What kind of birds – finches? Colorful, bright colors mislead the people who believe their parrots. Not at all. These birds are of the family of finches weaverbirds.
A couple of sparrows-mods. People learned to keep them in captivity, and they delight with their songs the Trilling.
Canary or not?
Canaries are birds, many hundreds of years sailors brought to Europe from the Canary Islands. These birds of the same genus with the finches.
But Canaries are distinguished:
- form of beak,
- colors
- a voice trills.
But there are birds and common features. They love the company of people and incredibly energetic. The birds are easily tamed and can arrive on the call of the master. They live in flocks.
Contents in captivity
The contents of birds in the house will not be difficult. For a comfortable stay the finches will need a spacious square cage. Try not to purchase a cage domed shape. The dome can disorient birds. The larger the cage the better for the finches. Moreover, the cell is better to choose wide and long. These birds are active and cheerful. They love to fly a lot and do naughty things in his cage.
The types of finches:
- Zebra.
- Rice.
- Japanese.
- Lady Gould.
- Parrot.
- Diamond.
- Ostrogothia.
- Cheshuichatoe.
- Common.
The Finch. The bird got its name because of the alternating black-gray-white transverse bands on the front of the neck and breast. But this Zebra striped coloration on the breast feathers and tail feathers, is only observed in males. White spots on the chestnut feathers on the sides of the body of male Zebra finches, very elegant.
Males are brighter than females.
“Cap” on the head of the Zebra finches grey, sides of head bright chestnut color, closer to orange. From the dark beady eyes, down go the black stripes from the beak extends a white speck. Completes a portrait of a bright orange beak. Striped breast ends in a black spot. It contrasts with the white belly of the bird. Female Zebra finches painted modest. Zebra color feathers on the breast is absent, the beaks of the females of any species the lighter color of the beaks of the males.
Rice finches
This bird is widely distributed in China and Japan. Its name it received in the gastronomic tastes of the rice. In their natural habitat, these birds are a real scourge for farmers. Their sudden raids on the rice plantations destroy virtually the entire crop. Lifestyle and habits gave the birds another name: the Java Sparrow.
In the same way as sparrows, these birds are incredibly sociable and energetic. And also, they have a cocky character. Not all representatives of this breed love company of their own kind. It happens that birds fight and cause each other injury.
Color rice finches that live in the wild is more vivid than ornamental species. Gray body, feathers on the abdomen lighter than the base color; white cheeks, a black cap on his head and a black necklace on her neck. Looks kind of wild rice finches as an ordinary city Sparrow, only in other colors.
But people loved the gentle warbling rice finches and they have to keep them in captivity.
Decorative “rice birds” found new colors and names.
- White panache.
- Spotted or marble artwork.
- Silver, or blue ink.
- Cream panache.
- Pale yellow, or Isabella panache.
White panache – the result of breeding, the Chinese scientists. These birds are not albino – they have dark irises of the eyes with a red border. The beaks are red. The offspring of white drawing sometimes born with color, like wild tribesmen.
Sometimes, fledged Chicks have a back spot in the shape of a saddle. This spot disappears after the first molt and the bird acquires a white plumage. The breeders of this variety, finches are convinced that birds having white color is much easier to breed in captivity. This can be explained by the fact that white finches before all other species were born in captivity, under the supervision and with the care of the person.
Variegated marble or panache. Obtained by crossing white drawing and her relatives natural color. As a result, the bird has a harlequin tail. It may be pure gray feathers, or interspersed with black or dark brown colors. Grey marble has a black eye color. Brown or pale yellow – red-brown eyes.
Silver, or blue ink. Color of head dark gray. Cheeks white. The plumage of the wings and tail lighter-colored feathers on the head, but darker colors Breasts and abdomen, which are painted beige undertones. The feathers under the tail white, or pale cream.
Cream panache. The color of the feathers on the head is clean beige. Spots on the cheeks white. Eye color reddish-brown. The back, wings and tail black. Breast lighter shade than the color of the feathers on the back. The feathers under the tail light beige.
