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Bird Breeds:
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Birds were among
the very first animals that man domesticated to his use, probably right
on the heels of the dog. Domestic chickens date back to the first permanent
human settlement in India, about 5,000 years ago. And, even before early
man had settled fully into stationary communities, nomadic peoples were
using falcons and other raptors as a means of hunting. Exotic birds, with their ornamental, rather than utilitarian, appeal were originally the province of the great civilizations. Evidence suggests that Egyptian rulers and nobility collected and caged colourful African birds as early as 4000 BC. The pursuit at that time involved incredible expense and so remained a hobby only for the very wealthy. With the rise of the Greek Empire, this civilization too came to cherish exotic birds as a symbol of status, power and wealth. The exploration of the New World brought a previously unknown array of exotic birds to the growing ranks of bird fanciers. One of the discoveries that Columbus brought back to Queen Isabella from his first voyage was a pair of Cuban Amazon parrots. He reported that the native peoples of the island kept several species of domesticated parrots and parakeets as pets. Long before this first European contact it was common throughout the Inca Empire for homes to have several tamed parrots flitting about. The feathers of certain birds were part of the tribute that the Inca rulers demanded of inland tribes under their domination. |
Pet Sites
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