varying degrees of success. Some years not one single pair produces offspring and some years more pairs produce and my collection amounts to more than thirty birds following a good season. So this article is about Lesser Vasa
Parrots and is mainly based on my own experiences. I apologize for the poor quality of my pictures, but it was extremely difficult to take proper pictures in my indoor accommodation.
Dull birds “Good for you, Anton that you keep busy with these “black crows”, but what’s the fun of it?” I totally agree that Lesser Vasas are not the most colourful birds. I shall not argue about matters of taste, however because of the subtle hue and fine pattern in the feathers I think they are beautiful. Especially if they can be observed in sunlight they show more colour and fine patterns than seen at first sight. The slim shape and a neck that can be stretched to an amazing length give them rather the appearance of a dove. Remarkable of course is the change of bill colour which changes from black to white in the breeding season. They are lively birds, practically never
aggressive. More birds can be kept together in one relatively small room without any problem.
40 BIRD SCENE
I own several tame birds which like to sit on my hand or shoulder, but every attempt to touch them results in a bite reflex. I am sure this behaviour can be unlearned, but if the birds don’t like to be touched I respect that.
They don’t chew and demolish as much as
other bigger parrots. Wooden branches will not be chewed to pieces. They do like to peel the bark of (willow or fruit tree) branches. They love sunbathing and take the
strangest positions then. Sometimes they even lay on their back on the floor, just by seeing the bird’s breathing it is clear the parrot is not dead! They also whistle most charmingly and
they own a repertoire of quite a lot of different melodies. Seldom do they scream and young birds become tame easily. Most fascinating is their breeding behaviour. Right before feeding the male stretches its neck to the maximum length and graciously bows
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