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Kosci’s Comeback You may remember the wild brumby we met a few weeks ago on ‘Burke’s Backyard’. She was captured in the Kosciuszko National Park and broken in by master horseman, Pat Parelli, using the principles of ‘Natural...
The Australian budgerigar is the world’s most popular pet, and therefore the world’s most popular bird as well. Don highly recommends breeding budgies as a hobby, particularly for kids. As well as being very easy and great fun, it teaches them about basic...
Don and the Burke’s Backyard team travelled to the Snowy Mountains in south-eastern New South Wales. They met with some of the people who live in the high country and asked them what they think of Australia’s wild horses, the brumbies. Damage to national...
Dogs are often referred to as ‘man’s best friend’, but the relationship between man and dog may be much more important than we realise. Research just completed suggests that dogs and humans co-evolved – we’ve certainly changed them to...
Dr Paul McGreevy, from the Faculty of Veterinary Science at Sydney University, is a specialist in animal behaviour and welfare science. Recently, he and his research colleagues have been looking at the incidence, cause and effects of stereotypic behaviour, such as...
There are around 700 species of birds in Australia and they figure very prominently in our natural ecology. Many of them play an important role in the pollination of native plants. Others, such as crimson rosellas (Platycercus elegans), do not. Don showed some crimson...
Don pointed out a group of Crimson rosellas feeding on the fruits of a white cedar tree. It is well known that these fruits are poisonous to humans and livestock, however the rosellas return to this particular tree every year. They eat all the fruit and never seem to...
There are over 3 million pet dogs in Australia, with around 38% of households keeping a dog. However, backyards are getting smaller, dogs are not allowed off the lead in public places, and off-lead exercise areas are few and far between. Lack of exercise and...
In our segment Don showed a baby Red-tailed Black Cockatoo that had been bred in captivity. It was a curious little creature, resembling a tiny, fluff-covered dinosaur or lizard. Of all the Australian birds, Red-tailed Black Cockatoos have the sweetest natures and...
Morrie McGowan wrote to Burke’s Backyard to tell us about his Roller pigeon hybrid, Rolly. Rolly is strangely attracted to a ball. Anywhere the ball goes, Rolly will follow. If Morrie throws the ball in the backyard, Rolly will fly after it, land on it and peck...