It’s that time of year when I go back to Australia and I hear that Goldwing will have some imports going the other way while I’m away. I’m not worried about the canaries or goldfinches but I am annoyed that I will miss red-faced parrot finches, cordon blu’s and Cuban finches.  If you happen to get any please look up how to breed them as they all need like food to raise young.  In Australia breeders tend to use termites, maggots, fruit flies and at a pinch meal worms.  There are even some manufactured insectivore mixes (Wambaroo, Vetafarm) coming onto the market but you can’t get them here.

To give you plenty of reading I thought I’d post my finch web-links as they give me hours of reading and provide valuable resources when I need to know something.  I also belong to a couple of other Bloggs.  I know it’s got a strong Australian bias but I am Australian after all.  I hope you’ll enjoy them none-the-less.  Of couse if you want to help undo my Aussie bias please reply to Finchme with your suggestions.

Avicultural Bloggs

http://aussiefinchforum.net/viewforum.php?f=37&sid=78f299f7ce10d6c8652d84ec1e8d7428

http://featherz.proboards.com/index.cgi

http://www.aussiebirdkeeper.net/

http://72.41.53.198/finchforum.html

http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatavianblog/

http://www.featheredflyer.net/index.php?s=67bb9d4dd8c51312447c40b54de307e3&

Animal Welfare

http://parrotsonline.homestead.com/articlesrescue.html

http://www.kookycongos.ca/charitychoices.htm

http://www.birdcompanions.com/This%20Aviculturists%20Response%20to%20ARF%20Propaganda.pdf

http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/quacks_like_a_duck.pdf

Avicultural Societies

http://www.qfs.org.au/qfs_AboutUs.asp

http://www.aviculturalsocietynsw.org/

http://www.birds.org.au/

http://www.birdkeepinginaustralia.com/start.html

http://www.birdclubs.org.au/Alphabetical%20List.htm

http://www.finchsociety.org/

http://www.hvas.asn.au/default.html

http://www.parrotsociety.org.au/index1.html

http://www.hawkesburyfinchclub.com/index.html

http://www.birds-inc.com/

Publications

http://ebirdkeeper.realviewtechnologies.com/?iid=10475&startpage=page0000004

http://www.birdkeeper.com.au/v2/index.html

http://talkingbirds.com.au/

http://www.birdchannel.com/bird-magazines/bird-talk/default.aspx

http://www.justfinches.com/

http://www.magazinesubscriptionsipc.com/ipc/subs/subsorder.asp?title=qcb&promcode=icaac

Products

http://www.birdsrus.com.au/

http://www.multiscope.com/hotspot/index.html

http://www.redbirdproducts.com/

http://www.petdirectory.com.au/

Aviary Profiles

http://www.cliftonfinchaviaries.org/

http://gastonaviaries.blogspot.com/2008/06/philippine-hanging-parrot-captive_12.html

http://www.peters-finches.netfirms.com/

Wild Trade

http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/trade-use/cites/

http://www.lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2001/ra_9147_2001.html

http://www.parrots.org/

Care & Expert Sites

http://www.finchworld.com/

http://www.finchaviary.com/index.htm

http://www.landofvos.com/eclectus.html

http://www.efinch.com/

http://zebrafinch.info/

http://www.birdcare.com.au/

http://www.birdsrus.com.au/?page=162

http://www.fifecanary.org/

http://www.avianweb.com/finchspecies.htm

http://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/

http://www.mybirdmanager.com/

http://www.birdworld.com.au/

http://camsalaviaries.com.au/home1.htm

http://www.robirda.com/

http://www.birdhealth.com.au/

http://ejaviary.com/

http://www.fabulousfinch.com/

http://www.fairestfinches.com/page/page/4448852.htm

http://www.finchniche.com/

http://www.jacarini.com/index.html

http://www.finchworld.com/Birds/Finch/names/finch_species_listing.htm

Pictures & Bird Watching

http://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/links/links.jsp?page=l_asi_ph

http://www.birdwatch.ph/index.html

http://ibc.lynxeds.com/family/waxbills-allies-estrildidae

http://orientalbirdimages.org/birdimages.php?action=birdfamily&Bird_Family_ID=163

Research Organizations

http://www.rarefinch.co.za/

http://www.savethegouldian.org/index.html

http://animalscience.ucdavis.edu/research/parrot/

http://www.scientificamerican.com/topic.cfm?id=birds

Birds in the News

http://www.scientificamerican.com/topic.cfm?id=birds

http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/site/funbirds/birdnews_index.aspx

http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/2009/03/birds_in_the_news_165.php

http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/birds/

Serinus canarius

This leaflet aims to assist new canary 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 in the Philippines.

