Cage bird

“ The tame bird was in a cage, the free bird was in the forest,
They met when the time came, it was a decree of fate.
The free bird cries, "O my love, let us fly to wood."
The cage bird whispers, "Come hither, let us both live in the cage."
Says the free bird, "Among bars, where is there room to spread one's wings?"
"Alas," cries the cage bird, "I should not know where to sit perched in the sky." ”

“ The favorite cage-bird is the canary, which, though a foreign bird, is kept in this country in greater numbers than any other bird, and is also bred here. One has to be very well posted up in the nature of the bird to be protected against deception when buying it; and you ought therefore, in getting a canary, to find some one competent to buy what you want. ”

“ This is a not uncommon habit of cage birds. They often need to be driven or coaxed out. Having once learned that the cage is home with all its comforts and conveniences, they prefer to be there.
The tanager was always a very shy bird; he did not like to be looked at. If he could manage it, he would never eat while any one saw him. Often, when I put a bit of apple or a meal-worm in his cage, he stood and looked at it and at me, but did not move till I turned away, or walked out of his sight, when he instantly pounced upon it as if starved. ”

“ Some amateurs of the song, rather than friends of the bird, to procure the pleasure of hearing it night and day in all its strength, employ a very cruel and inhuman contrivance. They first place the cage in a very obscure place, and accustom the poor little creature to find its food in the dark; they then blind it, either by destroying the pupils of the eyes with a red hot iron wire, or by passing it over the edges of the eyelids, unite and paste them completely together. ”

“ But I would never advise any one to make a cage pet of a bird who has been born wild and once known liberty. No matter if he lives and thrives: he will sometimes remember the days when he was free, and be very sad." "My Canary is never sad," said Nat: "he is always singing."
"For very many years Canaries have been bred in cages, to be pets, and as these have never been wild they are used to cage life. They are the best birds for pets, because they are seed-eaters, and it is easy to supply the food they like. ”

“ As soon as the arbour bird has been placed in the situation destined for it, it must be left there constantly; its cage ought not to be changed, at least there should be no difference in the one given it afterwards, as without this attention it becomes sad, eats no longer, and dies in a short time. ”

“ All of the finches, birds of the mocking-bird type, which includes the cat-bird, will thrive well in cages.
Birds should not be taken when too young, as they are likely to sicken and die; but if caught about the time the pin-feathers begin to show they will generally live. At this time it is necessary to feed them almost constantly, and they will devour more than their own weight in food every day.
The mocking-bird is by all odds the best American cage bird. ”

“ Best known among them as a cage-bird is the Gray-parrot, the ablest talker of the family, the amusing Poll-parrot seen in so many homes. Though a cage is provided, they become such home-bodies as to be given all the liberty they want, being often free to go about the house, [231] though they look upon the cage as their special dwelling place.
The White Faced Parrot
Poll-parrot has a great deal of human nature in his little body. ”

“ Many really enjoy taking the little helpless fledglings from the nest, hid away so slyly among the thick boughs of the forest-tree; crowding two, three, or even four, into one cage, oftentimes not eighteen inches square. They are even so heartless as to laugh at the fluttering, slapping, and beating of the poor prisoner against the wiry walls of his gloomy, unnatural home.
To be sure, I once owned a caged bird. It was a robin. A dear brother had kept him several years, and, on leaving home for a residence in Boston, where he could not take care of the bird, he gave him to me. ”

“ In the house it is generally kept in a large wire cage, where it is soon tamed. It may also be let run about, provided it has not too many companions, and that it has food in abundance, for it is a very quarrelsome bird. ”

“ Attractive Qualities.—Its plumage, and still more its song and sprightliness, render this a delightful bird. It is always in motion, bowing, and moving its tail from side to side at every step; all its actions are lively and graceful. It can improve its song, composed of some very pretty strains, by adding to it parts of the songs of birds that are found near it. For instance, those that build under my roof imitate tolerably the chaffinch that hangs in a cage at my window; and a neighbour of mine has one in his garden that repeats some strains of a blackcap that has its nest near. ”

“ However, I let him and his mate out on the roof-veranda. They got on beautifully, this pair of elderly birds. There was no affection for the cage in their tiny breasts. They forsook it, moped if I put them back in it, built nests as high up as birds that had never been in a cage, fought the son and came out even—a little exercise is good for a bird. I believe more caged winged creatures die from monotony than (187) anything else—and they are to-day living happily in the aviary with big and little birds. ”

“ When a pair of them are kept together in a large cage or aviary, it is very amusing to see them at play with each other, flying up and down, and spreading open their long wings in a curious manner, dancing and singing at the same time. I have very little doubt but a young bird, brought up from the nest, might be taught to talk, as they are very imitative. ”

“ Though an ardent admirer of all birds, and indeed of everything which draws the breath of life, we can never pass the cage wherein is confined a lark, a nightingale, a bullfinch, or any other of our indigenous birds, without a feeling of sadness and regret.
They are not cage birds, and never ought to be confined within the narrow limits of wood and wire. Their attitudes show their uneasiness. ”

“ In the house it may either be let range free, or be shut up in an aviary with other birds, where it is always very peaceable as long as it has sufficient food; but when that fails, it perches itself on the general food-drawer, and keeps it determinedly, pecking it with its beak so cleverly that no other bird can approach: should one venture, it is soon obliged to go away or lose its feathers ”

“ Their feet are slender, and their claws divided. Some of them do not confine themselves to grain, but also eat insects. Those which feed solely on seeds disgorge them into the crop of their young, the others simply put the food into their beaks. The greater part of them build their nests very skilfully. The females brood alone, or are very rarely assisted by the males in hatching.
This group and the following are peculiarly the real cage birds; those pretty and attractive little creatures which enliven our rooms with their songs. ”

