Path: utzoo!utgpu!cunews!cognos!stewartw From: stewartw@cognos.UUCP (Stewart Winter) Newsgroups: rec.birds Subject: Re: INDOOR: Need advice for the purchase of bird supplies. Message-ID: <9079@cognos.UUCP> Date: 23 Nov 90 22:57:07 GMT References: <962@babcock.cerc.wvu.wvnet.edu> <9003@cognos.UUCP> <273716A3.4683@intercon.com> <9033@cognos.UUCP> <2741C060.5FA1@intercon.com> <3102@lectroid.sw.stratus.com> <9054@cognos.UUCP> <958@cfiprod.UUCP> Reply-To: stewartw@cognos.UUCP (Stewart Winter) Organization: Cognos Inc., Ottawa, Canada Lines: 33 In article <958@cfiprod.UUCP> susans@cfiprod.UUCP (Susan Scheide -CFI-) writes: > and now have a question: aren't cockatiels from the same area > that budgies are? Therefore, wouldn't their native diet be very > similar to the native diet of budgies? Also, haven't cockatiels > been domesticated for a long, long time? My bird came from > Maine! A couple of people have answered some of these better than I could, but I'll try to tackle the last one. I don't think cockatiels have had the same kind of extended popularity in captivity. Every kid knows (and did years ago) what a budgie is ... fewer know of cockatiels. Also, cockatiels have mutations of colour, but physically remain fairly consistent in appearance. English budgies, for example, are so physically different in appearance from a 'genuine' budgie, that it's hard not to believe the bird could have been altered in other ways. If a bird was fed a consistent diet generation after generation (and budgies were mostly brought up on a 50/50 millet mix I think), the ones that could adapt best to that diet would probably do the best. These survivors may have problems coping with a more normal diet. This is far from a sure thing, but I think it is a plausible theory. Stewart -- Stewart Winter Cognos Incorporated S-mail: P.O. Box 9707 VOICE: (613) 738-1338 x3830 FAX: (613) 738-0002 3755 Riverside Drive UUCP: uunet!cognos!stewartw Ottawa, Ontario The bird of the day is .... Barraband's Parakeet CANADA K1G 3Z4