CANARIES & THEIR ALLIES

Canaries belong to the old-world finches - the Frigillidae which includes sparrows, weavers, green & goldfinches, bramblings, siskins, linnets and chaffinches. There are 37 canary species within the genus Serinus, found throughout Europe, Africa and western Asia.  The domesticated canary is descended from S. canarius a species from three islands off the Iberian coast including the one after which the birds are named!

Males famously broadcast their songs as a form of dominance and so are best kept separated but within ear-shot of one another to encourage singing.  Externally females are almost indistinguishable from a male but they never sing.  Males cohabitating with a female won’t sing as loud or as often as a lone male.  Experienced breeders can sex birds by the shape of the vent.

DOMESTICATION AND BREEDS

The original wild-type canary has sparrow-like coloration and is a long way from the modern canary-yellow and red-factor birds however it was chosen not it’s plumage but it’s voice.  Domestication began in Spain in the 1600s.  The Spanish timbrado canary is said to be closest to its original ancestor.  From this original wild bird many color-forms have been developed including red-factors, whites, gold, cinnamons, grays, variegated and even “blues” have been developed. Different featherings include crested and ruffled have emerged too.  There are innumerable varieties selected for conformation or song.  Some of the more common breeds are the Border, Fife, Gloster, Gibber Italicus, Raza Española, Berner, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Norwich, Australian Plainhead and the various singers and rollers. 

HOUSING

The humid wet-tropics presents challenges that must be met to become a successful 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 galvanized 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 welded mesh, chicken wire.  For canaries the size should not exceed 13mm square but to exclude vermin a 6 mm 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.

AVIARIES – a large free flight cage housing many birds.  Since canaries are not colony breeders only a single male and 1-2 females can be kept in an aviary during the breeding period unless it is very large.  In the off-season a large flight or aviary is a good place to keep young and condition birds prior to breeding as exercise is an essential requirement. 

CAGES & CABINETS – these are the standard for breeding canaries.  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 at least 0.8 X 0.4 X 0.4m³.  Males conditioned for singing will be OK in ≤½ this space.

BIRD ROOMS – a dedicated screened room that houses many smaller breeding cages or flights. Bird rooms are common in the Philippines as they are secure, allow intensive utilization of space, can be climate and photo period controlled, they isolate birds from any pathogens carried by other birds in the facility or from wild birds and are easily cleaned.

CONDITIONING & FEEDING

Unlike Estrillids, canaries lifecycles are regulated by day length and this must be simulated in the tropics if breeding or singing are your goals. To ensure birds come into breeding condition day length must be altered by ~15min/week to change the local 11-12h day to 14-16h and visa versa as indicated in the chart above. During breeding copious supplies of sprouted grain and egg’n’biscuit should be supplied.  After breeding the sexes should be separated and the sprouted seed withdrawn to force moulting – this should occur in the hottest part of the year to avoid heat stress.

Prior to breeding it is important to condition the birds especially the hens to prevent egg-binding.  Flight exercise is extremely important so breeding cages should be a minimum of 0.8 long.  Supplemental calcium intake via grit, cuttle-bone and brassicate vegetables like broccoli should be given 2 weeks prior and during breedig. When feeding young seed soaked overnight should be offered at the rate of ½tsp/bird/day. A suitable seed mix would be 4:1:1; Canary, White Millet and Yellow Millet or Japanese Millet. During “Winter” oily seeds such as rape, niger and hemp are essential and a half measure should be added to the mix.

 SEEDING GRASSES & SPROUTED SEED – these are rich in vitamins and proteins not found in the dormant seed. To sprout seed, place paper toweling on the bottom of as sealable plastic container and wet it.  Sprinkle a single layer of seed over it. There should be just enough excess water that the seed moves.  To inhibit mould Virkon-S can be used in the water. It is important to pretest germination rates of a range of seed as much of the seed sold is dead.

GREENS – leafy vegetables such as broccoli, Baguio spinach, mustard-greens, petchay are rich sources of vitamins and minerals. Lettuce plants that has gone to seed are a favorite treat for of canaries as they provide both greens and essential oily seeds for the birds

GRIT – Grit has two important functions for 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.

SOFT-FOODS – Commercial egg’n’biscuit mixes combined with mashed hardboiled egg (shell included) and a few drops of water to make a crumbly consistency must be fed regularly throughout the breeding season. Vitamin & mineral supplement can also be added to the mixture. Do not feed more than can be consumed in 3-4h so its best fed in smaller quantities 2-3 times a day

WATER

Clean fresh water should always be on hand.  Don’t place the dish under perches or roosting area. A shallow dish for bathing should be provided especially during the summer moulting.  If there’s no time to remove and clean dishes daily it is recommended to use the poultry disinfectant Virkon-S in the water.

