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I keep a variety of small birds including finches, weavers, and sparrows. These amazing and beautiful creatures are the like the fragile "tropical fish" of aviculture, beautiful to look at and listen too, but they are generally not handled, with the exception of grooming and routine health examinations |
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I
group the first 2 of these group together and provide separate
information concerning the Weavers. The both of the
birds below are cock Zebra finches (Poephila
guttata), an |
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Some other available birds are the Munias, these are generally
brown, gray, black and white in color. Many different species exist, and
several are common in aviculture. The java sparrow (Lonchura
oryzivora) is a
fairly
large bird for a munia, at about 6 inches. These are rather undemanding
birds. They need a relatively large flight, and prefer to be housed in
groups of their own species. Be very careful housing these with
smaller birds, as java's can be rather aggressive to them. They
eat a large finch seed mix, green food and sprouted seeds, and egg
food. Java's are said to relish live food too, though mine seem to
only pick about it, they seem to prefer egg. Java's Come in several available
colors including wild gray, pied, white and fawn. All are handsome
birds.
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I
also have a few other types of finch, The European
goldfinch, (Carduelis
carduelis) and canaries (Serinus
domesticus)
Only a picture of Luto, my male canaries is pictured. These birds are
fairly easy to keep and both are very rewarding . Canaries come in
many different color varieties, and many are bred for their liquid
warbling song. Canaries nest in open baskets like the ones in the
photograph on the left. These
birds eat a seed mix, along with egg food. They can be rammy to other
aviary birds, like finches, and are best kept in single species flocks.
I pair individuals up for breeding time in separate cages. This allows them
to focus their attentions fully on breeding. The rest of the year they
stay in my mixed species aviary. European goldfinches are colorful
birds, and thrive and breed best in aviary surroundings. Their dietary
requirements are rather different from canaries, requiring a special
seed mix, and more greens. |
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Weavers and Sparrows (Ploceidae)
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Weavers are so named for their nest building abilities. They build large
complex weaved nests, and then use them and their displays to court the
hen. I have African Red bishops (Euplectes
orix) The males of these
5 inch birds have a spectacular breeding plumage, of black and orange.
The hens (like the one below and to the left) are striped like a song sparrow.(
as are the young males) THESE
ARE NOT "CAGE" BIRDS! Weavers are very beautiful and active birds and
do not do well in
small cages. Id say the minimum a flight could be would be 5 ft by 4 ft
by 4 ft. That would house several hen (4) weavers, and possibly 2
of males. Watch the proceedings carefully, as the males sometimes will
not tolerate other, and fighting, maybe even death, could result.
Bigger is better for these guys!!!! Breeding is unlikely in all but large aviaries or
 flights.
Bishops do not like to breed in nest boxes, and prefer to build their
own nests. My birds have used nest platforms as part of the structure
for their nests, but do not use them like other finches. Bishops
seem to really love their live food. Mine get all types, mealworms, waxworks,
pinhead crickets, and white worms. They also love poached egg,
greens, and all sorts of seed. I also give them plenty of softbill pellets.
They also take a fruit slurry mixed with a no sugar hummingbird nectar
mix out of a tube feeder. I believe
proper feeding is necessary for breeding these birds, and making
them look their dandiest!
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 While
bishops are fairly demanding birds, their beautiful color and lively
nature makes their care very worthwhile. These birds, along with
other species of weaver are occasionally available, but I have yet to
figure out if the birds that are, are wild caught or not. (I
assume they are). My bishops have nested several times, and 4
chicks were reared to adulthood by 3 separate hens. As I have not
found that much information on bishops in captivity at this time, I don't
know who and if anyone is breeding these handsome fowl, but I am glad to
be a part of their captive propagation.
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The males can range from a orange
yellow to an orange red color. I think that color feeding can enhance
the degree of reddish pigment in the plumage, a dash of paprika in
the feed during the molt does wonders, and the birds do not seem to mind
it at all. When purchasing these birds, identifying hens from cocks
can be very difficult. To differentiate cocks, look for a few orange
feathers here and there, usually around the head and neck....black
feathers on the birds body can also help you identify cock birds. In
this picture, you can see the farthest bird, with brown on it, is a male
comeing into breeding color.
