We have chosen to publish in original format as this is how it appeared in our Magazine back then! (Size restraints)

 

Text Box: Interview With Frank Ginbey *Frank is a well respected breeder in WA                    This article was republished by S.G.W.A October 2001 Magazine             ....With Brad Holland Text Box: BH: Do you have any problems with any of the large birds attacking the smaller ones in the aviary? FG: Not really. The peafowl chase the pheasants and the duck when they have chicks. BH: What do you find are the advantages to having such a large aviary? FG: It's been my dream since i was a little boy to have a large aviary and have the birds breed as if in the wild. BH: What do you find are the disadvantages of a big aviary?. FG: A large aviary is good to look  at but the breeding is not as good as small breeding aviaries. I find the fertility is not very good. Also, being in a large aviary. the doves and purple-crowns and some finches can get up to speeds of 100 mph.especially when frightened by a hawk. When they hit the wire at that speed it doesn't do them any good. BH: What are the diets and food you feed your birds? FG: I feed finch mix, budgie mix, sunflower to small finches and birds. wheat and crushed laying pellets to the peafowl, pheasants and ducks, lorikeet mixture (wet and dry) and for the softbills I supply mealworms, moths from a black light and egg and cheese.   BH: I noticed you have a large pond in the middle of the aviary. Are there any fish or anything in it?. Text Box: BradHolland: Frank, thankyou for helping out with this interview. I know I've had the pleasure of viewing your lovely aviary. Would you care to let our readers know the number of aviaries you have and there dimensions. Frank Ginbey: The large walk in aviary is approx 1/4 acre and i have 19 parrot aviaries 12ft x 4ft (3660mm x 1220mm) with a walkway down the back of them. My parrot aviaries hold Indian Ringneck (4 colours), Alexandrines, Plumheads, Sun conures and a few Australian parrots. BH: How long have you kept birds frank FG: At least 40 years. BH: You once had racing pigeons. What where some of your achievements.FG: I was a lucky flyer as i won,on average, 4 to 9 races each year. BH: Would you tell us what birds you currently keep and what birds exist together in your large aviary? FG: In the large aviary there are peafowl, Peasants, Plovers, 8 types of dove, Mandarin ducks, hundreds of finches of all types, wrens, Robins, Crimson Chats, carary, Budgies and some small parrots and a lot of Purple- crowned lorries. BH: What plants do you have growing in the aviary? FG: A small rainforrest on one side with a lot of lawn. there are lots of conifers, lilly pilly, roses, grevilleas and fruit trees.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Softbill Group of WA October 2001

Text Box: FG: The pond is 75ft long and 35ft wide                                                                                       FG: every plant right down to the tall grass (22.9m x 10.7m) and has koi carp and                                                                                         in the waterfall and every tree has nests in marrons.                                                                                                                                      them from as low as 6 inches (150mm) to                                                                                                                                                    10ft (3050mm) BH: What gave you the desire or idea to build an aviary of this design?                                                                                                        BH: If you were building such an aviary                                                                                                                                                     again,what changes if any would you make? FG: I have had finches and softbills for 30 years and like most birdkeepers, we                                                                                         FG: None except to make it bigger. never seem to have enough aviary space. So when i bought a bigger yard,i thought                                                                                        BH: What other birds would you like to bigger aviaries.                                                                                                                              house that you don't currently have?. BH: How do you catch birds in a large                                                                                          FG: I would like some pairs of little aviary when the need arises?                                                                                                         honeyeaters i saw at featherdale birdpark. FG: The parrots,pheasants,peafowl                                                                                               BH: Do you use live food? if so what types? become very tame.I use a hand net.                                                                                               Do you try to attract live food into the purple-crowns are very easy to catch.                                                                                           aviary?. And for the rest i use a drop trap.                                                                                                                                                        FG: I feed a lot of mealworms and i have BH: What plants do your birds make                                                                                             black globs that come on at night for the most use of?                                                                                                                                  moths but with a large aviary there is a lot

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sofbill Group of WA October 2001

Text Box: have the money. They lose them very easily and so they get out of them quickly and lose interest. They are lost to the hobby. But to the true bird keeper.like myself and thousands like me, we will have them to the end. BH: Thank you so much for sharing your experiences with us and your love of birds. This article is a reprint and courtesy of the Softbill and native pigeon Society of Aust. (The smaller print is due to the format of the copy) From the ed: I have had the privilege to visit franks aviary recently and big is an under statement. We will be conducting interviews like this in future editions, so keep an eye on your letter box. Text Box: natural insects that come into the lawns and shrubs. BH: How did you start off in birds?. FG: I started off like most kids with zebras,finches, pigeons, canaries and budgies. I made many mistakes.I am still learning and i always will. BH: In finishing off the interview,would you care to give your views on aviculture and where you see it heading. FG: I don't really know how to answer this question but most aviculturists or birdkeepers have it in there blood.I love watching birds in the wild and love the challenge of breeding the harder to breed species in aviaries. I have seen in my 30 odd years in the avicultural Society of WA, hundreds of people keeping birds they buy very dear birds because they

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Softbill Group of WA October 2001

S.G.W.A (c) Softbill Group of WA(c) 2000-2007