GUESS WHAT I"M GETTING...

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Rox
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Re: GUESS WHAT I"M GETTING...

Post by Rox » Sun Jan 25, 2015 12:59 am

Colt wrote: Fooled you all. It's me not Elana but all caps looked like fun.
hahaha, cheeky :D

I would go for robins????
Roxanne

Gouldian's, Blue Breasted Cordon Bleu's, Orange-cheeks, Violet-eared, Black-cheeked waxbill's and Peter's Twinspots

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Colt
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Re: GUESS WHAT I"M GETTING...

Post by Colt » Sun Jan 25, 2015 10:28 am

Alright. Well I got my pair of Amethyst Starlings yesterday evening.

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=c ... 20starling

They are just the most beautiful and inquisitive birds. They came from a large (up/down) flight with a mixture of other softbills (Dacnis, Honey Creepers, and Tanagers) as well as Seedeaters, Mannikins, Waxbills, and Parrot finches. They were really well-behaved with even the smaller birds so I'm not foreseeing any issues with them at my house. I have them housed in a 6 foot double flight cage with one pair of Bourke Parakeets, a pair of Diamond Doves, and a pair of Javas.

I was going to take pictures of them last night but it was late when I got home and I was trying to multi-task (cook dinner and get them set up and moved) so I didn't mess with pictures as the recipe I was cooking was on my phone. lol The male's head is plucked and/or he's molting. Apparently when the starlings molt they drop their head feathers at an alarming rate. I'm hoping that his feathers grow in faster now that the mean little honey creeper isn't with them. lol He also bumped his bill/ceres pretty well against the wire in the flight when the breeder caught him so I may hold off until he's back to his beautiful self.

They are eating Pretty Bird Mini Pellets, Zupreem XS Fruit Blend, Roudybush Nibbles, and another colored pellet I'm drawing a blank on. They also enjoy powdered Lory nectar, as well as Bugs n' Fruit, and fresh fruit like papaya and banana. I'm going to try to limit their fresh food (hopefully limiting the amount of fruit poo) if they readily eat the pellets in place of the fresh fruit, although they will still get several slices a day. I'm also curious to see if they enjoy my eggfood or the mealworms and Phoenix worms I ordered yesterday.

She never tried breeding them, but I'm hoping to have success. I need to order a few wooden nest boxes and I'm hoping to find one that would be suitable for them. As easy as European Starlings breed I'm hoping these guys are at least not picky about their nesting site.

After I released them into the flight the Bourkes were completely terrified of them. The doves didn't even bat an eye. The pair just sat on their nest calmly watching the newcomers. The Javas were unimpressed from their perch as well. Once the Bourkes settled down and stopped hanging from the front of the cage they decided the new additions weren't that scary after all.

This morning before work the male was still a bit flighty preferring the highest back corner opposite of where I was. The hen just sits on the center bars in the dead middle of the flight where she can watch everything. It's also a "well-planted" area so perhaps she feels safe and like I can't see her. lol

@delray - Actually I almost did bring a pair of those home with me last night on a whim but I'm going to think on that one a bit more. You might be on the right track looking at Sally 's signature. lol

@lovezebs - I asked the breeder if they were very vocal and she said not at all. I'd think it would be amazing if they picked up on some sounds or words but I'm not going to hold my breath. While I was cooking last night I heard a few "new" calls from the bird room so I think the pair was vocalizing a bit as all my birds were busily welcoming them.

And I already have Gold-breasted Waxbills even if the silly things don't do anything but lay gobs of eggs and not incubate them. I just moved them into their own private breeding cage in hopes with one nest perhaps they'll get their act together without any other distractions.

@Rox - I wish. I love the Pekin Robins. They are beautiful. But I fell in love with the Amethyst Starlings years ago so when the opportunity popped up to get some I just couldn't help myself. Now I need to find another pair so I can pair up unrelated birds.

Have you ever seen them in the wild? Information online is rather limited although someone sent me a 35 page pdf file on their care. I'm curious about preferred nesting sites (the size box and entrance hole I should offer) and other stuff like that. I'm thinking she's a bit to big to stuff herself into the parakeet box. So a cockatiel or one of those boot shaped parrot/gouldian style boxes would be good.

Some unexpected arrivals included a pair of very old zebra finches who will live out their days beeping and meeping with all of mine. As well as a lovely Albino Shaft-tail hen. She had an accident that caused her to lose her leg from about the knee down. So she joined my Normal Pied male last night who also has one leg. If they make babies that'd be great (as I really want some babies from this Pied male to see if that's truly what it is) but at least he can have a friend now who won't pick on him. All my other Shafties are mean to him. And none of the girls like him because he prefers to stay comfortable on the ground or on a wide surface. But now he'll have a love interest that hopefully prefers the same things. :)

The new finches you're all still guessing on should be coming home next weekend (hopefully).

Amethyst Starling
BF and RT Parrot Finch
Chestnut-breasted Mannikin
Lady Gouldian
Owl Finch
Shaft-tail Finch
Society Finch
Star Finch
Strawberry
Tri-colored Nun
Zebra Finch
Diamond Dove
Bourke & Scarlet-chested Parakeet


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Rox
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Re: GUESS WHAT I"M GETTING...