COLOR FEEDING

Red-factor canaries are incapable of converting yellow carotinoids to red ones and must have these fed to them during the moulting period in order to maintain their color.  While feeding red vegetables like peppers or capsicums will help, the desired intensity is usually only attained by including a colorant in the water

HEALTH MANAGEMENT & DISEASE CONTROL

Canaries are subject to similar diseases to other finches but are particularly subject to air-sac mite, coccidia and worms. Ask your local vet for advice and symptoms of infection.  Always quarantine and observe new birds for sickness for a minimum of a month before introducing them to your flock.

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.

Breast-bone of the bird 

Good Condition     Poor Condition

Whenever possible pair birds of the same age and try to ensure that they are as distantly related as possible. Do not let pairs raise more than 3 nests a year as it can cause undue stress on birds- particularly the female.  While males to help raise young their presence is not actually necessary to raise a brood.

NESTING – Most canaries will choose and elevated platform to construct a nest on.  Usually they are provided with dish-shaped receptacles such as the ones shown here:

 Construction material must be provided.  Many breeders use coir (coconut husk fiber) or 50mm lengths of teased hessian bag fibers. Soft lining materials like kapok and feathers should also be supplied. Most canaries will tolerate nest inspections but prefer the privacy of a screen on the cage directly in front of the nest. To reduce aggression and to increase the chances of breeding remove young from your breeding cage as soon as they are independent – normally 3 weeks after fledging.

HYBRIDISATION – Canaries will hybridize with a number of related birds including Linnets, Siskins, Green and Gold- finches as well as other Serinus spp. Usually a canary is used as the female parent as they tend to be more reliable at raising the young.  Almost invariably the hybrids are sterile mules but their intermediate nature can give rise to novel song-types that don’t occur in either of the parents.  Given that the supply of these species are limited, breeders should first establish them before they attempt hybridization.

Footnote:

All birds except 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.

I went to Cartimar yesterday (May 12) and was almost tempted by a “proven pair” of diamond firetails at stall #4. At P7500 it was a bit expensive and for me the fact that the hen was a yellow mutation turned me off.

Goldwing owner Dwight told me that he would be importing canaries, gold-finches and red-faced parrotfinches. His order should come in by June which means I’ll miss out because I’m on home leave back to Australia.

While home I’ll be gathering information for an upcoming BIRDS forum to be held on August 16 at 1:00PM at the Chow King at Liana’s at Passig. The plan is that I’ll be talking about Finches, Danny Ang on African love birds and Milet Escalona will tlak about Budgies. I’ve got some great pric for my PowerPointpresentation so lets hope i can get some equally impressive content by the time I’m on.

If this editor starts working again I’ll elaborate more but until then Cheers.

Greg

Feeding green seeding grass heads to finches should be considered a must by serious finch breeders.  Dried, mature heads of millet sold at the pet store as a treat have no additional food value and are costly but do offer a form of environmental enrichment that is often lacking for cage and cabinet housed birds.  While some species apparently live on a dry seed diet alone they are unlikely to thrive and seemingly unrelated aspects of biology such as the hatchling sex ratio may be affected if nutritional stress is not corrected.  One of the best online articles discussing feeding seeding grass is by Doug Hill & Marcus Pollard from the South Australian Finch Society but most sites do mention the benefits of feeding green seed.  Another good technical resource is ariticle “Waxbill Dietary Requirements” by Ian Hinze on the finch world site.

 Benefits

All birds have a high requirement for protein during early growth and need access to a source of high quality protein like that found in egg-food, insects and green seed.  Allen and Humes’s (2001) research shows that while the zebra finch has an unusually low maintenance requirement for protein, access to high quality protein during the neonate period limits its reproduction.  The smaller fledglings that result when birds receive inadequate diets not only results in higher mortality but the birds themselves never fully recover and compared to a matching well fed cohort – they remain stunted, are less sexually attractive and have lower reproductive potential (Arnold et al 2006). 

Research on the dietary requirements of granivorous birds and mammals has shown that access to supplies of green seeds are a necessary component of a successful breeding diet and according to Mike Fidler, one of the world’s leading finch aviculturists, it is the production and access to copious supplies of green seed that actually triggers the reproductive phase in all member of the Estrilididae.  The explosive population growth seen during mouse plagues and birds like wild zebra finches and budgies at the beginning of 2009 (see Perth Now) are directly related to favorable rainfall resulting in abundant supplies of ripening seed.  Ripening seed as opposed to mature grain results in much higher growth rates and increased reproductive potential for both mice and zebra finches (Allen & Hume 1997, Arnold et al 2006, Blount et al 2006, Mutze 2007, White 2002).  Using the zebra finch as a model it appears that ripening seed is the limiting factor for successful reproduction in finches so that no matter how complete a dry seed mix is, it can not replace the need for green seed.  Even if the nutritional value were the same, dry seed has to be consumed with water and grit and may swell to such an extent that it could be potentially lethal as has been reported in stock fed on dry grain.  For a hatchling accessing the nutrients in the seed itself is easier and less risky since green seeds have a softer texture and contain higher levels of soluble proteins and amino acids. 

