African Silverbills

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Jayburd
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Joined: 08 Dec 2009, 12:08
Location: Canberra

Before you judge me, hear me out.
African silverbils... anyone had/have them? Everyone I ask says they are classed as beginner/intermediate birds... just that they're rare. Probably because they're brown.
Would they be something I could go with? I know the hybridise with anything munia, but if that's what it takes...
I know they're rare but that doesn't change their 'breeder rating' so to speak
anyway, any info out there?
Julian

Birdwatcher and finch-keeper.

Feel free to check out my photos here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/lewinsrail/
And my birding antics here: http://worthtwointhebushbirding.blogspot.com.au/
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monotwine
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Joined: 15 Jun 2010, 20:36
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Location: South Africa

Hi Jayburd, I cannot comment on the ratings and stuff like that but can say they are rather sweet, unassuming birds. I used to have a few pairs when I first started out. They bred quite well and easily without live food etc, but mine detested any sort of nest checks. I think their gentle characters are more of a draw card than their colour perhaps, but they never stayed up for sale for long. Popular despite their lack of display, although that could be that here the local market has little choice so anything unusual (ie not a Zebra or Bengalese) is good to sell.

Out of curiosity are they rare in aviculture in Aust. or in the wild?
Monique
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dano_68
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Joined: 20 Jul 2010, 22:29
Location: Brisbane, QLD

Hi,
Yes Silver Bills are very rare in Australia now, mainly due to their drab appearance I suspect. In fact, they are so close to extinction in our aviaries some conscientious breeders from the Queensland Finch Society have formed a breeder’s focus group to try and bring them back from the brink. Gary Fitt (President QFS) is heading the group up so if you want to know anything about them he is your man. Because of their rarity the cost is very inhibiting at the moment.
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Jayburd
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Thanks Monique :D

in Aust aviclture, only about 180 (and I stress the ABOUT) here in 2008... I was lucky enough to locate a sydney breeder
Julian

Birdwatcher and finch-keeper.

Feel free to check out my photos here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/lewinsrail/
And my birding antics here: http://worthtwointhebushbirding.blogspot.com.au/
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finchbreeder
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Location: Midwest of West. Aust. Coast
Location: Midwest of West.Aust.Coast

Jay if you can -
Access them.
Afford them.
Breed them where the risk of hybridizing is eliminated.
Helping to re establish them sounds like a good project for the next 5 years.
LML
LML
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E Orix
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Joined: 29 May 2009, 23:30
Location: Howlong on NSW/Vic Border 30km from Albury
Location: Howlong NSW

There are now a couple more good breeders working with them.
As they are quite reasonable breeders they should recover.
Their status is similar to the Aust.Yellow Rump
Common and can't get rid of them so people stop breeding them.
Down goes the numbers up sky rockets the price back in vogue they come.
You get flavour of the month birds, Pictorellas then White Eared Mask Finches, Cut Throats and so on
At least while the birds are popular and in demand the number of pairs increase and also in most cases
top dollar is paid they are looked after.
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AMCA26
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Joined: 14 Jan 2010, 17:28
Location: Melbourne, Vic
Location: Melbourne

A fiesty circle. Greens Singers recently have been the same down on price and now suddenly hitting $200 pair.
Breeding Show Zebra Finches, Blue Gouldians, Pied Orange Breast.
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monotwine
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Joined: 15 Jun 2010, 20:36
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Location: South Africa

Thanks for informing me. Gosh I take it you cannot import new blood. Quite limiting, but it does allow for market trend as E Orix pointed out.

Seems like you have a really jacked up society of bird keepers out there.
Monique
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Jayburd
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Location: Canberra

we cannot import any birds at all, and yet we still export large numbers of birds to the UK, US and predominately south africa.
That pattern is something I call the wave... I've noticed it a lot in Pictorellas.
Orix, are they really as common as that? yellow rumps here are reasonably common, usually at least one pair at the sales in Canberra. I was reading an article by a sydney silverbill breeder who said their numbers were critically low... I guess you'd know best, you probably know the people who have them.
I have noticed that some birds haven't been flavour of the month for quite some time, like silverbills, rufous backed mannikins etc. and these are the ones I think need help before their lack of fortune leads to their demise.
Julian

Birdwatcher and finch-keeper.

Feel free to check out my photos here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/lewinsrail/
And my birding antics here: http://worthtwointhebushbirding.blogspot.com.au/
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Jayburd
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Posts: 5795
Joined: 08 Dec 2009, 12:08
Location: Canberra

by the way, I know that they'll hybridize with all munias/mannikins etc. anything else? saint helenas perhaps, the look a bit like silverbills?
Julian

Birdwatcher and finch-keeper.

Feel free to check out my photos here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/lewinsrail/
And my birding antics here: http://worthtwointhebushbirding.blogspot.com.au/
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