owl hybrids

[wellingtoncdm]

Today I went to a bird specialty shop near me for cede insect food and saw three owl X black cheeked zebra hybrids for sale. They had black cheeks and were much larger than owls but resembled them. She was asking 60.00 for each of them. Is this a new fad? Are they even fertile? How do people feel about this. They were certainly attractive but I feel this is wrong and way different than intentionally creating a labradoodle or other crosses like the current designer dog trend!

[BillD]

would they interbreed?

[CandoAviary]

I see them at the bird fairs around my area... the difference is they sell for $8 to $20. Most people are not buying them that I noticed. The ones that do buy them do so because of the cheap price I believe. These are also people that have very little knowledge about finches and unfortunately are lead to believe that they are really unique and rare
I do not care for hybrid's looks, to me they are always better looking the way they are created. But I guess there are some people that like the oddity. And then there are those that need a gimic to get rid of their mistakes
They will inbreed and most of these hybrids will be fertile.

[BigBear0007]

There has to be a purpose for hybrids and mules or they are worthless!
I have a mule, Siberian Goldfinch x Waterslager Canary.
Some would say, Why have one?
In this case the song and vitality is the best of both worlds.
He sings both songs and will sing all day long!
He is in his third year and his song gets better each year.
Some have lived up to fiften years.




Just like the horse x donkey cross.
They will survive on any type of grass and fodder and are very hardy and long lived.
They lived in the harshest conditions and helped man open up the west, where a hose could not survive.
So you see there has to be a purpose for the crossing, or it is just a novelty and eventually become obselete.

The Bear

[CandoAviary]

Canaries are a differnt matter. They are mostly bred for song and with the different types. waterslaggers, trimbados, roller, choppers,etc and the melodies of european birds have a reason to crossbred....SONG
The only crossbred for color is the red siskins and canary for the red factor. All crossings are for improved song or color.

For finches such as owls, societies, zebras...there really isn't much point in my opinion as the colors and patterns are lost and no great song is acheived. JMO

[Queen_Bee]

I think people like to interbreed birds (and dogs too) for the novelty effect. "Designer dogs" are really just mutts with a fancy name and a hefty price tag. I expect the birds are too. My preference is to breed within species only and I would not purchase a hybrid bird because I would never feel comfortable breeding it. It may not make a difference to popular and prolific species, but rarer species could be very damaged by introducing the genes of another bird.

[BigBear0007]

my preference is to breed within species only and I would not purchase a hybrid bird because I would never feel comfortable breeding it

Most of them can't be bred because they are sterile!
That's what makes them one of a kind!!

The Bear!!