That Bird Blog – Bird Care and History for Pet Birds

Also known as Tri-Colored and Black-Headed Nuns or Mannikins (Lonchura Malacca and L. atricapilla), these pert little birds make excellent pets for both beginning and advanced finch keepers.  While neither sports the flashy colors of certain related species, contrasting black, chestnut and white plumage renders them quite striking.

Natural History

The 5-inch-long Tri-Colored Munia is found in southern India and Sri Lanka.  It is most common in and near swamps, flooded meadows, riversides, rice fields and other moist, open habitats.

The Black-Headed Munia was long considered to be a subspecies of the Tri-Colored, but has now been designated as a distinct species.  However, captives interbreed readily, and will also pair up with related finches. Its natural range, which lies north and east-southeast of the Tri-Color’s, extends from northern India through southern China, Thailand and Vietnam.  It tops out at 4.5 inches in length. Read More »

Although we are fortunate to have available a wide variety of commercial finch and canary diets, choosing one can be a difficult task.  Once a decision is made as to the basic type – seed or pellet – we must then consider the ingredients, which vary from brand to brand.  Today I’ll examine some well-known foods and a few often-neglected dietary supplements.

Basic Guidelines

It’s important to remember that finch species vary in their nutritional needs.  While many will thrive on the basic diets described below, to achieve optimal health and color the addition of insects, sprouts, fruit, greens and other supplementary foods will be necessary.  Depending upon the species, some of these foods can also be used to bring birds into breeding condition.  Please post your questions concerning diets for specific finches below, and I’ll provide some suggestions. Read More »

The American Goldfinch, Carduelis tristis, is one of North America’s most colorful and beloved birds.  They are, however, protected by law and may not be kept as pets.  However, the closely-related European Goldfinch, C. Carduelis, has long been bred in captivity and has even been crossed with canaries in order to improve their singing abilities. This colorful little acrobat may be legally kept in the USA and is a great choice for folks looking to expand their collections.

Description

The European Goldfinch is similar in size to its American cousin – 5 inches long and stoutly built.  Its head is marked with alternating bands of red, white and black and the wings are banded in brilliant yellow.  These wing bands are most evident in flight, and their sudden appearance usually elicits a gasp of pleasant surprise when seen for the first time.

The red feathers on the male’s face extend to the end of or just beyond the eye; on females the red feathers end at about mid-eye; the sexes are otherwise similar. Read More »

Personality and Mate Choice

Researchers first tested the personalities of female Zebra Finches by monitoring reactions to novel objects and their willingness to explore new surroundings. Females that were judged to have “exploratory personalities” were then allowed to view pairs of male Zebra Finches as they were offered the chance to explore. One male was able to roam at will, but the other’s movements were restricted by a clear box that was invisible to the females. The restrained male therefore appeared “less willing” to explore.

Bold or exploratory females overwhelmingly chose males with the same traits, regardless of the males’ size or beak color (factors also believed to influence mate choice). Shy, non-exploratory females exhibited no preference.

This finding is the first example of a non-sexual behavior or personality trait influencing mate choice in any non-human animal.

Well-Matched Pairs are More Successful

An earlier Zebra Finch study in the UK found that nesting success was greatest where both parents shared personality traits such as aggressiveness or a willingness to explore. Partners that differed in personality did not raise as many chicks as did well-matched pairs.

Rearing chicks requires cooperation and coordinated behavior; researchers speculate that “like-minded” parents achieve this state more easily than do others.

Further Reading

Personality and Nesting Success Study

Female Zebra Finches Inherit “Infidelity Gene” from Fathers

Deciphering Zebra Finch Communication

The Zebra Waxbill, Amadava subflava (also known as the Gold or Orange-Breasted Waxbill), is one of the tiniest of all African birds available to aviculturists.  With their bright yellow bellies and brilliant red rumps, the males are a sight to behold.  A mere 3 to 3.5 inches in length, they are a delight to keep and breed, and quite hardy as well.

Natural History

The Zebra Finch is found throughout much of sub-SaharanAfrica.  It favors grasslands and lightly-wooded savannas (please see photo), but has adapted to farms and village outskirts as well.  Grass-seeds and insects comprise the bulk of its diet.

A larger and more colorful subspecies, Clarke’s Waxbill, Amadava subflava clarkii, occupies the southern portion of the range.  Unfortunately, it is not common in private or public collections. Read More »