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Silkworms Years ago every backyard had a Hills Hoist and a mulberry tree, and most children kept silkworms. These days, according to silkworm breeder (or sericulturist) Bridget Mahoney, silk farming is a lost art. Bridget’s passion for silkworms began almost...
Sex Life of Wrens John Dengate looked at the sex life of blue wrens, and made some interesting comparisons with the sexual behaviour of humans. In nature, the male of the species is often more colourful or ‘pretty’ than the female. The dominant male...
Stabled Horses Don visited the Equine Centre at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga, to find out about some very important new research on compulsive behaviours in horses. These problem habits, known as equine stereotypies or stable vices, include continual...
Geckos thrive in warm, dry climates and feel very much at home in deserts. More than 100 species live on the Australian mainland, but there are only a few in southern Australia and none in cooler areas like Tasmania and south eastern Victoria. Most geckos hide under...
This hardy breed is believed to have originated in South America. Araucanas are large, soft-feathered fowls which come in a wide variety of colours, including black and white, and a beautiful lavender grey. One of the most interesting things about them is the colour...
According to the Guinness Book of Records the oldest budgerigar ever lived in England. He was called Charlie, and he reached the ripe old age of 29 years and 2 months. You might remember that Don was interested to find out if there are any Australian pet budgies...
Biggest Cat in Australia Recently on Burke’s Backyard we featured ‘Rum’, a four-year-old domestic shorthaired cat. He weighs in at an impressive 12 kilograms, and measures 96cm from the tip of his nose to the tip of his tail. We thought Rum might...
Funnel-webs The Australian Reptile Park and Wildlife Sanctuary is located at Somersby on Sydney’s Central Coast. Last July the park’s main building caught fire, and more than 500 reptiles and amphibians perished. About 400 funnel-web spiders were also...
Pat Parelli: Creating a Bond Pat Parelli demonstrated how to form a connection with your horse, in the same way that a foal stays with a mare. They are joined together, emotionally, mentally and physically. It is imperative that the foal sticks with its...
King Parrots in Backyard Don was surprised to see a pair of King Parrots eating the white flowers of a sasanqua camellia. He had noticed nectar-feeding birds visiting the camellias, but this was the first time he’d seen parrots eating the petals. Although...