FINCHforum

I have four pairs of Strawberry finches that are building nests in various places. I have tried to make as many different opportunities for the birds to nest as I can, with commercial nests, plants, and such. The birds insist on doing their own thing, though.

One is on the ground at the base of a fountain grass, another is in the "container" I built to hold nesting material (feathers, Bermuda grass, sisal). I will try placing pictures in this post, if I can find them. Another is in the middle of the large tree. I can't get a good picture of that one.

The nest on the ground has been surrounded by a piece of plastic debris left over from building the aviary.

Mike

Looks amazing I think ur aviary may be my favourite one haha

Fraza:

Looks amazing I think ur aviary may be my favourite one haha

It's OK to be jealous .

The interesting thing for me is to see the choices the birds make. I would never have thought that such a small bird would make a nest on the ground. Seems a little vulnerable.

Mike

kcfd55 Congrats on having those Strawberries going to nest! When I was breeding this species, I found that they were not consistent with nest building. Some would build nests that would be tight, round, neat nests, others would build a sloppy, flat, open nest that allowed eggs/babies to fall through. It looks like you are getting the same variety!

Some finch species do have nests on the ground, though I can't remember any of my Strawberries doing this. They were in cages, and always built in the plastic plants that I wired to the side of the cages. This is a great species to work with. Mine were usually very good parents, but once they are feeding babies, they will toss if the egg food or other protein food gets low. Mine raised with egg food alone, along with chopped veggies and spray millet, and some liked the freeze-dried blood worms mixed into their egg food. Others wouldn't touch the egg food if I put f/d blood worms in their food. Silly birds.

Please keep us posted on their progress.

kcfd55 Ano yeh haha I’ll admit am a little jealous haha

Sally:

Some would build nests that would be tight, round, neat nests, others would build a sloppy, flat, open nest that allowed eggs/babies to fall through.

Hmm. Perhaps Strawberrry=schizophrenic .

I have a number of feeding stations which include egg food, spray millet, other finch seed, live mealworms, and greens. I hope that that is enough for the bird's tastes, though I do have some frozen blood worms around.

Thanks,

Mike

I have never had Strawberry finches before, so I am very new to their behavior. The pair that is nesting on the ground made a very minimal nest before the first egg was laid. Now, after 4 eggs were laid, they are making a more substantial nest. I had no idea that a bird would begin laying before the nest was finished.

I hope that the pictures make it:

Picture #1: a bit of plastic debris left over from building the aviary is the white thing surrounding the nest.

Picture #2 (the upper one): the more "complete" nest after the fourth egg was laid. There is a kind of tube in the upper, left side of the thing. The plastic is gone. The nest is made with Bermuda grass, cotton batting, sisal, and Pampas grass frond.

Mike

kcfd55 - Hi Mike, congratulations! Can't believe all four pairs are breeding at the same time. Maybe they are 'egging' each other on.
I only had one pair a while back but they always built their nests in dry eucalyptus branches about 3 to 4 feet off the ground. Their nests were very tightly constructed (they always had a base of long pine needles), then mostly coconut fibers and grasses, lined on the inside with white feathers. I observed the same thing that Sally mentioned: if they ran low on mealworms, they would toss a baby. You might need quite a number of mealworms once the kids have hatched.
Good luck,
Iso

Iso:

Maybe they are 'egging' each other on.

Ooo, that's a bad one .

Their nests were very tightly constructed (they always had a base of long pine needles), then mostly coconut fibers and grasses, lined on the inside with white feathers.

I still haven't found any white feathers so far. I did put some white cotton batting in the aviary, and the strawberries jumped all over it, though mostly the ones with the nest on the ground. They also really like the Pampas grass inflorescence, as do a couple of other pairs.

I observed the same thing that Sally mentioned: if they ran low on mealworms, they would toss a baby. You might need quite a number of mealworms once the kids have hatched.

I appreciate the caution. I just purchased several thousand 1/4" mealworms from Rainbowworms. I have at least 6 pairs of nesting birds, the owls, strawberries, and canaries. And I think that the Melbas are getting after it as well, based on their behavior I saw yesterday.

Mike

kcfd55 -Mike, I use feathers out of an old feather pillow. I opened one corner just about 1 or 2 inches, then pull a bunch of feathers out with tweezers and sprinkle them on the floor of my aviary. Even though they are mixed colors, and the white ones always get picked up first, most of the others eventually disappear, too.
I have also tried cutting a paper towel into narrow strips. Some birds kind of like those but they are not wild about them.
Iso

PS: As for your thousands of mealworms: will you have to put an extra fridge in the garage?

Congrats that they are all nesting!! Hope you get lots of healthy baby finches!!

Iso:

I use feathers out of an old feather pillow. I opened one corner just about 1 or 2 inches, then pull a bunch of feathers out with tweezers and sprinkle them on the floor of my aviary. Even though they are mixed colors, and the white ones always get picked up first, most of the others eventually disappear, too.

I remembered you telling me that so I looked around. No luck so far except from my mother who had an OLD pillow (probably 80 years old) that ended up having a yellowish down in it that was so poofy that it wouldn't stay in anything. I tried it w/o much success as yet. The cotton batting and Pampas grass is doing well so far. I will keep looking for the white feather. Maybe I can find someone with a cockatoo and scalp it when they are not looking .

As for your thousands of mealworms: will you have to put an extra fridge in the garage?

I may have to, but not in the garage. It gets up to 110-115 degrees here in Summer, and I think an outside refrigerator would have a tough time. Maybe I can put one in the atrium.

Mike

I forgot to mention the white feathers. All the waxbills seem to like feathers for lining their nests, and the preferred color is white. They do fly all around since they are so lightweight, you just have to put up with the mess for a while. I also use an inexpensive feather pillow. The first one I bought at Walmart had nothing but white feathers in it, but the second one I bought was more than half dark feathers.

Many waxbills will also use one feather to use as a door to the opening of their nest, moving it aside to enter the nest and then putting it back in place to keep out prying eyes!

Sally:

The first one I bought at Walmart had nothing but white feathers in it, but the second one I bought was more than half dark feathers.

I will try Walmart. I also just found a craft store that says on their site that they have white feathers for sale.

Many waxbills will also use one feather to use as a door to the opening of their nest, moving it aside to enter the nest and then putting it back in place to keep out prying eyes!

I did not know that. Now I know what size feathers to get.

Thanks,

Mike

kcfd55 and Sally - When I kept spice finches several years ago (now we have lots of 'wild' ones in this area coming to our feeders), I noticed they would close the entrance of their sleeping nest on cold nights. They used mostly grasses, though. I thought that was really smart and the cutest thing ever.
I never mind the feathers flying throughout the aviary. In fact I drop them in several areas on purpose so the birds will have to 'forage' for them. I love watching them as they hop around on the floor, picking up this one, then that one, holding them in their beak for a bit, testing them, finding just the right one. Gives them something to do. I think mostly, by supplying everything they need, we make their lives a little too easy. That is also one of the reasons I switch out the eucalyptus branches for fresh ones several times a year. Right away, my birds will inspect them for hidden insects, seemingly enjoying the give of the fresh, supple branches and twigs and taking off the leaves (mostly the gouldians and European goldfinches).
Iso