okay, I have been searching the web in the UK and Europe to find out if there is an equivalent movement to the Aussie 'Bush Budgie'. There is definitely a small group in Holland that is trying to 'breed back to' the style and form of the early natural budgerigars. Similarly - in France there is a major website called 'Perrouches Ondulees' (their name for budgerigars) which seems largely devoted to non-show birds.

 

I noticed that several breeders in Australia specialise in Bush Budgies and sell them as pets or for aviary colonies

 

So my question is this. I know that it is -quite rightly - impossible to export native wild parrots from Australia to Europe; but do they allow the export of 'captive bred' bush-budgies or their eggs?

Has anyone ever succeeded in doing this?

 

It would be a lovely thing to try and re-establish a more natural type of budgerigar in the UK. I realise that one could simply visit pet shops and select individuals that looked similar to the original stock - but these would inevitably be the 'cullings' from show-breeder's stocks and they would carry every recessive show-gene under the sun?

 

Any advice would be appreciated.

The simple answer is no. The only way you can transport a bird overseas is if you are a resident of AUs moving overseas to live permanently and even then I think you are only allowed to take one or two with you.

I realise that one could simply visit pet shops and select individuals that looked similar to the original stock - but these would inevitably be the 'cullings' from show-breeder's stocks and they would carry every recessive show-gene under the sun?

Also, any budgie that is a show breeders cull is too far removed from the Australian budgerigar. You will not find a show breeders cull that resembles an australian budgie in any way except being green.

Until you've actually seen a bush budgie in the flesh it's very hard to envisage just how small they are

http://www.daff.gov.au/aqis/export

 

Ask aqis. There might be a way.

Permit Req.

Health Certification

Pre-Export Preparations

Transport Requirements

Port of Entry Req.

Special Conditions

Country name:UNITED KINGDOM

Species name:BIRDS

Transport requirement:Transport details exist.

Updated:16 Jun 2005

Protocol Last Negotiated:MAY 1984

 

Disclaimer

 

The information provided in this database is intended for use as guidance only and should not be taken as definitive or exhaustive. The Commonwealth endeavours to keep this database current and accurate, however, it may be subject to change without notice, and exporters should make their own inquiries in relation to import requirements. The Commonwealth will not accept liability for any loss resulting from reliance on information contained in this database. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

Permit Requirements:Permit for GB requires at least one month for processing from the date of its receipt.

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

Hook Rise South

Tolworth

Surbiton

Surrey KT67NF

ENGLAND

 

OR Department of Agriculture and Fisheries

Animal Welfare Branch

Chesser House

500 Gorgie Road

Edinburgh EH11 3AW

 

OR Welsh Office Agriculture Department

Crown Buildings

Cathays Park

Cardiff CF1 3NQ

 

An additional permit is required if you want to export birds to Northern Ireland, the

Isle of Man, or the Channel Islands. These are obtainable from -

Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland

Dundonald House

Upper Newtownards Road

Belfast

 

OR The Board of Agriculture and Fisheries

Government Buildings

Douglas

Isle of Man

 

OR Department of Agriculture

44 Esplanade

St Helier

Jersey

 

OR Department of Agriculture

Burnt Lane

St Martins

Guernsey

 

If your bird is considered to be an endangered species an import permit from the

Department of the Environment is also required. All psittacine birds require this

licensing. Budgerigars and cockatiels do not. It is recommended that this permit be

applied for well in advance of the proposed date of export.

Department of the Environment

Wildlife Conservation Licensing Section

Tollgate House

Houlton Street

Bristol

BS2 9DJ

Top

 

Health certification:No cases of Newcastle disease or clinical avian influenza have been diagnosed on the

premises where the birds have been kept, or within a radius of 10 km of those premises,

during the six weeks prior to the date of shipment.

Top

 

Pre-Export Preparations:All birds have been examined by an official veterinarian* within 48 hours of the date of

shipment of the birds, and certified healthy and free from clinical signs of infectious

or contagious disease, including Newcastle disease and avian influenza.

 

The birds to be exported are fully fledged ad capable of feeding themselves

 

The birds to be exported and/or the birds on the premises from which the birds are to be

exported have not been vaccinated against Newcastle disease.

