Protecting Birds From Pests
BY LAURELLA DESBOROUGH
Copyright Laurella Desbrough (eclectusbreeder.com).
All rights reserved by the author.
Mice Patrol
For those who breed birds in outdoor
aviaries, mice patrol is generally a
routine activity involving setting
and monitoring traps. It is
predicted that one of the unwelcome
results of El Niño will be an
increase in the populations of field
mice. As winter approaches, these
mice will be seeking new shelter and
new food sources, and invading
outdoor aviaries. As they climb
support posts, run along wire cage
edges and drop into food bowls, they
leave a trail of urine and feces
that contaminate the aviary with
bacteria which compromises our
birds' health. In order to control
this invasion, certain measures are
needed.
Check the aviary and remove all
extraneous materials such as
discarded perches, used nest boxes
and especially wasted foodstuffs.
The object is to eliminate hiding
places and a food source for the
mice. Check and clean nest boxes,
taking down those that will not be
used by the pairs for shelter or
sleeping. The placement of modern
mouse traps along their favorite
runways ensures that they will enter
the traps and be captured. Some
builders of nest boxes also make
mouse traps. The modern trap
generally keeps the mouse inside;
once it has entered, there is no
means of escape. These mice must
then be disposed of. For outside
aviaries without small mesh wire on
the ground and walls, rats can
become a problem also. Rats not only
carry diseases but will attack and
kill smaller parrots, such as
Senegals. Storing nuts and grains in
mouse- and rat-proof containers
helps keep the bird foods safe from
bacterial contamination. Cleaning up
any spilled grains or food residues
reduces the interest of rodents in
the aviaries.
Killer Bees
Reports from Arizona and Texas
indicate that killer bees are
attacking and killing both domestic
and wild animals. It is reported
that dogs and horses, as well as
humans, have been attacked. In South
America, these bees have killed
people who were unfortunate enough
to disturb them and were unable to
outrun them to safety. The ferocity
and intensity of these African
exports is hard to imagine, but
descriptions of attacks by those who
have been present indicate that they
are persistent and attack in great
clouds, leaving thousands of stings
on their victims. Apparently they
attack any live creature that
disturbs them. It is reported by the
news media that they are eventually
expected to migrate to most of the
southern and southwestern states in
the United States.
Bird breeders with outside aviaries
in areas where these bees exist are
urged to place window screening
material around their aviaries to
prevent these bees from entering.
Emil Musil of Arizona has written
about his tragic experience with
these bees that swarmed past his
aviaries. Within a few minutes, his
entire breeding collection of
American Singer canaries lay dead in
their aviary. His story was
published in the November 1998
American Singer Club newsletter. In
addition to protection from killer
bee stings, window screening
protects the birds from disease
transmission via mosquito bites and
pigeon fly bites. This screening
also helps keep out regular flies
which can deliver bacteria to food
bowls.
