Whydah question...

[northernflirt]

Hi...

When we bought our pair the male had a beautiful long tail. However with in about 2 months all of his longer tail feathers fell out and they haven't grown back. Now both our male and female have tails of the same lenght.

Is this common? Will his long tail ever grow back? Is their diet lacking something which is keeping him from regaining his long tail?

Thanks...........Sandy

[hilljack13]

If this is the bird I am thinking of, the tail feathers growing long in the males are grown only during their breeding season. Its the same as a goldfinch, they are all brown in fall but in spring and summer you see the brightly colored males as yellow and black. If I am wrong about your bird I appoligize for the confusion.

[beccafigs]

Hilljack is right, they only get that tail when they are in breeding condition.

[hilljack13]

Do I get a cookie?

[northernflirt]

Thanks....didn't know that! It makes sense...look good for the ladies. Anyone know what their breeding season is?

Sandy

[Sorria]

Yep, its only during breeding season and if they're in breeding condition that they get the long tails. I have a male myself, had a female too, but she's no longer with us.

I'm not sure about thier breeding season, but my male is already starting to get a long tail and his feathers are starting to change. I first noticed it the first part of this month and its been a pretty slow change....not something that like happened overnight. I would say the breeding season is coming up since mine is starting to get a long tail, but I'd say its not quite there yet since mine isn't completely "there" yet with the feathers. Maybe yours is a litle late starting off...or maybe mine is early?

[northernflirt]

Thanks for the info...
I'm going to keep a watch on that little tail of his for some longer feathers coming in!
He lost them so soon after we got they that either it was stress or at the end of their season. Maybe we'll actually get babies this year. Hope they don't mind breeding in group cage. They're in with Societies, Zebras, Owls and Blues.

Sandy

[Sorria]

From everything I've read, Whydah's are "parasitic breeders"......meaning they lay thier eggs in the nests of other finches and the other finches end up taking care of the Whydah chicks as well as their own. So if you want to breed Whydah's you kind of have to have other finches.

One thing I have read though is that they won't just lay their eggs in any finches nest because of breedng season differences or whatever. I think the websites I saw recommended using a St. Helena's Waxbill pair as the "host" for the Whydahs. You might want to check up on some Whydah pages and see if there's any info you can find that any of your current finches are good choices to use for Whydahs and breeding.

[lonchura_boi]

wydahs are all parasitic species and each species has a prefered host. the easiest to breed is probobly the pin tailed, as although it has a prefered host, it will adapt to new species in the absence of its prefered host. however, they seldom breed as they are often kept in pairs and they need a group, perhaps 3 males and 5 females as the males will compete with each other for breeding rights. in a pair, the male will be lazy as he dont have enough stimulaus from either a group of females or some rival males.
they are in breeding colours an aggressive species and to have a suitable breeding group they realy need to have a large flight where the males can preform their displays properly. and can bicker without cornering one another.
i hear that pin-tails will use bronzewing mannikins and occasionaly zebs as host species

[FeatherHarp]

lonchura_boi......wow...you really know your Whydahs! Thanks for the good information. I would love some but it will be a long time into the future....but one can dream...right?

[lonchura_boi]

lonchura_boi......wow...you really know your Whydahs! Thanks for the good information. I would love some but it will be a long time into the future....but one can dream...right?

i looked into breeding them years ago, so did my research i didnt have the time space, nor the wydahs to attempt breeding tho...so yes..one can dream

[northernflirt]

Hi all...
We only have 1 pair of the Whydahs (and the male is beautiful now...long tail, chest is proudlyly out) but our female doesn't seem to be the least bit interested. They're in a large flight cage (6' h-2' & 1/2 deep and 3' & 1.4 w) with zebras/societies/owls/nuns/spice & cordon blues. Is it that there's only 1 pair of Whydahs that's our problem for lack of breeding? By the way all in that cage are at least a year old.

Thanks.........Sandy

[lonchura_boi]

one pair are highly unlikely to breed, the males need the stimulation of several females, and the compatition of other males, likewise the females will only likely be impressed if the males are competing with each other. the other species need to be breeding also, if your other occupants are not breeding, the wydahs have no where to lay their eggs and hence will not be intrersted. i dealy you need and long flight as the males dispalys are usualy arial and require space to be preformed.
do you know what species you have? like i said, pin-tails are about the only ones likely to adapt to a new host species in the absence of their prefered host. unfortunately, most of the choice host species are themselves tricky birds to breed in captivity

[funni_person]

whydahs breed better with waxbills and lots of females

[lonchura_boi]

whydahs breed better with waxbills and lots of females

each species of whydah has its prefered host, and some have a specific host. for example i belive the fischers (or straw tailed) wydah, only lays eggs in the nest of violet eared waxbills, and these are themselves an extremely dificult bird to breed in captivity.
like ive already stated, your best bet is the pin tailed wydah, kept in a long flight, 3 males five females, with a mixed breeding colony of zebs, bengies, bronzewings, silverbills, groldbreasts. give them a choice of hosts as they are the most adaptable species