Got my Straw-tails today

[JohnBoy]

Will post better pictures after they settle down and I get them in their new home.

[L in Ontario]

Straw-tails???

[L in Ontario]

Oooooh they're Whydahs! Very nice. And having a long white tail (when in breeding condition) is so unique compared to the typical black I am used to seeing.

[JohnBoy]

Liz, they are parasitic to the Purple Grenadier and Violet ear waxbills.

[Mozelle]

They're so beautiful in breeding plumage

I'd read they can be difficult to breed: needing other species into whose nest they can lay their eggs. If you're breeding - best of luck!
Otherwise - Enjoy - they're lovely!!

[6finchfriends]

How unusual! Like Cow birds in our area. They lay their eggs in other's nests. but their chick kills all the others in the nest Would these do well in with Societies? They'll raise other's babies. They're very pretty! Congratulations! Now I'll have to read about them.

[cindy]

Very nice John...will they go into a flight or be housed on their own? How will you set them up? Inquiring minds want to know.

[JohnBoy]

Very nice John...will they go into a flight or be housed on their own? How will you set them up? Inquiring minds want to know.

Don't know yet.

[JohnBoy]

Here is a link to pictures of the straw-tail whydah in the wild.

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=straw-t ... searched=1

[cindy]

Very nice John...will they go into a flight or be housed on their own? How will you set them up? Inquiring minds want to know.

Don't know yet.

Decisions, decisions!!!!

[Sally]

Liz, they are parasitic to the Purple Grenadier and Violet ear waxbills.

So they want to lay their eggs in the PG or VEW nests, and then let those birds raise the babies for them? Would they raise their own babies if they had an empty PG nest to use? If so, I could send you an empty used PG nest. I tossed the last one, but the PGs are sitting again.

[Ursula]

Liz, they are parasitic to the Purple Grenadier and Violet ear waxbills.

So they want to lay their eggs in the PG or VEW nests, and then let those birds raise the babies for them? Would they raise their own babies if they had an empty PG nest to use? If so, I could send you an empty used PG nest. I tossed the last one, but the PGs are sitting again.

I don't think parasitic birds will raise any offspring...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brood_parasite

[JohnBoy]

Liz, they are parasitic to the Purple Grenadier and Violet ear waxbills.

So they want to lay their eggs in the PG or VEW nests, and then let those birds raise the babies for them? Would they raise their own babies if they had an empty PG nest to use? If so, I could send you an empty used PG nest. I tossed the last one, but the PGs are sitting again.

I don't think parasitic birds will raise any offspring...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brood_parasite

Thanks Sally, I wonder if they would lay the eggs in the nest (Maybe the smell from the PG's nest would trigger laying? Not a clue but I wonder) and then I could give them to societies.

This male is absolutely gorgeous. No tail feather yet but I bet soon.

Ursula you are correct that they won't set the eggs.

Here are a few pics I just took. I have them in a 24" x 24" x 24" cage for now. May build a special flight for them.

[lovemyfinch]

Real beauties Johnboy

[B CAMP]

Great addition to your collection of beautiful finches