Breeding Seasons

[Stuart whiting]

Sheather

Me to Dylan, do luv a waxbill hence why I specialise in breeding and exhibiting waxbills now

[Paul's Amazing Birds]

Ya know Dylan,
I read you're story about the the rescued (neglected) birds and your special Whyda... and it really made me sad to think that there are so many thoughtless bird owners who have no clue about how to care for these helpless and so complex creatures.

As a result of your story, I'm more resolved than ever to pre-screen my buyers and make sure my surplus birds go to the best homes possible. May sound odd but I do this even if it means I have to give away valuable species for free to a good home. Sometimes with kids, new to keeping birds, I volunteer my time to help build an appropriate size display flight.

There really isn't much money to be made in this hobby anyway... so my goal has always been to create a natural display space that all my birds can thrive in. I care for quite a few birds but I'm sure that most bird enthusiasts here, whether they have just a few or hundreds, have the same personal feelings for their pet birds as I do. My 23 species really do amaze me... They enrich my life beyond words, every single day of the year.

Paul

[Stuart whiting]

Ya know Dylan,
I read you're story about the the rescued (neglected) birds and your special Whyda... and it really made me sad to think that there are so many thoughtless bird owners who have no clue about how to care for these helpless and so complex creatures.

As a result of your story, I'm more resolved than ever to pre-screen my buyers and make sure my surplus birds go to the best homes possible. May sound odd but I do this even if it means I have to give away valuable species for free to a good home. Sometimes with kids, new to keeping birds, I volunteer my time to help build an appropriate size display flight.

There really isn't much money to be made in this hobby anyway... so my goal has always been to create a natural display space that all my birds can thrive in. I care for quite a few birds but I'm sure that most bird enthusiasts here, whether they have just a few or hundreds, have the same personal feelings for their pet birds as I do. My 23 species really do amaze me... They enrich my life beyond words, every single day of the year.

Paul

I do happen to like yer way of thinking on this Paul,

Good on yer

[Paul's Amazing Birds]

Wow Dylan! Lots of experience! Thanks again for your coments on Breeding Seasons.
Paul

[w.l.]

Most munias breed opportunistically throughout the year, as they live in tropical climates with steady rainfall (India, Indonesia - many like spice finches and society finches live in the grassy areas at the edges of jungles.) Thus we see that birds like societies, spice finches and javas can nest any time of the year.

Actually, while a country like Indonesia (where I now live) may seem like all humid and wet jungle from overseas, in reality many parts of it have more or less distinct rainy (or rainier) and dry (drier) seasons, and actually such areas tend to be where finches are more abundant!
Anyway, there is definitely a breeding season for seed-eating birds here, most easily visible when males of species like strawberry finches and weavers change into their breeding plumage, but also quite evident on local bird markets where suddenly large numbers of juveniles appear instead of mostly adult birds.
The breeding season here is mostly the rainy season.
Daylight hours vary little, though the overall amount of sunshine definitely decreases in the rainy season with overcast sky, and tempeeratures drop.

It seems that at least in my native Central European homeland many tropical birds try to follow the same pattern, starting to breed when the dry summer heat changes into cooler, wetter weather in autumn. Of course those birds don't know that our autumn is a prelude to a frosty winter!
I guess in countries like the UK that have cooler and wetter summers tropical birds might be more inclined to breed then? Though as they have even cooler and wetter spring and autumn, I wonder what works as trigger there (food apart).

[Stuart whiting]

Most munias breed opportunistically throughout the year, as they live in tropical climates with steady rainfall (India, Indonesia - many like spice finches and society finches live in the grassy areas at the edges of jungles.) Thus we see that birds like societies, spice finches and javas can nest any time of the year.

It seems that at least in my native Central European homeland many tropical birds try to follow the same pattern, starting to breed when the dry summer heat changes into cooler, wetter weather in autumn. Of course those birds don't know that our autumn is a prelude to a frosty winter!
I guess in countries like the UK that have cooler and wetter summers tropical birds might be more inclined to breed then? Though as they have even cooler and wetter spring and autumn, I wonder what works as trigger there (food apart).

Hi mate,

The majority of European birds don't breed in the autumn as this would be a time when most birds would be moulting,

European birds generally breed in the spring and summer,

What is classed as the wet season throughout Europe including the UK is during the winter,

The birds from these origins simply don't breed during the winter as it goes back to the day length and temps once again IE the longer length of days mean that youngsters will get fed for longer periods whilst in the nest and up until they are weaned,

The the warmer / hotter temps will obviously create more natural live food, ( wouldn't find many insects in winter )

This is what triggers the breeding season in the UK,
Extended day length combined with temperature which creates abundant live food sources which the majority of British and European song birds ( finches and Softbills ) would rely and thrive on

Please also remember that I know this kinda info as I used to be involved with the RSPB and BTO aswell as breeding and exhibiting British birds for well over 36 years

[w.l.]

Stuart, I was clearly pointing out in my post that I was writing about tropical birds, not European species.

[Stuart whiting]

w.l.

Oops yea apologies easy mistake as I read it to quick and thought you were referring to European and British birds as you mentioned these countries / areas,

Yes can see yer point now as regards to tropical birds

I suppose that tropical birds in captivity around Europe and UK etc seem to adapt to naturally breed during the Spring and Summer if bred in out side aviaries as going back to me previous post about youngsters being fed in the nest for longer periods with extended day length hrs aswell as the more abundant live food being available

If the birds are in controlled environment IE in a birdroom with lightning and heating then the birds could then probably be bred at any time of the year providing that one has the correct diet to get the birds into breeding condition