African vs Indian Silverbills
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- Pip
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African vs Indian Silverbills
Hi all. New to this site. Posted this question under the "species" topic but didn't have any luck. Can anyone tell me whether African or Indian Silver bills are more active and vocal. My goal is a cheerful aviary with active birds and lots of chirping and singing. I thought Africans would be a good choice but then read somewhere that African Silverbills are relatively inactive. Does anyone know if this is true? Can't seem to find out anywhere.
- MisterGribs
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Re: African vs Indian Silverbills
Hello, Dirosaur! I hve been looking at this question for days and felt sorry that I couldn't help you.Dirosar wrote: Hi all. New to this site. Posted this question under the "species" topic but didn't have any luck. Can anyone tell me whether African or Indian Silver bills are more active and vocal. My goal is a cheerful aviary with active birds and lots of chirping and singing. I thought Africans would be a good choice but then read somewhere that African Silverbills are relatively inactive. Does anyone know if this is true? Can't seem to find out anywhere.
SO I went to youtube and watched lots of videos of both indian silverbill and african silverbill to do a little comparative research. In my observation, the africans do seem less active than the indian ones. They have a very beautiful song similar to a canary's that I really enjoyed listening to.
However, the indian silverbills also seem to be more high strung, I saw two different individuals react fearfully to a small black ant while feeding. Yes. An ant. One of them fled. D: These were free roaming birds used to seeing insects.
I advise you to do the same, have a nice view of lots of individual videos from various owners, and see for yourself! In my uneducated opinion, it seems the african birds are more relaxed and less active than the indian cousins, but they sing a beautiful song.
2 black cheek zebras and 5 CFW zebras, one A&M pied coturnix hen, my darling cream/lavender coturnix roo, and his attitude.
- Sojourner
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Re: African vs Indian Silverbills
DANG IT! Now I want some African Silverbills!
Save me! Tell me they require live food! That will end my bird-lust - at least for that particular species.
Save me! Tell me they require live food! That will end my bird-lust - at least for that particular species.
Molly Brown 11/22/15
Pyewacket 6/15/17
Trudy 2/24/18
Turn towards home, and go there. Many overs, over woods and fields, streams and hills, many overs. Just turn towards home. How else would one go there? Perhaps it was a dream, and you have awakened from it. May the earth rise up beneath you, with home in your heart, and your person waiting.
Pyewacket 6/15/17
Trudy 2/24/18
Turn towards home, and go there. Many overs, over woods and fields, streams and hills, many overs. Just turn towards home. How else would one go there? Perhaps it was a dream, and you have awakened from it. May the earth rise up beneath you, with home in your heart, and your person waiting.
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- Incubating
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Re: African vs Indian Silverbills
Sojourner
Bad luck, silverbills are perhaps the most vegetarian finches from Africa.
Unlike African waxbills, they don't require livefood even when nesting.
More info:
http://www.finchinfo.com/birds/finches/ ... erbill.php
Bad luck, silverbills are perhaps the most vegetarian finches from Africa.
Unlike African waxbills, they don't require livefood even when nesting.
More info:
http://www.finchinfo.com/birds/finches/ ... erbill.php
- Sojourner
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Re: African vs Indian Silverbills
w.l.
DRAT it all! Must ... limit ... bird lust ...
But nevertheless can't help wondering if they would still sing in a cage of all males ...
DRAT it all! Must ... limit ... bird lust ...
But nevertheless can't help wondering if they would still sing in a cage of all males ...
Molly Brown 11/22/15
Pyewacket 6/15/17
Trudy 2/24/18
Turn towards home, and go there. Many overs, over woods and fields, streams and hills, many overs. Just turn towards home. How else would one go there? Perhaps it was a dream, and you have awakened from it. May the earth rise up beneath you, with home in your heart, and your person waiting.
Pyewacket 6/15/17
Trudy 2/24/18
Turn towards home, and go there. Many overs, over woods and fields, streams and hills, many overs. Just turn towards home. How else would one go there? Perhaps it was a dream, and you have awakened from it. May the earth rise up beneath you, with home in your heart, and your person waiting.
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- Incubating
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Re: African vs Indian Silverbills
I think males alone tend to sing more, desperate to attract a mate.
If you like them, buy them! But bear in mind that this species is just about impossible to sex visually.
If you like them, buy them! But bear in mind that this species is just about impossible to sex visually.
- Sojourner
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Re: African vs Indian Silverbills
w.l.
Par for the course. All my favorite finches fail to be dimorphic. Bengalese. Owls. Javas. Drat drat drat.
Par for the course. All my favorite finches fail to be dimorphic. Bengalese. Owls. Javas. Drat drat drat.
Molly Brown 11/22/15
Pyewacket 6/15/17
Trudy 2/24/18
Turn towards home, and go there. Many overs, over woods and fields, streams and hills, many overs. Just turn towards home. How else would one go there? Perhaps it was a dream, and you have awakened from it. May the earth rise up beneath you, with home in your heart, and your person waiting.
Pyewacket 6/15/17
Trudy 2/24/18
Turn towards home, and go there. Many overs, over woods and fields, streams and hills, many overs. Just turn towards home. How else would one go there? Perhaps it was a dream, and you have awakened from it. May the earth rise up beneath you, with home in your heart, and your person waiting.
- Sojourner
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Re: African vs Indian Silverbills
So I walked into my locally owned mostly-bird-pet-store and lo and behold - one single solitary silverbill in the store. The owner claimed she thought it was a male. But he didn't seem to be singing. He was in the cage with a pair of some kind of weavers, some spice finches, one single solitary cordon bleu, and something else I've forgotten. She said he wouldn't sing unless a female silverbill was also present.
They had no idea if it was an African or an Indian silverbill. I'm going to guess African - it seemed more buff than grey. But I could be wrong.
I was so tempted - but only one by itself is never a good idea and given that he/she is for sale because the owner couldn't find a mate for him/her, I figure my chances of finding a second are pretty slim.
They had no idea if it was an African or an Indian silverbill. I'm going to guess African - it seemed more buff than grey. But I could be wrong.
I was so tempted - but only one by itself is never a good idea and given that he/she is for sale because the owner couldn't find a mate for him/her, I figure my chances of finding a second are pretty slim.
Molly Brown 11/22/15
Pyewacket 6/15/17
Trudy 2/24/18
Turn towards home, and go there. Many overs, over woods and fields, streams and hills, many overs. Just turn towards home. How else would one go there? Perhaps it was a dream, and you have awakened from it. May the earth rise up beneath you, with home in your heart, and your person waiting.
Pyewacket 6/15/17
Trudy 2/24/18
Turn towards home, and go there. Many overs, over woods and fields, streams and hills, many overs. Just turn towards home. How else would one go there? Perhaps it was a dream, and you have awakened from it. May the earth rise up beneath you, with home in your heart, and your person waiting.
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- Proven
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Re: African vs Indian Silverbills
Totally untrue about the singing; if it wasn't singing it's a hen.
You could easily get one with a spice and they'd buddy up.
You could easily get one with a spice and they'd buddy up.
~Dylan
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