Long-tail Finch Breed: Long-tail finch Temperament: inquisitive and sociable Cost: $80 – $120 Lifespan: 5-8 years Maintenance: low Recommended for: beginner to experienced bird enthusiasts Habitat Of all of the Australian finches certainly one of the most...
Birds
Polish Chooks
Polish Chooks Breed: Polish Chooks Temperament: Can be flighty Cost: $30 plus Lifespan: Seven years Recommended for: Experienced breeders Appearance Polish Chooks have a crest or hat of feathers on their head which looks like a pompom. They have long, deep...
Australia’s Oldest Cocky
‘Cocky’ is a 76 year old sulphur crested cockatoo, who has grown up with a human family of six siblings and shows no signs of slowing down. Cocky came to the family in 1921, at the same time as Charlie Knighton (with whom we filmed our story) was born....

Keeping Laying Chooks
A lemon tree, a barbecue, and a couple of chooks scratching about is what makes an Australian backyard feel like home. Chooks make wonderful pets and contribute to the household. They reduce compost, are keen gardeners (in both consuming pests and providing manure)...
Currawongs
Currawongs Increasing numbers of pied currawongs along Australia’s east coast are being seen as a threat to many small bird species, and a key factor in the spread of weeds into native bushland. The pied currawong is a large black bird, 41-51cm (16-20″)...
Ancona Chooks
BREED: Ancona TEMPERAMENT: Inclined to flightiness but can be tamed COST: $15 plus LIFESPAN: 8 years (3 years productive) RECOMMENDED FOR: Families & backyards In a few weeks the poultry spotlight will be on a relatively unknown breed of chook from Italy –...
Budgies
Breed: Exhibition Budgerigar Temperament: Bright Cost: $40-$500 Lifespan: 9-10 years Recommended for: Enthusiasts, children Maintenance: Medium Comparing the exhibition budgerigar with most pet budgies is like comparing a Cessna with the Space Shuttle – the...
Finches
Breed: Finches Temperament: Timid Cost: from $10-$100 or more for a pair Lifespan: 5 years Recommended for: Beginners to experienced bird keepers Maintenance: Low-med History There is a large range of finches available in specialist bird shops around Australia...

Keeping Ducks
Temperament: friendly, messy, lovable Cost: $20 plus Lifespan: 7 years Recommended for: Backyarders, hobbyists Maintenance: Medium Many people dream one day of having some ducks in the backyard and there are quite a few different breeds you can pick from. Ducks are...
Keeping Rare And Endangered Birds
Breed: Rare And endangered native birds Temperament: Wild and timid Cost: $500 plus Lifespan: 5 – 7 years Recommended For: Experienced birdkeepers only Maintenance: High History: As Australian cities develop and spread, less land is available as habitat...
