Cassell's book of birds; vol. 1Brehm, Alfred Edmund
Science
Cassell's book of birds; vol. 1
Brehm, Alfred Edmund
Birds
In summer the Corellas build their nests near the Hunter and Peel rivers,
and other streams running north, if they can find suitable trees. After
the breeding season they assemble in innumerable flocks, which cover
whole tracts of country, or alight in hundreds upon the overhanging
branches of the gum-trees. In September these flocks begin to migrate
to their breeding-place, and in February or March return to the north.
They devour grass seed, like the rest of their congeners, but cannot
live without water, and, therefore, must remain in the neighbourhood of
a stream. They are very active, run with facility on the ground, and fly
slowly but often to a considerable distance before they alight. They
are but little afraid of man, and if startled from the ground, wend
their way to the nearest tree, perch upon a branch, and, as soon as the
danger is over, return to the ground; not being shy, they are easily
captured. They lay five or six white eggs, about an inch long. Corellas
have only lately been brought to Europe in any considerable number; at
the present day they are to be met with in all large zoological gardens,
and may be obtained from the principal dealers in birds. They require
but little tending, and need no particular surroundings for breeding;
but they should be left as much as possible to themselves. Two birds in
the Hamburgh Zoological Gardens sat by turns on their eggs, the female
from the noon of one day to the forenoon of the next, and the male in the
intermediate hours. As far as we know, such a division of parental duties
has not been observed in any other parrots.
THE GROUND PARRAKEET.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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