mousebirds make great aviary birds and, surprising- ly, great household pets. Although still generally unknown, they are the up- and-coming pet bird of the new mil- lennium. They share many of the qual- ities of small pet parrots, but lack many of their vices, which helps explain their recent increase in popularity.

Do Mousebirds make good pets?

mousebirds make great aviary birds and, surprising- ly, great household pets. Although still generally unknown, they are the up- and-coming pet bird of the new mil- lennium. They share many of the qual- ities of small pet parrots, but lack many of their vices, which helps explain their recent increase in popularity.

What does mousebird look like?

Mousebirds are slender greyish or brown birds with soft, hairlike body feathers. They are typically about 10 cm (3.9 in) in body length, with a long, thin tail a further 20–24 cm (7.9–9.4 in) in length, and weigh 45–55 g (1.6–1.9 oz).

What can I feed a mousebird?

The white-backed mousebird is a frugivore which subsists on fruits, berries, leaves, seeds and nectar. It also will feed on the buds of some plants, sometimes to the extent of stripping the branches of ornamentals such as fiddlewoods.

Where do mousebirds nest?

Mousebirds use a wide variety of nests from making their own flimsy nest with grasses, mosses, feathers, and small twigs to utilizing platforms, nest boxes and open and closed baskets.

What do I feed a mousebird?

How old does a mousebird get?

The Species In Aviculture Although now there are quite a few bird fanciers interested in them for pets, there are only a few breeders of mousebirds in the USA, and most of these are working with aged birds (birds at 7 – 8 years are old; 13.5 yrs old is maximum recorded age) and need new bloodlines.

What does a red faced Mousebird eat?

The Red-faced mousebird is locally common in all countries in southern Africa, and lives in a wide variety of habitats. It feeds mainly on fruit, with flowers largely making up the rest of its diet. The nest is a small cup of twigs, leaves and stems, placed 2-8 metres above ground in a tree or bush.

How do mousebird save energy at night?

Mousebirds (Coliiformes) respond to cold exposure and food limitation with nightly bouts of torpor. During torpor, metabolic rate and body temperature decrease markedly, which results in energy savings.

Why are mousebirds called mousebirds?

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS. The mousebird order received its name because the birds look like mice when they creep around on the ground and tree branches. Mousebirds have gray or brown plumage (feathers) and patches of other coloring.

How long does a mousebird live for?

Do mousebirds eat insects?

They eat a wide variety of foods including soft fruits, berries, seeds, nectar and even some juicy leaves. On rare occasions they have been observed to eat insects. Some people who have bred mousebirds in captivity have observed them feeding ant pupae to their young.

Are mousebirds endangered?

Not extinctMousebird / Extinction status

What are the different types of mousebirds?

Living Genera / Subspecies 1 Speckled Mousebird, Colius striatus 2 White-headed Mousebird, Colius leucocephalus 3 Red-backed Mousebird, Colius castanotus 4 White-backed Mousebird, Colius colius

What is a mouse bird called?

Mousebirds, or colies, are African birds that got their name because their hopping movements combined with their grey coloring is mouse-like. There are six species of mousebirds in a family (Coliidae) and order (Coliiformes) all by themselves.

What kind of bird is a white backed mousebird?

White-backed mousebird. The white-backed mousebird ( Colius colius) is a large species of mousebird. It is distributed in western and central regions of southern Africa from Namibia and southern Botswana eastwards to Central Transvaal and the eastern Cape . This mousebird prefers scrubby dry habitats, such as thornveld,…

What is a speckled mousebird?

The speckled mousebird ( Colius striatus) is the largest species of mousebird, as well as one of the most common. It is found throughout most of Central, Eastern and Southern Africa . The speckled mousebird is about 35 cm (14 inches) long, with the tail comprising approximately half the length, and weighs about 57 grams (2 oz).