Diamond Sparrows

Includes Species Profile
User avatar
GregH
...............................
...............................
Posts: 1671
Joined: 17 Feb 2009, 08:20
Location: Brisbane
Location: Chapel Hill, Brisbane Qld

Well these birds are proving more frustrating than Gouldians - at least when they don't breed they don't do anything! Since I broke their dead egg they have constructed another nest immediately below the old one and since I rebrushed the aviary last weekend after the typhoon they've made another. If the other birds wanted to breed they'd find a trail of unused family-sized homes ready to move into.
User avatar
Pete Sara
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Posts: 2221
Joined: 09 Nov 2008, 19:44
Location: Byford WA
Location: eastern suburbs of perth w.a

having that same problem with mine. i got no idea. ...pete
User avatar
GregH
...............................
...............................
Posts: 1671
Joined: 17 Feb 2009, 08:20
Location: Brisbane
Location: Chapel Hill, Brisbane Qld

Guess what - another failed nest was reveiled today when I noticed two that days ago the male was building again and today the female was out in the open so I looked in and sure enough I found 2 cold clear eggs. My monthy update of Diamond sparrow failures has me wondering if my hypothesis concerning the cane toad sterilzing the aviary has a solution. If it's true and I've no idea how long it will take to get the toxin out of their systems perhaps I need to get rid of the birds and start again. Am I being too impatient?
User avatar
GregH
...............................
...............................
Posts: 1671
Joined: 17 Feb 2009, 08:20
Location: Brisbane
Location: Chapel Hill, Brisbane Qld

Patience paid off. From nest number 9 last night and this morning I heard the piping of chick/s! I suppose occasionally that guy fires off a few live rounds to keep things interesting or it maybe males are more susceptable to toad toxin than females. If the toxin is fat soluble then it's feisable that hens rid themseleves of it in their eggs it - a mechanism unabvailable to cocks. Anyyway I hope the extra mealworms I gave that aviary go to good use and that they aren't fostering zebs or something else.
Last edited by GregH on 04 Mar 2010, 14:04, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Diane
..............................
..............................
Posts: 7402
Joined: 05 Apr 2009, 14:23
Location: Northern 'burbs of Adelaide
Location: Northern 'burbs of Adelaide

:D :D fingers crossed for you
Diane
The difference between Genius and Stupidity is, Genius has it’s limits
User avatar
GregH
...............................
...............................
Posts: 1671
Joined: 17 Feb 2009, 08:20
Location: Brisbane
Location: Chapel Hill, Brisbane Qld

I may need more than crossed fingers. I went to give some lunch-time egg and mealworms and made a discovery. The diamonds nextdoor neighbours, a nest of two point of fleging zebs is missing (the fleglings not the nest). Based on past experience this means there is a snake in the aviary. Alternatively they may have invaded the diamonds nest and that is what I was hearing or they are as good as snakes at hiding. I did find some unknown hatchlings in an out of the way corner as I searched for a snake so I hope they won't be bothered by my disturbance or a snake.
User avatar
finchbreeder
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Posts: 11490
Joined: 27 Jun 2009, 20:00
Location: Midwest of West. Aust. Coast
Location: Midwest of West.Aust.Coast

Fingers crossed that you don't have a snake, and that if the Zebs have migrated they have some young Diamonds for company.
If a hen lays eggs she is not sterile. So it is possible the toad affects guys more than girls (after all guys are weaker :lol: )
Or as you bought the pair and don't know their ages, you may have a young hen and an elderly gent who is only up to the occassional successful mating. Despite his enthusiasm for making nests.
LML
LML
User avatar
GregH
...............................
...............................
Posts: 1671
Joined: 17 Feb 2009, 08:20
Location: Brisbane
Location: Chapel Hill, Brisbane Qld

Well bad news to report. I haven't heard any babies for a couple of days so risking abandonment I stuck my fingers in while I saw both birds in the flight and one had a piece of grass in his bill. I found nothing, however my fingers emerged somewhat smelly so I ripped open the whole nest and found a tiny mummified corpse. I' was pleased to find a corpse so I know that it wasn't a snake and that the male is ready for nest number 10. Perhaps it was hoping for too much to get young from their "first" nest. I will have to check on my unknowns after work today too.
User avatar
GregH
...............................
...............................
Posts: 1671
Joined: 17 Feb 2009, 08:20
Location: Brisbane
Location: Chapel Hill, Brisbane Qld

Well nest #10 was sterile and a few days after abandoning it I diposed of it and they have rebuilt. I have noticed for the last two days that there is always a bird on the nest, so I assume thery are now incubating nest #11! Luckily the clutches are only 2 eggs or this would be real drain on the hen. I am wondering about fostering this next lot. I've got cut-throats and Javas that have recently gone down and so I could swap some eggs. My questions are:
1) Are either of those birds suitable? While I've only seen the cut-throats touch the live food, they are closer in size to Javas.
2) Will the Diamonds abandon thier nest once I touch it?
3) assuming they don dessert it, Is it worth giving the Diamonds some fertile eggs from the other finches so they they can practice rearing and give the hen a break from laying every month? (This assumes they can rear as their own young in nest #9 perished after about 3-4 days)
4) Since it's so dificult to get mates here and this is a big IF - if i get young to maturity are they better paired together or back crossed to their parents?
nathan morley

why do u have wild cort birds isent that ileagle?
Post Reply

Return to “Diamond Firetail”