I hope that this post proves less controversial than my last. Everyone on the forum has experience and knowledge that can benefit our common past-time – keeping & breeding finches. I believe that this information should be shared freely – especially with new-comers and aspirants to finch aviculture.  Without growing the past-time we have no market for birds and growth ensures public exposure and consultation with regulatory bodies like DENR.  With this in mind I modified a leaflet produced by the Northern Territory Avicultural Society which is based in Darwin, Australia.  Darwin is around the same latitude as Manila but south of the equator and as the Northern Territory is home to many of the finches kept in the Philippines and some that aren’t (chestnut-breasted manikin, Gouldian, masked, owl, painted fire-tail, pictorella manikin, shaft-tail, star, yellow- rumped manikin, zebra) I thought it would be an appropriate model. There may a similar guide here but I haven’t found it.  The modified guide is something that together we can work on to produce a useful downloadable brochure for new-comers.

The Northern Territory guide is a double sided tri-fold brochure that is given out at major events and shows by the Society to promote aviculture and the Society itself.  A number of guides have been produced covering different birds and avicultural topics.  Finchme could produce brochures/guides for canaries, weavers, individual finch species, specialist topics like food preparation or even non-finches! 

I don’t think I can load an attachment so please excuse the clumsy formatting as it has been extracted from a 3-columns/page document with embedded pictures as presented in the NT guide.  So here it is minus the pictures and with some stange formatting.  Edit away.

A Guide for the

Keeping & Caring

Of Estrilidad

FINCHES

in the

Philippines

Red Eared Parrot-Finch from Mindanao

(Erythrura coloria)

This is guide is based on the document “A Guide for the Keeping & Caring Of Finches in the Northern Territory” produced by consultation with many experienced aviculturists in conjunction with the Northern Territory Avicultural Society 2002; PO Box 40928 CASUARINA NT 0811, AUSTRALIA; and modified to suit the Philippines

THE KEEPING AND CARING OF FINCHES IN THE PHILIPPINES

This leaflet aims to assist new Philippine finch keepers in providing an environment for birds that is conducive to their good health and well being and to aid in their conservation and propagation.

BIRDS COVERED

The Estrilidad finches are small granivorous birds which comprise the Australian grass finches, the parrot finches, the manikins or munias and the African waxbills but excludes the old-world finches, weavers & sparrows.

HOUSING

The humid wet-tropics presents challenges that must be met to become successful a aviculturist. High ambient temperature and humidity increase heat stress on birds which must be relieved. Small cages should never be left without shelter from the sun. Indoor facilities can be air-conditioned but out-doors the options are limited to shelter, mist sprays and water baths.

Vermin must be rigidly controlled or excluded from cages, aviaries and food preparation areas. Vermin requiring control include rodents, cats, snakes, cockroaches, feed moths, beetles (meal-worms & weevils), ants, slugs and other birds particularly other finches and raptors.

Care should be taken with new equipment. New galvanised wire may be toxic, especially to parrots. This risk can be reduced by allowing the wire to weather for 4-8 weeks before introducing the birds or by washing the wire with vinegar and then rinsing.

The most suitable wire netting for cages is weldmesh, chicken wire. For finches the size should not exceed 13mm square but to exclude vermin a 4-6mm mesh is recommended. Painting the wire black will assist viewing the birds but ensure that the paint is not toxic.

Wooden perches of various thicknesses should be provided at different levels and varying angles throughout the enclosure. Metal perches are not suitable.

CAGE – a necessary evil for those with limited space, finance or spouse approval! A wooden box (cabinet) with a wire front is preferable to the traditional wire on all sides as the birds will feel more secure and can withdraw when threatened. Each pair should be given ~ (0.5 m)3.

