Got my Straw-tails today

[Sally]

Those are beautiful new birds, Johnboy. We can try the PG nests, doesn't hurt to try, and if your birds would at least lay eggs, then you could put them under Societies. Wouldn't that be something!

[newlinta]

I love straw-tails...very cool looking birds!
I know a woman who has 3 males...2 of them
are 13 yrs old and 1is 15 yrs old!! They are
the only birds she has and they are still very
lively/energetic.
Ever since I saw hers I've been trying to find
a pair with no luck...
May I ask how much you paid for them?

[JohnBoy]

I love straw-tails...very cool looking birds!
I know a woman who has 3 males...2 of them
are 13 yrs old and 1is 15 yrs old!! They are
the only birds she has and they are still very
lively/energetic.
Ever since I saw hers I've been trying to find
a pair with no luck...
May I ask how much you paid for them?

$120.00 pr. from Singing Wings Aviary. $45 to ship. I also got another pair of Saffrons and a pair of Napoleon Weavers

[cjkrit]

The Pintailed whydah parasitizes on the Common waxbill.
The Paradise whydah on the Melba finch.
The Shaft-tailed whydah on the Violet-eared waxbill.
The Fischer's whydah[straw-tail] on the Purple Grenadiers.

This applies now in their natural habitat.

Greetings from South Africa

[MadHatter]

I would think they would normally only parisitize active nests. If they are particularly keen, they might lay in an old nest with a couple of dummy eggs in it, but I don't think it very likely to be honest.

[finchmix22]

I would still try, as a used nest with infertile or dummy eggs could stimulate laying. They don't stick around to incubate anyway, right? So, how would they know if the nest is active? How did Singing Wings breed them?

[MadHatter]

I would think that in the wild, a female Whydah would observe a waxbill nest for a while to ensure it is active before laying in it. They may also make some assessment of the nest owners before selecting a nest to lay in to ensure they will be good providers for the chicks.
With rare exception, birds have little or no sense of smell, so an old waxbill nest is unlikely to provide any stimulus to laying on the basis of it's scent.

[JohnBoy]

I would think they would normally only parisitize active nests. If they are particularly keen, they might lay in an old nest with a couple of dummy eggs in it, but I don't think it very likely to be honest.

We discussed that it would probably be a long shot. But I had to give it a try.
He is singing up a storm and his song is spectacular and extremely loud.