When GARY BRALSFORD was offered a pair of the exquisite Brazilian tanager, he jumped at the chance to try breeding them. Here’s how they have been getting along with him so far.
SOFTBILLS
THE Brazilian scarlet tanager (Ramphocelus bresilia) is a species I have admired for years. It is hard to come by and not many have landed in private aviculturists’ hands. A few are being bred at zoos, though, such as Jersey.
The cock is a truly stunning bird, whereas the hen is more a sombre colour but very nice in its own way. I picked my Brazilian tanagers up in August 2017, and housed them on their own in an inside flight in the birdroom. The flight was 3m long x 1.2m wide x 2.1m high (10ft x 4ft x 7ft). I placed a few baskets around the walls, which were covered in plastic ferns and ivy for privacy, and added several nest-boxes of different sizes in various areas. These half-fronted nest-boxes measure 20cm (8in) square and another two are 25cm (10in) square.
This story is from the February 7, 2018 edition of Cage & Aviary Birds.
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This story is from the February 7, 2018 edition of Cage & Aviary Birds.
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