“ In autumn and winter, it will sometimes dart on birds in cages which are outside the window. It may then be easily caught, if the cage be put into a sort of box, having the lid so placed that the bird by the least touch would cause it to fall upon itself. These means must be employed by those who wish to possess birds which they can let go and come at will. ”

“ The following are the means which are employed to tame them:—As soon as a bullfinch is caught and brought into the room, it must be put into a cage with food sufficient for the first day only; for the loss of its liberty does not prevent its eating as soon as it is disengaged from the lime twigs or noose. The next day a band must be put round the body and wings, like that which bird-catchers put round a decoy bird, which they let run about out of doors ”

“ They instinctively keep on singing, as if it were still daylight. The immediate effect of this is that the birds become over-fatigued; they are apt to moult, grow thin, suffer from exhaustion, and quickly perish. The cage should be removed to a darkened room at nightfall; or, if this is not convenient, cover up the cage with a dark cloth before lighting the lamps. In covering the cage care should be taken so to arrange the cloth that the bird can have plenty of air. In removing birds from one room to another it is important to see that there is no change in temperature. ”

“ When he wishes to accustom a bird to fly out and return, or go out of doors perched on his hand or shoulder, he begins by opening the cage and teazing the bird with a feather. The bird soon pecks at it, then at the finger, and at last ventures outside the cage to fly on the finger presented to it. ”

“ As these pretty birds are so docile as to neglect entirely their natural song and imitate the harmony of our instruments, it is necessary immediately to separate from his companions and from every other bird the young one which is to be instructed, by putting him aside in a cage which is at first to be covered with a piece of 166linen, and afterwards with a darker cover. The air which is to be taught should be performed five or six times a day, especially in the evening and morning, either by whistling, or on a flageolet, or bird-organ ”

“ By cage birds, I mean those kept by amateurs, for amusement, in their apartments, generally selected for sweetness of song or beauty of plumage; but the naturalist has other reasons for surrounding himself with these pleasing creatures: they enliven him, and he delights in studying their habits and characters. To attain these objects it is necessary, in the first place, to be able to distinguish readily between the males and females, since the former are generally superior in their powers of song, and therefore preferable. ”

“ Of course, if you mean to have one as a companion you will procure a male bird, and one as pretty as possible, but even those less bright in colour sing well. Let his cage be a square or long one, and just as roomy as you please; birds in confinement cannot have too much space to move about in. Keep the cage exceedingly clean and free from damp, give the bird fresh water every morning, and see that he has a due allowance of clean dry seed. The food is principally canary-seed with some rape in it, and a small portion of flax ”

“ It is very fond of flies, spiders, small caterpillars, moths, grasshoppers, crickets, and many other insects, and will swallow a larger one than could be imagined for so small a bird. In confinement it will feed readily on the general food, and is also very fond of the yolk of an egg boiled hard, so that it may be crumbled on the top of the other food, or put in the cage in an empty egg-shell. It should also be supplied with a few insects occasionally, such as flies, spiders, small caterpillars, moths, or butterflies. ”

“ When first put in the cage with a tame bird, the general food, bread and milk, and eggs, should be stuck full of small flies, aphides, small caterpillars, or other small insects, in picking out which it will taste the other food, and soon take to eat it readily, and will soon become very tame in confinement. ”

“ Never leave any green food longer than a day either in or over the cage. So shall your pet be healthy, and live for many years to give you comfort with his sweet fond voice. I may just mention that the linnet will learn the song of some other birds, notably that of the woodlark. Sea-sand may be put in the bottom of the cage, and when the bird begins to lose its feathers and moult, be extra kind and careful with it, covering the cage partly over, and taking care to keep away draughts. After the feathers begin to come you may put a rusty nail in the water. ”

“ Autumn is the time for taking birds in nets; some, attracted by a call-bird, or by food, come of their own accord into the trap; others, as the different species of larks, must be driven to the net; but spring is the best season for employing the decoy, or call-birds, concealed in cages, and also for catching25 the northern birds on their return from the southern countries to their own. It is the best time for observing the different sexes of these birds, for the males always arrive some days, or even a whole week, sooner than the females ”

“ If a foot should be bruised or broken, he advises that the diseased bird should be shut up in a very small cage, the bottom of which is very smooth and even, without any perches, or anything which would tempt them to hop, and put in a very quiet and solitary place, out of the way of anything which might produce agitation. ”

“ The yellow color has become common to the cage birds.
Canaries are intelligent, affectionate little birds. They can be taught to whistle tunes, if you train them with care and patience. If given plenty of water, clean cages, plenty of light, and good fresh seed, they will be healthy and live a long time.
You should give them a lump of sugar for a treat, some chick-weed for fresh food, a bit of cuttle-fish bone to sharpen their beak upon. ”

“ Should any person place his finger into the cage the bird darts at it rapidly; if it is inserted and withdrawn quickly, the slightly-curved extremity of the upper mandible causes the intruder to receive a sharp peck, but if the finger is placed quietly in the cage, close to the beak of the animal, he grasps and thrusts it out, as if hinting that he dislikes its intrusion.
His prehensile power in the feet is very strong, and, still retaining his hold, the bird will turn himself round upon the perch. ”

“ Old age makes them blind, and deprives them of their beautiful colours; yet, notwithstanding all the evils with which they are afflicted, in a cage a goldfinch has been known to live sixteen years, and even twenty, or twenty-four years.
Mode of Taking.—In spring these birds are taken on a lure bush, with a decoy bird of their own species. They will also enter the area, or barn-floor trap, with chaffinches, if bundles of thistles are placed there; but it is not without difficulty, for they are very watchful to avoid nets and lime-twigs. ”