BIRD ROOM – a dedicated screened and roofed room, often free-standing, that houses many smaller breeding cages. Such rooms are by far the most common form of housing in the Philippines as they are secure, allow intensive utilisation of space, can be climate controlled, they isolate birds from any pathogens carried by other birds in the facility or from wild birds and are easily cleaned. On the down side they aren’t that aesthetically pleasing and don’t allow birds to enjoy the full range of their behaviours or to exercise.

AVIARY – a large free flight cage housing many birds. The number and type of birds wanted will depend the purpose of the aviary – ornamental, breeding or holding facility. Closely related species should generally be separated (e.g. masked & shaft-tail) to prevent hybridisation. Aviary birds can interact socially and pick their own mates, they rarely need to have nails cut and are strong fliers which is a good reason to include a double door in any design. Out-door aviaries should have a sheltered area with solid walls and roof. Traditionally the flight area is mesh-covered but with the prospect of the entry of bird-flu into the country it is recommended to fully cover the roof with translucent sheeting like polycarbonate. The aviary floor may be concrete which is easy to clean or earth which is easier for landscaping.

WATER & DIET

Clean fresh water should always be on hand Don’t place the dish under perches or roosting area. A shallow dish for bathing is enjoyed especially during summer.

Common seeds are Panicum, French White Millet, Canary, Red Millet, Japanese Millet, Black Millet and Rape seed. Also useful are Niger and paddy rice. Many of these can be grown and given in the green state just prior to ripening. In Manila many pet-shops in Cartimar have their own mixes or will make one to your specifications. Providing as great a variety as possible will ensure the best outcome for your birds

SOAKED & SPROUTED SEED – these supplements are rich in vitamins and proteins not found in the dormant seed. For soaked seed, soak dry seed for 24h prior to feeding. Sprouted seed is produced by continual flushing with fresh water over a 1-3 day period at ambient temperatures. To inhibit mould dilute sodium hypochlorite can be added to the water but must be rinsed off prior to feeding.

GREENS – leafy vegetables such as lettuce, Baguio spinach, mustard-greens, petchay and seeding grasses are rich sources of vitamins and minerals.

SOFT-FOODS – Commercial egg & biscuit mixed with mashed hardboiled egg (shell included) and a few drops of water to make a crumbly consistency should be fed regularly through out the breeding season. A vitamin and mineral supplement can also be added to the mixture. Plain cake, crushed sweet biscuits and fruit are also favoured. Many aviculturists make their own mixes. Do not feed more than can be consumed in 3-4h or it will start decomposing.

GRIT – Grit has two important functions fro finches. I assists in the grinding of the food in the gizzard and it provides a source of calcium – essential for good health, egg and bone formation. Suitable grits are sand of various grades, clean soil, fine shell-grit, crushed egg-shell and cuttle-bone. Some aviculturists like to include charcoal in a grit mix as it absorbs any toxins taken orally – wild birds will often take charcoal.

LIVE FOOD – Birds need protein especially when breeding. Some breeders supply fly larvae (maggots), mealworms or termites which they breed. Ferment flies (Drosophila) are the easiest to manage as they are drawn to ripe and rotting fruit placed in the cage. Decaying fruit is not good for your birds so ensure that the fruit is changed every 1-2 days or that the birds can not reach it.

HEALTH MANAGEMENT & DISEASE CONTROL

Birds on a good and varied diet usually remain healthy; however birds can become infested with worms.If your birds show signs of fluffing up, weight loss, dull eyes, reduced activity or have fouled feathers around the vent, they probably have worms.

A number of commercial medicines are available from pet-shops and poultry suppliers for the treatment of worms. These are introduced into the drinking water so during the treatment period all other water sources must be removed as must green food. For out-door aviaries take care to treatment on a dry day or the birds may preferentially take rain water from the wire and foliage.

Follow the treatment instructions as many only affect adult worms and not eggs in which case a follow-up treatment will be needed. If you have any doubts about administering medication seek expert advice.

