Blue capped cordon bleu pair....

[mahfuz alam]

My Blue capped cordon bleu pair....

[Finchtastic]

Are they sitting on eggs? Lovely birds.

[Sally]

Now that is a wonderful sight! CBs don't normally use nests except for breeding, so it looks like they are getting serious. BCCBs are one of my favorite species, they are so beautiful.

[Corkysgirl]

Wow, just beautiful! They're one of my favorites too! If they have babies can you post pictures?

[kyubi]

nice............. i need a pair.... anyone in U.S. have or noe where to get em?

[Sally]

nice............. i need a pair.... anyone in U.S. have or noe where to get em?

www.birdproduct.com has them.

[Corkysgirl]

Wow, Sally I'm saving that link. I always wanted to get a pair and didn't know where. I don't have the room right this moment....but you know how it is. It's like babies, you can find a way. I never knew where I could get them. I'm in trouble now!

[Sally]

Corkysgirl Just about a year ago, they were very hard to find, there had not been any imports in several years. But some of them came in last fall, thank goodness. What is scary is that from reading posts from a few of our South African members, they are even having trouble getting them there!

[Corkysgirl]

Really! I wonder why that is. I was just looking at pictures of them today through Google. Dreaming! They are so beautiful! I LOVE blue birds, and yellow birds. My daughter got married about a year ago and atop her cake was two blue birds. I really want to get them!

[Sally]

I've heard many versions of why so many African finches have become difficult to get. One story was that the airline that carried the birds from Tanzania or wherever they were originating to Johannesburg, S.A. would no longer carry them. Then I heard that the S.A government was the problem, they weren't allowing them to pass through. Many of the restrictions we face are based in politics.

Most likely, the imports will stop again one day. This is why the NFSS is working so hard with their FinchSave program, to try to get more species established as captive-bred in the U.S. before that happens. For some years, there were no imports, and prices were outrageous. In 2007, just before the restrictions were lifted, I paid $250 for a pair of domestic Goldbreasted Waxbills, and a broker told me he could get $400-500 a pair for them at one time.

The restrictions are why Strawberries, which used to sell for $25 each, are now 5 times that.

[Corkysgirl]

Wow! That's just crazy! I hope they have success with the program. It's a shame if the birds weren't available here. So many bird lovers in the US. They're expensive, yes, but somehow I think people would pay even if the cost was extravagant, just to get some of the rare and special species. The worst thing of all would be that they would be restricted from import. I love the Goldbreasted waxbill too! Haha....I love them all! No, they're such pretty birds! I had no idea what was happening. It's good to know. I can pray!

[RC#1]

Very nice.