Allen & Hume’s (1997) work showed that essential amino acids present in ripening seed are absent from mature seed.  Using wheat as a model grass, Howarth et al (2008) found that the amino acid glutamine accumulates in the developing grain within the first 7 days after fertilization that and after this point is converted to other amino acids.  The early stage of grain filling is characterized by liquid as opposed to the later stage of cellular and solid endosperm (hence the common term “milk” or “milky” stage seed) and it is especially nutritious because each developing grain contains it’s entire compliment of protein and amino acids but with little of the carbohydrate to dilute it so on a dry weight basis it’s no wonder that Allen & Hume’s (1997) found it clustered with egg in their analysis.

The health benefits of green seed are not only limited to the early growth phase.  In provisioning for an egg hens need access to a good protein source or they will take it from their own tissues (Cottom et al 2001, Houston et al 1995).  This loss of condition is what actually “exhausts” a hen and why breeders recommend only allowing a hen to only lay 2-3 clutches per year and then to rest and recover for the remaining part of the year.  If this is not done then the bird may be lost. David Pace believes that by feeding green seed that this prevents egg binding which makes sense in the light of the tissue loss that can occur in birds if they are not given an adequate diet.

Lastly it must be acknowledged that giving green seed heads to birds is a form of environmental enrichment and stimulation which is lacking for cage and cabinet-bred birds.  While finches do not appear to suffer the same psychological disorders or degree of distress that some captive parrots exhibit, giving them access to seed heads gives tehn the opportunity to exhibit natural behaviors and to explore.  The Toronto Zoo maintains an on-line list of the literature in this area if you care to read more on this subject. 

 I can’t leave this topic without saying how much I actually enjoy foraging for my birds and seeing what is available at various times of the year too.  Watching wild and captive birds picking through the seed heads is reward in itself when you know how good it is for them.  In Northern Europe access to seeding grasses is very limited compared to America, SE Asia, Australia or South Africa which is why they have developed complex supplements and pelletized complete diets to simulate the breeding diet of wild birds.  For this service aviculture must be grateful but such artificial fare should not be seen as a replacement for the real thing if you can provide it.

Sorting grasses in the morning prior to feeding

I can’t leave this topic without saying how much I actually enjoy foraging for my birds and seeing what is available at various times of the year too.  Watching wild and captive birds picking through the seed heads is reward in itself when you know how good it is for them.  In Northern Europe access to seeding grasses is very limited compared to America, SE Asia, Australia or South Africa which is why they have developed complex supplements and pelletized complete diets to simulate the breeding diet of wild birds.  For this service aviculture must be grateful but such artificial fare should not be seen as a replacement for the real thing if you can provide it.

Hazards

After reading all the good news about green seed it’s hard to imagine that feeding green seed has its disadvantage but they certainly exist and can be serious.  When you bring materials into your aviary you are potentially introducing hazards to you must ensure that these hazards are minimized.  Ensure that the grasses you select are of the highest quality and that it is correctly stored and fed or you may find that your birds will die.  The tools of evolution are harsh so you must be aware of the hazards unless you are prepared for heavy losses via introduction of: i, Pest & pathogens; ii, Toxemia & mycoses; iii, Reproductive exhaustion & Loss of life cycle synchronization.

Pests & Pathogens.Wild birds will have discovered your green seed supply long before you do and through subsequent fecal or other contamination you may be taking in a range of pests and pathogens like mites, coccidia or mega bacteria.  Keep a close look out for these diseases in your birds and treat them immediately.  Alternatively you can dip your collected heads into a suitable disinfecting agent like Virkon S (Bayer) and allow the heads to dry off in a cool dry place before storing them.  Vikon S will not affect your birds but equally it will not treat endophytic fungi.

Toxemia and mycoses.Fungal hyphe permeate the intra cellular spaces of even healthy looking plants and many produce alkaloids or other toxins which can if ingested in large enough quantities can alter a bird’s metabolism, behavior, reproduction or kill it out right.  For this reason you should avoid obviously smutted heads on any grass (particularly common in Panicum spp late in the season), sclerotia-like ergots or any other obvious fungal bodies. 

Poor storage, particularly from seed kept too long without refrigeration or from fallen seed in the aviary can promote fungal growth and some of these produce toxins.  Aftatoxins are a particularly nasty group of chemicals produced by Aspergillus spp and these will kill birds or even cause cancers.  Other Aspergillus species can actually grow in the birds’ tissue particularly in the lungs and air sacs.  For more about systemic mycoses look on the Multiscope site.

