Page 696 - Hand rearing birds second

North American Swallows 697

birds are no longer begging for food. The behavior and weight of the birds must be closely moni-
tored using this hand‐rearing technique and it should not be done with more than 10 birds in an
aviary. It may become difficult to feed and monitor the condition of individual birds if there are too
many birds in the aviary. Using plastic, temporary, colored leg bands (Red Bird Products) can be
very useful in identifying individuals in a group.
Miller (2012) indicates that 8 × 16 × 8 ft. (2.4 × 4.8 × 2.4 m) is the minimum aviary dimension for
swallows. This size is adequate for supporting the needs of very young fledging swallows or swal-
lows recently recovered from an injury. However, an enclosure of this small size is not large enough
to support the level of physical activity required for pre‐release conditioning and successful prepa-
ration for release back to the wild. An aviary of this size severely inhibits a healthy swallow’s ability
to bank, turn, and gain speed in flight, and it does not provide sufficient space to fully assess a
patient that has recovered from a wing injury. Minimum dimensions of a pre‐release condition
aviary for swallows should be 24 × 12 × 8 ft. (7.3 × 3.7 × 2.4 m).
Aviaries should be of wood frame construction with an exterior of protective wire, such as ½ in.
(1.25 cm) hardware cloth to keep birds safe from predators, and the interior should be fully lined
with light gray fiberglass window screen to prevent injury and damage to feathers. One‐quarter to
one‐third of the aviary should be fully enclosed on the sides, back, and top with plywood to provide
shade, privacy, and a safe place to roost and escape from the sight of predators. The substrate of the
aviary can be composed of pea gravel for easy cleaning (Figure 44.7).

Figure­44.7­ Swallow aviary: large open space in the middle to support unobstructed flight path and room
to maneuver, perching options at the end include rope and natural branches, elevated shelf to hold water
and food dishes, AstroTurf mats are placed directly under perching areas to facility easy clean-up of feces.