Post by Rox » Sun Jan 25, 2015 1:31 pm

Ooohh, I'm so jealous :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: I love these birds!! I don't know much about breeding them but I believe most starlings are easy to keep and are hardy. We don't get them my side of the country and I am yet to see them in the wild. Please keep us updated with their progress.

I am super thrilled for you! =D> =D>
Roxanne

Gouldian's, Blue Breasted Cordon Bleu's, Orange-cheeks, Violet-eared, Black-cheeked waxbill's and Peter's Twinspots

isobea
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Re: GUESS WHAT I"M GETTING...

Post by isobea » Sun Jan 25, 2015 2:12 pm

Colt - Strawberries???

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KarenB
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Re: GUESS WHAT I"M GETTING...

Post by KarenB » Sun Jan 25, 2015 2:41 pm

Colt, This happened to be one of the Birds Around The World series that I did over a couple of year's time.

Image
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Colt
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Re: GUESS WHAT I"M GETTING...

Post by Colt » Sun Jan 25, 2015 3:31 pm

Oh KarenB that is beautiful. There stunning looks are what attracted me to them in the first place. I just think they are gorgeous.

And thank you Rox. I'm so excited to have them. I've been ordering food and supplies for them all morning. lol I'm really hoping to get them in good condition and ready to breed. At least starlings should be fairly easy to handfeed. And maybe if I get eggs and she won't set I can pop them under Societies or the Doves if the eggs are too large and just pull them and handfeed when they hatch. Supposedly they tame down and stay very friendly if they've been handfed.

Ding ding ding! Isobea you guessed right. I'll soon be joining the Strawberry Finch Club! Yay me. :)

I've been wanting them for ages and several breeders have them available so we are mixing and matching to get unrelated pairs. If for some reason this doesn't work out we'll be ordering imports from Frank Tromp but I'd prefer have NFSS close-banded, captive-bred Strawberries over wild-caught birds.

Hopefully I'll be getting some Black and White Mannikins as well to pair up with the lonely little one I have. I finally put him in with the Societies yesterday so maybe they can calm him down. He's really flightly and like greased lightning if he gets out.

Amethyst Starling
BF and RT Parrot Finch
Chestnut-breasted Mannikin
Lady Gouldian
Owl Finch
Shaft-tail Finch
Society Finch
Star Finch
Strawberry
Tri-colored Nun
Zebra Finch
Diamond Dove
Bourke & Scarlet-chested Parakeet


https://www.facebook.com/pages/Brushy-C ... 0659711916

isobea
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Re: GUESS WHAT I"M GETTING...

Post by isobea » Sun Jan 25, 2015 4:36 pm

Colt - Congratulations! They are really cool little birds. My pair is sitting on 5 eggs right now. First time didn't go too well: they tossed all three babies at one week old. So I'm hoping for them to do better this time. They are wild-caught (couldn't get captive raised ones around here). You will definitely be one step ahead with the ones you are getting.
BTW, what did I win? Their first born?
Iso

PS: I love your new starlings, too. Impressive birds (I image-googled them) as I had never heard of them before.

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lovezebs
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Re: GUESS WHAT I"M GETTING...

Post by lovezebs » Sun Jan 25, 2015 10:38 pm

Colt

Berries!!! Yay!!! Make sure you get whipped cream to go with them lol. They are such cute little birds. Wait till they play tug of war with a mealworm...

:-D Guess what I GOT??? :-D

~Elana~
~Elana~

Linnies~ Canaries ~ Zebras ~ Societies ~ Gouldians ~ Orange Cheeks ~ Shaft Tails ~ Strawberries ~ Red Cheek Cordon Bleu ~ Goldbreasts ~ Red Brows ~ Owls ~ Budgies ~ Diamond Firetails ~ Javas ~ Forbes Parrot Finches ~

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Sally
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Re: GUESS WHAT I"M GETTING...

Post by Sally » Mon Jan 26, 2015 2:09 am

Colt I knew you were getting some, so I didn't say anything in this topic. Helen and I went to Janet's today to pick up some of her babies. I understand you are to get them next weekend, perhaps I'll see you then.
3 Purple Grenadiers, 1 Goldbreast + 1 cat.

National Finch & Softbill Society - http://www.nfss.org

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lovezebs
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Re: GUESS WHAT I"M GETTING...

Post by lovezebs » Mon Jan 26, 2015 10:03 am

Colt
Just looked up some pictures of your Starlings. They look abso-birdly stupendous. The colours, are out of this world. Are both males and females as brightly coloured?

~Elana~
~Elana~

Linnies~ Canaries ~ Zebras ~ Societies ~ Gouldians ~ Orange Cheeks ~ Shaft Tails ~ Strawberries ~ Red Cheek Cordon Bleu ~ Goldbreasts ~ Red Brows ~ Owls ~ Budgies ~ Diamond Firetails ~ Javas ~ Forbes Parrot Finches ~

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Colt
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Re: GUESS WHAT I"M GETTING...

