Wild Zebra Flocks

cooleydd · Post by **cooleydd** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 1:56 pm

We know that we have several flocks of parrots and some other birds that we tame flying wild - and expanding.

We know there are a log of wild finches doing well in out communities.

I have heard of several people who had their Zebras escape into the wild and at least one person who let all their Zebras out and they stay around the area as he keeps food out. But I don't know if any of this is true,

Does anyone on the list have experienced with escaped Zebras and have they stayed around and produced? Has anyone seen flocks of Zebras in the wild that seem to have came from a domesticated flock?

EmilyHurd · Post by **EmilyHurd** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 7:07 am

Where are you located?

I'm in the USA in Colorado... and I would never let my zebra finches loose here b/c I know they would die... it is way to cold and they are born and raised in cages and don't know how to live in the wild.

cooleydd · Post by **cooleydd** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 10:59 am

Emily

I live in San Jose California.

I know we have flocks of parrots in and around the San Francisco bay area. There is also, so I am told, mixed flocks of Amazons, Cockatoos, Macaws, etc. Also I have heard of a flock of Cocktails in this area.

Our temperature will occasionally get below freezing and will go occasionally above 100 in the summer time. In other parts of the San Francisco Bay area the temps may range between 50 and 80 or so.

I know breeders in this area who raise Zebras outdoors the year around without any additional heating source. I have known breeders of canaries outdoors the year around without additional heat. Up nearer San Francisco where the temp is warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer than it is here raise, Goulians outdoors the year around.

I have no intention of letting any of my birds go but was just wondering if anyone had any knowledge of Zebras or other finches in flocks in the wild.

EmilyHurd · Post by **EmilyHurd** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 6:49 am

Are you wanting to release your finches into the wild?

cooleydd · Post by **cooleydd** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 11:17 am

You asked:

Are you wanting to release your finches into the wild?

I said in the previous post:

I have no intention of letting any of my birds go but was just wondering if anyone had any knowledge of Zebras or other finches in flocks in the wild.

So obvious the answer is no. Since we see flocks of other of our "domesticated" birds in the wild I was just wondering about finches. Since they all were wild birds at one time I wondered if they would revert to being wild.

The reason I asked is because I read someone who had a cage to sell because all of their finches had escaped out of the cage. I heard another story of a person that let all of his finches go and they stayed around his garden the year around and he furnished food for them. I have my doubts about both stories and just wondered if anyone else had any knowledge of finches in the wild.

So the answer to your question is "NO"!

Post by **Sally** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 12:34 pm

I'm not aware of any domesticated finch flocks in my area, north Texas, but that doesn't mean there aren't any. Zebras can take a lot more cold than some. Also, since Zebra finches multiply like rabbits, I'm sure there have been cases of people just turning them loose (just like they dump kittens on a country road). This is why people should think about what they will do with the finch babies before they allow them to breed. Sorry, I'm on my soapbox, but recently someone dumped a mama cat and two litters of kittens, for a total of 7 now going-feral cats. Now my neighbors and I have the chore of trying to catch them, and the expense of having them fixed, or the heartbreak of taking them to the shelter.

Sorry for hijacking your thread!

beccafigs · Post by **beccafigs** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 2:33 pm

Sally- That is the exact kind of thing this thread made me think of!

I know finches are more "wild" than something more domesticated, but it just doesn't seem right to me that people would just release any pet into the wild. When something depends on you for everything (food, water, shelter), how can you expect them to survive on their own? Not to mention, zebra finches are not native here, and if there were human caused flocks of them in the United States that creates an imbalance with whatever native birds having to compete with the zebras. And I'm learning just how pushy they can be.

I guess it's good that in your area the larger birds that have been released into the wild survived, but I don't know if it's such a good thing that they are breeding... They are probably having a major effect on the wild birds in the area.

Shadowfax · Post by **Shadowfax** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 3:44 pm

I had three little female Zebs get loose from their cage last summer. Never heard them or saw them again after that day. They stayed around for a few hours but did not return to the cage in spite of my male's frantic calls.

I seriously doubt they survived. Even if they could find food they were cage birds. Not enough strength or stamina to really escape a predator if one were determined enough to have them for a snack.

beccafigs · Post by **beccafigs** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 4:19 pm

Shadowfax- How sad!!! That's awful.

Shadowfax · Post by **Shadowfax** » Thu Dec 13, 2007 6:48 pm

Poor little Faz was quite upset. So was I.
I am far more careful of the cage doors now especially when I set them outside on a nice day.
I got three more finches. One turned out to be a fancy Society and then my little female died recently. I think she was egg bound. She was the societys buddy and he seems depressed since she has been gone. I plan to get him a society friend in the near future. Faz is happily paired up with a male Florida fancy Zeb.

EmilyHurd · Post by **EmilyHurd** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 3:48 am

Sorry for your loss! I hate finding dead finches in my cages! I haven't had a finch die on me in quite awhile though... so I feel lucky!

I have had two finches die in my hand though! It is soooo sad! I caught them on the floor of their cage still alive but letting me handle them w/o freaking out (which is unusual for my finches)... and then they just slowly closed their eyes and died. Then I feel bad just tossing them in the trash! I feel like I should bury them or something....

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 3:26 pm

we do have the odd species flying wild in the uk,including a few flocks of javas

ken