweiser talking birds TV ad

Cool init!

Today's update

Currently mourning the loss of my yellow turquoisine cock bird who sadly passed away this morning. See his photo on the right side of the page.

+ R I P +

On a happier note; after checking the nest boxes today I was pleased to find 11 budgie eggs, 1 cockatiel egg, and 5 Java sparrow eggs. Good luck to them! This will be the first year that my current Java sparrows and cockatiels have chosen to breed, they were still young last year. I'll keep you posted of any developments.

Been re-arranging all the branches and perches in the outdoor flight. Now there's more space for me to get around without my birds losing anything. What's more I have made all my re-arrangements secure, so no more unexpected collapsing perches and branches.

I've also started taking down the walls of the old - now unused - night shelter and replacing with mesh panels, this will allow more sunshine into that side of the aviary.

If you don't know what I'm on about; when I first built my current aviary two years ago I also built a night shelter into my design because I didn't have a shed or anything similar to use at the time. Last year I extended the flight area and also incorporated a shed that I scrounged, repaired, insulated, draught-proofed, and boarded-out as a night shelter and thus making the old night shelter redundant. However up until now the old night shelter remained with just the front wall removed and became a part of the flight area. I am trying to dismantle it a bit at a time and replace with mesh panels.

A point or two to contemplate.

When furnishing your aviary with branches and perches etc. make sure they are secure and don't make the same mistake as I did, unexpected falls will scare your birds. It's sorted now.

My next point is that sometimes you will lose birds for no apparent reason. Yes it is upsetting but unfortunately you will have to learn to accept it, believe me it gets easier with time. Give them the best you can however and you will undoubtedly limit the risk.

Australian birds as pets – Lorikeets

Continuing our world tour of pet birds we are currently in Australia so here’s some essential facts about lorikeets and their suitability as pet birds.

Unlike many other breeds of parrot the lorikeets are especially adapted to live on a pollen, nectar and fruit diet. A brush like tip to the tongue, long narrow beak and special digestive enzymes make them unique from other parrot type bird species. Small to medium sized and often brightly coloured there are several species from Australia, all of which have similar requirements.
An Introduction to Australia Lorikeet Species on YouTube.

There are over 50 species of lories and lorikeets in areas and countries nearby but only about 7 from Australia itself.  These are :  ‘musk lorikeet’, ‘little lorikeet’, ‘rainbow lorikeet’, ‘varied lorikeet’, ‘scaly-breasted lorikeet’, ‘red-collared lorikeet’, and ‘purple-crowned lorikeet’. Each will be mentioned briefly here with a note about their sutability as pets.


Musk Lorikeet.  Glossopsitta concinna.


Musk lorikeet

 (green keet, red-eared lorikeet) Weighing in at about 60 grams with a length of approximately 22 cm (9 inch).

The musk lorikeet relies mainly on native flowering shrubs and trees for food and can cause some problems in commercial orchards. In the wild the musk lorikeet inhabits coastal woodlands and eucalyptus forests, often in large flocks of several hundred.


Habitation area of the musk lorikeet


Very rare as pets in America and Europe but a delightful pet in Australia though still not very popular due to government regulations that require a licence to keep native birds.

Wikipedia article about musk lorikeet.

Click here for Video showing Musk Lorikeet.

Little Lorikeet.  Glossopsitta pusilla.

(red-faced lorikeet, green parakeet) Approximately 40-45 grams and about 15 cm (6 inch) long.



Little lorikeet

Like others in the family the little lorikeet eats mainly fruit, pollen and nectar but prefers to be high in the canopy of trees. In the wild the little lorikeet inhabits East Australian forests, coastal heath and open woodland, and is very sociable often forming large flocks.



Natural habitat of the little lorikeet

Not kept as a pet in its native Australia and a very rare pet in Europe and America.

Little lorikeet Wikipedia.

Video of little lorikeet.

Rainbow Lorikeet.  Trichoglossus haematodus Malaccans.



Rainbow lorikeets

(blue mountain lorikeet, green collar lorikeet, bluey, swainson’s loris) 125 grams approximately with a length of about 30 cm (12 inch).





Distribution of the rainbow lorikeet

Around flowering trees and sometimes in the company of scaly-breasted lorikeets, the rainbow lorikeet may congregate in noisy flocks of several hundred to roost and eat.

