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Paraqueets nesting - how long inside my house?!!

  • Linda257

    In reply to ItisaRobbo:

    A didn't have much of a clue tbh but as you say "a quick Internet search" no doubt throw up allsorts so I think best sticking to RSPB or BTO ;-)

    (Pardon the Scottish Accent)

  • ItisaRobbo

    I know this thread is closed and good luck, Janemart, with whatever you decide. The response, for me, is not sitting easy though. The timelines, both the first one, which was blatantly wrong, and then the subsequent ones, simply do not add up.

    I've had a few spare mins today so I ask again, where does the expert information come from?

    I don't like doing internet trawls to help people out with stuff I've no, or next to no knowledge in. Everyone using the forum is just as capable as me for doing internet searches so I wouldn't be adding any value. However, I've done so this morning as clearly 'facts' being produced are raising big red flags based on what I do know about native birds.

    As well as Linda's post, I've gone through numerous websites, UK and overseas. I have yet to find any that back up 'from15 days' for eggs to hatch and yet to even find any that suggest they hatch in 20 days. Happy to be corrected with one somewhere in the World (please don't include domestic, or incubator reared). Random examples state "incubation 25-28 days","incubation between 21-24 days" (from a captive breeding site!) etc. Where does from 15 days come from? Where does the first post stating egg laying to fledging takes 25 days come from? Or even the modified 15+15 = 30 days in the follow up post? There's a ball park 50% discrepancy.

    Likewise, once hatched......

    It is a ball park two months from egg laying to fledging isn't it?

    I appreciate the latest post isn't going to change the actions taken at the house. I just wanted to give alternative facts provided by what the internet says, from what has already been posted as facts in this thread......

  • Rushin_Bushin

    In reply to Janemart:

    Yes they are laying and nesting right now. I'm observing 3 pairs at the moment, two of whom have eggs. At least Summer is a better time to have your roof worked on!
  • Rushin_Bushin

    In reply to ItisaRobbo:

    I understand your confusion Robbo, especially given whatever the gaff was with my first attempt to reply!

    My info comes from observation and working with others who have. In the past, I was heavily involved with deciding when it was safe to go in and remove nests and close holes after parakeets and this issue of time always came up. As with all birds, there is a measure of fluctuation depending on weather, diet, etc. The safest and only correct way to decide is to observe the birds leaving the nest - which parakeets do very suddenly and is easily missed until you realise it's fallen quiet. They will, however, play about with leaving for a while if they feel safe to do so. For someone who doesn't know what to look for, this can be confusing.

    In addition, Psittaciformes like to be awkward and will sometimes practice rollover laying, hold out on hatching, or any number of other timeline-mucking-up things if they feel the weather is inappropriate or food is in short supply or a predator is too close or... Etc. Their breeding here, in Britain, also differs from their patterns in their native climates.

    Pest control people will often break these codes in an attempt to expedite the process or earn a quick buck and their input is not to be trusted 99% of the time in our experience. They will often chase off young birds who are not confident fliers yet, claiming that they can fend for themselves.

    To summarise, it is probably best for the average person to assume 2.5-3 months from nesting behaviour (they do not lay immediately) to be safe, and only ever intervene once they are vacated of their own volition.
  • ItisaRobbo

    In reply to Rushin_Bushin:

    Thanks. This response makes more sense now.

    When you say your currently observing three pairs, is this part of a research project into them?