A pintailed whydah was abandoned in my yard yesterday.

[Sheather]

Along with three zebra finches in the most absolutely horribly dirty bird cage ever, that I don't think had been cleaned in... ever. Years for sure. Four-inch high piles of dried droppings on perches and a solid inch of it on ever part of the cage tray. No food, no water, a little canary nest filled to the brim with crap, the bar spacing in the cage was more than 3/4 inches and if the finches had tried they could very easily have slipped out to freedom but fortunately they didn't seem to realize that. The birds were simply left inside my backyard gate near our aviary with a vague note saying their owner couldn't handle them anymore and they'd be better off with me and that they're "5 or 6 years old." So not youngsters. I don't mind taking them in but wish whoever their owner was would have asked instead of just abandoning them, but I'm glad they at least took them to someone like me and not simply set them free in the wild.

So I took the four finches (two hen and a cock normal gray zebras as well), treated them for mites, and put them indoors in a 30 x 18 flight while I got to work hosing down their former cage, which looks more suited to something like a conure. The whydah is in color but doesn't have a tail, he seems bonded with the zebras and was frantic when I initially tried to cage him apart so I put them back together. They're eating and drinking, the male zebra is a tiny thing and he's quite plucked on the back and rump, but he seems bonded with both hens so I don't know if I should intervene, he has a lot of new pinfeathers that are growing in so maybe in a better environment the hens won't pick him anymore. The poor male zebra's "song" is just as sad as his feathers, literally a single shriek repeated again and again! I know they're not known for their songs but I've never seen one with literally a single note for a mating song! The Whydah has a very loud hawk sort of call but I've yet to hear the pretty song I read they're known for.

Admittedly I don't need more birds, especially the zebra finches, but whatever, I can't just leave them outside. I'm really a bit tickled with this whydah though! I have no clue where he came from or where his owners got him. This is not a species I thought I'd ever see in person, so to be given one like this is quite a nice surprise, even if I wish it wasn't under these circumstances.

Took some photos but they're bad, I'll try for better ones later. The pictures feature a small canary cage I transferred them into the house with, they're in a flight now.

[Barbara]

They have a good home know,sad that people can treat any living thing this way.I know different circumstances come up that we may have to find a home for our animals I myself had to do this many years ago,but to take care of them this way is horrible.You are a good person good luck with them and I applaud you

[Sheather]

Barabara thank you, and I agree - just don't know how someone could treat an animal like that. That cage was just unbelievable, to think they'd lived in that for years.

[lem2bert]

Sheather

They were lucky to find you......from the condition you found them in the owner was probably ashamed to face you !!! I wish you good luck in bringing them back to good health. You are a great person

[Maleficum]

Lucky birds!

Sounds a little like when my brother was about to get an extra cage to his parrot, he answered a ad where someone was giving away a cage. He, me and our mum went to get the cage and when we arrived no one was home (or we suspected they were home but didn't answer the door or there phone) and the cage stood outside with a single Cockatiel in it. Of course we took the bird and cage with us home and later find a great home for the bird.

[Sally]

Sheather They probably could see your aviary and figured they'd found a bird lover who would take care of their birds. As you said, at least they didn't just turn them out into the wild.

@Malificum That was pretty sneaky, leaving the bird in the cage for you. They'd probably tired of it, but at least they could have been honest. I would think that if they advertised a free bird, they would have found a new owner.

[Babs _Owner]

Sheather

Im with everyone else. The people must live near you and saw your beautiful aviary and knew that would be heaven for their birds.

Possibly someone elderly could no longer physically care for the birds properly, and perhaps a family member stepped in and decided to take them over to you.

LOL your aviary must be quite a beautiful sight for you neighbors!

A whydah!!! How exciting!

[Sheather]

Well whatever the reason for their coming to me they'll have better care now for sure. I did separate them this morning because the zebra finches were chasing the poor whydah all over. He makes me sad, he's high strung and so afraid of me he freaks out and thrashes around if I'm even in the room with him. Probably wild-caught, wherever he came from originally. They don't really breed in cages. I gave him lots of plants for cover and put a towel over the cage for some shelter but he's still really nervous.







The zebras are fine - just crazy, as is normal for their species.

[Stuart whiting]

Sheather

Hi mate,

The birds are very lucky indeed that they were taken in by you,

Heaven knows where they might of ended up

Yer very lucky to have a cock pin tailed whydah,

Definitely knot the easiest of birds to breed with but I'd definitely have em if given the chance

Hope that they settle in ok now

[ann]

I absolutely love this! An amazing story with a happy ending! You are wonderful to step up and care for them.

I've never had a whydah, but they are wild here and I see them at my bird feeders. They seem pretty bossy but for the most part the other birds just ignore them.

Good luck with all of this, and please give us updates!

[Paul's Amazing Birds]

I have a pair of Whydahs and you know, these are parasitic finches, which means they need a host finch to incubate and raise their babies. The male, with his showy tail, couldn't get into a nest box if he wanted to. My male is calm and somewhat subdued for about 6 months of the year when he doesn't have the big 8" tail. But once those 4 black feathers grow in again, he becomes the bully of the flock. Probably has a ridiculous testosterone level because he's constantly displaying for his mate and spends a lot of time trying to chase others away from the feeders...But the place is big enough that nothing ever comes of his aggressive behaviors. I have lost a few eggs to this pair but no injuries and I never get tired of the unusual mid air courtship dance he does.

Paul

[Stuart whiting]

I have a pair of Whydahs and you know, these are parasitic finches, which means they need a host finch to incubate and raise their babies. The male, with his showy tail, couldn't get into a nest box if he wanted to. My male is calm and somewhat subdued for about 6 months of the year when he doesn't have the big 8" tail. But once those 4 black feathers grow in again, he becomes the bully of the flock. Probably has a ridiculous testosterone level because he's constantly displaying for his mate and spends a lot of time trying to chase others away from the feeders...But the place is big enough that nothing ever comes of his aggressive behaviors. I have lost a few eggs to this pair but no injuries and I never get tired of the unusual mid air courtship dance he does.

Paul

Absolutely right

The pin tailed whydah is parasitic to the common, black rump, Crimson rump and orange cheek waxbills.

To anyone who's ever heard of the European cuckoo which lays it eggs in the reed warblers nest , the whydah does exactly the same,

This is why the whydah's are classed as being difficult to breed in captivity because they normally have to rely on other birds to breed,

It's often hard enough breeding waxbills at times let alone the whydah's

[Shannylee]

Sheather, lucky birds to have been left with you. I agree...I bet the previous owners were so embarrassed by the condition of the cage/birds that they didn't have the nerve to face someone who, so obviously, takes impeccable care of their birds.

I have a pair of Whydahs. I had to move them to their own flight cage. Mr. PT Whydah has his colors and tail and he is a spitfire in a mixed aviary. They are kind of "frantic" birds anyhow. Very busy and don't sit still much.

Believe it or not, I found a female at at pet store...Pet Supermarket. I don't like to buy birds (or any pet) from a pet store but since Whydahs are so hard to come by, I brought her home. I had to keep them in a divided cage for about 2 months before putting them together. She has been peeping and doing a "bootie dance" for him and he does his mid-air display for her. No eggs yet and if I get some, I will see if the societies will foster since I don't have waxbills. I don't really need any more Whydahs. LOL!!