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Finches & Sparrows - By Peter Clement Munias
and Mannakins - By
Robin Restall
And I'm sure they'll be more titles ill add in time...Also check out my links page, For information on finches, weavers, sparrows and other wildlife and sites.
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chest.
On the right you see a hen zebra with her rather subdued
coloration. Zebras can be aggressive to one another, so be on careful
watch to make sure things don't get out of control. Zebra finches
are generally pleasant birds to keep not making lots of noise, but all
finches make a lot of mess.
I've found that closed drinkers and feeders help cut down on this
problem to some degree, and also keep contamination of foods
and water
to a minimum. Zebra finches have been bred in a variety of
colors , such as fawn, white, chestnut flanked white, black breasted,
black cheeked, and the list goes on. With the amount of different varieties,
you'll have a lot to choose from ! I Keep and breed English zebra
finches, Which are the large show variety of the common zebra finch - I
think that their stance, color and conformity, are much more impressive
then the common American zebras -
Some finches are much more demanding birds when it comes to diet and
caging. One of those such birds is the Red avadavat (Amandava
amandava) These
little Indian waxbills can be rather delicate. The cock can actually
develop a blackish plumage (instead of his brilliant red orange) in a
small cage. this is known loosely as acquired melanism. The red
avadavat needs a large planted flight, or preferably an aviary. They do
eat seed but also require both green food and live food. Mine seem
to prefer very small mealworms, over all other live foods. They
also enjoy the fruit/nectar mix I set up for my weavers. They've
nested in my one flight a time or 2 but had mixed results rearing young.
There much more dependable in a planted
aviary.
These
small birds are handsome when the cock is in color . that means
when his breeding plumage molts in. On the left
you see my cock in full color. the little white spots on his body
give the species one of its alternate names, the "strawberry
finch". these birds are generally available, but
picking out a pair when out of color can be difficult. 
Java's
are very rewarding birds to keep as are their relatives, the other
species of nuns and munias. I have White headed nuns (Lonchura
maja), Tri colored nuns (L
malacica) and
Bengalese (L
domestica) (also known as the
society finch) Left is a cock pied java and below is one of my black headed
nuns (L atricapilla)Other nuns are not that difficult to breed but all seem to do best in
large planted flights. I have found Javas to be difficult to breed, and
prone to health problems like egg binding. They must receive
plenty of calcium in their diets to make sure
that they do not come up with this potentially deadly
condition. Access to live food during the rearing
period seems to be important, as does access to soaked seed and other
green food. Java's have a beautiful song, and some males sing regularly.
Other Munias also have pleasant songs, and these are actually the best
way, in most instances to sex the males from the hens, as their are
alike in nearly all other aspects.
Last I will discuss the Weavers and sparrows. One bird we are all
probably familiar with is the House sparrow ( Passer domestics)
who isn't that far a relative from the the next feathered jewel I am
going to introduce. As a group weavers aren't very good singers, but
they make up for their lack of tone in plenty of ways.
During
the molt, cocks begin to get their breeding plumage. The red orange
and black that the species is named for comes in...Now is the
time to band your birds,
so when they molt out of color, so you
can still definitely identify them as a cock. Here,
on the left, is a pictures of a bishop in its molt. This is when its good
to add some coloring agent to their food, like, canary color food, or
like I stated above, paprika. Also, and this is important, watch
for aggression. Cocks can be extremely territorial!!!! Mine have never
hurt each other, but in the confines of a smaller enclosure, I really don't
think all would go so well. There is a definite pecking order,
with birds establishing defined territories and perching areas. You'll
also get to see there weaver dance, (that's what I call it) Where they
face off against other cocks, puffing up and flying around, and
doing the "swagger step" where they move back and forth upon
landing....its all rather amusing. Reminds me of some of the modern
dance steps.
Well,
those are the small birds that I own, breed and care for. I
suggest to all bird owners, the larger the space you keep them in, the
more enjoyment you will get from watching them, and chances are, the
better, more fulfilled life they will experience. I keep most of my
small birds in a good sized planted indoor aviary - You can see a shot
of it to the left. Its 10 feet long by 8 feet high by 4 feet deep. The
cage on the table is my Pet Ravens travel cage -As with all animals, conservation of our wild resources are very
important. Captive breeding programs for all bird species would be beneficial
to establish. I have listed some good resources
for information on small cage birds, very worth adding to you
collection...