Huge Aviaries, Fine Detail

On Rosemary Low’s most recent visit to Australia, she made a point of calling on the renowned Australian aviculturist RUSSELL KINGSTON – and was fascinated by the attention to detail that this great birdkeeper lavishes on his beautiful collection.

- Russell Kingston

THERE are countless breeders of native and exotic finches in Australia. However, one stands out for his lifetime’s commitment, literary achievements and innovative ideas. Russell Kingston lives in Queensland with his wife, Indra. Both have outstanding artistic talents, travel widely and keep a remarkable bird collection. The aviary inhabitants are beautiful and varied but when I had the pleasure of visiting a year or so ago, it was Russell’s carefully thought-out aids to protecting and feeding his birds that really impressed me.

His aviaries are staggered at an angle so that each one receives the direct rays of the sun. Inside, I saw a varied collection including red avadavats (Amandava amandava), green-winged (Pytilia melba) and red-winged pytilias (P. phoenicoptera) and weavers, as well as native finches. Among the latter was the charcoal mutation of the zebra finch. It is an autosomal recessive in inheritance and one of three melanistic forms of this popular finch – an extremely striking little bird.