Page 697 - Hand rearing birds second

698 Hand-Rearing Birds

The aviary should be furnished with a variety of perches. A line of rope or a long bungee cord
should be provided at each end of the aviary in addition to a couple of natural branches with leaves
and a shallow shelf lined with Astroturf. Keep all perching areas at the ends of the aviary and do
not obstruct the flight path. A roosting nook should be placed high in a corner at the sheltered end
of the aviary.

Food­Presentation­in the Aviary
Provide low‐sided dishes of mealworms, waxworms, fresh‐frozen cricket bodies, and freeze‐
dried insects at perch level in the aviary, but do not place dishes on the ground. Crème brulee
dishes work exceptionally well for swallow food dishes. Clear glass ashtrays work well for fresh
frozen crickets and waxworms. Dishes can be placed on small shelves affixed at perch height to
the walls of the aviary. If shelves are not available, a large shallow dish, such as a cake pan or
similar sized plastic plant saucer, can be placed in a hanging plant holder and suspended from
the ceiling of the aviary. Food dishes can be placed within the cake pan or plant saucer. Similarly,
a high standing platform‐style bird feeding tray placed in the middle of the aviary can also be
used to hold food dishes. Using shelves affixed to the wall to display food dishes is ideal as they
don’t obstruct flight paths.
Remember to offer a shallow dish of clean dirt and another shallow dish of free‐choice calcium.
The author provides sandy loam soil from her garden, which is free of pesticides and chemical
fertilizers. Free‐choice calcium is best offered in the form of ground up cuttlebone or finely crushed
sterilized eggshells. Hand‐reared songbirds of all species should always be offered calcium and dirt
as free‐choice items so that individuals who need it can partake. The author has observed over
numerous years working with the species that fledgling Barn Swallows and Purple Martins, in
particular, seem to partake in consuming a small amount of dirt and free‐choice calcium each day,
presumably for grit and minerals. The author has also observed Purple Martins select small bits of
clam shell from the pea gravel substrate of the aviaries. A biologist who studies Purple Martins has
observed wild conspecifics exhibiting this same behavior along the banks of the American River in
Northern California.
Wide, shallow dishes of water should be provided for bathing and drinking. Dishes should be
large enough to accommodate at least three swallows from head to tail. Water should also be ele-
vated. Typically, swallows do not feel secure enough to go down to the ground for bathing and
eating in a captive setting. Although it is not uncommon to observe Barn Swallows and Purple
Martins waddling around on the floor of the enclosure exploring and picking up gravel, feathers,
and runaway mealworms, swallows should not be forced to go to the ground to find food and water.
They’re aerial feeders, so keep their food elevated.
An abundance of flighted insects must be provided in the aviary to encourage natural foraging.
The behavior of capturing prey in the air is innate for swallows; however, it takes practice for a
young bird to become proficient in this skill. It is incumbent upon the rehabilitator to provide
adequate space and appropriate food sources during pre‐release conditioning for swallows to hone
aerial maneuvers and hunting ability. It is cruel and unethical to release a hand‐reared swallow
that has not demonstrated proficiency of these skills.
Dishes of mealworms will provide the majority of daily nutrition for a self‐feeding bird, but a
variety of other insects must be offered, including flighted insects. Flighted insects can be provided
by introducing wild caught moths, flies, and damselflies into the aviary and by stocking the aviary
with commercially available live fly pupae that will hatch into houseflies. Large buckets of rotting
fruit can be established to attract and cultivate fruit flies (Figure 44.8). As a precaution, buckets
should be covered with ½ in. (1.25 cm) aviary wire before placing in the aviary.