Aussie Finch Forum

Hi all I just recently started out purchasing finches and I have a slight obsession already they are awesome and just a delight to kick back and enjoy there company. I am just looking for any info, help or tips about finch compatibility for my new aviary.

I have 11 sea greens parrot finches, 8 gouldians, 2 red face parrot finches, 2 blue face parrot finches, 2 Tri colour parrot finches, 3 long tail finches, 3 cordon bleus, 2 african fires, 2 orange breasted and 2 painted finches.

My question is can all these birds survive together in my main aviary that I have just made or is there any on the list that I should keep away from each other. I currently have all the parrot finches together in one aviary and have all the rest split in seperate cages with there own kind but just want to make sure before moving them all together that they are compatible.

Approx aviary size is
3.4m length
2.1m height
2.5m depth

Once again any help or tips will be gratefully appreciated cheers Chris.

The different species of parrotfinch hybridize. You'll need to separate your Red Faced (the sea green are a mutation of the red face), your Blue Face and your Tri-Coloured.

Cordons form tight pair bonds and the third wheel will likely be harassed and potentially killed during the breeding season.

You should have, at a minimum, 3-4 square feet of aviary space for each pair of birds. If my napkin math is correct, you should probably limit yourself to 11 pairs of birds in an aviary of that size.

As Shane said re PFs, virtually guaranteed to crossbreed with that number of birds & species mix together, especially the BF & TC together.
If you really want to give your finches the best chance of breeding well, I recommend no more than 6 pairs in that sized aviary (If it was mine, I'd have no more than 3-4pr but I understand the desire for more different species when starting out).

Like the guys have said. Red and Seagreen are varieties of the same thing, but they should not be mixed with Blues or Tris, who should also not be mixed together. So you need at least 3 avairys in a perfect world. And it is also not recomended to mix Gouldians and parrott finches, so 4 avairys would be better.
LML

it is also not recomended to mix Gouldians and parrott finches

I've heard this before, but other than one questionable photo depicting a hybrid, I've never once seen anyone (myself included) have issues with this combination. Are there any reasons for not housing them together that I'm missing?

Too crowded.. that is all I will say. Have been guilty in the past, and probably still am, but gee that is a lot of birds and types in that size.

Are there any reasons for not housing them together that I'm missing?
The Parrott finches together are a high risk of hybridizing. The Gouldians and parrott finches are a low risk. So just mentioning it is something to be aware of, but not seriously concerned, as one should be with keeping the Parrotties together.
LML

wow! sorry to say it chris but that is one mighty overcrowded avairy. I don't like your chances of breeding anything with so many birds in something that size. I'd say you'd be lucky to breed 5 pair in there. probably 4 would be about right.

You have given the size of your new main avairy. What is the size of the existing Parrot finch avairy? This will help with guiding you in what is the right population for it. Sounds like you should put the Seagreens and Redface in the new avairy for now, and the Gouldians in your existing avairy, this will help spread things out till you get back to us.
LML

Hi all thanks for all your replies and help.

I originally had all my parrot finches in a large hexagon type cage about 1.4 deep with a small 1m x 70cm flight on the side of that. The gouldians and painted finches were together in another same size hexagon with no flight and the fires,orange breasted and cordons are in a small fowl house shed 1.4m x 70cms.

My original plan was to convert from the back of house to my back fence which is just under 6m and from side fence to corner of house which 4.4m wide and make that a whole massive aviary but the missus wants a small office/workshop and I need a shed so had to make modifications to my plan.

So far I have put only the sea greens in my new aviary with my fires cordons and orange breasted finches and they all look like they are coexisting well so far but it is early days. I am going to join my two hexagons with the flight in the middle and place my gouldians long tails and painted finches in there and move the red face blue face and tris into the fowl house and hopefully all will be good for all birds.