Male Java finch distressed in evenings

[Lydia]

Hello finch-lovers! I've been a regular reader of this forum for the past few months as I prepared to get my first finches. Last weekend I finally took the plunge and bought a male/female pair of Java finches, so I thought it was time to become a member here! It's nice to meet you all

And, of course, I have a question. I brought the finches home on Saturday and so far they seem to be settling in fairly well during the day - eating, drinking, preening, chattering away to each other, singing (the male), and gradually getting used to my hand coming in to replenish their food etc. I work from home, so I've been spending a few hours in the room with them every day letting them get used to my presence (mostly working on the other side of the room, sometimes coming over to chat with them and replenish their food and water), and I've also been giving them some hours of 'alone time' so they don't feel overwhelmed.

The problem is that every evening from 7pm until it gets dark (which is around 8:45pm where I am), the male finch just goes berserk - flying all over, flinging himself at the bars of the cage and calling at the top of his voice in this really anxious-sounding way. Nothing happens at 7pm that I'm aware of - I don't change my behaviour, the neighbours don't change their behaviour (that I can sense), nothing happens outside - I've no idea how he even knows it's 7pm. He carries on until it's too dark to see, and then he suddenly goes quiet and they both settle down. The female doesn't seem to be having the same problem - she seems a bit stressed out by his behaviour, but she mostly stays out of his way while he freaks out.

I know the pet shop I bought them from closes at 7, so I wondered if there was a part of their bedtime routine that they were missing at my place. I spoke to the bird lady and she explained the full routine to me, and I've been trying to replicate it as closely as possible, but it doesn't seem to have helped. I have the overhead lights off by 7 (although of course it's still light outside) and I leave the room to make sure my presence isn't stressing him out. The cage is in the corner of the room, near a window (which I've taped to prevent drafts) but not directly against the window. The bird lady said I should try covering the window in case there was something out there that was upsetting him, and also told me to put one of the perches as high up as possible at the back of the cage, so he has somewhere to retreat to if he feels unsafe. Neither of those seems to have made any difference.

Does anybody here have any insight into what might be going on with him? Is there anything else you'd suggest that might calm him down? I know some people recommend covering the cage to help their birds settle at night, but they weren't covered at the shop and they got even more distressed when I tried it. I really hate seeing him like this and not knowing how to help him

[Sally]

That is really strange behavior, and I can't even begin to guess what is upsetting him. Are there any fake plants in the cage where he can hide if something is scaring him? It is odd that it is only the male, the female isn't doing this. There must be something he can see outside the window, perhaps a hawk?

Welcome to the forum! Glad you have decided to join the finch fanatics. There's lots of good reading at www.finchinfo.com, where you will find many articles on finch care.

[Lydia]

Thanks so much for your response! Yes, there's a fake plant at the back of the cage for them to hide in, though I haven't seen either of them use it much. I'm wondering if it's something outside the window as well - I've noticed pigeons flying back and forth, but they do it all day so it's strange that it only upsets him in the evening. But maybe there's something else out there that I can't see. We just moved in recently and there are no blinds in the window yet (I've just been hanging a blanket up there) - I'm getting some blinds this weekend so maybe that will help.

He started his freakout early this evening - I'm writing this at 6:40 and he's been going for about ten minutes. I just went to check on him and saw him fly over to his mate and land right on her back - do you think it could be a sex thing? I haven't seen them mating since they've been with me, though I've seen him dancing for her and being rebuffed. How do finches act when they're sexually frustrated?

[Sally]

Often when they are sexually frustrated, they will show aggressive behavior. Maybe he is in breeding mode and she is not.

[Lydia]

Thanks, I'll keep my eye out for aggressive behaviour from him - he mostly just seems unhappy for those couple of hours per day Interestingly, after starting his freakout 30 minutes early last night, he also ended it 30 minutes earlier than usual, at 8:10pm. Makes me wonder if there's something happening outside that he can hear and I can't, or something like that.

[Sally]

It will be interesting once you have your blinds up to see if he still shows this odd behavior.

[Egret]

First, congrats on getting a pair of Javas! I'd love a pair, had some twenty years ago and just loved them. They were easy to find back then, not so much now with the changes in the law.

I would say cover the window at 6pm, and if that doesn't put an end to the crazies, try covering the cage at 6pm.

Another thing you might try is to get them a nest box (one of those plywood parakeet boxes would be fine), and a handful of nesting material, and see if the distraction of having something to build would calm him down. He might even retire into the box in the evenings instead of having his little freak-out spells.

Also, how close do you have him to the television? Is 7pm when you usually turn it on? Watch the volume and don't have them too close to it, or directly facing it if you can help it.

Are you near an airport? Some birds are very sensitive to vibration, and airplanes can really do a number on those birds.

They're not made of glass, and he will probably eventually adjust, but if you can figure out his problem and fix it everybody will be happier, and the birds will be healthier (his stress affects the hen, too).

Eager to hear how it plays out. Good luck with them, Javas are such endearing little birds!

[Lydia]

Thanks so much - I'm completely in love with them and so glad I got them Sorry they've become so much harder to find where you are!

The strangest thing about this whole phenomenon for me is that I can't perceive anything different happening at all to set him off. In fact, I've started to be able to tell the time by him - most evenings I'm just working at my desk, and I gradually become aware of some agitation happening in the cage and I realise it's 7pm already! They have their own room (well, it's also my study, but from about 7:30pm I leave them alone there in peace) and we try to keep the TV low in the next room - but we don't usually turn it on until 9ish.

I put up some curtains yesterday and made sure I closed them at 6:30 before the freakout started, and I think it really helped - there was still some anxious calling and flitting about, but it wasn't nearly as intense as it usually is (previously I've been covering the window as a reactive measure, after the freakout has started, which I now realise was probably ineffective). Hopefully he'll be able to start settling a bit better now - but if not I'll look into the nest box idea. Thanks so much for your response, I really appreciate it