Some aviculturist may think that drying off green seed heads might prove to be a suitable way in which to provide birds with their essential nutrients at times when fresh supplies are unavailable however this is not a long term solution.  The very reason that green seeds are fed is to provide the vitamins and amino acids that are necessary for successful reproduction however they have very limited self-life at room temperature in air.  The affinity that anti-oxidant vitamins like vitamin A have for oxygen means that they can not be stored for long periods under ambient conditions without losing their potency.  Dr Fitzgerald of the Grain Quality, Nutrition and Post Harvest unit of the International Rice Research Institute (pers com 2009) believes that there is strong evidence that the breakdown products of oxidative degradation of β-carotene are actually toxic so long-term storage of green seed could actually be harmful.  According to Summerburg et al (2003) the cleavage products produced by degradation of β-Carotene are highly reactive and so are potentially toxic.  So to be conservative don’t store green seed unless you’re prepared to freeze it or dry it down and then hermetically seal it away from oxygen. 

While unlikely to be more than a supplement the vitamins available in green seeding grasses may add an additional toxic load to a birds system particularly if you are feeding artificial vitamin supplements.  The condition, known as hypervitaminosis varies according to the excess vitamin ingested with side effects ranging from minor to mortal!.  Hyperviatminosis is well characterized for humans and it probably manifests similarly in birds – refer to Hypervitaminosis A;  Hypervitaminosis D; Hypervitaminosis E .

Reproductive exhaustion and loss of life-cycle synchronization.  According to Mike Fidler and others like Ian Hinze, Estrilid finches are opportunistic breeders, with food and not daylight triggering breeding and other aspects of their lifecycle.  In captivity of course the natural cycles of food availability which signal changes are absent unless the aviculturists reproduces them.  With little effort any food/nutrient can be available at any time of the year and it is probably a mistake to think that your birds need only a breeding diet.  If birds are allowed to continually breed the hens in particular are likely to become run-down and may die because they deplete their bodies of essential amino acids, proteins, calcium and essential fatty acids while laying eggs.

Figure 1 a Mike Fidler’s Gouldian Life Cycle (After Mike Fidler).  By rotating the inner core of management practices aviculturists can manipulate their birds lifecycle to suit their individual needs as shown in the next figure.

Mike Fidler has proposed seven management periods in which husbandry practices, particularly diet and pairing are used to control the birds breeding, body condition and molting.  By imposing this regime all birds synchronize their life cycles and this makes management easier.  In theory this should work for all the Estrilid finches (Australian grass finches, parrot finches, African waxbills, strawberry finches and munias) but it may not apply to other finches - in canaries for example day length is critical for triggering reproduction.  In the wild or for aviculturists within the Gouldian’s former range their lifecycle should follow that shown in Figure 1a, however since the lifecycle can be manipulated to suit the needs of the aviculturist, I am proposing to use the one illustrated in Figure 1b for Luzon in the Philippines.  In temperate Australia a cycle 6 month out of phase with the wild cycle (Fig 1) would be better suited to the cold winters.

The key to adapting the Estrilid cycle to aviculture is to introduce an “austerity period” in which all nutritional supplements with the exception of grits and minerals are withdrawn for a period of two weeks just after breeding to trigger a moult. Following the austerity moult, supplements are slowly reintroduced so that the birds can build condition ready for reproduction.  In this respect providing green and/or sprouted seed should be considered a supplement and withdrawn during the austerity and only give twice per week during the maintenance period.  For most breeders in temperate climates this break is most convenient to coincide with winter but in the wet tropics it comes down to individual preference since there may be green seed and suitable temperatures available all year but perhaps other factors like storms and high humidity which can stress the birds.  For my own needs my timing will be determined by my annual home leave back to Australia from the Philippines.

Fidler’s recommended managements diet are as follows:

Selection, Collection & Storage

Since the objective of feeding seeding grasses is to use the green seed as a nutritional supplement to dry seeds, care has to be taken to select grass at the right stage.  To do this you need to become familiar with grass “flowers” (also called florets or spiklets) and a good place to start is Wikipedia.  If you look carefully, each grass floret while it is flowering (i.e. open & receptive to pollination) you will see it is surrounded by two bracts (the lemma and palea), these separate for a few hours while the 6 stamens elongate and shed their pollen onto the fluffy stigmas (often purple or white).  After shedding pollen, the floret’s bracts close leaving the dried stamens and often the stigmas exposed for a few days before they too are shed. 

If heads are taken before flowering there is no seed (but an excellent source of nesting material) and if taken too late the vitamin & proteins/amino acids are less available.  Since most grass heads will take at least a week for all florets to have completed flowering, the best time for the most nutritious green seeds is going to be around a week after the last flowers on the head have finished flowering.  At this stage the panicle should be well above the flag (last) leaf.  Grain that is already falling is mature even if not fully ripened and will not be as beneficial to the birds as the younger grains which adhere tightly to the plants. 