The rainbow lorikeet is very popular as a pet bird in its native Australia and also quite popular in Europe and America. A pet one can be a good source of amusement as they are always playing; a young bird can become tame quite quickly.

Rainbow lorikeet on Wikipedia.

Rainbow lorikeet video on YouTube.

Varied Lorikeet.  Psitteuteles versicolor.

 

Varied lorikeet



About 55 grams and average 19 cm (7.5 inch) long.

In the wild the varied lorikeet is mainly found in large flocks in melaleuca and eucalyptus woodlands in the tropical lowlands of Australia.



Varied lorikeet distribution

Virtually unknown as a pet in America and Europe and although there are a few kept as pets in Australia, this is still a rare occurence.

Wikipedia about the varied lorikeet.

Video of varied lorikeet.

Scaly-breasted Lorikeet.  Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus.



Scaly-breasted lorikeet

(green and gold lorikeet, greenie) About 75-80 grams and about 23 cm (9.5 inch) in length.

Although common in urban areas where it makes use of nectar rich garden plants, in its natural habitat the scaly-breasted lorikeet will form large flocks, often in the company of rainbow lorikeets. These flocks will travel from tree to tree in the open forested areas of its native land.



Distribution area of scaly-breasted lorikeet

A quiet pet bird which is also playful and affectionate and can be taught to talk really well. This makes it a popular species of pet bird in Europe, America and its native Australia.

Scaly-breasted lorikeet on Wikipedia.

Scaly-breasted lorikeet video.

Red-collared Lorikeet.  Trichoglossus haematodus rubritorquis.

Red-collared lorikeet

Approximately 125 grams in weight with a length of about 30 cm (12 inch).

Distribution of red-collared lorikeet

Unlike most of the other species of lorikeet the red-collared lorikeet prefers to abide as a pair or in a small flock. These move around often due to their food source, the eucalyptus flower being a favourite food so they tend to inhabit the open eucalyptus forests most of the time.

Although good pet birds they are kept in low numbers because of availability and price.

Wikipedia about red-collared lorikeet.

Video of red-collared lorikeet on YouTube.


Purple-crowned Lorikeet.  Glossopsitta porphyrocephala.


Purple-crowned lorikeet

 (blue-crowned lorikeet, purple-capped parakeet) About 45 grams and around 16 cm (6 inch) long.

Will form large flocks where food source is plentiful, including urban gardens and orchards. Their natural habitat in the West is in forest areas, whereas in the East they tend to go for coastal heath, mallee and open woodland areas.


Natural distribution of the purple-crowned lorikeet

 Not very often kept as pets or companion birds anywhere, but a little more popular as aviary birds.

Purple-crowned lorikeet on Wikipedia.

YouTube video starring the purple-crowned lorikeet.


Accommodation and feeding

A large aviary is not required to keep lorikeets but you really should have a suspended mesh floor on your lorikeet aviary.  This is because the nature of the lorikeet diet produces lots of droppings that are difficult to clean from a solid floor (plus you will be constantly cleaning).   It is much easier and efficient to have a suspended mesh floor so you can then just hose it down to clean.  For the larger lorikeets such as the musk, rainbow, or scaly-breasted an aviary about 8 foot (2.4 metres) long, by 2 foot (0.6 metres), by 3 foot (0.9 metres) is fine.  For the smaller lorikeet species like the purple-crowned for example, an aviary of about 4 foot (1,2 metres), by 2 foot (0.6 metres), by 3 foot (0.9 metres) will be sufficient.  Don’t forget the suspended mesh floor!

Remember that unlike most parrots, lorikeets by nature live mainly on a pollen, nectar and fruit diet so you must give these types of foods to keep them at their best.  The larger species will eat seed but this should by no means be their main diet and should only be given as an extra on occasion.  Of course fresh clean water should always be available to them for bathing as well as drinking and should go without saying.  There are commercially available mixes and recipes for your lorikeets but you may need to shop around a little.  Both dry mixes and wet mixes should be provided every day along with fruit such as apple, pear, grapes, melon, paw paw, mango, oranges and tangerines for example.

Here are a couple of recipes suitable for lorikeets:

Dry recipe.  1 dessert-spoon pollen (optional), 1 cup of glucose powder, 2 cups of rice flour, 2 cups of baby rice cereal, 2 cups of egg & biscuit mix, 1 teaspoon vitamin mineral powder.  Mix all the ingredients together and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Wet nectar recipe.  0.1 litre of powdered skimmed milk, a half teaspoon of calcium carbonate, 1 tablespoon of honey, 1 litre of fresh water, a half teaspoon of multi-vitamins, 0.5 litres of high protein baby cereal, 1 tablespoon of pollen.  Mix all the ingredients together (the resulting mix should be very watery), freeze the mix in ice cube trays.  Serve 1 melted ice cube (1 dessert-spoon) per bird per day.

