Weird behaviour in Firefinches

JeannetteD · Post by **JeannetteD** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 3:36 pm

I have a question on a behavior that I've been watching in my firefinches. (I think they're Jameson's Firefinches or African Firefinches. They're not red-billed anyway. Thanks to MadHatter for letting me know! LoL)

Often then spend time at the bottom of the cage, which is normal for their species, being ground feeders, and tending to nest in thick grasses near the ground, but lately it's been a little strange.

Quite often you will see the male fly straight up from the ground about 12 inches, and then back down, only to be followed by the female a few seconds later. This goes on for quite a while.

Am I correct in presuming this is some sort of mating dance for firefinches? I'm used to waxbills doing their little grass/feather dances. This behavior is new to me.

Should I be preparing to take them out of the mixed aviary and getting them a little privacy?

Jeannette

Crystal · Post by **Crystal** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 4:37 am

Sadly, none of the books I have detail firefinch mating rituals. If you find an answer to this question, please let me know! :)

JeannetteD · Post by **JeannetteD** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 10:06 pm

Hiya Crystal!

Someone named Sonja from the finchworld forum said that her firefinches exhibit breeding behavior like this. I guess it's their version of the mating dance.

I separated them into their own breeding cage, and they have since stopped dancing. Pouts. I figure they need to reaclimatize to their new cage.

Jeannette

p.s. if I get eggs, you'll be the first to know! Thanks for searching!

Crystal · Post by **Crystal** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 7:33 am

Good to know. :) Thank you.

MadHatter · Post by **MadHatter** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 10:49 pm

I have not seen this behavior in red-billed fires but i do know that a number of ground feeding african species who's habitat is tall grasslands have a similar 'mating dance' as you describe. Some species of wydhas in particular.

Sally H · Post by **Sally H** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 2:08 am

So its been 10 days? No eggs, Jeannette?

JeannetteD · Post by **JeannetteD** » Thu Mar 23, 2006 6:54 pm

Mad, hiya!!

You were the one who helped me to identify these firefinches in finchforum. They did not have the red bill, so they are either Jameson's or African firefinches. I think they are Jameson's..

I have not been able to find very much information on Jameson's online though. Unfortunately.

I think these are a ground species for sure, because all they do it spend time on the bottom of the cage and hiding in the fake greenery I put near the bottom of the cage. They scurry in there all the time.

No eggs yet though.. but at least the strange dancing has resumed. It's just not as elaborate as it was before. (Less height in this cage...)

Jeannette

JeannetteD · Post by **JeannetteD** » Thu Mar 23, 2006 6:55 pm

Heya SallyH..

NO eggs yet.. but they started dancing again..so that's encouraging. I moved them into their own cage, but this one was smaller than the one they were in before, so that is probably effecting some things too.

Jeannette