Pale yellow, or Isabella panache. The color of the head pale brown. Cheeks pure white. Eyes reddish-brown. The coloring of the whole body warm brown, lighter than the color of the head. Belly saturated beige. Tail dark brown, the color of the feathers under the tail white.
Japanese amadina
Japanese amadina is a type of rice, in color which is acceptable not only to the white shades. Japanese finches are: crested; yellow; red-spotted; pollen brown; snow-white.
From the description of the species, it is clear almost all their colors. Females, in contrast to other types of finches, are virtually indistinguishable from males. Color them the same, only the males, during mating courtship become darker than females. Males differ also in the manner of sound production. The singing reminds a scratch of ungreased cart wheels. So that singing-it is difficult to call. Female parent has a stunning quality. They take excellent care of the offspring.
The Finch lady Gould. The city is named in honor of the memory of the wife of a British zoologist, the naturalist artist John Gould. Wife of John accompanied him in his travels in Australia, which was caught and brought to Europe the bird. Soon after the trip, lady Gould died. Her name was perpetuated in the name of the breed of birds.
Color Holdaway finches are very bright. It combines contrasting colors. Tail cap on the head of different colors. Moreover, the color of the feathers on the head affects the nature of birds. In the classical form Gulidova finches blackheads. Common birds are more aggressive towards other dogs. The color beanie has a warning value. Coverts of the wings and back of the sated green color. The plumage of the tail is bright blue shades. Undertail are white.
The abdomen is yellow. Breast always purple (females lighter). Under the head of the black necklace, which forms a beard under the beak. The color of the feathers between the head, back and breast, gentle azure hue. These birds have white spots on the cheeks and the color of the beak is bright and not red as in other species.
The parrot finches
The plumage of this bird species a variety of colors. This bird is of 12 kinds: multi-color parrot, short-tailed, bamboo, carnality, Papuan, Fijian, long-tailed, red, Royal, tri-color, blue-green, the Manila parrot. The habitat of wild birds – the rainforests, grasslands and bamboo thickets. The most rare species of Manila, Fiji and Royal.
Diamond finches. Color of head gray with a black stripe “glasses” eyes. Under the beak to the breast is a white spot. The feathers on the back and wings are rich brown. Breast black, with the transition to light grey belly. Sides birds the plumage is gray-black spots. Undertail coverts are bright red, the tail black. Under the tail the colour is the same as on the abdomen gray. The maternal instinct in females is virtually nonexistent, what is the complexity for maintenance and breeding Chicks in captivity.
Strahota amadina painted a pleasant creamy shade. The head is a contrasting pale grey, with pale spots on the cheeks and black stripes around the eyes. On the breast a black spot. The abdomen is lighter than the cream back. The bill and legs are orange. The name of his bird was the form of the black tail that resembles the tail of a swallow – forked it. This bird is also called herbal.
Cheshuichatoe amadina brown. Breast and abdomen covered with black and white stripes smooth, resembling fish scales. Head brown, with a brown spot at the beak. The bill and legs are black.
Common amadina very similar to ordinary brown Sparrow. Male’s head is red. GRudka brown and white spots. But these spots are not like the Zebra finches. Females with brown head and spots on the breast lighter. The covering feathers on the wings and tail sometimes alternated dark and light shades of brown. Habitat – southern and South – Western Africa.
The maintenance and care of birds in captivity
Finches unpretentious birds. The main condition for the maintenance – no drafts and a warm room. The cage needs to be spacious. Inventory for birds may be the easiest: perches, feeders, drinkers etc. Finches love to fly and climb the bars of the cage. Birds love to bathe, so sometimes put in the cage a bowl of warm water for making feathered water treatment. Live birds love the company, flocks or pairs.
How many finches livedepends on habitat conditions in nature and captivity. In the natural habitat, age of birds up to five years. In captivity some species can live up to 13 years. The oldest representative of these birds lived to be 15 years. The long lifespan of birds can be achieved with proper and careful care of them.
