slangbos?

[Colt]

What kind of grassfinch? I've had success with my Shaft-tails cage breeding...

[MariusStegmann]

Colt, in South Africa we call both sub-species, Grassfinches. That is to say, Shaft-tails / Long-tailed Grassfinch (Yellow beak) and the Heck's Grassfinches (Red Beak). The 2 sub-species has been interbred in such a way that you don't really get pure specimens of either sub-species.

I have actually never come across shaft-tails that are actually tame. That is why I didn't think that they would readily breed in a cage.

[monotwine]

greeneyes sorry was on holiday without signal.
Depending on what you want to breed you can use brush, evergreen conifer, slangbos. Anything that is safe for birds and keep their foliage after drying out.

FYI for internationals slangbos is called Seriphium plumosum http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantqrs/seriphplum.htm

FYI for locals it's best to collect plant material with land owners permission as if some fussy person comes past and reports you, you are liable to a fine, yes even for a weed as we see it. So if you can find a farmer willing to give you freedom to pull weeds it will be better for you.

[greeneyes]

thank you so much MariusStegmann I found the slangbos along the side of the road. My star, grass and waxbills will be happy for the slangbos. I also saw lots of common waxbills in the bush.

[MariusStegmann]

greeneyes Glad to be of help friend. When I drive to Stellenbosch, I see a lot of Slangbos on the side of road. There is never a need to trespass on someone's property to get slangbos. Though the farmers will be thankful if the slangbos gets removed from their land, the other name for slangbos is "bankkrot bos" which translates into bankrupt bush. Ie, if a farmer has a lot of that on his land, he will go bankrupt.

[greeneyes]

Lol cool. There were lots of slangbos along the road. I took a bakkie load of slangbos to last me long months to come. Are you perhaps on whatsapp so we can keep in contact better.