WATERFOWL GARDEN
Waterfowl breeding in a garden setting
White cheeked turaco page
I have one pair of these at the moment, they have reared one chick so far this year and have started to lay again.They are housed in a heavily planted flight with a pool, along with a few pair of waterfowl and a lone European lapwing.They seem to get along fine with all the other inmates, and do not bother any eggs left unattened or interfere in any way.
I have made a few notes on the aggressive behavior in my male white cheeked Turaco towards myself ! he is the model parent both towards the female and his youngster.
When I first got the pair late 06, both birds were quite tame but the male more so, he would come and take grapes through the mesh. When the birds started to nest in the spring 07 he was still not to aggressive at all towards me.
Unfortunately the first clutch failed, one egg falling through the mesh platform ( a misjudgment by myself , and quickly rectified ) the other egg was incubated artificially but the resulting chick was " not right " and died within three days.
The pair soon laid again and the result was one chick, the other egg was unfertile. As the chick progressed so did the males level of aggressiveness ! at first he would only give glancing blows, and only when my back was turned on him . Luckily I did not have to enter the flight to feed them, this was done through a hatch in their shelter, but there is a pond in the flight along with a few pairs of ducks and this needed cleaning regularly, much to the turacos annoyance. When the chick was about three weeks old the males attacks became more focused, he would attack the top of my head, and then full on at my face, drawing blood on several occasions. I could only raise my hands in defense but luckily I wear spectacles which protected my eyes. ( even these were knocked off on one occasion ! )
After the youngster left the nest the males aggression did not subside in any way, and even now when the female is incubating another clutch he is still the same. I think he has become to dislike me a lot ! the phrase biting the hand that feeds him comes to mind .
When I first got the pair late 06, both birds were quite tame but the male more so, he would come and take grapes through the mesh. When the birds started to nest in the spring 07 he was still not to aggressive at all towards me.
Unfortunately the first clutch failed, one egg falling through the mesh platform ( a misjudgment by myself , and quickly rectified ) the other egg was incubated artificially but the resulting chick was " not right " and died within three days.
The pair soon laid again and the result was one chick, the other egg was unfertile. As the chick progressed so did the males level of aggressiveness ! at first he would only give glancing blows, and only when my back was turned on him . Luckily I did not have to enter the flight to feed them, this was done through a hatch in their shelter, but there is a pond in the flight along with a few pairs of ducks and this needed cleaning regularly, much to the turacos annoyance. When the chick was about three weeks old the males attacks became more focused, he would attack the top of my head, and then full on at my face, drawing blood on several occasions. I could only raise my hands in defense but luckily I wear spectacles which protected my eyes. ( even these were knocked off on one occasion ! )
After the youngster left the nest the males aggression did not subside in any way, and even now when the female is incubating another clutch he is still the same. I think he has become to dislike me a lot ! the phrase biting the hand that feeds him comes to mind .
