Greater Vasa

[Cinnamon Girl]

I've had the pleasure of meeting a baby about 6 weeks old and a breeding pair. I've been doing a lot of research on them and I'm seriously thinking about getting one - a male. Can anyone tell me their experience with them. Personality, diet, do they get along with other birds, etc. I would appreciate anything anyone has to share.
Thanks!

 

[LizandShadow]

I’m getting a baby in about a month. I've been reading like crazy about them, but the internet is thin on vasa info. The vasa baby is calmer than my grey was weaning, but thats all I could tell from our visit.

The breeder says he gives his pomegranates and they LOVE them. I read they need more protein in their diets than most birds.

There is a super cute one named Chocobo on youtube, that’s where I’m getting the impression they are silly and cuddly. I even asked the owner who confirmed cuddliness.

Im very curious as to the cage size most have for their vasas. I’m planning 40inx30in, if I can make the space.Supposedly they get along well with other birds specially greys(good news for Shadow) due to their polyandrous nature.

Out of curiosity where did you see the baby and breeding pair?

 

[LizandShadow]

It says your locations ohio, was it the Birdwalk around cleveland?

 

[Tinta]

Oh my gosh guys!
Two new possible vasa owners!

I love it. We're getting quite the group of vasa owners.

I wonder though, why is everyone choosing a male?

Edit:
We should totally be best vasa friends.

 

[LizandShadow]

I just prefer male birds. This is the first one I've bought unsexed, but with vasas beggers cant be choosers. However after reading female vasas are larger and more aggressive(demanding) I wont be too dissapointed if this one is female. Plus I love the bald thing, after finding out it only last a month. Should find out within the next week or two whether Shadowcag has a little brother or sister.

Yes we should, I want to post as much as possible about my baby so that you guys can see what awaits you when you get one

 

[Tinta]

Yeah. The breeder I'm going through holds the females back for breeding though so it's more likely I'll be getting a male for that reason. I really hope to see some females on the forum too, though.

I've also heard the females are larger and of course the more dominant of the sexes, but they are still very sweet birds compared to others. Also I believe that the females are much more vocal than the males. They sing and whistle more, so I imagine that if your vasa felt like being a talker a female would probably do so more than a male. The mothers sing/whistle lullabies to their babies in the wild, to calm them. <3

I love the bald thing too. They really are quite beautiful. I wouldn't mind having a female, at all.
Just look at that color and how those dark eyes stand out.

 

[LizandShadow]

I wonder why females? Id hold back the boys as they breed better with 2-3 males to one female. Two brothers could mate with an unrelated female. I hear enough out of my grey so a quieter bird would be nice, but I love that yellow head. I take my grey for walks all the time and I think people’s reactions to a female vasa in breeding mode would be hilarious.

Do you know why some have black beaks and some have tan beaks? Different sub-species? age, sex or individual differences?

 

[Tinta]

Maybe they already have enough males held back and need to get them girlfriends? I don't know, just that I'll probably be getting a male from this breeder.
There are those breeders that prefer to work with just a pair, too. One male and one female. I've read that multiple males are needed but you'll find some breeders argue that point.
I don't really mind how people go about it so long as they produce more of the species. I'd really just love to see more of them around.

Vasas change color. Feathers, skin and beak throughout the year.
A baby will start out with a pale beak but over time it will become "marbled" and then go brown/tan/even black depending on age and probably also the amount of sun they get. Vasa beaks are pale in breeding season and dark when out of it. The feathers are lighter brown and glossy in season and darker and not glossy out of it. The skin is yellow (in some cases the male's skin turns black instead of yellow) in season and white/grey out of it.
But you'll see a difference in color and the amount of color with age, I believe. The younger birds tend to have more marbling and as they get older they get more uniform color.

There are three subspecies of greater vasa, but I imagine that only the v. vasa and v.drouhardi can be found in the U.S., if that. The differences in these two are size and color, but the difference is very slight. The most noticeable thing is the shape of the eye ring. (That's how I can tell the difference between the two, anyway)
V. drouhardi are much more common in the U.S. and probably all the greater vasas we see on this board will be of that subspecies unless we get a member from an asiatic country. Though, I think there may be a few v. vasas here in the U.S., I can't be sure and the two are probably considered to be one species by most people.

 

[Tinta]

There are three subspecies of greater vasa, but I imagine that only the v. vasa and v.drouhardi can be found in the U.S., if that. The differences in these two are size and color, but the difference is very slight. The most noticeable thing is the shape of the eye ring. (That's how I can tell the difference between the two, anyway)
V. drouhardi are much more common in the U.S. and probably all the greater vasas we see on this board will be of that subspecies unless we get a member from an asiatic country. Though, I think there may be a few v. vasas here in the U.S., I can't be sure and the two are probably considered to be one species by most people.

Just wanted to let any future readers know that, after speaking to Kawaldie, it appears that I've mixed up the v. vasa and v. comorenis subspecies. I thought they were each other.

So, I believe the v. comorenis is more prevalent in Japan.
The v. drouhardi is more prevalent here in the U.S. and Canada, but there may be some v. vasas too.


Still learning.

 

[Tinta]

Hey, Liz.
From what breeder are you getting your vasa?

 

[LizandShadow]

The bird walk in Cleveland Ohio is weaning him for me. They have a pair, but they didnt produce this year and I'm under the impression they are having difficulty getting them too. I don't know where Darwin came from.