Avian Influenza Prevention Zone to be Lifted
Avian Influenza: keepers advised to remain vigilant as heightened biosecurity measures lifted Changes to Risk Level The risk of avian influenza infection in wild birds remains low (rare but does occur). However, the risk of HPAI H5 exposure to poultry and captive birds across the whole GB has reduced from medium (occurs regularly) to […]
Softly fascinated by watery nature
New YouGov research, released by the Mental Health Foundation, has found 65 % of people find being near water improves their mental wellbeing and is their favourite part of nature. A new scheme in London called Blue Prescribing will allow up to 300 people experiencing poor mental health and with limited access to water in […]
Who would be the ‘Zorro’ ducks?
If someone referred to ‘Zorro’ ducks, would they mean the Silver Teal? Also known as the Versicolor Teal, this attractive little duck is widely distributed in South America. Or maybe it would be the much bigger Puna Teal, once considered conspecific with its aforementioned cousin with which it also differs by always lacking yellow on […]
She’s my girl…
This Pied Pomeranian gander is boldly defending his goose whilst she incubates. He rarely approaches the nest, but keeps visual and vocal contact with her. This breed also occurs in solid White and Grey. In the Pied both sexes show patches of their wild Greylag ancestor’s colour in their plumage, the markings being the result […]
Big shelduck, big attitude
Most species of the tribe Tadornini are found in the Southern Hemisphere; shelducks being more aquatic than sheldgeese. The Australian Shelduck Tadorna tadornoides is a large rusty-brown duck with large patches of white on the wings. Females have a white eye-ring, and are slightly smaller than drakes. Shelducks can be challenging in aviculture as they […]
Changes to what Bird Gatherings are Permitted
From the 21 April 2021, certain bird gatherings can take place in GB provided you notify the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) at least 7 days before the event and that you meet the requirements of the General Licence. This includes markets, shows, sales, exhibitions of pigeons, budgerigars, canaries, parrots, cockatiels and birds of […]
German Pekins
The Pekin Duck we know today as an exhibition bird nearly died out in Britain, saved only by importations from Europe to bolster the bloodstock. Hence we call them German Pekins. The Pekin imported to USA in the late 1800s continued to develop along very different lines. There, it became a base breed for the […]
What is going on inside?
The embryo develops at a predictable rate inside the egg. By shining a bright light through the shell you can see how it is progressing. How easy it is depends on the thickness of the shell, Mandarin ducks are easy to see, most Geese are very difficult. In general, darker coloured eggs are the hardest […]
Avian Influenza: Enhanced Biosecurity is still mandatory.
Following outbreaks in East Staffordshire (HPAI H5N8) and Cheshire (LPAI H5N3) toward the end of the month, DEFRA urgently reviewed the risk of avian influenza to both wild and kept birds and the implications of preceding with the lifting of the housing measures component of the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ). The GB-wide AIPZ requiring […]
Blue-billed Teal
What’s in a Name? In the latest version (v11.1, January 2021) of the International Ornithological Congress (IOC) master list of bird names, the Hottentot Teal has been changed to the Blue-billed Teal. This decision was made in concert with the BirdLife South Africa List Committee, as the former name has become offensive. The simple truth, […]
