I had to rub my eyes a few days ago as I walked out my back door and thought I saw a butcherbird sitting on the perch inside my aviary.
I looked again. It certainly looked as though he was *inside* my aviary. I rubbed my eyes again and looked more closely and sure enough - there was a butcherbird inside my aviary which holds about 30 budgerigars and one cockatiel.
I don't know how long he was in there but he had killed at least 2 budgerigars and at least 6 mice, which I found hanging in various branches all over the place.
Strangely, when I saw him he was just sitting there calmly, and all the other birds were quite calm too; I suspect he had been in there for several days. I chased him out into the "airlock" and noticed a hole in the roof which he must have entered. I left him in the airlock while I took a few photos then I let him out.
- soakes
Yes mate the Pied Butcherbirds use to hunt in pairs or threes around my finch cages on the outside though, and gee they got some.
Not funny at all.
I used to find finch bodies minus heads laying on the floor just inside the wire.
A nice bird.....except when it's in your bird cage. I lost a couple of pets to Butcherbirds, too.
Cheers,
George
Melbourne, VIC
I spent $35 on a canary, only to have a butcherbird kill within 5 mins of getting it home. I didnt even know that there were any around, and this was what they did. Must have seen me put the cage out and instantly came down to get it. Lovely birds, lovely song, but a nasty disposition!