Grass should be collected early in the morning as soon as the dew has dried off. The heads should be kept in closed polythene bag in the refrigerator and used within four days, after which time the immature grains senesce and are less nutritious and there is an increased risk of fungal spoilage.

Threshing panic grass-heads into a seive-box. Lower bunch has been stripped of grain

If you want to make the most of the green seed supplies the heads can be threshed or beaten to release the seed which can then be fed to the birds in a dish or as part of their wet soft-food rations.  For threshing I use a simple sieve however modifications could increase grain recovery rates.  Once threshed, it may be worth putting the grain through a finer sieve to remove extraneous or harmful inclusions like stalks and smutted florets.  Threshed seed can also be conveniently frozen and fed at times when fresh seed is unavailable.

One important point in selecting your grass – make sure it hasn’t been sprayed with herbicide or pesticides.  This is a constant worry for me collecting rice and barn-yard grass heads from the paddies.  In Australia herbicides are frequently used on the road-side verges where good supplies are often found.

Feeding

I used to feed heads by just throwing them on the floor but after reading Doug Hill and Marcus Pollard’s article warning against the dangers of disease transmission and fungal toxicity I decided to place them in feeders up near the perches and I find this much better for a number of reasons: i), there is a lessened disease risk; ii), the seed is presented in a more natural feeding position; iii), the feeding birds are on display; iv) the heads dry down during the day and can be reused as nesting material and dried material won’t support fungal growth.

When feeding grass heads place them upright, in some type of holder, against the wire or near a perch.  Suitable holders I have used include specimen vases, small plastic bottles and rat traps.  Don’t crowd the stems as the birds have to be able to access all parts and it is a waste of your time to have many heads uneaten and discarded each day.

As was previously mentioned threshed green seed can be fed either directly or included in the soft-food mix, however I have not personally done the latter.  When feeding any grain in a dish, green or mature, place it in a wide, shallow bowl to allow the birds to pick through it as finches won’t dig deep and again you don’t want your efforts wasted.  Discard any unused seed/husk every day and replace with fresh seed.

How much seed to give will depend on how many birds you have and how many nests with chicks there are your enclosure.  Watch your birds and examine the waste and you will soon work out amounts.  As a rough guide for threshed Panicum I would give around teaspoon per bird per day.  This may appear excessive but many of the florets are sterile and contain no seed.

Suitable Species

Where you are will determine what and when is available to you.  Having read Doug Hill & Marcus Pollard’s article  I was surprised that most of the grasses they mentioned were also here in the Philippines and if not the same species then there were closely related species.

One important point in selecting your grass – make sure it hasn’t been sprayed with herbicide or pesticides.  This is a constant worry for me collecting rice and barn-yard grass heads from the paddies.  In Australia herbicides are frequently used on the road-side verges where good supplies are often found. 

 Sources of Seed

Fnch keepers keep a close eye on the grasses growing on road-side verges, fields, abandoned lots and drainage ditches as they drive around.  In the Philippines herbicides are rarely used but in Australia you have to be certain that the local council hasn’t sprayed before you collect.  These wild sources of seed give rural dwellers an advantage over their urban counterparts who will have to grow a limited supply or substitute sprouted seed and supplements.  Of course good grain supplies will support rodent and they in turn support snakes so wear appropriate protective footwear and long pants when collecting seed from the wild.Green seed is natural, cheap and readily available high protein food for finch breeders.  Research has shown that green seed is essential for successful finch reproduction in the wild.  It can be tedious at times to collect green seed if you aren’t in a rural area but it can also be grown and at times of abundant supply it can be threshed and frozen.  Alternatives like sprouted grain seed and manufactured supplements can also be used but even if these are just as nutritious they don’t provide the environmental enrichment and challenge of alighting on a stem, choosing & removing a grain and then removing the husk.  This is what finches are adapted to do and to deny them the opportunity to express these behaviors will affect not only the birds but your pockets.

 Growing your own is a possibility if you have the right climate.  I’ve tried to grow French millet here in the Philippines but because of the short day length it seeds as about 5cm without tillering.  Certainly I have such an abundant supply that I don’t need to grow any but the perennial Setaria species can easily be maintained and are quite ornamental.  Panicum and Johnson’s grass could also be easily cultivated and of course forage grasses like signal grass and Phalaris (canary) grass or commercial crops like rice can be sourced cheaply from a rural seed supply business but make sure the seed is not dressed!  Doug Hill and Marcus Pollard’s article mentions that they grow out their own finch mixes so this is a possibility for anyone with a spare garden bed.  For some general information about types of millets and other bird seeds to grow  the Queensland Department of Primary Industries has some good on-line resources.

