FINCHforum

I would like to know when goldfinches would start to sing. I had the pair for few weeks, but they have been tro their first molding. And ones in the while one of them starts to kind of singing, but then stops. I just do hope that I have a pair not 2 hens.

Usually after they finish their moult and breeding season is when at their best.For singing best if cock bird is kept on it's own.You have to choose between singing or watching them together.Not saying cock bird wont sing with hen in cage just not as much as he already has his prize hen with him.Believe me some hens have good songs very close to cock bird song.You have to be lucky as all birds are different and they sing slightly different to each other.Some better some not so.Hope this helps.

I split them up today. I think that I got hen by herself and cock went with gouldians, I will keep my eye on them for a day or so, and then see what happens.

Most Goldfinches should be getting into breeding condition at this time. The signs of breeding condition are a pale beak and increased singing. Are you sure you have an actual pair? I went for two years with my first "pair" before I discovered I had two hens. It is not easy to tell the males from the females to the untrained eye. Here is a web site from Spain that shows in good detail the differences: http://www.ibercajalav.net/img/431_Gold ... duelis.pdf

I was just wondering, I think you said your birds were molting? If so that might mean they are imports from the southern hemisphere probably Australia where it is now fall and that's the season a goldfinch naturally molts in. The red mask is the last to feather/color up and you might see or have seen silver/grey colored pin feathers. These open up orange and later develop into a deep red. The goldfinch males do not sing during the molt.

They were imports from california, and this was their first mold. One of them started to kind of sing, but honestly I think I got two females. I would post pic. later in the day, hopefully. But its bugs me a lot to think that its not a pair. Before purchasing those birds I did a lot of research, because I wanted a birds that would sing. So my first choise was goldfinch and then canary. I use to owned canary. I choose goldfinch because I like the song better than canary, its more softer. So now all I have left to do is to wait. And one of them did change her head color to more darkish red. I have been feeding them greens every day, a lot of dandelion and kale, because they are dark greens. Also I purchased goldfinch food online and mix it with canary food and then additionally I give them egg mix that has insects in it, and some grass seeds and * seeds, plus minerals and calcium, and charcoal.