Whydah finch care

The paradise whydah is fairly common and can be found in large numbers throughout its African range. A high rate of hatching success assures the whydah continued strong populations. The green-winged pytilia is also fairly plentiful and not threatened at this time. During the breeding season, the male paradise whydah is unmistakable with his black plumage and spectacular sweeping tail. The breeding male is black and white and has four long, central tail feathers.

The pin-tailed whydah inhabits cultivated areas and gardens in most parts of southern Africa, Kenya and northern Tanzania. It relies on two host species for nesting, the common black-rumped waxbill and orange-tailed waxbill, unlike the paradise whydah, which lays eggs in the nests of only one host species. The genus includes the straw-tailed whydah, Vidua fischeri, and the broad-tailed paradise whydah, V.

This hen had ovulated last year, simply in response to the onset of spring weather. These activities of the Pytilias and Queen Whydahs occurred in a room measuring 13 x 14 feet.

However, I have had other species of whydahs breed in a 3ft. I would not recommend the cu he cage as a breeding set-up, hut the birds had other ideas and took me by surprise. I cannot comment on Queen Whydahs in a flock, but the Fischer's vidua fiscberii, Paradise V paradisea and Pin-tails V macroura , all form cohesive communities. I have witnessed no serious hostility and highly recommend allowing them to live as flocks year round.

There is usually a dominant male, whom the hens and young males pay close attention to. One of my young male Paradise Whydahs imitates some of the display elements employed by the alpha cock. Many whydah species are reputed to perform in leks a place where males assemble to perform in competitive displays at the onset of their breeding seasons.

Most likely, horror stories about whydahs' aggressiveness arise out of too little space or incompatibility with other species housed with the whydahs. Under captive conditions, if another male becomes a rival to the alpha cock, one of them should be removed. The male's behavior can inadvertently disturb and tire the rest of the flock, so it is important to offer.

I don't think there is anything unusual ahout the diet I provide to my hirds. A good seed mix with Lafeber's granules, soaked seed, Romaine lettuce dusted with Skipio's soya musca protein powder and a few mealworms. There are some points I have noticed about housing, however. My birds know the difference between Vita-Lites and the sunshine of the outdoors.

I do recommend full spectrum lights, hut the birds clearly take their cues from outside. Sunlight, even filtered through glass. Thank you. Beauty of Birds. Pin-tailed Whydahs. Indigobirds The Pin-tailed Whydah , Vidua macroura , is a small resident songbird that occurs in most of Africa south of the Sahara Desert; where it lives in light and densely wooded forests with Mopane trees; savanna grasslands where it breeds and feeds; and African bushveld.

The male Pin-tailed Whydah aggressively defends his territory. Description The Pin-tailed Whydah typically averages cm in length - except the male's tail grows an additional 20 cm during the breeding season.

Species Research by Sibylle Johnson Please Note: The articles or images on this page are the sole property of the authors or photographers. Your name. About text formats. Lines and paragraphs break automatically. A quality finch seed should form the bulk of the diet, and sprouting grass and small amounts of carrot, broccoli and spinach should be provided times weekly.

Gravel, cuttlebone and a bath should always be available. Breeding in Nature and Captivity Cordon Blues will breed readily if provided with a roomy cage, and both sexes sing melodiously.

An oven-shaped nest is constructed, and up to 5 eggs may be laid. Both sexes incubate the eggs for approximately 13 days, and the young fledge 17 days after hatching. Interestingly, wild cordon blues often nest in trees occupied by wasp colonies. A number of other waxbills are popular in the pet trade…please write in with your observations and questions. Thanks, until next time, Frank.

October 3, 2 Comments Views. I was recently involved in designing an exhibit for sun conures, and was inspired once again to consider their suitability as pets and as birds for public exhibit.

In their latter role, they are unparalleled — splashed in bright orange and yellow, and possessed of boundless energy, they never fail to delight zoo and aviary visitors. I furnished the exhibit mentioned with dead tree limbs and grapevine, and the new inhabitants lost no time in amusing themselves for hours on end. Pet conures, however, are often not so fortunate as those housed in public exhibits, since not everyone can deal with their loud voices and need for attention and exercise.

The Patagonian, nanday, mitred, red-fronted and other medium to large conures tend to cause a racket. That being said, I must admit that a group of Patagonian conures I worked with at the Bronx Zoo were among the friendliest and most interesting birds I have ever run across.

Vocal tendencies aside, there can be no doubt that the sun conure makes a charming pet.