Mornington Peninsula Avicultural Society Bird Sale

[Gerard]

:DLast Sunday I attended my first Bird Sale and I must admit it was quite interesting. I didn't go down with the intention of buying anything, but simply to observe. OMG...boy was it hard not to buy any birds! Vetafarm had a strong presence in the trade area along with various aviary manufacturers. The one thing I did purchase in the trade section was a decent wooden bird transport box.

One of the funnier things was just watching the people waiting at the taped off entrances to access the birds area to open. Reminded me of the scenes you see at the Myer Stock-take Sale...lol. However, I must admit that when the tape did drop the buyers were a lot more orderly than I have ever witnessed at a Myer Stock-take Sale. The sale was held at the KCC State Dog Centre Park.

Various breeders informed me that they had had a very poor breeding season and put it down to the unusually wet and humid summer we encountered this year. They said that there would normally be double the amount of birds that were available at this sale. At a guesstimate, I would think that somewhere between 500-1000 people attended.

The native birds for sale included, Bourkes, Scarlet-Chested Parrots, Turks in various mutations, Eclectus but mainly hens, Galahs, Easterns of various mutations, Crimsons, Princess, Regents, Red-Winged Parrots, Elegants, MM2s, RTB2, Mulgas, Hoodeds, Western Rosellas, 28s along with various Lorikeets.

The exotics consisted of Indian Ringnecks in various mutations, Blue and Red Macaws, Derbyans, Lovebirds of various descriptions, Malabars, Lineolated Parrots, Plumheads, Moustached, Alexs and Canaries. There were also a variety of various native and exotic finches and soft-bills.

I had never seen Malabar Parrots before and they are quite a pretty bird. Prices for these varied from $350 for a young single bird, all the way to $1500 for proven breeding pair. I was also surprised how big Derbyans are. I was expecting the Lineolated Parrots to be much smaller than what they are. The ones I saw were similar to a Quaker blue (without the white of course). They were selling for just under $1000 a pair.

There were hundreds of birds, but I was quite taken with a young pair of Mulga Parrots and a breeding pair of Malabar Parrots. Both pairs were in magnificent condition and really beautiful birds. If someone was looking for Indian Ringneck, but a bit different without paying obscene money for one of the rarer mutations, then Malabars are well worth having a squiz at. Don't know what they are like as pets though. Needless to say, both pairs had been sold within half and hour.

It was an interesting and fun day that I would highly recommend to anyone who hasn't been to one before. I found out about the sale from an advertisement in Australian Aviary Life Magazine.

[mouhab]

Hello ,

i am new in sydney , and really appreciate advise about where to find the birds market , usually in every city all over the world on weekend there is an area where people who want to sell or but birds meet , but i cant find one in sydney , i asked a guy and he told me to go and check sydney market on sunday , i went today and it was a waste of time only , just a pet store who is putting what he have in small area , am looking for something different , breeders , mutation , hundreds of birds , my main interest is cage birds and fancy pigeons , if any one can give me direction to the market , and i need exact directions because am not expert in sydney , also on what day of the week i should go , and if its not on a weekly basis how can i know the exact date , if there is more that one place please mention all places you know , also if no such market here any advise about how to buy birds

[crystal7]

I also attended the bird sale and expo and it was very interesting, although I was not very impressed with the size of some of the bird display boxes, as the birds were in them for a long period of time. I did have a bit of a talk with a guy who had an eclectus in a very small box, too small for it to turn around. Hopefully he will rethink if he attends next year.

[Gerard]

To be honest Crystal, I didn't notice the Ecky you're referring to, but there were a couple of Derbyans that definitely could have done with a little more space. However, I think it is fair to say that this was a rare exception rather than the rule. If I remember correctly, the sale went from 11:00am until 2:30pm and most of the sellers were well and truly exiting the premises by 2:00pm. Given that the birds I saw were generally in good condition (feather wise), I would think that it would be reasonable to assume that they are not normally housed in such confined conditions.

I found this sale extremely useful in meeting some contacts that I can buy my next pair of birds from. I found the sellers that I spoke with only too happy to tell you about their birds and in sharing their wisdom and knowledge. In general I felt that there was very little to complain about.

[avinet]

Jun 3, 2012 11:36:42 GMT 10 mouhab said:

Hello ,

i am new in sydney , and really appreciate advise about where to find the birds market , usually in every city all over the world on weekend there is an area where people who want to sell or but birds meet , but i cant find one in sydney ,

There are no bird markets, such as you will find in southeast Asia for example, held anywhere in Australia. In general animal welfare laws and laws regarding native birds preclude such a market operating. Bird sales such as Gerard reported on from the Mornington Peninsula are organised by a local avicultural society, and most will have such a sale a couple of times a year.

The next that I am aware of is at Castle Hill on the 8th July and is organised by the Parrot Society of Australia (NSW).
www.parrotsocietynsw.com/index.php/en/castle-hill-bird-sale

Can you give more details of the sorts of cage bird species you are interested in. For fancy pigeons it is usually a case of finding a society that brings together birdkeepers with an interested in fancy pigeons. For Sydney that would be the Pigeon Fanciers Society of NSW - www.pfsnsw.com/

I see from their website they have a show coming upon the 23-24th June so you are in luck with your timing there .

cheers,

Mike

[Gerard]

Mouhab, I would suggest you look for a pigeon club if this is where your main interest lies. They will be able to best assist you in advising you with regards to acquiring what you seek.