Conclusion

Green seed is natural, cheap and readily available high protein food for finch breeders.  Research has shown that green seed is essential for successful finch reproduction in the wild.  It can be tedious at times to collect green seed if you aren’t in a rural area but it can also be grown and at times of abundant supply it can be threshed and frozen.  Alternatives like sprouted grain seed and manufactured supplements can also be used but even if these are just as nutritious they don’t provide the environmental enrichment and challenge of alighting on a stem, choosing & removing a grain and then removing the husk.  This is what finches are adapted to do and to deny them the opportunity to express these behaviors will affect not only the birds but your pockets.

 References

Red heads don't mix with Black heads (Photo Sarah Pryke)

Yesterday I came across a new article on the ABC web site with some very interesting news for Gouldian breeders.  If you have subscription to  you can read the actual academic article too from Sarah R. Pryke and Simon C. Griffith (2009) Genetic Incompatibility Drives Sex Allocation and Maternal Investment in a Polymorphic Finch. Science , 20 March 2009: Vol. 323. no. 5921, pp. 1605 – 1607.  I have a PDF file of this if anyone is particularly interested then contact me and I can send it to you.

The Gouldians, Stars and Cut-throats stayed on their nests and I assumed the snake had exited the aviary. Today however, some 8 days later, I know better. The breeding hen cut-throat is missing and the eggs are cold. There is one spot in the aviary I could’t look very well and that was a fern next to the raphis palm in which the Stars nested so I’ve now taken that out. While I found no snake I found the remains of a male Star that had been missing for the last few days.  My guess is that the Star nest will be lost and I still haven’t located the snake.

My next move will be to put a mouse in a cage in the aviary and hope that the snake will go into the mouse’s cage and eat the mouse and get trapped inside.  In almost every case the culpret has been a red-tailed rat-snake  as shown in the accompaning photo taken last year.  If anyone has better idea for trapping this animal I’ll be glad to hear as it is too an expensive a pest to entertain.

I’ll update this post as I discover more but if anyone knows a good way to trap a snake PLEASE tell me.  I think this weekend everything has to come out of the aviary and the whole cage remeshed.

Here is the up date:

March 18 - I found a dead cut-troat in the aviary - was it scared in the night by the reptile and few into something and died? The mouse is fine

March 19 - The hen Owl finch is missing presumed eaten.  The mouse is fine

Ringing birds is something I’ve never done but with my recent successes and multiple nests threatening to cause confusion I investigated the ringing process to help identify my birds.  As I only have a small number of birds I didn’t think that it was necessary to go to the expense of having closed , numbered bands so I got some split plastic rings from Ebay.  They aren’t the best rings but they are more than adequate for large finches or canaries.  Smaller sizes are available as these are actually fusible hobby beads and have long been used for ringing birds (see Hill (1992)).  To see what these beads are really used for have a look on Flick.com.  Of course if you buy them as beads you have to use a razor to split them which is easy as they are soft polythene.  Split plastic bands can be applied to any birds over the age of 10-12 days but closed banding can only be done at this time.  For more on closed banding visit the Zebra  finch society’s website.

Split plastic rings and home-made applicator. Size selection is important; small rings (L) for Owl finches and larger ones (R) for bigger birds like Cut-throats. Scale in millimeters.

The rings I purchased didn’t come with an applicator so I fashioned some by cutting a pair from the top of an aluminium soft-drink can using a pair of sturdy scissors.  I expected the edges to be sharp but they are aren’t dangerous at all, however the fine shaving made in the process are -so beware!

The first thing to do when using split plastic bands is to choose one of an appropriate size and load it onto the applicator with the split side spread open across the channel as shown above.  Next  capture your bird and hold it belly up in your subordinate hand as illustrated in the photo. Using your dominant hand, place the open channel of the applicator on the birds leg and using your fingernail slide the ring off the applicator and onto the leg  as shown in the next photograph.  Now, pinch the ring to ensure closure  and be careful not to pinch the leg in the open part of the ring.  The bird is now identified using whatever system you choose.  I am using red and yellow to distinguish my two breeding cut-throat families.  My Owl finch progeny are banded with blue as you can see from the photographs.  Unfortunately 3 days after I fitted the bands a snake got into my aviary again and ate my first ever owls here.

Nestling with split band fitted.