 

The birds to be exported have been resident in Australia for at least 2 weeks before

export and during this time they have not received any antibiotic treatment.

 

The isolation premises have been cleaned and disinfected prior to entry of the birds for

export.

 

* The official veterinarian must not certify any captive

birds for export when he has a direct financial interest

in the captive birds, arising for example from ownership

of the captive birds or a business relationship with the

exporter or is the exporter himself.

 

UK MAFF gives the following recommendations as part of good husbandry and hygiene:

 

Exporters should

 

1. not keep any poultry at their aviary,

nor should they have any direct or indirect contact with

any poultry;

 

2. where appropriate, reduce the possibility of any contact

between birds in their isolation premises and visiting

wild birds by good housekeeping methods, ie. all food

supplies stored inside the buildings, and any spilt food

should be swept up at least twice daily;

 

3. adopt high standards of cleanliness and disinfection of

their aviaries especially between batches;

 

4. burn all birds dying in isolation after any necessary

veterinary examination rather than bury them;

 

5. not use antibiotics excessively. If treatment is

required, a course given after capture should be

sufficient to overcome any capture/transport stress-

related conditions. Grat care should be taken to ensure

that water used to dilute the antibiotic is uncontaminated.

Previously boiled and cooled water should be used if

necessary.

Top

 

Transportation Requirements:A written statement from the exporter to be attached to the health certification

confirming that the birds for export:-

 

1. will be shipped to Great Britain with not more than one

intermediate stop;

 

2. are not being consigned from the country of export with

any other birds not of a similar animal health status;

 

3. are packed in accordance with International Air Transport

Association (IATA) Live Animal Regulations.

Top

 

Port of Entry Requirements:An official export health certificate, signed and stamped by an official veterinarian to

accompany every consignment, contained on one sheet of paper giving name and address of

exporter, name and address of importer, and including a schedule of the birds giving

details of numbers and species (English and Latin scientific names to be used).

 

Certificate to be in English and must state:

 

1. All birds have been examined by an official veterinarian

within 48 hours of the date of shipment of the birds, and

certified healthy and free from clinical signs of

infectious or contagious disease, including Newcastle

disease or avian influenza.

 

2. the birds to be exported are fully fledged and capable of

feeding themselves.

 

3. No cases of Newcastle disease or avian influenza have been

diagnosed on the premises where the birds have been kept,

or within a radius of 10 km of those premises, during the

six weeks prior to the date of shipment.

Top

 

Special conditions:Please contact the Department of the Environment and Heritage for

any additional requirements or restrictions on the export of birds.

 

Department of the Environment and Heritage

GPO Box 787

Canberra ACT 2601

Phone: 02 6274 1900

Fax: 02 6274 1921

email: wildlifetrade@deh.gov.au

website: www.deh.gov.au/biodiversity/trade-use

Top

 

ANIMEX V5.00

For more information contact the ANIMEX administrator.

Document prepared by AQIS

URL: http://www.aqis.gov.au/animex/asp/Restriction.asp

Last updated: 01 Sep 2004

Edited November 23, 200816 yr by melbournebudgies

Until you've actually seen a bush budgie in the flesh it's very hard to envisage just how small they are

 

Where did you get the bush budgies from?

Angelic Vampyre got my pair for me from a local breeder here in Melbourne

Perhaps you should start another class of show budgie where the judging criteria are based on the "perfect" healthy wild budgie. :rofl:

Perhaps you should start another class of show budgie where the judging criteria are based on the "perfect" healthy wild budgie.

 

that would be good, but that could encourage the poaching of the wild birds :hap:

Not necessarily if wild type budgies were put on licence then that problem could be solved or even a system whereby all wild type budgies would have to be rung as babies, there would be a period of a few years where not all would be until the older ones died off leaving only the rung youngsters but you could do it .

Perhaps you should start another class of show budgie where the judging criteria are based on the "perfect" healthy wild budgie.

Considering a judge only gets a small window of time....a few seconds to judge a bird in a show, working out its state of health ( i.e. "perfect" healthy wild budgie ) may not come into it ....

