Cage Vs Aviaries : Which One Should You Choose?

It's aquariums for most but for some, its aviaries. Pet lovers tend to relax more and feel calmer when they watch their pets in action and nothing promises more action than watching colorful birds of different species take flight and belt out a cacophony of sounds in birdsongs.

 

The thing is, people tend to confuse aviaries with bird cages, thinking that they're one and the same thing. For the clueless and for those who want to know the difference between each, aviaries are large enclosures for confining birds but have larger living spaces than cages. Aviaries also allow birds more space to fly and are usually designed to mimic a bird's natural habitat. Because these cages allow birds to fly, they are sometimes referred to as flight cages. Plus, aviaries will also allow you to house a number of bird species.

Bird cages on the other hand, are cages designed to house birds as pets. They are often considered too small to house more than two complimenting species at a time and are more often than not, used more for home décor without live birds in it, unlike aviaries. Cages are also too small for birds to have any flying space and choosing cages also depends on the size and species of birds you want to get.

Whether you prefer to get a bird cage or a bird aviary, there are important things you need to remember if you are to ensure that your birds will live in a safe, healthy and happy environment. For one, your cages or aviaries will depend on the number of bird species you want to breed, the weather conditions where you live and the kind of birds you want to breed. Gardens are usually the best places to build your aviaries in while indoors would be the best place for bird cages.
If you're in a quandary about whether to get a bird cage or an aviary, you need to weigh the pros and cons of each in order to make the best decision. Cages offer you more flexibility and freedom to control your birds, allows you to create specialized diets and monitor them closely for any signs of health problems. However, birds are more prone to escape cages than aviaries so if you want more security and safety aviaries may be your best bet.

Aviaries on the other hand, allow birds to fly and live more happily because it is specifically designed to mimic their natural habitats. Since you can house more birds in them, it also gives them the opportunity to socialize, form their own flocks and choose their mates. Some breeders even attest to the fact that having aviaries actually lets you form a closer bond with your pets and is a constant reminder of why you love birds to begin with.

And lastly, aviculture experts also believe that if you want to concentrate on one or two bird species at a time, then cages would be more practical than aviaries. Unless you have been breeding birds for a while and know each species like the back of your hand, aviaries are best left to the experts and the experienced.

Take your bird-breeding to the next level and get the best aviaries that will suit your needs. Find aviaries at SimplySheds site and ensure you have a healthy and safe environment for your fine, feathered friends.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8171322

Orange Fruit Dove

The Orange Fruit Dove (Ptilinopus victor), also known as Flame Dove, is a small, approximately 20 cm (8 in) long, short-tailed fruit-dove in the family Columbidae. One of the most colorful doves, the male has a golden olive head and elongated bright orange "hair-like" body feathers. The golden-olive remiges are typically covered by the long orange wing coverts when perched. The legs, bill and orbital skin are bluish-green and the iris is whitish. The female is a dark green bird with blackish tail and orange-yellow undertail coverts. The young resembles female.

 

The Orange Dove is endemic to forests of Vanua Levu, Taveuni, Rabi, Kioa, Qamea and Laucala islands of Fiji. The diet consists mainly of various small fruits, berries, caterpillars and insects. The female usually lays one white egg.

The Orange Fruit Dove is closely related to the Whistling Fruit Dove and Golden Fruit Dove. These species are allopatric, meaning they do not share the same habitat in any location.

A common species throughout its limited range, the Orange Fruit Dove is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_Dove

Jambu Fruit Dove

The Jambu Fruit Dove (Ptilinopus jambu) is a smallish colourful fruit-dove. It is a resident breeding species in southern Thailand, Malaysia, Brunei and the Indonesian islands of Kalimantan, Sumatra and Java.
 

The Jambu Fruit Dove inhabits mangrove swamps and lowland rain forests up to 1,500 m and is also found in second growth woodland. The male holds a breeding territory, advertised by raising its wings, bobbing its body and cooing. It will defend its territory with a quick peck if the territorial display fails. The female builds a flimsy nest of twigs, roots and grasses, which are collected by her mate, in a tree and lays one or sometimes two white eggs which are incubated for about 20 days to hatching, with a further 12 or more days to fledging.

The Jambu Fruit Dove is 23–27 cm long and weighs about 42 g. It is a plump small-headed bird with soft feathers and very distinctive colouring including a white eye ring, orange bill and red legs. The call is a soft, low coo.

The adult male has a crimson face with a black chin, unmarked green upperparts and white underparts, with a pink patch on the breast and a chocolate brown undertail. The female differs from the male by having a dull purple face with a dark chin. The underparts are green with a white belly and cinnamon undertail. The immature Jambu Fruit Dove resembles the female but has a green face. The young male acquires its full adult plumage in about 39 weeks from fledging. Immature males are similar in appearance to females.

The Jambu Fruit Dove is a shy and inconspicuous bird, camouflaged against the forest canopy by its green plumage. It is usually seen alone or in pairs, but a sizable flock may gather when feeding at a fruit tree. It eats fruit directly from the tree, or from the ground if items have been dropped by hornbills or monkeys. Like other doves, but unlike most birds, it can drink by sucking.

Extensive deforestation in Indonesia and Malaysia means that this dove is now threatened, although its ability to live in second growth and at higher elevation means that its situation is not as critical as that of some forest bird species. The Jambu Fruit Dove is evaluated as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Data refer : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jambu_Fruit_Dove

 

Mariana Fruit Dove

The Mariana Fruit Dove (Ptilinopus roseicapilla), also known locally as Mwee’mwe in the Carolinian language, Totot on Guam or Paluman Totut in Northern Mariana Islands, is a small, up to 24 cm long, green fruit dove native and endemic to Guam and the Northern Marianas Islands in the Pacific. It has a red forehead, greyish head, back and breast, and yellow belly patch and undertail coverts.
 

The female lays a single white egg. The chick and egg are tended to by both parents. Its diet consists mainly of fruits.

Culturally, the Mariana Fruit Dove is a very important symbol of the region. This species is the official bird of the Northern Marianas Islands. In 2005, the Mariana Fruit Dove was originally chosen as the official mascot of the 2006 Micronesian Games in Saipan.However, the official website for the games shows a tropicbird as the official symbol instead of the Mariana Fruit Dove.

The species faces extinction due to habitat loss throughout its range. A larger threat to the Mariana Fruit Dove has been the accidental introduction of the Brown tree snake to Guam during World War II. The snakes decimated the native bird populations of the island, which were unaccustomed to predators. They are extinct on Guam since 1984 and the Mariana Fruit Dove is highly endangered on other islands in its range. The spread of the snakes to other Northern Marianas Islands could be devastating. Several zoos have started captive breeding programs. The St. Louis Zoo, in St. Louis, Missouri, has one of the most successful captive breeding programs. The program began in 1993.

Due to ongoing habitat loss, limited range, small population size and invasive alien species, the Mariana Fruit Dove is evaluated as Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Data refer : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariana_Fruit_Dove