Hillview Exotics

The Cockatiel, also known as the Quarrion, is the smallest and a genuinely miniature cockatoo native to Australia. They are prized as a household pet throughout the world and are relatively easy to breed. As a caged bird Cockatiels are second only in popularity to the Parakeet.

The Cockatiel's crest expresses its mood, vertical when startled or excited, oblique when relaxed, and flattened close to the head when angry or defensive. The crest is also held flat but protrudes outward in the back when it is trying to appear alluring or flirtatious. The Cockatiel has long tail feathers making up half of its total length. The "Normal Grey," plumage is primarily grey with prominent white flashes on the outer edges of each wing. The face of the male is yellow or white, while the face of the female is primarily grey or light grey, and both sexes feature a round orange area often referred to as "cheek patches." This orange coloration is vibrant in adult males, and quite muted in females making visual sexing is often possible.

The Cockatiel's lifespan in captivity is around 10-20 years. They are good pets having a sweet demeanor, but like most other pets, the manner in which the animal is raised, handled, and kept has a profound effect on the temperament of the animal.

Captive cockatiels will enjoy most human foods, and should be given unsweetened cereals, rice, carrots, certain fruits, bread, and pasta. Cockatiels should not be forced to eat any food they don't like, and should never be permitted to consume chocolate or caffeine, nor seeds from apples, avocados, peaches, pears, or cherries as the seeds from these fruits are toxic. Cockatiels should also not be given any food that has processed sugar in it, as this can cause the cockatiel to exhibit hyperactivity, aggression, and other behavioral problems.

Pigeons and doves constitute some 300 species of birds. In general the terms "dove" and "pigeon" are used interchangeably. The young doves and pigeons are called "squabs".

Doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills. Doves and pigeons build relatively flimsy nests from sticks and other debris, which may be placed in trees, on ledges, or on the ground. They lay one or two eggs, and both parents care for the young, which leave the nest after 7 to 28 days. Doves feed on seeds, fruit and plants. Unlike most other birds, doves and pigeons produce "crop milk". Both sexes produce this highly nutritious substance to feed to the young.

Doves are often released at weddings, birthdays, funerals, sporting events, and other outdoor events. Their sudden flight makes a dramatic scene and is often interpreted as a spiritual release.

The Diamond Dove is a bird resident in Australia. The dove predominantly exists in areas near water but which are lightly arid or semi-arid in nature. They are one of Australia's smallest pigeons along with the Peaceful Dove.

Regardless of the gender, they have white spots and black edges on their wings, orange eyes and red eye-rings. The genders look similar except the female's eye ring is less vivid and has more of a brown colour to the plumage. The head, neck, and breast are light blue-grey. The bill is a dark grey colour. The abdomen is a creamy colour while the back and tail is a brown-grey colour. The legs and feet are pink.

Diamond doves tend to be seen in pairs or small groups as their need for companionship is high. They feed off seed mostly from grasses. They will also eat ants. The doves tend to breed after rain but mostly in spring in Southern Australia. Nests are usually built from interwoven grasses and/or twig. They are of fragile construction. Two white eggs are usually laid and incubated for 13 to 14 days. Chicks are usually fully feathered and flying by two weeks.

Diamond doves can be kept and bred well in captivity and some lines have been bred for so many generations as to be considered domesticated. They spend a considerable amount of time on the ground and require a wide area to walk around. Wire-bottomed cages are not desirable; also, the floor of the cage should be kept clean since they will be walking on it. The cage should also contain perches spaced widely enough for the bird to fly safely.

Diamond doves should be encouraged to eat a variety of greens and vegetables in addition to their seed diets. They swallow seeds whole and should be given access to grit to help digest the seeds. In winter, the birds suffer in cold and should not be placed near drafts; a heating pad or basking rock (such as those sold in pet stores for lizards) can be used as a supplemental heat source, and is greatly enjoyed by many diamond doves.

The Ring-Necked Dove, also known as the Cape Turtle Dove and the Half-Collared Dove, is a widespread and abundant bird in the bush, savannah, farmlands, and woodlands of southern and eastern Africa. Their name comes from a black patch of feathers on the back of their necks. The rest of their feathers are a pale brownish-grey, with darker colors on their backs. They also have white tips on the end of their tail feathers. Males and females look alike, although the males are slightly bigger.

Usually found in pairs, their usual call is a monotonous and high-pitched crooning sound, which they repeat ten to thirty times. They have a second, cackling call that sounds like laughter.