Post by Colt » Mon Jan 26, 2015 6:26 pm

Sally - That would be great to get to see you. I may actually go up Friday and get them since Helen is off. Did you know I was getting the Starlings as well? I heard y'all had a great lunch. I really appreciate her being able to get them. Hopefully the other breeder will come through as well.

@isobea - The starlings truly are beautiful in person. I'm hoping they settle down. The flight cage they were previously in was very tall so they could sit up high probably five feet above my head. Currently they are in a six foot flight at a normal height. I'm actually about a head taller than it is so I think that makes them nervous. The Bourkes always follow me from one end to the other and the Starlings are the opposite. They flee to the side furthest from me.

Good luck with their latest clutch. And I'm not shipping yet, but perhaps if you make a trip to Texas or I get into shipping you could get some from me.

@lovezebs - I'll be sure to put them on ice cream too. ;) And the starlings are truly beautiful. He's so iridescent under the light. The hen is not as pretty as the boy, but she is very pretty and a bit calmer than him. She has a brown back with the same stark white belly streaked with brown. They have a very cute whistle I've been hearing the last two days. And they are such piggies. They devour all of their Zupreem and Pretty Bird pellets except for the green ones. Apparently those are disgusting and they and the Roudybush get left behind. They got bananas before work today so hopefully they chow down on those. If not I'll be up to my eyeballs in fruit flies (which I'm sure the waxbills will love).

Amethyst Starling
BF and RT Parrot Finch
Chestnut-breasted Mannikin
Lady Gouldian
Owl Finch
Shaft-tail Finch
Society Finch
Star Finch
Strawberry
Tri-colored Nun
Zebra Finch
Diamond Dove
Bourke & Scarlet-chested Parakeet


https://www.facebook.com/pages/Brushy-C ... 0659711916

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Colt
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Re: GUESS WHAT I"M GETTING...

Post by Colt » Mon Jan 26, 2015 6:27 pm

Oh and lovezebs I couldn't even begin to guess without a little hint.

Amethyst Starling
BF and RT Parrot Finch
Chestnut-breasted Mannikin
Lady Gouldian
Owl Finch
Shaft-tail Finch
Society Finch
Star Finch
Strawberry
Tri-colored Nun
Zebra Finch
Diamond Dove
Bourke & Scarlet-chested Parakeet


https://www.facebook.com/pages/Brushy-C ... 0659711916

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lovezebs
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Re: GUESS WHAT I"M GETTING...

Post by lovezebs » Mon Jan 26, 2015 6:52 pm

Colt

Read my thread called "Best Free Early Birthday Present..." :-D

Regarding the Starlings, what size are they? Are they like Canaries, Robins, Pigeons? We have wild Starlings here in the Summer (sort of black with bluish shine) but they're just irritating really, nothing like your pretty kids.

Speaking of size, you mentioned a six foot flight, and you being a foot taller. Are you really seven feet tall? :shock:

~Elana~
~Elana~

Linnies~ Canaries ~ Zebras ~ Societies ~ Gouldians ~ Orange Cheeks ~ Shaft Tails ~ Strawberries ~ Red Cheek Cordon Bleu ~ Goldbreasts ~ Red Brows ~ Owls ~ Budgies ~ Diamond Firetails ~ Javas ~ Forbes Parrot Finches ~

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Colt
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Re: GUESS WHAT I"M GETTING...

Post by Colt » Mon Jan 26, 2015 7:13 pm

lovezebs - Haha no, no. Six feet long, not tall. It's a standard double-flight. My goodness I'm just about six feet tall though. ;)

The starlings legs are about the size of my Javas (I was looking for close-banding purposes). I'd say they are a tiny bit larger than my Java finches, probably close in size to my Diamond Doves only their body posture is different and their tails are shorter. They are a tiny bit heavier-bodied than my Bourke Parakeets too but again missing that long tail.

They are actually really well-behaved and I've caught the Javas, who are also very flighty, running them off a perch. Or at least trying to. They chatter/growl at them and poke them. The male starling immediately moves, but the hen just sits there or shuffles over a tiny bit.

Amethyst Starling
BF and RT Parrot Finch
Chestnut-breasted Mannikin
Lady Gouldian
Owl Finch
Shaft-tail Finch
Society Finch
Star Finch
Strawberry
Tri-colored Nun
Zebra Finch
Diamond Dove
Bourke & Scarlet-chested Parakeet


https://www.facebook.com/pages/Brushy-C ... 0659711916

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lovezebs
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Re: GUESS WHAT I"M GETTING...

Post by lovezebs » Mon Jan 26, 2015 7:24 pm

Colt
Leave it to a lady to stand up for her rights of perching space, hahaaha....

~Elana~
~Elana~

Linnies~ Canaries ~ Zebras ~ Societies ~ Gouldians ~ Orange Cheeks ~ Shaft Tails ~ Strawberries ~ Red Cheek Cordon Bleu ~ Goldbreasts ~ Red Brows ~ Owls ~ Budgies ~ Diamond Firetails ~ Javas ~ Forbes Parrot Finches ~

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