New training would also be required for judges to specifically judge bush budgies.....or will they just do the reverse of how they judge a show budgie.....smallish headed, sleekest feathered bird wins ?

Perhaps carry around a cage with a true bush budgie in it and compare against that one ?

Thanks for all of the advice - I guess the concensus is 'don't even think about it'. I have been reading up on John Gould's original collection of wild budgerigars and their import into the UK in the 1840s - along with specimens of dozens of other Autralian psittacines. Interestingly, Gould says that of ALL the species he collected: galahs, cockatoos, loris etc - 'these little grass parakeets are the most intelligent, charming and endearing of all of them. They were bred by the thousands in the UK in the late 1800s but were still considered a very valuable rarity. Apparently in the 1920s people were prepared to pay up to £120 sterling for a blue mutation! That is about £5,000 in today's money.

 

I must admit that I find the near-total ban on export of common parrots - even for aviculture rather than the pet trade - confusing. I found a site here:

 

http://www.ckcbirds.co.uk/cockatoocullinginaustralia.htm

 

which describes the killing of cockatoos, galahs and lorikeets

 

Australia"POISON PLAN FOR FLOCKS" Herald Sun, Thursday March 25, 1999

Thousands of wild galahs, cockatoos and corellas will be poisoned in a chemical cull. Victorian farmers yesterday won new powers to use lethal chemicals to stop birds so often blamed for ravaging their crops and sending them broke. But opponents last night said the Australian wildlife faced agonizing deaths under the plan. They warned that other bird life, including eagles and hawks could be poisoned. It is understood the poison attacks the central nervous systems. Vets said the poison would not be quick and birds would suffer long and painful deaths.

Conservation and Land Management Minister Marie Tehan admitted the decision to approve mass poisoning was difficult, but the government had to respond to the plight of Victoria's farmers.

"We've had stories of total wipe-out of crops, from 25 to 100 per cent of crop," she said. Mrs. Tehan could not say how many thousands of birds would be killed, but she described the situation as desperate. Farmers will be issued with 60 day poisoning permits if they can prove crop loss or financial hardship.

They will be restricted to chemicals allowed under the Agriculture and Vet Chemicals Act, which Mrs. Tehan said were commonly used in farming and horticulture. She said the bird population was booming despite limited shooting, trapping and gassing. But animal rights activists and vets said birds could endure painful deaths from the poison. "They fly off before the poison kills them and they'll either spend a long time in agony before they die, or they'll be very sick and maybe recover, "said RSPCA president Dr Hugh Wirth."

Sixty-day permits will be issued once inspecting wildlife officers confirm significant damage to crops. However, wildlife authorities cannot give advice on baits or poisons to be used because there is no information, the poisons previously being banned from such use and no research has been carried out. Accidental kills of non-target species will be excused.

Beyond human safety we are particularly concerned about The need; extensive studies by the department itself have strongly recommended against poisoning to control pssiterines.

* Non target kills; there will be numerous as primary kills of many species of pssiterines (possibly including threatened species), other grainivorous birds and mammals. As you know many species that do not usually eat grain will do so during winter - when the poisoning is planned. There will also be numerous secondary kills of raptors, corvids and mammals.

* To precade the effects on the target species from a conservation and ecological sense the humane aspects; organophosphates are a violent poison. Minimal monitoring of the program is planned; permitees are being asked to record and report all kills to the department, i.e. it might be largely self-policed. The normal process of ethics approval has apparently been bypassed at a political level.

Please write to the minister about this alarming issue as a matter of urgency.

 

The Honorable Marie Tehan

Minister for Natural Resources and Environment

PO Box 500

East Melbourne

Victoria 3002

Australia

Fax international +61 3 96378999

 

IS THIS STILL GOING ON???

 

Edited November 24, 200816 yr by borderglider

Its an ethical dilema isn't it. I can see both sides of the argument. If the farmers don't produce, we don't eat, but no one wants an animal to suffer. I'd hate to have to take a side on this one.

