I've hand reared a noisy miner - my son found him on the side of the road with no parents in sight. Robbie Bird is now about 10 weeks old and doing admirably. I'm now in a predictament with releasing him. He's been in a large cage, but for the last 2 weeks I've set up my laundry like a mini forest and he flies in and out of his open cage in the confines of the laundryas he pleases. He seems very happy - chirping, preening and totally unafraid of me or anyone else. what to do - would like to see him free
I know little about the return of noisy miners to the wild, jmorris. However, I'm aware that their preferred habitat is open woodland with little understorey so maybe a patch of similar habitat where there are other noisy miners is where your bird could be released. Just how territorial the existing noisy miner population might be I don't know. Other members might be in a better position to comment.
I do know that noisy miners are one of the most aggressive native birds we have, but I don't know much about their intra-species aggression. I'm not sure whether they are equally aggressive against other noisy miner families, or if they are just aggressive against other species.
Cheers
Tim
Brisbane
I guess a lot of wildlife work is experimental. If you were to release the noisy miner into a wild population of other noisy miners perhaps you could observe & report back to headquarters so that others will then know what to do or what not to do in similar circumstances.
Good luck to you & the noisy miner, jmorris. Let's know what you decide to do & the result.
My Robbie flew the coop on Sunday when I had him out in his getting some sun. He flew out and up high in a backyard tree. I had my heart in my mouth and called him to what end I didn't know... This happened at 1 and then out of nowhere came 2 resident noisy ms who unceremoniously chased my Robbie over the fence to the unknown! I was distraught but figured it was meant to be. Not end of story however. I went back outside on the hour and called him just in case. At 5 pm whilst sitting inside I thought I was seeing things- a flapping of wings going thru pergola - he came back!!! Unbelievable - how dies a 11 week old bird find it's way to a place he must consider home. He's back ensconced in his forest laundry and seemed very relieved to be be in familiar surrounds. What next ??
Hi JMorris
If you read the last couple of pages here:
http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/forum/messages.cfm?threadid=594411D6-0BAB-F42B-BD6798F9FCBE9E4E&#top
You'll find some good info about releasing your little buddy.
His homing instinct to return to the place he knows is safe and protected is strong.
Plus he knows he can get food and water in his forest laundry, if he is unable to fend for himself out in the wide world.
You could do what we did and simply let him come and go as he wishes.
That seems to work well.
Our bird knows there is always food and water out for him at our place, even when we're not home. We leave it just inside an open kitchen window, that stops other birds eating it, as they won't come inside the kitchen.
Wish it could be that easy ... 2 jack russells have other ideas about Robbie coming and going!! I'm going to have to relocate his safe haven to my upstairs verandah. Nice to know that I could hopefully give him freedom and still give him a home.