Birds as predators!

[maureen_g]

I was reading through the forum and came across a post regarding finches in cages being killed by other birds - Butcherbirds and Miners.I have been putting my several smaller cages of quarantine birds out in the sun on a bench each day for a few hours. It is under the eaves of the house. Haven't had any problem but won't be doing this again after reading that!! When I put up my first aviary - mostly under the pergola - it didn't take long before the resident Noisy Miners were landing on the wire and harrassing the brds. I put a large rubber snake on the roof and voila!! The Miners stay away. I am wondering if birds can be killed through small aviary wire or just the bar type (which my quarantine birds are in)?

[Diane]

It has been known for predator birds to pull unsuspecting finches through the wire/bars.

[natamambo]

Butcher birds eat snakes, so that trick won't work for them.

[landferno]

I did the same thing putting smaller cages out with birds in during quarantine. I live in central Melbourne and have a tiny yard and was up the side watering the vegie garden when i noticed a Butcherbird sitting on the fence. Id never seen one around here before. When I ran around to have a look at the birds it had killed a St Helena through the wire and had nipped a longtail that was in shock and bleeding from the belly. The longtail lived but i learned my lesson, if i ever have sick or quarantined birds needing a bit of sun I am always within view of the cages at all times. I occasionally see a butcherbird hanging around and i think i lost a gouldian that broke its neck in a panic flight but the birds seem to be aware of it, usually alerted by the calls of white plumed honeyeaters and hide up the back. With the small gauge wire on the aviary I havent had any issues with butcherbirds pulling legs off my birds. I have a friend that lost quite a few birds to an owl that pulled the legs off his birds when they were hanging on to the wire at night. I guess that would be a possible issue for lots of keepers in more rural areas.

[jusdeb]

Ive had butcher birds pull a purple crown through the bars of a holding cage they are persistent and skilled killers . I find them most deadly when they bring their young into the yard to teach them how to attack the smorgasbord .
I try not to have holding cages on the verandah but at times I need to for a few hours which makes me think they must patrol their territory waiting for opportunities regularly .
A few have been removed and released out near the zoo where there is plenty of food + water ..... and yes I am aware they have a family structure and it may stress them to relocate them but much better option than a led pill me thinks
My biggest issue now is the number of Hawkes hovering and how game they are to come down past the tree canopy looking for food ..the dill over the road encourages them to nest there in his huge sheds in order to keep the pigeon numbers down .
Must say though I did enjoy watching them teach their young to hunt until I realised it was someones Budgie they were tossing about > yes it was caught , fed up and then rehomed with a male she got friendly with ..happy ending .

Yeah yeah off track as usual ... my point they are mongrel things to have in the yard , dislike them much but out in the bush or in open paddocks they are as beautiful as any of our natives .

[Finchy]

I have never had a finch killed through square aviary wire, but have lost several through cage bars.

They are incredibly fast. We have a front porch area that is never visited by Magpies, yet I left a quiet, sick Zebra in a cage to sun for literally less than 2 minutes - for seconds - and a Magpie appeared from nowhere and killed it. I don't know how they do it.

[vettepilot_6]

I have never had a finch killed through square aviary wire, but have lost several through cage bars.

They are incredibly fast. We have a front porch area that is never visited by Magpies, yet I left a quiet, sick Zebra in a cage to sun for literally less than 2 minutes - for seconds - and a Magpie appeared from nowhere and killed it. I don't know how they do it.

Don't know how long you have had finches but it will happen unless you use 6mm square wire (even then you need a large cage for them to get away from attacks)....12mm square wire is easy for them to kill birds as well as bar type cages..

[Myzomela]

Or cover the cages with a double layer of that cheap anti-bird netting from Bunnings- works well for temporary coverage but also used it on a patio aviary for several yrs housing some Neophema parrots.

[gouldianpaul]

you could also line the inside of your cage with the small 6ml wire....teadious job but well worth the effort if you want to leave your birds out and not be concerned about butcher birds.

Cheers
Paul

[maureen_g]

Thanks everyone!! This has been great to hear others experiences!! I don't have Butcherbirds hanging around as my Noisy Miners would never tolerate that!! But I will still be super careful!!