Unfortunately when Europeans landed in Aus and saw fertile arable land a plenty it didn't occur to them that we would have all these critters that like to eat crops, ain't too many wild parrots running around the UK. Then someone thought it would be smart to introduce bunnies who also destroy crops. Add to that roos and drought and farmers are up sh*t creek. So now there is a constant battle between farmers and conservationists over the fate of these animals, it's a really tough call.

Until you see in person the number of birds in these flocks you will really have no idea what they can do and what they can achieve (destroy) in minutes. I have a few photos where an oval size patch of ground is covered by corellas and it wasnt even half the flock.

Usually done with poison oats/wheat, also used for poisoning emus when their numbers get bad also.

Until you see in person the number of birds in these flocks you will really have no idea what they can do and what they can achieve (destroy) in minutes. I have a few photos where an oval size patch of ground is covered by corellas and it wasnt even half the flock.

Usually done with poison oats/wheat, also used for poisoning emus when their numbers get bad also.

 

I wasn't suggesting that birds don't need to be controlled - we have similar problems here in the UK with wild pigeons and rooks - but they use bird-scaring devices to frighten them off.

What I can't quite understand is why they don't trap the excess birds and sell them to parrot-lovers? Here in the UK a single captive-bred Galah costs about £500 and a Sulphur Crested Cockatoo costs about £800. Doesn't it make more sense to trap birds and sell them to reduce numbers rather than poison them in the most inhumane manner?

 

I realise that this is tangential to the issue of why bush-budgies are so hard to obtain - but acccording to the article I quoted above - poisoned bait is left out indiscriminately - so that any species of parrot or parakeet which takes it is poisoned.

 

There has to be another way surely?

They do have people licensed to trap them but there are only so many that can be sent through the pet industry and many of them have to be put to sleep any way because they carry beak and feather. I was speaking to the bloke that runs the local bird dealer a while ago and he said he doesn't buy birds from trappers anymore as of the last lot of 16 cockatoos he bought, 12 tested positive for beak and feather and had to be put to sleep, it's not worth his money to pay for 16 birds and only get 4 suitable to be onsold.

Wild caught adult cockatoos are hard to tame down to an avairy environment, and you would be getting rid of 500-1000 each flock in some of them, there arent enough places for them all to go. As well as not many survivng the long journey by road to get them to an available city. When the birds are poisoned its where they have taken up most of the area so not many other species can compete, not that they are territorial as such but there is just so many that not many other birds come near. Plus they seem to target a specific crop and generally what a cockatoo eats and what a budgie eats are different so dont cross over making it easier to get the one species

Bird scaring devices only work for so long then they get used to it. I know somebody with a macadamia farm that has tried everything available only to have the cockatoos basically sit and laugh at him he has lost the years income as they have taken it all.

 

No-one really wants to poison whether it be because they like the birds and have thoughts such as yourself or because they dont want the carcasses left laying around but in the end its the only solution that works after having tried and tested all other options.

Yeah sorry for heading off on a tangent to the original post but its something hard to comment on until you are in this industry

I understand both arguements... Its a tough decision. I'd like to think that there was some common middle ground and Governmet could come to some sort of agreement. You can't have it so prolific that we lose the species in there native habitat but you'd think that catching a small amount and sending some oversea's wouldn't be a terrible thing. the problem is policing it I would imagine, but then thats quarantines job. Its highly likely that some forms of smuggling would be going on now anyway...

budgie smuggler...

 

I would believe the damage they can cause within minutes. It happens whenever I put fresh branches in the aviary!

 

There are devices that emit high pitch noise to deter wild birds and other animals like bats away from crops. Fruit tree farms have netting around their orchards also for that purpose. Maybe poison is a cheaper or more effective and final option, but I wonder if having poisoned carcasses rotting back into the soil that grows the crops that we eat is building up poison in our bodies. Ah well... what goes around comes around I guess...

 

We have been a bit stupid in our use of that plenty of arable land. Much of it now has residential housing on it because that is more profitable than farming. Many farmers give it up because the conditions imposed on them not only by nature, but by economy, government and corporations just get too difficult to tolerate, so they sell out to property developers. Why not... it's easier. Administration begets more administration, but it does not grow food.