I would also suggest you check the regulations with your local council before you go out buying hundreds of birds or building banks of aviaries. Many councils have regulations on the amount of birds that may be housed on a normal house block and therefore you may require a permit if you wish to keep them in large numbers. Some councils may also have regulations on what species of birds that you can keep. For example, some councils have prohibited various conures due to the amount of noise they make. You will also probably require a licence if you wish to keep many of our native species.

My words are not meant to discourage you from acquiring birds, but to think before you jump. There are laws here governing the keeping of animals that you may, or may not, be aware of if you have recently arrived from abroad. These rules and regulations are there not only for the birds' welfare, but also for the owner's and of those around us,
including our neighbours.

Cheers and welcome to the forum,

Gerard.

[avinet]

Jun 3, 2012 15:29:07 GMT 10 Gerard said:

Some councils may also have regulations on what species of birds that you can keep. For example, some councils have prohibited various conures due to the amount of noise they make.

Can you tell me the names of any councils that specify conures or other species of parrots? I have heard of some councils banning sulphurs on small residential blocks and restricting numbers of aviary birds in general, but never banning any small parrot.

cheers,

Mike

[Gerard]

1) Bayside City Council Victoria - You are not permitted to keep any Large/Noisy Bird. None. I rang the council to get a definition of "Noisy". The reply I was given, and I quote, "Any bird capable of making a noise greater than 85db measured on a calibrated sound meter". The most complaints they receive are about various species of cockatoo, sun conures and quakers (are quakers that noisy). www.bayside.vic.gov.au/Consolidated_Local_laws_April_2012.pdf

2) Cairns Regional Council prohibit the owning of ANY bird deemed to have an unpleasant (cacophonous) sound on an allotment less than 800 square metres. Forget parrots, they even include currawongs and magpies, which I find incredible. However, they do specify galahs and cockatoos. www.cairns.qld.gov.au/regulations-and-forms/animal-management/birds-poultry

3) Belmont City Council WA are currently preparing a case against the owners of an RTB2. www.inmycommunity.com.au/news-and-views/local-news/Couple-to-defy-citys-eviction-of-pet-cocky/7614579/

4) A little closer to your area that was also the subject of a thread in this very forum back in 2009, Redland City Council. General-Squawk Talk-Fair Dinkum-Redland City Council - Bird Ban and also; www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,25124094-3102,00.html

5) There was also another post on this very forum regarding another WA council looking to ban noisy birds and more specifically sun conures. I couldn't readily find it, but I'm sure someone will remember it and come to my rescue.

I found the first 4 within 30 seconds and I didn't bother hunting through the specific laws of 3 or 4. Yes most of them refer to larger parrots such as cockatoos, but basically if you have anything that squawks in these municipalities and a neighbor complains then look out! I'm sure many other members of this very forum will be able to come up with other examples.

Haven't you ever noticed how I have always said my Hooded Parrots are very quiet, most of the time you would hardly know they are there...or I used to have Scarlet-Breasted Parrots and they were very quiet. Hallelujah for grass parrots I say!!!

[avinet]

Thanks for those links Gerard - I will obviously have to investigate this a bit more - I was not aware that any councils had anything about noisy species except possibly Cockatoos. Most councils tend to just have broad anti-noise by-laws, made pretty general to make it easier to apply to unforeseen complaints.

cheers,

Mike

[Gerard]

Thanks for those links Gerard - I will obviously have to investigate this a bit more

To be honest I would just worry about the councils on the Sunshine Coast where you and the Avicultural Society of which you are a member may have some influence. Like most forms of government, many policies are enacted into law without little thought of how they may, or may not, affect their constituents. As long as it puts more money in their pocket, or the policy doesn't affect them they couldn't give a stuff. Just ask angelicvampyre how ridiculous the council is in Burwood Vic (City of Boorondara or Whitehorse) are. They even told her it was illegal to keep King Parrots.

HOWEVER, ALL IS NOT LOST! Each and every State and Territory will have a Wildlife Act of some description. Please note that the following scenario will only be able to take place where the owner has a bird that they were only able to acquire by being the holder of a valid licence issued by a State Government Authority. In Victoria this is the Department of Sustainability and Environment. One day some moron local council officer will issue a ranger an order to seize and impound a bird where the owner had to be in possession of a valid licence issued by the Government of that State to a acquire, own and keep the bird, such as a Palm Cockatoo. In this case, you would have a situation where Local Government Legislation would be trying to over-ride State Government Legislation. The owner would already have been issued a legal document, the licence, allowing him/her to keep the bird by the State Government, while the Local Government would be trying to issue legal document trying to ban the owner from keeping the bird. As a general rule of legislation (Government Enacted Law) in this country, where legislation is in conflict, the legislation enacted by the higher level of Government shall take precedence. I should point out that the owner of the bird would need to have very deep pockets to fund the legal case as it could not be heard in the Magistrates, District, County or Supreme Courts, but would have to be heard in the Court of Appeal, the State version of the High Court. Providing the owner was prepared to fund the case, based upon the legal principles previously mentioned, I cannot see why the case would not succeed. Please note that this would only apply to native birds and/or animals as I would think that quolls and Tassie Devils could well be relevant taxa to a test case here as well.

Trust me, one day they will piss off the wrong person and a test case will be launched.