Finch ID?

[Chris14]

Sorry for the horrible photo it was quick screen grab from a video. I was just wondering what species the purple/blue and red finches are in this photo?

[Tiaris]

Lavendar Waxbills

[arthur]

Another species lost

Don't know what numbers used to be here . . probably a low genetic base to begin with

I do remember that a mate and I were going to buy a pair between us, sight unseen, in the mid 70's but . . probably wisely, though more likely because we had a case of the 'shorts' . . we decided that they were too expensive

The price from memory was around the $500 mark, and I think the seller was from the Hunter area

Tiaris may remember seeing these in his formative years

[Tiaris]

Saw a few old birds in the Hunter (mid & late 70s/early 80s) in a couple of old blokes' aviaries - I can't recall seeing any young being bred there despite visiting these blokes regularly. Probably best you didn't buy them Arthur as they were likely past their best. At that time the only ones I knew of being bred were by husband and wife breeders in South Australia. Beautiful bird.

[arthur]

That would have been R&B H. who penned the notes in QFS "Foreigns"(1989)

Back in the 70's-80's period the Hunter Valley and the Adelaide region were the 'hotspots' for not only finches, but for many other species as well

I often spoke to a chap called Sam A. who had large aviaries on his farm outside Adelaide, where he had many finch varieties that are now but memories

He would usually ring me at about 8.00 - 8.30 on Saturday night, and after a day at the races I probably didn't talk a lot of sense at times, but we got along pretty well

Great memories

[Storz]

That would have been R&B H. who penned the notes in QFS "Foreigns"(1989)

Back in the 70's-80's period the Hunter Valley and the Adelaide region were the 'hotspots' for not only finches, but for many other species as well

I often spoke to a chap called Sam A. who had large aviaries on his farm outside Adelaide, where he had many finch varieties that are now but memories

He would usually ring me at about 8.00 - 8.30 on Saturday night, and after a day at the races I probably didn't talk a lot of sense at times, but we got along pretty well

Great memories

Tempted to reply to the last line, but don't know how good your sense of humour is

[Craig52]

SwanHill was the finch capital in Victoria back in the 70's 80's. I couldn't wait to get to their bird sales to get birds like Lavenda's, Dyboskies and other rare foreign and Native finches. We all knew the Hunter Valley was even better but in those days getting there was very hard and to get them freighted was a nightmare.

[Tiaris]

Yes I was thinking of R&B.

[noah.till]

Damn, I wish I was around in the 70's and 80's, I would sell off the house just to live in a tent surrounded by all the aviaries with hopefully some of the 'long gone' birds you have mentioned.
There certainly are not any 'bird capitals' any more
Thanks
Noah Till

[Brisbane_Finches_333]

Agree. Wouldn't it be nice to live back then when you could buy finches that are now non-existent in australian aviculture. I would build like a tiny room off of one of the aviaries where I lived. Who cares about houses when you could have aviaries!