Of course if you can get hold of some nectar bearing fresh flowers your lorikeets will love them!

For more about lorikeets click on any of these three links: 
http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-lorikeet.html 
http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/lories/ 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lories_and_lorikeets

Take a look at the lory and lorikeet pictures on the 'Stanton Birdman' 'Facebook' page

Pick up your copy of my pet bird keeping ebook on ‘Amazon Kindle’ by clicking here.

If you prefer the ebook as a ‘pdf’ on CD-rom to use on any PC (including ‘mac’) then click here.  If buying the ‘pdf’ on CD-rom I’ll throw in a free bonus as a special thank you, once your order has been confirmed I’ll email it straight out to you so no waiting for the postal service.

Loads of thanks for your interest!

Pet birds - The popularity of native Australian birds in aviculture

Zebra finches

Lots of popular pet bird species originate from Australia, most of the well-known pet birds are native to this country but not all of them. Many are from the Americas, Africa, and Asia, but the most popular by far and through the sheer numbers in captivity are the Australian species, which range from small finches, right through the range to large parrots.

Famous breeds like the budgerigar (know as parakeet in some countries), cockatiel, zebra finch, lorikeet, and the cockatoo all became available throughout the world via importation from Australia.

When our ancestors first discovered the Australian continent they found many types of animals that were unique to this part of the globe, such as the now infamous ‘duck-billed platypus’ and the ‘echidna‘(egg laying mammals! How strange must that have been?); marsupials such as the ‘kangaroo’, ‘wallaby’, ‘koala’ and many new and unique bird species; many of which were very brightly coloured. So they desired specimens of these birds to take home, and in doing so boosted the fondness of exotic pet bird keeping.

Starting with the smaller breeds; Australian finches that are popular as pets include the ‘star finch’, ‘gouldian finch’ and the well known and readily available at a low price ‘zebra finch’. However there are many more.
Small to medium sized parrot-like species from Australia include the most popular small pet bird of all, the ‘budgerigar’ (or ‘parakeet’). The almost as popular ‘cockatiel’ is also an Australian native, plus no end of other well known pet birds. The list is almost endless: ‘lories’ and ‘lorikeets’ (several types of these), parakeets such as ‘turquoisine’, ‘bourke’, ‘splendid’ ‘elegant’ and ‘red-rumped’ to name a few, there’s loads more. The medium sized ‘eclectus parrot’ also hails from this part of the world.

The ‘rosellas’ are also medium parrot from Australia and about 6 different varieties are used as pets; ‘Eastern’, ‘Northern’, ‘Western’, ‘crimson’, ‘green’, and ‘pale-headed’. All are unique and different in their own way but are closely related. Rosella are known for their strikingly rich colouring, making them a very desirable pet.

Finally the big daddy of Australian pet birds, the ‘cockatoo’. There are about 20 different species of cockatoo but not all are popular as pets, and believe it or not the famous ‘cockatiel’ mentioned earlier is a member of this bird family but of course nowhere near as large as some of its cockatoo cousins. All birds in the cockatoo family are distinguishable by the crest of feathers on the top of the head.

Many breeds of Australian birds live in massive flocks in the wild. The sight of hundreds of budgerigars, cockatiels, finches or lorikeets flocking together is an awe-inspiring sight, and very noisy.

To summarise there is a massive range of Australian birds available as pets all over the world. Many are very colourful, easy to keep, very hardy and all have unique and sometimes entertaining characteristics. The least costly of exotic pet birds are also native Aussies. Is it any wonder that these pet birds are so popular?

For more bird keeping related issues please email me with your questions.

More information available in my new pet bird keeping ebook out now, visit

 http://www.myebook.com/index.php?option=ebook&id=80653 to get your copy or paste the above url into your web browser.

Let's begin our world tour!

We will begin our tour in Australia.

Why there?

Because quite simply the majority of exotic birds used as pets hail from there.  Budgies, cockatiels, rosellas, grass parakeets, cockatoos, zebra finches and many more were first discovered in Australia.

So why not start there!

More about Oz.