IMPORTANT QUESTION

EmilyHurd · Post by **EmilyHurd** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 8:44 pm

Hi, I have a quick question for some finch experts. I posted in the introduction forum also. I currently house my pair of star finches and owl finches together. I have read they have similar personalities and should be okay housed together. Their flight is a decent size for two pairs I think, but my male star finch has started building a nest... that's right, just one nest, and their are 3 other nests in their, but he tries to hound them all. He darts near the owl finches if they try to go into any of the nests. Is this normal? Do my stars need their own cage? My owls are so submissive and never fight back, but I have read that stars aren't supposed to be aggressive???

tammieb · Post by **tammieb** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 9:44 pm

Hi Emily,

I got the following snippet from the Finch Information Center...

http://www.finchinfo.com/species/star.htm

Hybrids have occurred between star finches and bichenos (owl finches), between star finches and zebra finches, and between star finches and crimson finches. Therefore, when breeding stars, do not mix them with bichenos(owl finches), zebras, or crimson finches.

You might want to rethink your housing arrangements.

EmilyHurd · Post by **EmilyHurd** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 10:54 pm

Wow... I didn't know that... I may have to find different arrangements. I thought though in large avaries that stars and owls and zebras can all be in it??

tammieb · Post by **tammieb** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 10:58 pm

Generally they can be, but if you want to breed them, then you should probably set them up in breeding cages to make certain you don't end up with any hybrids.

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 9:43 am

tammie
dont you think that if the pairs were even that they would pick thier own species first before trying to pair up with something that is not a natural mate

ken

Crystal · Post by **Crystal** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 11:18 am

There are instances when cross breeding will occur even if same-species mates are available.

EmilyHurd · Post by **EmilyHurd** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 2:33 pm

I have never seen one of my owls mingle with one of my stars and I watch them a lot so I don't know. I am not intentionally, trying hard, to breed either of them.

My star hen seems a little distant from my male star. She is obsessed with a mirror that I put in for them. lol... sounds like a woman!

My owls sleep together every night though. They are very fond of each other. I think they are the cutest birds!!!

tammieb · Post by **tammieb** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 2:50 pm

If you want the Star hen to pair up with the male then I would remove the mirror.

Because the Stars are not a bonded pair, I would be especially concerned that hybridization might occur.