Where are they now?

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E Orix
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Location: Howlong NSW

It is not only the price dropping below what people want. It is demand, many species lose popularity when they sit in a holding aviary for months on end. This is when people move off them which is a shame but human nature I guess.
There is this under tone from some involved in our hobby that those people with big collections and breeding larger numbers
of young birds are commercial breeders.This is far from fact, but without the bigger breeders there would be far fewer birds.
We are all hobbyists but some are more willing to commit money and effort than others.
If the Silverbill dies out it will be because the small player/hobbyist stops buying them.
There are also other reasons why some of these species are not kept,one being having several species of the same genus
and not wanting hybrid crosses.
There will always be fluctuations, I just hope that we realise before the species are in trouble.
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toothlessjaws
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wagga wrote: 25 Apr 2017, 07:36 DNA costs 6 x $10 = $60 money well spent. That way you will know for certain their sexes.
Agree, but my point is that for me, having to buy six only to then have the hassle of DNA sexing them and then to move on the rest (just to get a pair) is a pain in the A that i can't be bothered with. There is no right or wrong here, we are just discussing the realities of why this species isn't more common.

Also, I wonder if the fluctuation of populations is as sinister as people make out. Is it the dollar thats driving everyone to want red strawberries right now? or like me, are they just concerned that they are becoming rare and thus have a natural desire to try and help? As soon as they become common in their personal aviaries and the price drops people naturally feel they have become safe and move them on as they become concerned with the next species thats rare.. and thus the cycle continues.

Personally I think if there is anything to learn form this its the BLOODY IMPORTANCE OF THE NATIONAL FINCH CENUS - and i wish more people shed their paranoia and participated!!
Last edited by toothlessjaws on 25 Apr 2017, 20:01, edited 1 time in total.
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roma9009
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Always have silverbills in the aviarys got a colony of about 15 pair they will always produce young. Dont care on the price just like the birds.
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Tiaris
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To me, the key to preservation of exotic species is as E.Orix said, not to wait until they get scarce before clambering after them. If a critical mass of breeders maintain just a few pairs of their favoured species through thick & thin, the wild fluctations in captive status would be ironed out. The bubble & burst of available numbers & hence accepted prices for those species would be far more stable & people who keep & breed them can appreciate them for what they offer as aviary birds of interest & still have a steady demand for any surplus.
The QFS Silverbill program was a great success in quantifying how a species can be built up in the short-term if sufficient genetic base still exists, but the real challenge is and was always going to be, what happens next? & will there be sufficient genetic base at the end of the species next decline to rekindle them?
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Darkangel1977
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Anyone have any nice photos of them from their own avaries?
Blue Gouldian Breeder and Bird lover
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Tiaris
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Try googling african silverbill finch for many images.
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Darkangel1977
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Il do that... just thought a member might have some nice ones to share. Cheers tho :thumbup:
Blue Gouldian Breeder and Bird lover
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starman
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E Orix wrote: 25 Apr 2017, 17:35 There are also other reasons why some of these species are not kept,one being having several species of the same genus
and not wanting hybrid crosses.
A very salient point E O. and one that I had not given a lot of consideration to. With munias' propensity for hybridisation this may be a very valid reason for the small holder shunning ASBs and other munias altogether. Not a reasonable excuse for those with multiple enclosures though :think:
Never the less, they do still seem reasonably popular at sales.....one seller sold three pairs out of four while I looked on procrastinating.
Sm.
Avid student of Estrildids in aviculture.
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toothlessjaws
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Tiaris wrote: 25 Apr 2017, 18:58 To me, the key to preservation of exotic species is as E.Orix said, not to wait until they get scarce before clambering after them. If a critical mass of breeders maintain just a few pairs of their favoured species through thick & thin, the wild fluctations in captive status would be ironed out. The bubble & burst of available numbers & hence accepted prices for those species would be far more stable & people who keep & breed them can appreciate them for what they offer as aviary birds of interest & still have a steady demand for any surplus.
Agree. The worst thing about wildly fluctuating populations is the loss of genetic diversity on every crash. each time it happens it must significantly diminish the gene pool.
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Craig52
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IMG_7556.jpg
Darkangel1977 wrote: 25 Apr 2017, 19:36 Il do that... just thought a member might have some nice ones to share. Cheers tho :thumbup:
This is one of about 10 prs i had before i went into specializing with WB crimsons, they bred very well but as you all have said very hard to move on little brown finches but i liked them. Craig
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