FINCHforum

While at a show last fall one of the breeders had a cage of what looked like yellow and gray softbills(?), they sat in a cluster at the bottom of the cage. Very pretty little birds about the size perhaps a little bigger than the pekin. I do not know what they were because the crowd around the vendor's table hid the sign in front of the cage. It was to crowded to ask and it was to cool to wait, I had birds with me that were just purchased.

Excuse the drawing but it is the closest thing I have to show kind of what they looked like. I would like to possible explore getting into softbills since my mother raised them (our elusive pekins) and every finches species you can imagine it seemed along with canaries when I was younger...whatever this little bird was it was interesting.

I'm not Chase so excuse the reply if the question was meant for him only.
Could it be a golden song sparrow you saw? They are usually at the Orland fair .
http://www.birdproduct.com/2009/11/golden-sparrow/

They are soo cute and they come in a pink mutation too

Off topic - I love that website Paradise Earth! I've never seen so many Softbills in one place (website) - I came across it a few weeks ago when they contacted us about advertising in the NFSS.

Beautiful birds and pictures!

I was just going to write the same thing. What beautiful birds they have I saved the link to my favorites. Thanks Candace

Renee

I love Paradise Earth. David Calvin knows his birds

Hi Candace...of course I don't mind your input!!! Maybe I should re-title the thread .(by the way how did your meeting go?)

I to saw the Golden song sparrow...was so tempted!! My husband kept me focused on our mission to get what we came for. (darn!)
They come in pink to....love pink! I will have to check them out.

The birds were at the Plant City Show...they were rounder and a slender bill...the gray might have been a brown gray, it was over cast.

Misty.....I will have to check out this site!!

CandoAviary wrote:I love Paradise Earth. David Calvin knows his birds

I love the website, but I've never gotten anyone there to answer emails--don't know what the problem is.

Thank you...Domenic bet you didn't know that you had the answer to my question within the pictures of your trip to a bird show!!!!

The vendor had so many of these, pretty sure they were brought in from California.

Now to read up on them....I wish I was able to get closer to the table for a picture and a good look at them at that time.

My biggest wish is to have the pekin robins return to the states in numbers. I adored these birds as a child and helped my mother care for them. Sadly I have only seen them but once in Ft Myers.

Casey of Vince's Pet Centre on Steeles Ave West in Woodbridge usually has a few of the White-eyes.

In the 60's mom got them for $15 each!

Cindy I knew the answer the moment I opened this post. When I first saw the Montane and yellow white-eyes at the fair I can't deny that you and your pekins were the first thing to pop into my mind. I only wish my pictures were clearer for you. These are stunning little birds, very charming personalities, and a reasonable price tag. I know nothing of their care at the moment, some research is in order. Since your pekins are so out of reach though, I would definitely consider this species to fill the void.

I myself am considering them. Unfortunately, it looks as if David Calvin and his wife will not be attending the next bird fair here in Vegas (they are not scheduled for it on their website birdproduct.com). If they don't attend, I don't see any reason to attend myself.

Fardad, would you mind posting some general details about them like compatibility with other birds, breeding difficulty, diet, etc.? This post has me reinterested in this species.

I took one look at your drawing and thought White eyes. I don't know which ones you get there. I really love them. They have such personality. I believe they can get quite tame too.

We have them all over the place here wild (cape white eye).
From the garden They are very messy, like most softbills their poop is not desirable, but I think their personalities would make up for their mess.

Domenic, the pekins are outrageously priced compared to what my mother paid. Some of the finches my mom had that are difficult to find but making a come back where just a few dollars. Even they way the birds were housed and the foods available have changed.

Pekins will always have a place on my want list, they were not only my favorite but my father's. Eventually it would be nice to have a few softbills to add to my (not suppose to be) growing collection of finches. I am still waiting for white faced bourkes and a cinnamon.

Monotwine, the picture is lovely. I can't imagine a place where they fly in numbers free, it must be beautiful to watch. The pekins were very high strung and always on the move.

If the little white eyes can be tamed down they may not be as on the move and flighty as the pekin I remember. The diets for softbills and their droppings are messy but like you said their personalities make up for it.

Add to bucket list....trip to Africa to sit and watch white eyes fly free!

Cindy...I went by your description...yellow and grey... I guess I think of white eyes as greenish instead of yellow. Also the best ID for this bird is the white ring around the eye...unmistakable..... Guess my old eyeballs couldn't detect much from that sketch, definately didn't see the white eye rings.
These are the cutest birds and may be a good substitute for your beloved Pekins.

I've never seen one for sale here or I would have snapped up a few pairs of white eyes.
I'll have to be content to watch them in my yard. I put out fruit for them and they quite happily much while I watch in close proximity.

I think they may have gotten a "flighty" reputation because they are so very busy. They don't stop moving and calling to each other. I do not mind the call. My little rescue white eye I kept for a while we called Cheepy because that is all he did all day. Just chirped and Twee'd and called to everyone all day. I think they use that in a flock situation to keep track of themselves.

Pekins here too are rare. I was reading a book (an old aviculture book) for SA keepers and in it they say that when rearing young, Pekins need live food and as they will come back to their young you can open their cage for them to forage.... That was a very old book! I would never dare to open the cage in the hopes that my dear few thousands in cash would return to feed its young. Thank goodness some things have become more readily available like supplements and feed. On the down side Pekins are not readily available. Perhaps they all flew the coop.