Emerald Spotted Tanager

Origin: South America

An attractive, small tanager of slightly more delicate constitution than some of the larger types, it requires correct feeding and a high standard of cleanliness. It is not difficult to keep the bird as pet, but extra care and attention are to be given.

Description:

Size: 13 cm (5 in)

COCK:

Body: bright green. Underpants: white with dark flecks. Head: spotted with black. Breast: green spotted with black. Beak: upper mandible, black; lower mandible, beige. Legs: grey.

HEN:

Similar, but lacks the yellow on forehead and around eyes. Sometimes the hen is found to be a little larger than the cock. Color of body of the hen is more grey-green than the cock.

Diet: (Softbill)

Apples, pears, sweet oranges and grapes form the basic diet. Sponge caked soaked in nectar mixture is enjoyed. Fine grade insectile mix should be used to coat diced fruit. Some live food should be given including meal worms and well cleaned maggots.

Careful acclimatization is needed bandit is necessary to house this species inside during the winter months. Alternatively, it may be kept in a heated conservatory throughout the year. It should be sprayed regularly with a mist spray to keep plumage in good condition and free from food and droppings.

Breeding:

Breeding may be difficult, so encourage apiary by housing them in a well planted aviary with plants which are difficult to destroy, such as the tough-leaved Cheese Plant (Monster). Both the cock and hen share in building the cup-shaped nest. A base may be provided in the form of canary nest pans or wicker baskets sues-pended from tall plants.

Two eggs are normally laid and the henbits alone for the 14 day incubation period. The chicks are dependent on their parents for about three weeks. Try to offer plenty of lifeblood, such as meal worms, spiders, maggots and smooth caterpillars. Soft fruits and soaked dried fruit, such as currants, raisins, sultanas, figs and dates, are enjoyed and may be dusted with fine grade insectile mix. Fresh ants' eggs are eagerly accepted and green food should also be offered. The young should be separated front their parents as soon as they are seen to be feeding themselves, so that another rum ibid may be bred.

The Emerald spotted tanager in wild thrives in the dense forested regions of the countries like Guianas, Peru, Venezuela, Equador, Bolivia, and fringes of Northern Brazil. The following are some tips that you may take up while keeping the bird breed as your pet.

• Make sure of buying birds from a reputed breeder. The bird must be of good health and do not bother in case you find the bird to be without feathers. All you must watch whether the bird has a smooth scratch free skin or not. The unscarred skin of the bird can re-grow hair.
• Look out for birds as pets that have bright eyes. Emerald spotted tanager can turn out to be your ideal pet bird if the bird is of captive born.
• The young should ideally be kept in a separate cage and must be given nectar in addition to their normal diet.