Ring-Necked Doves rest in treetops during the night and forage for food on the ground. They drink mainly in the morning. They feed mainly on seeds, but they also eat insects on occasion. When they walk on the ground, their heads bob with each small step.

They breed at all times of the year and usually lay two creamy-white eggs per clutch, which are incubated for 15 days. The males sit on the eggs during the day and the female at night. The chicks are ready to leave the nest after 14 days, and the adults are ready to breed again a week later. The male will continue to feed the young birds after the next eggs are laid.

The Tangerine and Tangerine and Pearl are color morphs of ringneck dove.

They are cheerful little birds that are quite easy to look after. Obtaining a female-male pair can be fairly easy because males have an orange mark on their cheeks.

Feeding is simple, as all they require to remain healthy and breed well is a diet of small millets, green-food, grit and fresh water.

A Lovebird is one of nine species of social and affectionate small parrot. Eight species are native to the African continent, while the Grey-headed Lovebird is native to Madagascar. Their name stems from the parrots' strong, monogamous pair bonding and the long periods in which paired birds will spend sitting together. Lovebirds live in small flocks and eat fruit, vegetables, grasses and seed.

Some species are kept as pets, and several color mutations were selectively bred in aviculture. Their average lifespan is 10 to 15 years.

Lovebirds are among the smallest parrots, characterized by a stocky build, a short blunt tail, and a relatively large, sharp beak. The Fischer's Lovebird, Black-cheeked Lovebird, and the Masked Lovebird have a prominent white ring around their eyes. Many color mutant varieties have been produced by selective breeding of the species that are popular in aviculture.

Native to northeast Tanzania, the Masked Lovebird, also known as Yellow-collared Lovebird, is mainly a small green parrot about 5.5 in. long. Its upper parts are a darker green than its lower surfaces with a black head, and has a bright red beak and white eyerings. Yellow on the breast is continuous with a yellow collar and an expansion of yellow over the nape of the neck. Male and female have identical external appearance. The Masked Lovebird brings nesting material in its beak to a tree cavity for their nest. The eggs are white and there are usually four to five in a clutch. The female incubates the eggs for about 23 days and the chicks leave the nest about 42 days after hatching. The blue mutation was originally found in wild birds and is the oldest color mutation known in the lovebird genus. The other mutations are a result of selective breeding in aviculture. Various color mutations exist, including blue, cobalt, slate, dilute slate and violet.

They are more shy and reserved in comparison to the peach-faced lovebird.. Their diet is mainly seed with fresh fruit and vegetables. The best fruit and vegetables to feed them are green and yellow. Do not feed them anything salted, or iceberg lettuce, or anything containing caffeine or chocolate. Avocado and other certain fruits can also harm them.

You should place at least three toys in their cage so your bird won't get bored when you're not with them. If they live in a cage alone they will be more dependent on their owner, if they live with other lovebirds they will tend to ignore you more and pay attention to the other birds. Their cage should be at least 18" x 18"- if it is too small they will feel crowded.

The Fischer's Lovebird were originally discovered in the late 19th century, and were first bred in the United States in 1926. They are named after German explorer Gustav Fischer.

The Fischer's Lovebird has a green back, chest, and wings. Their necks are a golden yellow and as it progresses upward it becomes darker orange. The top of the head is olive green, and the beak is bright red. The upper surface of the tail has some purple or blue feathers. It has a white circle of bare skin (eyering) around its eyes.

Fischer's Lovebird are native to a small area of east-central Africa, south and southeast of Lake Victoria in northern Tanzania. They live in isolated clumps of trees with grass plains between them.

Fischer's Lovebirds eat a wide variety of foods, including seeds and fruit. The breeding season is January through April and June through July. The nest is in a hole in a tree 2 to 15 feet above the ground. The eggs are white and there are usually four or five in a clutch, but there could be as few as three or as many as eight. The female incubates the eggs for 23 days, and the chicks fledge from the nest about 38–42 days after hatching.

Lovebirds are social, and are difficult to keep alone and in captivity require a varied diet, including pellets, fruits, seeds, grains, sprouts, and vegetables.

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Peach Faced Love Birds

The Rosy-faced Lovebird also known as the Peach-faced Lovebird, is a species of lovebird native to arid regions in southwestern Africa such as the Namib Desert. A loud and constant chirper, these birds are very social animals and often congregate in small groups in the wild. They eat throughout the day and take frequent baths. Coloration can vary widely among populations but females are generally darker and greener, while males are smaller and brighter. Lovebirds are renowned for their sleep position in which they sit side-by-side and turn their faces in towards each other. Also, females are well noted to tear raw materials into long strips, "twisty-tie" them onto their backs, and fly distances back to make a nest.

