Golden-headed Mannikan and Paradise Tanager

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Flight of Fancy
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Golden-headed Mannikan and Paradise Tanager

Post by Flight of Fancy » Tue Apr 12, 2011 6:21 am

I wish these were my birds. They are gorgeous. I stumbled across these photos in my photobucket and thought I would share them with you all. These birds where photographed at the Dallas World Aquarium in Dallas, Tx. I apologize for the photos. They were behind glass with lots of moisture so the camera was having a horrible time focusing.

Here is the web address for the Dallas World Aquarium:

http://www.dwazoo.com/d/

And finally the birds:

Golden-headed Mannikan (Pair) -

Image

Paradise Tanager (Male) -

Image

Does anyone have any information regarding the care of these species in captivity? The Paradise Tanager is exquisite but I adore the Golden-headed Mannikans. Of course I'm sure I would need a small loan from the bank to acquire a pair of either species but I can dream...

And if I'm wrong on the ID of the second bird let me know. That's the closest match I could find but the picture isn't the best unfortunately.

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Re: Golden-headed Mannikan and Paradise Tanager

Post by Flight of Fancy » Wed Apr 13, 2011 2:37 am

Well even if no one has any information on them they are very pretty birds. I'm sure we can all appreciate that. :wink:

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Re: Golden-headed Mannikan and Paradise Tanager

Post by lovemyfinch » Wed Apr 13, 2011 6:14 am

They definately are beautifiul birds. :D
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Re: Golden-headed Mannikan and Paradise Tanager

Post by L in Ontario » Wed Apr 13, 2011 8:41 am

Tanagers are fruit eaters (and very messy birds... to the extreme) as I understand it, though I could be wrong about these ones.

They sure are pretty and THANKS for putting the link there too. =D>
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Re: Golden-headed Mannikan and Paradise Tanager

Post by Flight of Fancy » Wed Apr 13, 2011 10:44 am

You are absolutely welcome.

The Dallas World Aquarium is a gorgeous place and I definitely recommend visiting it if any of you are in the area. It is really quite hard to describe. The outside exhibits are seasonal depending on the weather and I believe in the cooler months are completely empty.

The outside walk takes you up and around the building until you get to the entrance. When you enter the 7 story building you are up in the canopy of the trees. These trees are actually rooted really far down below you in the ground and have grown up to nearly the ceiling. There isn't one tiny bit of free space anywhere in there. Everything has a plant or something to catch your eye. There are dozens and dozens of bird species ranging from humming birds, soft-bills, flamingos, occelated turkeys, currasows, parrots, waterfowl and birds of prey.

You descend down through the forest alongside a thundering cataract of water with monkeys playing until you get to the water and see swans floating serenely on top with manatees and large fish cruising underneath. Then there are river otters and Orinoco crocodiles, and other ground dwelling species like jaguars or ocelots, frogs, and even rabbits. On the bottom floor are also beautiful fish tanks fresh and marine before you finally descend into the cenote (se-note-tay) which is on the basement level and has sharks and other large marine fish, mimicking a cenote in South America.

I know they have another building where I presume they do quite a bit of breeding, and they are one of the only facilities outside of South America to have a breeding pair of the Orinoco crocs, and only because they return the young to the wild. I would have loved to work there if I lived in Dallas. It is a beautiful place.

Here are a few pics:

Flamingos (Caribbean I believe):

Image

Adult and juvenile Orinoco Croc:

Image

Image

Currassow (don't remember species):

Image

Misc:

Image

Image

Image

And so we are not off-topic I saw where Bird Express has the Golden-headed mannikans listed but aren't currently for sale. I wonder how much they go for? They also had the Paradise tanagers listed and I believe that Paradise Earth has the tanagers as well.

When people say that tanagers and other soft-bills are messy...what exactly is messy? I know fruit and other soft food items makes for soft poop but surely they can't be compared to the liquid poo a Lory, Lorikeet, or Toucan has right?

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Re: Golden-headed Mannikan and Paradise Tanager

Post by 6finchfriends » Wed Apr 13, 2011 12:59 pm

My husband's family live in D/Ft.W. and next time we visit I am definately going to this! Thanks!
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Re: Golden-headed Mannikan and Paradise Tanager

Post by MLaRue » Thu Apr 14, 2011 11:01 am

They are gorgeous birds! :)

Here is a link that might be able to help you get them and learn more about their specific care ;)

http://www.birdproduct.com/

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Re: Golden-headed Mannikan and Paradise Tanager

Post by JohnBoy » Thu Apr 14, 2011 12:16 pm

I believe what is meant by messy (IMO all birds are messy) is the fact that everything softbill birds eat goes right through them, there fore they are always making messy smelly droppings. There cages generally need to be cleaned daily.
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Re: Golden-headed Mannikan and Paradise Tanager

Post by MLaRue » Thu Apr 14, 2011 1:27 pm

JohnBoy wrote:I believe what is meant by messy (IMO all birds are messy) is the fact that everything softbill birds eat goes right through them, there fore they are always making messy smelly droppings. There cages generally need to be cleaned daily.
I agree all birds are messy - it is the love hate with them.

The Linnies eat more veggies so their poops is loose and I do have to change their paper everyday otherwise it would be horrible - plus the larger the bird the larger the poops! ;) I had Tanagers once and their poops weren't so bad - it was just the "sticky" everywhere I couldn't get pass in a "cage" - if I had an open outside aviary I would get them again.

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Re: Golden-headed Mannikan and Paradise Tanager

Post by JohnBoy » Thu Apr 14, 2011 2:32 pm

The spelling of the bird in Manakin. It is not related in any way to the mannikins we are familiar with. I believe the last time I saw them available they were $450 a a pair. I wanted them so badly but could not spend that kind of money on a bird I was not familiar with. Maybe one day after I win the lottery. Yea right! :lol:
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Re: Golden-headed Mannikan and Paradise Tanager

Post by Flight of Fancy » Thu Apr 14, 2011 10:59 pm

I also think all birds are pretty messy as well. I know my Jenday certainly is.

And thank you for the correction on the spelling. I am so used to spelling it the other way I didn't even bother to be sure I was spelling it correctly.

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Re: Golden-headed Mannikan and Paradise Tanager

Post by tajuano » Fri Apr 15, 2011 12:40 am

Those are beautiful birds,and its looks like they are worth the trouble of mess and money. And yes all birds are messy, but if you have roomy cages and a lot of fresh air I would not think that it would be too bad.

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Re: Golden-headed Mannikan and Paradise Tanager

Post by Jan » Fri Apr 15, 2011 11:16 am

I have had two pairs of the Paradise Tanagers in the past & actually sold one of then up in the Dallas / Fort Worth area a few years back.. They are spectacular and really not that hard to care for these days.. I have the Blue Neck Tanagers, another very beautiful Tanager and their primary food are the fruit finch / canary pellets along with fruit every other day such as apple, papaya, etc... I have been on a waiting list for the Golden Manikin's since they made a brief appearance a couple of years back as imports.. Both of these run in the $1,000 / pair range and are very rare in this country.. Just this past weekend, I had someone show me the pic's on his cell phone of his pair of Paradise that have actually laid eggs & are currently sitting them.. We exchanged email addresses & I told him I really wanted one or two of the babies if they hatched & fledged.. Will have to hide them from hubby for months before I spring that surprise on him... :wink:
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Re: Golden-headed Mannikan and Paradise Tanager

Post by Flight of Fancy » Sun Apr 17, 2011 1:31 am

Well good luck getting some of these beautiful birds. I think they are gorgeous. I wouldn't need a tv if I had beautiful birds like that to watch.

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