Mate Selection. 

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"Mate Selection"

  
  When it comes to mate selection, it has been shown that it is the hen, not the cock that makes the selection. Given a choice, the selection of a male is based on three factors:  
  1. Spot size  
  2. Ability to distinguish between the normal and the courting voice of a cock bird. A hen cannot distinguish between the voices of two courting males.  
  3. An active matching temperament Pair Forming  
     
  Pairs form outside the breeding season in the flights and once formed they stay together throughout the year. Both partners of a pair recognize each other visually. Observations also confirm that there are a number of mate specific behaviours.  
 
 
  Mates sit together significantly more often than with non-mates. All males preen more frequently when they are next to their mate.  
 
 
  Hens preen more often while sitting next to non-mates. Courtship singing is not a mate specific behaviour, however, the courtship song, is followed by courtship feeding more often when the mate has been addressed in song.
Beak touching is the most frequent mate specific behaviour. Begging for food by hens is absolutely mate specific behaviour. Cocks feed their own mate significantly more often than non-mates. The only time that a male is fed by a hen is when he is sick.		  
 
 
  Hens are inhibited from showing aggression toward a mate. Cocks also show a beak thrust inhibition towards mates. Hens are not inhibited from showing aggressive behaviours toward non-mates. In nature there is a biological advantage to individual recognition and enduring pair bonds, especially when it involves seasonal breeding species.
Because of these two factors, both individuals learn to predict their partner's reactions and readiness to mate. When favourable breeding conditions exist, permanently bonded pairs can respond immediately to the release factors and begin to breed.		  
 
 
  Knowledgeable breeders capitalise on this and if a pair that is bonded in the flights are suitable mates for the breeding program, they will be caught up and placed in breeding cages. These pairs generally show high fertility and hatchability.
The problem for breeders, however, is that not all bonded pairs are suitable partners or preferred partners in controlled breeding programs.		  
  Thankfully, nature has provided us with an alternative. The end goal of biological organisms is the propagation of the species. If nature did not allow for some factor to release the bonds, a bird who's mate died or for some reason was unavailable, could not pass its genes onto the next generation.
Time apart, or length of separation appears to be the release factor. While some of these bonds are incredibly strong, especially with the hens, four to five days of absence from the mate in most cases releases the bond.
With the knowledge that mates can visually recognise each other and that hens cannot distinguish between the voices of two courting cocks, the breeder can isolate individual birds until the bond is broken and then selectively find a suitable mate for the pairing.		  
 
 
  Once released from the bond, new bonds will be established within the first day of introduction of the hen to the cock.
The key indicators as to whether a new bond is established is the initiation of beak thrust inhibitions within several hours as well as the presence of other mate specific behaviours. If there is little interaction between the pair, with one sitting on one perch and the other on another perch, an absence of beak touching, all preening or other mate specific behaviours within a two day period, it is not likely that a bond will occur.
There is little usually point in waiting much longer than this before replacing either the cock or the hen. Sometimes, if a pair is highly desirable, one can leave the hen by herself in the breeding cage. Usually she will enter the nest box within the first 3-4 days.		  
 
 
  Once having entered, her time in the box will increase each day. After this period, reintroduce the cock with which she did not interact before. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't! Whenever you have had a hen in the breeding cage by herself for more than three or four days, you should remain very alert for signs of aggression toward the newly introduced cock.  
 
 
  You will know very quickly whether the cock will be accepted or not. If she chases him, flies from one perch to another directly at him, or if he backs away from her initial aggressive actions, and then starts climbing or flying away from her approaches remove him and try another cock.  
 
 
  Secondary Sexual Characteristics In sexually active cocks the cere is a bright blue as compared to a dull deeper blue during inactive periods. This is true of all of the Budgerigar varieties except the Lutino, Albino, Recessive Pied, Lacewing and Fallow, whose ceres will appear a bright flesh tone.
Cocks whose ceres are a dull purplish-brown are generally infertile and may be showing signs of kidney failure.		  
  Feather condition initially does not need to be 'show perfect'. A tail feather or flight feather can be missing, there can be some pin feathers in the head, but moult should be insignificant, as moult is associated with an infertile period. During the breeding process, you will find that the cock's feather condition improves and is maintained as long as he is left with the hen.  
 
 
  As a hen comes into condition, her cere will begin to turn from a whitish pale blue to a nutmeg brown. As her cycle progresses the nutmeg brown changes into a deeper chocolate brown. As she comes out of condition, the cere will begin to change again to a pale whitish blue.
The ideal pairing time appears to be when the cere has reached its full nutmeg colour with no whitish pale blue present.		  
 
 
  Once in a while you will come across a hen whose cere always appears whitish blue and never changes to the nutmeg or brown colour. If other sexual behaviours are present and she is responding to her mate's advances, you may wish to try her in the breeding cage. Some will lay fertile clutches of eggs.  
 
 
  Pairing when the cere is deep chocolate brown, as long as it is not already returning to the non-active whitish pale blue colour, is acceptable but you may also be catching her near the end of her cycle. If she is beginning to go out of condition, you may find that although she lays eggs, she may not incubate well, may recycle prior to hatching or may not go to nest even though she breeds. Her feather condition, like the cocks does not have to be "perfect", but again any moult should be insignificant.  
 

Breeding Age & Behaviours

  
  Budgerigar's are one of the fastest sexually maturing avian species. Budgerigar cocks reach full sexual maturity at approximately 60 days with a hen maturing soon after. They will display all of the secondary sexual characteristics by the time they are through their first moult at three months.
They will also pair bond and display all of the sexual breeding behaviours of a physically and sexually mature adult. The problem is, they are still physically immature and all of their nutritional resources need to be directed toward building bone, muscle, etc. Full physical maturity usually takes 10 to 16 months longer than sexual maturity.		  
 
 
  Some breeders will mate 5 to 7 month old hens, especially if they are buff feathered, as they feel they produce better at this age. When doing so it is advisable to limit the pair to one round and foster the eggs, then wait another 5 to 6 months before using her again, this time taking two rounds of eggs and letting her raise one. Normally, hens are not bred with until 10 to 12 months of age.  
 
 
  Cocks can be used for breeding much earlier than hens, however, his drain on nutritional resources occurs as a result of feeding the hen and chicks rather than in the production of the egg. In cocks under 10 months, it is permissible to let them fertilise several rounds of eggs, but only let them raise and feed one clutch. If they are under six months, let them fertilise one or two rounds but do not let them raise any chicks.
Either leave the hen to incubate and feed the young on her own or foster both rounds of eggs to infertile clutches in other nests.		  
  Hens when in condition will demonstrate an increase in gnawing behaviours and general activity. They will chew on branches, perches or any wood materials in the flight. Mate specific behaviours will be evident and generally intensified from periods of infertility.  
  Cocks will be active, loudly chattering, knocking beaks together with other males, or against perches, drinkers, etc., while in full forward display.
Cock aggressiveness may be greater as fighting with other cocks is not unusual. Cocks will be feeding both mates and non-mates. Some pairs may be copulating with a group of cocks actively interfering to the point that the copulating cock will leave the hen and chase them away.		  
 
 
  While all of this is occurring, other hens and cocks will seem to be unchanged in activity. Secondary sexual characteristic indicating breeding condition may be absent or receding.  
 
 
  Moult may be evident. Distinguishing between the two types of behaviours and conditions requires only observation.