FINCHforum

Has anyone every had one of these - I will post a picture but this bird is definitely a cross between a silver bill and an owl finch as it has features of both. When it first hatched out the Silver Bills looked after it but now it is a few months old it sounds like an Owl Finch. It is a very beautiful bird and hope it is around for a good while. Like I said, as soon as I get a pic I will post it on here

I have had a parson cross plumhead.they were very ugly.

I would never tend to try and breed any hybrids. I think that's just wrong. And the hybrid wont be able to produce offspring either way. SO NO NO for me. Not cool.

Even if the hybrid could produce offspring - I still would never try to do that.

Not all hybrids are sterile. I'm against hybrids, but thankful Societies, which are hybrids, exist.

I look forward to seeing this picture.

I personally do not see a problem with cross breeding these finches so long as the end result does not have its health compromised. If the finches are unhealthy or are unable to breed, then it could silly to do it. But if lots of people had cross silver/owls and multiple blood lines existed, and breeding could occur with those, then sure, why not.

Hybrids are not a problem as long as they stay with their original breeder. The problems come in when they are sold or traded, and somewhere down the line, the information that it is a hybrid is lost. If it is a fertile hybrid, it could be placed in a breeding program, and then the poor, unsuspecting breeder gets some unpleasant surprises.

I have a Bronzewing Mannikin/Society cross. He looks just like a Society, except he does have a bit of a 'bib', not very noticeable at all. I had hoped he would make a foster, and had him in a foster cage with another male Society and a female Society. He had gotten along with various cagemates just fine, but when placed with a female, he apparently became aggressive to the other male. I didn't see it happen, but found my Society male very plucked, with one eye missing. So this hybrid has more of a Bronzewing personality than Society. If I had sold him to some unsuspecting person, they would never have expected such behavior from a Society.

I am not a supporter of hybrids.It has only happened to me once by accident.They were mules, and i gave them to some one who had bought a house with a large avairy,And wanted something to fill it.

Just to clear things up - this was an accident - I didn't intentionally cross the silver bill with the owl finch. There were 2 eggs laid in the silver bill nest and the other baby is a pure silverbill.

I had 2 aviaries at the time, one which I called my specialised breeds which had star finches, owl finches, silverbills and 2 canaries, the other aviary has all my zebras and bengals in. Unfortunately, one morning I went out to the "special aviary" and found the door wide open. Luckily my quails were still inside but the parent owl finches had both flown, leaving their 3 fully fledged babies behind. We did see one of the owls fly back but that was the last time I saw it and we had some really cold weather soon after. I decided that day to combine both my aviaries to avoid another accident happening. I don't know if it was intentional by a neighbour's teenager or what happened but luckily I only lost the 2 birds that day

Accidents will happen in mixed aviaries and as long as you don't breed this one - all is good. I'm sure he will be an enjoyable finch.

I think that this statement is pretty disputable. This is because the concept that seems to be the "true" origin of societies is still somewhat muddled.

atarasi wrote:Not all hybrids are sterile. I'm against hybrids, but thankful Societies, which are hybrids, exist.

Hey Sean your bird is making me dizzy.

pictures...pictures...pictures...pictures...pictures?????????????

sean wrote:I think that this statement is pretty disputable. This is because the concept that seems to be the "true" origin of societies is still somewhat muddled.

atarasi wrote:Not all hybrids are sterile. I'm against hybrids, but thankful Societies, which are hybrids, exist.

The only statement that is disputable is where these finches originated. What's clear is that they are hybrids and that's my point.

at last I have managed to get a photo - I'm sure he knows I am trying to "shoot" him lo
But - how do I attach the picture? I have a fantastic one showing his markings

I have for the time being put the pic in the gallery under chicks and juveniles.