Avian - Accomodation

• birds live in aviaries
  • need to think of material it is made from as psittacines can chew through wood
• over the year it has come in all shapes and sizes
• think about the species of bird you are keeping and their needs
• cages
  • literally a cage, sizes can vary
• flights
  • a form of cage
  • birds are free flying
  • sometimes mixed species
• weathering yards
  
  • a perch in the yard for a bird to sit on
  • bird tethered to the perch so it cannot fly off
• free loft mews
  
  • like traditional mews but birds are not tethered
  • birds can fly around
  • require more space as only one bird can be housed safely
  • more space to fly

• traditional mews
  • consists of partitioned spaces
  • designed to keep tethered birds separate
  • perches for each bird
  • only suitable for birds of prey

• wood chippings
• sand
• sawdust
• stones/gravel

• staff needs
• animals natural habitat

• birds require shelter, especially in cold weather
• endotherms
• specific species require special areas of shelter to breed

• social vs. solitary
• noise level
• mixed species

• goals of enrichment
  • increase behavioural diversity
  • reduce the frequency of abnormal behaviours
  • increase the range or number of normal behaviour patterns
  • increase positive utilisation of the environment
• aims of the keeper providing enrichment
  • to mentally stimulate the bird
  • to encourage natural behaviour
  • minimise or eradicate abnormal behaviour
  • encourage the bird to utilise the environment
  • ensure we meet minimum welfare requirements
• what are the reasons to not provide enrichment
  • increase in cost of keeping animals in captivity
  • additional work for staff
  • more difficult to clean enclosures
  • creates a riskier environment
  • increases variability in experimental animals
  • is there scientific proof?

• sensory
• environmental
• social
• manipulative
• feeding
• training

• food
• migration
• breeding
• to escape predators
• in captivity we remove these factors, what is the bird going to do?

What are we looking for when we are evaluating aviaries?

• size
• weight
• location
• substrate
• indoor/outdoor

How do you know whether an aviary is good or not?

• you don't straight away
• you need to know what species is being housed and the purpose of the enclosure

Once you know the purpose and the species being housed, you can start to evaluate:

• size
• location
• height
• substrate
• perching
• furnishings
• planting
• location of water and food sources
• weather and light exposure
• the species being housed
• number of animals
• materials used in construction
• aesthetics
• access
• ease of maintenance and cleaning
• temperature
• security

• is bigger always better?
  • depends on species and if they are breeding
    • breeding birds may want a smaller enclosure
  • larger space means more room for hiding and therefore harder to observe the bird
  • larger means more room to build up speed in flight
    • more likely to damage or kill itself
    • highly strung birds fly fast to escape threats
    • reducing the size of the enclosure can prevent speed build up
• are species able to show natural behaviours?

• Can be affected by light levels, weather, temperature and noise
•  An incorrect environment could disrupt circadian rhythms, breeding cycles and natural behaviours
• The location and style of additional shelter can affect levels of exposure and breeding success

• extremely important
• damage to feet can lead to serious or life-threatening injuries
• how feet are designed and work is paramount
• must research natural lifecycle and size
  • small perches are not good for big birds
  • load bearing and movement of the perch are important for landing and take off
• species such as raptors require perching that does not force the feet open and flat for long periods of time
• incorrect perching can cause pads on the feet to wear, crack and develop sores
  • can lead to bumblefoot and septicaemia
• rough, uneven bark, twisting and knobbly perches are all desirable
  • pads not always in contact with the perch which prevent wasting
  • in the wild perches are not all striaght and perfectly smooth
• terrestrial birds feet are made for walking
  • capable of curling and gripping
  • smaller terrestrial birds prefer to roost high in the evening
  • toes tend to be more even allowing more even spread of weight
  • ratites have very large tough feet and do not curl the same way as other birds, makes it hard for them to perch comfortably 

• what is the best substrate
  • straw
  • gravel
  • concrete
  • wood shavings
  • earth/grass
  • bark chippings
  • astroturf
• what makes it good
  • absorbency
  • ease of cleaning
  • durability
  • dust
  • foot health
  • price
  • availability 

• do they provide a solid sight barrier
• are they sound proof
• is it secure from predators and pets
• are the species likely to injure themselves if they fly into it
• can the species break out
• common boundaries include:
  • knitted wire/aviary mesh
  • chicken wire
  • weldmesh
  • vertical bars
  • solid 

• wood
• metal
• concrete
• brick
• steel

• the first things we need are the parameters that we are working with
• core:
  • what species
  • what is their purpose in the establishment
  • what space is available
  • what budget are we working with
  • where are the water and electrical sources
  • what access is there to the area
  • what is in the surrounding area
• additional
  • do you need to house additional species
  • is there a secondary purpose
  • how do you want the public to interact
  • what information can you give about the individuals
  • what is the natural flow of the movement in the area
  • is this a mian focus?

• you will then need to research
  • what does the species do in the wild
  • how do they find food, feed and on what
  • when is the breeding season? how do they breed?
  • what is the rearing strategy of the species
  • what are the temperaments of the species
  • what habitats do they live in? where do they rest?
  • how do they fly? what kind of flight is it?

• breeding
  • water
  • nesting area
  • lekking/courtship
  • socialisation
• display
  • aesthetics
  • encourage natural behaviours
  • public immersion
  • allow for breeding
• education
  • educational
  • clear message
  • easy to interpret
  • interesting

• the animal's enclosure is the single largest aspect of a captive animal's life
• zoos and other animal establishments spend huge amounts of time creating enrichment
  • to encourage natural behaviours
  • prevent boredom and reduce stereotypical behaviours
• why don't wild animals need enrichment?
• by improving enclosures, we improve the lives of the animals in our care but also:
  • reduce negative behaviours
  • improve breeding success
  • make greater improvements to conservation efforts
  • improve public satisfaction, understanding and experience
• a well-designed enclosure provides stimulus, and a hungry animal is an active and alert animal
  • if we take away the reasons for the bird to fly there is no reason for the bird to fly