Cut-Throat pair, female right

In a previous post I mentioned that I have a pair of cut-throats which on four attempts let their young starve after hatching when housed with my other pair.  I separated them, suspecting competition but still the young starved.  Both pairs

Juvenile Cut-throat - about 9 days old

prefer to nest in wooden boxes but have used baskets.  I was on the point of selling them on when they went down on eggs again.  This time when I introduced the soft food mix while they were incubating,  the birds ignored it but one morning they didn’t and sure enough five of their eggs had hatched.  The adults, shown above, picked the mashed quail egg from the mix and were only feeding it.  I increased the frequency of feeding egg from one to three times a day and after 5 days the adults switched to feeding seed and after 18 days the young fledged.  I don’t know if the food preference is inherited via nature or nurture as my other Cut-throat pair does not require egg food or much anyway to raise their young.  I will now be able to offer unrelated pairs (banded red & yellow) when I sell at Cartimar.  There are, for some reason this time, an excess of cock birds but since they are more colorful this shouldn’t be a problem for those just seeking a pretty bird.

Owl Pair, Female left

My other success is with Owl finches or what I still call Double bars.  Having spent P6000 for a pair I was dismayed to find one dead one morning.  Since they are monomorphic I was left with a problem that experts have problems sexing

Juvenile Owl finch - abour 10 days old.

the remaining bird.  Sometime later I notice the remaining bird being groomed (allopreened) by a female Zebra finch so I knew exactly what to do after I sold my next lot of birds.  I search around for the most dimorphic pair at Carimar that day and purchased the hen at Rainforest. From the photo you can see that aside from having a toe missing her breast and face mask is a little less white than the males.  Anyway supposedly she was 9 months old in November and last month (Feb 2009) I noticed she was missing most of the time and just yesterday I looked in their nest ( a recycled nest built by a zebra pair in the brush at the rear of the aviary) and found two nestlings - maybe 5 days old and a number of unhatched eggs.  The parents are very keen on the green grasses and I’m hoping to see the young flege in a couple of week time.

Shaft-tail pair, female right.

Shaft-tail finches are another monomorphic species I’d given up on  breeding as I had two pairs and they had shown no sign of breeding for over a year but it was obviously a year that they needed to mature.  My first pair divorced as soon as I placed them in the aviary and the presumed male took a fancy to a female Zebra finch and has raised 3 nests of zebras with her (she obviously cheats).

Flegling Shaft-tail finch.

The second pair were purchased about 6 months after the first and were in retrospect just waiting for the right moment.  Their first nest  was a made in the brush and has produced only a single chick (shown). I had been led to believe that this species only nests in hollow logs and boxes so this not true.   The female has a slightly smaller bib than the male, the beak is less red and the black lores(the feathers between the beak and eyes) are smaller. Based on this diagnosis I purchased another female (P750) and will introduce her to the spare boys when she is out of quarantine.

The most notable of these rights groups include People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals  or Animal Liberation are  whose deluded agenda places people and animals as equals at best and at worst they believe that the world would be better off without humans.  A revealing analysis of the founder of PTEA can be found on the Center For Consumer Freedom site which reveals just how misinformed and misanthropic the founder of the movement is.

Animal rights activists often engage in such extreme measures to promote their animal rights agenda that they themselves become outlaws engaging in illegal and destructive behavior in a bid to stop the keeping of all animals, the consumption of meat, research or anything for which the animal can not consent.  Even relatively moderate groups such as Advocacy For Animals do not believe that anyone has the right to keep birds because they are wild animals.  Their arguments are focused and persuasive but are so narrow they they miss many contra-indicative details in order to promote their point, however to an uneducated public brought up on talking sentient, talking Disney animals it is people like us that keep animals that often look look like the extremists.   Peter Singerand the other animal rightists may promote this view but the facts speak for themselves even if the animals can’t.

If the general public, rightly or wrongly becomes engaged in an issue then democratic governments have to act so we as keepers must not be complacent to the call for responsible ownership. In Europe animal welfare advocates have lobbied heavily to change the production standards for meat and laying birds based on assumed best practices, which when tested after implementation have shown to be antagonistic to the goal they hoped to achieve.  The March, 2008 issue of Poultry International shows that morbity and mortality rates of chickens produced under welfare friendly and organic systems are an order of magnitude higher than those produced under  conventional conditions.  Studies reported  the ABC Science Unit in January 2009 tell us that common assumptions made about the stress suffered by poultry kept under intensive production systems are false.  When measured objectively using blood cortisol levels as stress indicators, the “bird friendly” free-range system is far more stressful to far more birds than a cage system.  Further the incidence of disease, including those transmissible to humans is far higher in the free range systems.

Assumptions made as to to an animal’s welfare, based on it’s right to freedom or capacity to express natural behaviours are inherently flawed when those rights are those that should be applied to humans!  Without exception, if an animal’s welfare is affected by captivity it is because the conditions under which it is kept are not suitable.  Animals have different desires and drives, each as diverse as the species examined and it does them no service to be managed as one and especially to use humans as the model for their welfare.  As bird owners, keepers and breeders we should not underestimate the reach of PETA or similar groups for it is the creaky hinge that receives the oil and it is they that are getting heard not us.