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Green Cheek Conures

The Green-cheeked Parakeet, is a small parrot and the name Green-cheeked Conure is primarily used in aviculture, while the name Green-cheeked Parakeet is used elsewhere. It is native to forests of South America.

They are mainly green, with a brown/black/grey crown, white bare eye-rings, green cheeks, blue primary wing feathers, a grey beak, and its long pointed tail is mostly maroon. It has short transverse striations on its breast and a red abdominal area. Males and females have an identical external appearance.

The Green-cheeked Parakeet live in west-central and southern Brazil, through northern and eastern Bolivia to northwestern Argentina and northern Paraguay. Its habitat is forests and woodland, where it usually forms flocks of 10 to 20 individuals at treetop level, or larger flocks where there is plenty of food. Also a popular parrot pet for families and individuals.

The Green-cheeked Parakeet eats various seeds and fruits and probably other kinds of vegetable matter. The average clutch is 4–6 eggs. Average incubation is 24 days, varying from 22 to 25 days. They have a less piercing squawk than Sun, Nanday or Jenday Conures and can easily learn tricks and (limited) speech. Green cheeks have also been known to use tools (especially their own feathers for scratching hard to reach places).

They are playful, affectionate and intelligent, known as having a "big personality in a small body". They generally like to be held and can learn tricks such as lying on their backs and "kissing." They love fruits, (especially bananas and raisins), and seeds such as sunflower, safflower and hemp seeds; all things found in their natural environments. They can eat potatoes, carrots, corn, well cooked meat, bread, pasta, plain popcorn, and even eggs. Green-cheeked Parakeets can live to 30 years with proper care, though the average lifespan is typically 10 years.

In addition to the natural color forms, color mutants have been selectively bred in aviculture: Cinnamon, Yellow-Sided, Pineapple, and Turquoise.

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Macaws

Macaws are small to large, often colorful parrots native to Mexico, Central America, and South America. Large, dark beaks, light colored facial patch areas distinguish macaws. It has been documented that a Macaw's facial feathers are unique as a human fingerprint.

Some of the macaw species are known for their impressive size. Macaws, like other parrots, have their first and fourth toe pointing backwards. There are 18 species of Macaws, including extinct and critically endangered species.

Macaws eat nuts, seeds, fruit, and sometimes insects. They also gnaw and chew on various objects. They show a large amount of intelligence in their behavior and require constant intellectual stimulation to satisfy their innate curiosity. They often learn tricks easily.

Macaws live for an average of 50 years. The larger macaws may live up to 65 years. They are monogamous and mate for life. In captivity unmated macaws will bond primarily with one person – their keeper, and can often be quite affectionate and cuddly. Pet macaws thrive on frequent interaction and attention from their owners. All species of macaws have very powerful, large beaks and are capable of destroying household furnishings. They can be loud at times but good training can limit their calls.

Hybrids are typical in macaws, with the only difference from true species being their genetics and their colors. The blue and gold is the most commonly hybridized macaw, and why the trend took hold among macaws. Today's sought after hybrids include Harlequins and Catalina’s.

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Parakeets

A Parakeet is a North American term for any one of a large number of unrelated small to medium sized parrot species, which generally have long-tail feathers. The term is descriptive, but does not imply an actual relationship between the different parakeets.

The Common Pet Parakeet is more correctly called the Budgerigar or budgie and comes from Australia. They are common and popular pets throughout the world. It is imprecise to call these birds parakeets because there are many different species of parakeets.

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Quaker Parrot

The Quaker Parrot, also known as the Monk Parakeet is a species of parrot. It originates from the temperate to subtropical areas of Argentina and the surrounding countries in South America. It has bright green upperparts. The forehead and breast are pale grey with darker scalloping and the rest of the underparts are very-light green to yellow. The remiges are dark blue, and the tail is long and tapering with an orange bill.

Domestic breeds in colors other than the natural plumage have been produced. These include birds with white, blue, and yellow in place of green. They often breed colonially, building a single large nest with separate entrances for each pair. Their 5-12 white eggs hatch in about 24 days. They are highly intelligent, social birds. Those kept as pets routinely develop large vocabularies.

The lifespan has been given as much as 25–30 years average lifespan in captivity. As one of the few temperate-zone parrots, they are more able than most to survive cold climates. This hardiness makes this species second only to the Rose-ringed Parakeet amongst parrots as a successful introduced species. However, due to its invasiveness, a number of U.S. states outlaw either importation, sale, release, or mere possession.

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