indian Minor or Butcher Bird troubles

[whavenaar]

Hello All,

I came home the other night to find 9 out of 10 of my zebras dead and a king quail sitting on the high shelf.

This may have happened once before where we lost about 12 finches but I thought it was the heat on that day (excluding the quail on the shelf).

I have seen a couple of Indian Minors charge the aviary once when I was standing next to it and the finches took to flight, I am assuming the same has happened and possibly multiple times. I think they have been frightened so much they have hit their tiny heads on the top of the aviary and given themselves head injuries and died.

I am frightened to purchase more finches as this has upset my family and I. I have also had my confidence shot and look to the forum for help.

I have a small rectangular aviary which I am able to walk into stand up its about 2000 high x 2400 wide x 1400 deep , small mouse proof wire mesh on the front and 1/2 the sides, it was made by Les Turner aviaries in Campbelltown Sydney.

I have perches across the corners of the front of the aviary on the wire and today have read I should keep the perches away from the wire.
Someone has suggested bubble wrap on the ceiling as a joke but I have considered some sort of foam.

There is a large tree next door which I regularly disturb indian minors calling and roosting in evening and calling in the morning until they move on. And then I wait for the next group to take this tree on as a place of rest to repeat the cycle of dirt rock throwing, egg throwing, hosing and trapping to get rid of them.
I have also had a couple of pee wees in my small yard recently, and I have seen butcher birds many times.
Help me beat these birds so that I can have finches and enjoy my hobby.

Thank you all
Wayne

[vettepilot_6]

I have Noisy mynah ( https://www.google.com.au/search?q=nois ... B305%3B255 ) coming down to my aviary...but I have internal partitions of brush or metal walls where finches can hide out of sight.. (haven't lost any yet) my point is not much you can do about outside interference (other than plastic owl or hawk statue on roof) ..so if you can make some teatree partitions or such may help your problem..

[Davo2]

Indian minors don't do much but nest in your roof, aussie or noisy minors pester the hell out of aviaries but the finches seem to know when they are around and make their way to the back of the aviary. I would be looking at the quail, they fly around a lot at night and spook birds that end up hurting them self all all over. I have a lot of quails going for free if you need any

[Craig52]

Indian minors don't do much but nest in your roof, aussie or noisy minors pester the hell out of aviaries but the finches seem to know when they are around and make their way to the back of the aviary. I would be looking at the quail, they fly around a lot at night and spook birds that end up hurting them self all all over. I have a lot of quails going for free if you need any

Agree Davo Quail and finches don't mix in small aviaries. Craig

[arthur]

Agree with all above, but particularly with plenty of brush to hide in

If there is plenty of brush they will hide in it till they think the danger is past

If there is insufficient or none they will thrash about in panic till they damage themselves or are 'hooked' by the predators

Brush (more rather than less) might make the birds a bit harder to see, but at least they will be there to see

[werty]

Had the same problem with a butcher birdvand a hawk

Simple solution, high pressure hose

Knocked both of them to the ground, once down the boxer killed the hawk and the butcher never came back, for some reason they don't like high pressure water

Try it out

[iaos]

Had the same problem with a butcher birdvand a hawk

Simple solution, high pressure hose

Knocked both of them to the ground, once down the boxer killed the hawk and the butcher never came back, for some reason they don't like high pressure water

Try it out

That is awful. Nothing to be proud of

[vettepilot_6]

Had the same problem with a butcher birdvand a hawk

Simple solution, high pressure hose

Knocked both of them to the ground, once down the boxer killed the hawk and the butcher never came back, for some reason they don't like high pressure water

Try it out

That is awful. Nothing to be proud of

Agree Ian

[werty]

Had the same problem with a butcher birdvand a hawk

Simple solution, high pressure hose

Knocked both of them to the ground, once down the boxer killed the hawk and the butcher never came back, for some reason they don't like high pressure water

Try it out

That is awful. Nothing to be proud of

Sorry mate, next time I'll let them slaughter my whole aviary

[arthur]

Sounds like a good non-lethal deterrent to me . .

If you leave the boxer out of the equation