There have been a lot of posts here with regard to individuals who have experienced there Green Singers going mute! Reports range from newly acquired birds to those that have been established for some time in there current homes. These individuals have also stated that there appear to be no discernable environmental or dietry changes that have taken place. I have briefly replied to some of these posts with less than `insightful` information and am in no doubt that there birds continue to remain silent (at least for what I hope to be a brief interlude anway). I have taken the opportunity to delve further into this but because of the relativily non existent information on this species, progress has been unsatisfactory to say the least. The species shares the same genetic ancestory as the Canary (Seriunus Canarius) and I have pursued what I would hope to be some clues along these lines. However there can be marked differences in behaviour even between closely related species so this is not always most appropriate. But it is a start and a tangent that can hopefully provide some answers (or at least clues) as to what environmental/ husbandry changes we can make to ensure that this bird of which has a wonderfull and cheerful mood lifting song continues to sing and increase its popularity.
I have kept this species for two years now and have `observed the following`
1. I have only kept pairs and not individual males, all my males have sung in both cage and aviary. Although singing greatly increased when the males could here the other males (especially prior to breeding time).
2. My first pair were kept in an aviary and the male would sing sporadically especially during fine weather (sunny). It continued to sing when the female was nesting.
3. When three pairs were housed together in a birdroom in late September (to commence breeding). They continued to sing (especially when I intruded and then left) but not as much as when they were apart (i.e greater distance and/ blind to each others presence).
4. They have now entered there quietest period (sing occasionally for shorter bursts) but all are moulting to some degree.
5. Song strength and complexity differs between individual males.
6. I have a fixed photoperiod (artificial lighting) which gives a constant unchanging 15 hours a day.
7. Wild bird song also contributed to vocal `challenges`.
Now for what I have read;
Male birds experience a testosterone surge prior to breeding which is believed to be triggered by an incremental photo period. This surge enlarges/ enhances there vocal strength/ range and thus they sing for longer and more often.
My counter to this with regard to the Green Singer is that although there range is quite vast they do occur near to the equator and there geographical expanse does not incur large shifts in the photoperiod (day length). I would argue that its possibly about a seasonal shift of 1 hour (mean average accross the range). Temperatures are fairly constant however and there are distinct seasonal changes in rainfall.
However it can be argued that a sudden shift in the photoperiod could trigger hormonal imbalances that might stop the bird form singing for a while until it adjusts (changing location . i.e from the shop to its new home).
Some Canary owners feed `song food` - I have no idea what the science behind this is?
While a bird is undergoing a moult it will not sing and this can last up to sixteen weeks.
Some people state that once the Canary has the female (placed in the same cage) then singing will cease. Hence `song cages` where the male is isolated.
I have found that this made no difference to my males who seemed to become more excited and vocal when singing to mark there territory (common amongst other birds like Thrushes etc who continue to sing from a high point to state its territory even when breeding). My males also had females (even new mates) placed with them in cages.
Although there is overwhelming evidence that males will sing more (of any finch species) when in a small song cage.
An intersting item I have recently read is that a Canary living in an unchanging photoperiod will die prematurely? (hormonal overload/imbalance). Green Singers are very long lived birds and I am not aware of what the `moult` trigger is for these birds. Do they moult after breeding or as a reaction to temperature and dietry changes (austerity diet/ falling protein levels)??
In short there are no written studies that can confirm the `exact` requirements of these birds to include propogation of optimum singing levels (fit healthy birds sing more and for longer??). I am sure that these birds are triggered by some aspect of environment of which the only one I currently am aware of is elevated dietry protein. There breeding cycle does however seem to be governed by an internal clock or some other factor?? as here in the UK there are no Southern Hemispherical environmental factors but despite this they still come into condition during the September / October period.
Therefore if anybody can contribute any insights they may have indirectly discovered that is a stimulus to this bird singing or any other Cardulean species (especially Southern Hemisperical) then please contribute to this thread in the hope that collectively we may move forward with understanding this species.
Thankyou
Regards
Ian
