The Common Waxbill *Questions*

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lovezebs
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The Common Waxbill *Questions*

Post by lovezebs » Sun Aug 31, 2014 1:43 am

I have been looking at all sorts of pictures of the Common Waxbill aka St Helena Waxbill.
I find them to be very attractive little birds and at some point would love to get my hands on a pair.
My question is: Are there different mutations of these birds? The reason I ask, is that in some pictures they appear silver grey, in others brownish, and yet in others, an almost bluish shade. Also I noticed that some have a redish patch on the chest; while others yet appear to have something like a white collar.
So my good bird folk who are knowledgable about these wee little darlings, please clarify and satisfy my curiosity.
~Elana~

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Re: The Common Waxbill *Questions*

Post by Rox » Sun Aug 31, 2014 3:01 am

Lovezebs, you get the Common (St Helena) waxbill and then you get the Red-eared (Black-rumped) waxbill. Both look identical unless you know what you are looking for. I have the red-eared in my aviary and the common waxbill in my garden and I can't even see the difference from just looking at the birds.

Finch Info show's the difference nicely. The common waxbill definitely has more distinct barring on it's sides, flanks and down the tail and this is what I now focus on when identifying the birds. The shades of grey/silver on both species can depend on the conditions the birds are kept in, age etc, so that is not reliable.

http://www.finchinfo.com/birds/finches/ ... axbill.php
Roxanne

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Re: The Common Waxbill *Questions*

Post by lovezebs » Sun Aug 31, 2014 10:05 am

Rox
Thanks Roxanne.
I think one has to be an expert to really tell the difference. I can see it in the pictures, but if I was to see them in real life, I would probably go... hey, that's one of those watchamacall it pretty little waxbills. LoL!
All I know for certain, is that I really like their looks. With the little fellas that you have, are they as sweet natured as the Orange Cheeks? I love these little cuties.
~Elana~

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Re: The Common Waxbill *Questions*

Post by finchmix22 » Sun Aug 31, 2014 10:31 am

I had red ears and ST. Helenas. They are very similar in personality to the OCW. Mine never bred in a flight, but Sally took them and I think she had some success with those species.
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Re: The Common Waxbill *Questions*

Post by Sally » Sun Aug 31, 2014 11:19 am

I never had success with them, had eggs but no babies, so they may have been old. It is really quite easy to see that barring on the St. Helenas.
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Re: The Common Waxbill *Questions*

Post by wessel » Sun Aug 31, 2014 11:47 am

I've had some succes with them, in a cage with lots of fake plants. I've seen some mutations of St. helenas with yellow instead of red and I've seen red ears with white rumps and ones with yellow instead of red.

Look out, if you plan to keep them with red ears or crimson rumped waxbills, they are very likely to crossbreed with these. They could also crossbreed with OCW but it isn't as likely as the ones I mentioned before.

I always see the diffrence between red ears and St. helenas by the tails/rumps, red ears have a black rumps and tails, while the St. helenas have a striped rump and a brown tail. Also, the stripes on red ears aren't as visible as those on the St. helenas
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Re: The Common Waxbill *Questions*

Post by lovezebs » Sun Aug 31, 2014 11:53 am

Sally
Not really interested in breeding, just like them. I just struggle with black rump, red rump, red ear, red eye brow, St Helena, Common, not common, gray, brown..... Oysh! My attention deficit coming through ~X(

My favirite pet shop has a pair of what they call 'Red Ear Fibches'. They are so so cute, but the price is not cute at all. They want $100.00 for the two. Yikes!!!
~Elana~

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Re: The Common Waxbill *Questions*

Post by lovezebs » Sun Aug 31, 2014 11:58 am

wessel
Thank you for response. Maybe if I saw all if them in real life side by side. As for now, as I mentioned to our Sally, oysh! #-o
~Elana~

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Re: The Common Waxbill *Questions*

Post by Rox » Sun Aug 31, 2014 12:06 pm

Lol, it gets very confusing!

Both species are passive, if a bit flighty at times. You can happily keep them with the orange cheeks or gouldians :D
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Re: The Common Waxbill *Questions*

Post by Colt » Sun Aug 31, 2014 12:53 pm

lovezebs - I don't think that price is too off from what they go for, but I could be wrong. If it's $100 for the pair.

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Re: The Common Waxbill *Questions*

Post by lovezebs » Sun Aug 31, 2014 4:08 pm

Colt
It is $100.00 for the pair. It's just that they are oh so tiny, that it seems an exorbitant price per pound... =))
~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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Re: The Common Waxbill *Questions*

Post by Colt » Sun Aug 31, 2014 4:41 pm

Lmao

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Re: The Common Waxbill *Questions*

Post by MariusStegmann » Sun Aug 31, 2014 5:17 pm

Rox I thought the same as you do that the common waxbill is the same as the St Helena waxbill, but it is no true. The internet give the common waxbill and St Helenas as the same bird, but it can't be correct. The St Helena waxbill is the same size as the red-eared waxbill, while the common waxbill (rooi bekkie) is a much larger bird. The St Helena has an almost white chest/neck and you can keep it in SA without a permit. The common waxbill (rooi bekkie) is much bigger than the St Helena and has very prominent black lines all over it, which the St Helena's lack. Panorama and Leon Bester both currently have St Helena's in stock.
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Re: The Common Waxbill *Questions*

Post by lovezebs » Sun Aug 31, 2014 6:07 pm

MariusStegmann
Oh my goodness :shock:
So there is :
Red Rump
Black Rump
St Helena
Red Eared
Red Eyebrow
Common. . .

Are they all different then???
~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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Re: The Common Waxbill *Questions*

Post by lovezebs » Sun Aug 31, 2014 6:09 pm

~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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