Toe Toe Aviary Birds

A range of brilliantly coloured birds are to be seen and heard in this exciting walk through aviary which is heavily planted with Toe Toe grass.

Some of the birds you will see in the Toe Toe Aviary include:

Silver Pheasant
Zebra Finch
Ring Necked Parakeet
Ring Neck Dove
Sulphur Crested Cockatoo
Golden Pheasant
Java Sparrow
Cockatiel
Budgerigars
Californian Quail

Silver Pheasant

Gennaeus nycthemerus

Origin: China and Himalayas.

Sexes: The male’s back and wings are a silvery white, the crest a purplish black and the face and legs are crimson. The female is a dull brown with red legs.

Breeding: Breeding season is August- November with a clutch of 5-7eggs and an incubation period of 26 days. Males colour up at one year old and are fertile at two years old.

Comment: This species of pheasant breeds very well at Staglands!

Zebra Finch

Poephila guttata

Origin: Australia.

Sexes: Males are characterized by an orange patch on the cheek and barring on the chest. These features are absent on the females and juveniles. Juveniles have a black beak that turns orange at about eight weeks of age.

Breeding: The season for breeding is September through to March with a clutch of 3-8 eggs. Incubation period is between 12- 16 days reaching the fledging stage at approximately 22 days and the chick will become mature at 3- 4 months.

Ring Necked Parakeet

Psittacula krameri

Origin: China, India, Africa.

Sexes: Males are characterized by a black ring that extends the whole way around the neck. This ring is absent in the female.

Breeding: The breeding season is between August and February with a clutch of 2-6 eggs with an incubation period of 20- 23 days. Fledging stage is reached at approximately 7 weeks, and is considered mature at 2-3 years old.

Comment: This bird has a long association with captivity, with some references dating back to Alexander the Great (356-323 BC). They have been known to live up to 50 years.

Ringneck Dove

Streptopelia roseogrisea

Origin: Savannah regions of North Africa and Saudi Arabia.

Sexes: Both are alike making it difficult to differentiate the sex visually.

Breeding: Breeding season is between September and November with a clutch of 2 eggs. Incubation period is usually 14- 15 days, reaching fledging stage at 14- 15 days and weaned at about 4-6 weeks.

Comment: This very common dove breeds freely in many parts of the world. Its melodious cooing epitomizes the well known call of the dove. Listen out while in the aviary at Staglands Wildlife Reserve!

Sulphur Crested Cockatoo

Origin: Australia.

Sexes: Sexes are similar, although the female can be separated at close range by its red-brown eye (darker brown in the male).

Breeding: Breeding season September to March. Clutch size 2 - 3 eggs, incubation 25 - 27 days.

Comment: Several wild colonies now exist in NZ. This large white parrot has a dark grey-black bill, a distinctive sulphur-yellow crest and a yellow wash on the underside of the wings.

It uses it’s crest for communication. A raised crest expresses curiosity, excitement, surprise, fear or frustration. A lowered crest can indicate calmness and friendliness.

Our Cockatoo pair Bruce & Rocky are real characters and very happy to chat to passers by!

Golden Pheasant

Chryslophus pictus

Origin: Eastern and Central China.

Sexes: The male is scarlet, crimson, blue and gold. His wings are brown and black, while the cape and neck feathers are orange and the legs are yellow. The female is dull brown with yellow legs and beak.

Breeding: Breeding season is between August and November. The clutch contains 5-7 eggs with an incubation of 26 days. Males have full colour at one year old and are fertile at two years old.

Comment: Surely one of the most striking and beautiful pheasants! Get your camera ready while visiting Staglands park and enter our online photo competition

Java Sparrow

Padda oryzivora

Origin: Java, Bali.

Sexes: Sexes are alike making it very difficult to differentiate the sex visually.

Breeding: Season of breeding is between June to September with a clutch of 6-8 eggs and an incubation period of 14 days. Fledging stage is approximately four weeks.

Comment: The Java Sparrow is one of the world’s most populous birds. You are likely to see Java Sparrows at Staglands, in Wellington and all around New Zealand… especially when having a picnic!

Cockatiel

Nymphicus hollandicus

Origin: Australia

Sexes: Males are identified by the bright yellow cheek patches and this yellow extends up into the crest. Juveniles are similar in colour to the females although they often have a pinker tinge to the beak.

Breeding: Season for breeding is from September through to March. The clutch contains 3-9 eggs with an incubation period of 18- 20 days. Fledging stage is reached at approximately 5-6 weeks old and is mature at approximately nine months.

Comment: Their wild colour is predominantly grey, although now many other colour variations have been bred by highly knowledgeable aviculturists.

Budgerigars

Melopsittacus undulatus

Origin: Australia.

Sexes: The male is identified by a blue cere (above the beak), whereas the females cere is a pale brown colour. Immature males also have the pale brown cere.

Breeding: Season for breeding is between September and March with a clutch of 3-8 eggs. Incubation is usually 18 days reaching fledging stage at approximately 4 weeks.

Comment: These endearing little parakeets are very popular pets providing company and, like many other species can be taught to talk and do basic tricks. Many New Zealanders have a budgerigar in their own aviary at home.

Californian Quail

Lophortyx californica brunnescens

Origin: California USA.

Sexes: The male has a black crest curving forward and a large black patch on the face and throat, surrounded by white. The female is slightly smaller with a shorter crest and no black facial markings.

Breeding: Breeding season is between August and March with a clutch of 7-20 eggs. Incubation period is for 23 days. The adult plumage appears at 10-12 weeks and is considered mature at 1 year.

Comment: These game birds were first released in New Zealand in 1862 at Papakura and then again in 1865 at Nelson. They are now common in areas of the country that have a suitable habitat.