FINCHforum

Sounds wonderful! It's great that you are able to give your birds such an environment

Wow, that sounds really neat. I wish I could have an arrangement like that! Do you have any pics of it?

Yes I have a few pics in the gallery...

http://www.finchforum.com/gallery/searc ... r_id=12248

Interesting tidbits I learned about this arrangement:

I live in Central Florida, and in the height of summer we get violent thunderstorms and even the occasional tropical storm. The finches handle it just fine. They have abundant covered space to perch when it gets heavy, but they stay roosted and exposed in the ficus trees a surprising amount of the time. In light rain they love to play and peck at whatever it is that washes up from the concrete.

Red-tailed hawks occasionally bonk off the screen as they dive for a finch. I've witnessed three strikes so far, and who knows how many happen when I'm at work all day.

Finches and anole lizards barely acknowledge one another.

Tree frogs, however, like to eat zebra chicks! That was the end of hanging ferns on the porch. It was getting a bit crowded in there anyway, I suppose.

Sisal twine (the same stuff used on cat scratching posts) can be cut into 2" segments and unraveled into fiber. The finches go apeshit over it as nesting material.

If you live in the South, Spanish moss also makes excellent nesting material. Just be sure to microwave it for a minute or two to kill any creepy-crawlies, and shred it well.

I have never had a finch drown in my swimming pool... they seem to know to avoid it. In fact, many times I've seen zebras swoop down and skim the surface of the pool, and then they touch the water (beak? foot? They fly too fast to tell!), leaving a pond ripple. It's really cool.

They can instinctively avoid a swimming pool, but they will somehow drown in a pitcher of water or a garden watering can (or anything small but deep). I lost 2 gouldians that way.

It is hilarious to watch a tiny zebra haul a huge chunk of Spanish moss to a high-mounted birdhouse.

That is amazing, and I am jealous! How big is the enclosure, and how many birds do you have now? Do you have any photos of the whole thing?

Ann, I love your cage. That's very pretty!!

Thanks!

Just finished my first aviary.
No birds yet. I am going to a Bird Mart this Sunday in San Jose CA.

I am a new member and new to birds. I have been learning a lot here on the forum in preparation for this new endervor.

so nice...love the covered buffet area!!!! Great idea! good luck at the fair!

Here is the finished project. I still have to add some access doors so I do not have to go into the aviary and stress them out anymore than necessary. They are getting powder coated now. I should have them up tomorrow. I will add pictures of them.

Here is one more

Beautifully done!

Here are the custom access doors I installed.
It make it so much easier than going into the aviary everytime I need to feed and water them.

Very nice!!!

Now that's a great solution to not wanting to go in every feeding.