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From: GC.SUL@forsythe.stanford.edu (Sullivan)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: hummingbird rehabilitation/keeping cat away from aviary
Message-ID: <6599@lindy.Stanford.EDU>
Date: 20 Dec 89 00:03:29 GMT
Sender: news@lindy.Stanford.EDU (News Service)
Lines: 30

Thought this might be of interest to those of you with outdoor
aviaries and/or cat problems.  Last spring I got an aviary from a
local Wildlife Rescue group that rehabilitates hummingbirds.  I grow
over 300 different plants that have nectar accessable for
hummingbirds; have the whole 1/4 acre planted for them, and am in a
good spot to release them.  I don't do the actual rehabilitation-it
takes very specialized care and constant feeding-of babies and
injured adults.  What I do is take the birds that are strong enough
to feed freely, but perhaps not ready to be released, and keep them
in the aviary several weeks.  I put about 5 different flowering
plants in every few days along with the feeding solution (changed
twice a day)  This way, the birds learn how to enter different types
of flowers in the safety of the aviary.  Then, I open the door and
out they go.

When we first set the aviary out, my cat was fascinated, and
crouched outside the aviary.  I was afraid she might knock it over,
or snag a sleeping bird if it was too close to the mesh.  I wanted a
way to convince her to STAY AWAY from the aviary at all times.
Yelling at her or throwing gravel had little affect.  I finally
found a solution that REALLY worked.  Every time she was within 5
feet of the aviary I yelled "get out of there: and lobbed a water
balloon right at her.  I only had to do it 3 times-and never saw her
anywhere near the aviary again!  Since there has been discussion of
how to keep cats away from feeders, etc, I thought it might be a
good idea to share this-it worked, and did not injure the cat. (only
her dignity)

K. Sullivan
Hummingbird Gardens Nursery