DISEASE CONTROL – cleanliness is the starting point. Floors, perches, walls, brush-wood and nests must all be cleaned regularly or replaced. Don’t place feed or water containers under perches or roosting areas as they will be contaminated with faeces. A good idea is to have a roof or cover over the containers.

Eradicate any mice problems as quickly as possible as they will foul the enclosure and stress the birds through disturbance especially at night.

Mealworms that breed on the aviary floor are a problem. They feed on bird droppings and may assist some parasite life-cycles. A pair of small quail (Chinese painted or button) can assist here or if this is not possible use insecticides containing spinosad or Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins.

All new birds should be quarantines for a minimum of 4-6 weeks away from your collection before being introduced. Take care to wash your hands after handling birds and ensure that faeces is not transferred on your shoes – a shallow sponge lined tray moistened with disinfectant similar to those used at airports is ideal. Don’t forget to disinfect quarantine cage/s between uses.

BREEDING MANAGEMENT

Always select healthy stock, in good condition (refer to figure). The breastbone of a bird in poor condition will be sharp to the touch. Whenever possible pair birds of the same age and try to ensure that they are as distantly related as possible. Young finches bond with each other much more readily than older birds. Finches reach breeding age between 8-12 months though some like zebras may be ready to breed sooner. It is known that the increase in daylight hours after the solstice (Dec 22) and rain stimulate birds to breed. Care should be taken to ensure that birds have access to additional foods during breeding and to withdraw these for a period during the dry season (April-June) - if your birds are not breeding. Do not let pairs raise more than 3-4 nests a year as it can cause undue stress on birds- particularly the female.

Breastbone of the bird

Good Condition     Poor Condition

NESTING – nesting sites and types are variable, depending on what type of enclosure and species you have. In aviaries birds many birds will build a small dome-shaped nest in planted thickets or in dried brushwood fixed to the back wall. Many birds will use small cane baskets and even cylinders of chicken wire. Gouldian and Java finches require wooden nest boxes with a round entrance hole.

Construction material must be provided. Here the flowering heads of grasses fed to birds can have two functions. Many breeders use coir (coconut husk fibre) and a deconstructed Baguio broom is readily taken. Soft lining materials like kapok and feathers should also be supplied. Given access to varied material many birds will use the soft tips of fine-leafed myrtaceous shrubs like bottle brush, Melaleuca & Leptospermum species to line nests as they contain anti-microbial and anti-parasitic compounds that disinfect the nest

Not all birds tolerate nest-inspections. Zebra and Gouldian finches will inspections well, however some like cut-throats or stars may abandon the nest or nestlings if you constantly disturb them. It is also advisable not to force premature fledging by disturbing older nestlings.

To reduce aggression and to increase the chances of breeding again remove young from your breeding facility as soon as they are independent – normally 3 weeks after fledging. Roosting nests are not essential for any species.

COMPATABILITY

Most Estrilidad finches available in the Philippines are fine in mixed collections, however individuals vary in temperament. Aggressive and interfering individuals are best removed or isolated. Java finches are generally too large and aggressive to keep with their small relatives and are better housed by themselves or even with budgies.

Rare and expensive birds such as the native parrot-finches are best housed by themselves in heavily planted aviaries to increase their chances of breeding.

CONCLUSION

Bird keeping and bird husbandry has come a long way in recent years and is constantly improving. Apart from being a pleasurable and rewarding hobby, aviculture also has a place in conservation by:

• Making a careful study of birds kept in captivity.
• Developing culture techniques for native species.
• The maintenance of reserve populations of rare, threatened or restricted species.
• Rendering obsolete any trade in wild sourced birds.

Whenever possible keepers should endeavour to breed the birds that they keep.

Footnote:

All birds with the exception of poultry are required to be registered with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).  All captive birds held or traded since 2004 should be registered stock or their progeny. Newly imported birds must likewise be registered. For more information regarding registration and importation and other legal matters associated with keeping birds seek advice from a local bird-club or contact the DENR.