Basic questions

[Stealthflower]

I did search through the forum, but I've almost definitely missed answers that have already been given, so apologies in advance if I'm asking things that have been answered a million times before!

As I mentioned in my intro post a few days ago, I'm planning on keeping at least a pair of finches. I kept zebras as a kid in a mixed aviary, but that was a very long time ago, so I'm effectively a newbie.

I'd like to keep aussie natives, but I'd prefer not to get anything that requires a license, at least until I find my finch-keeping feet. I was originally thinking about star finches, but I'm seeing so many people in here keeping Gouldians that I'm now second-guessing myself! Since they live so much further north in the wild, I wasn't sure how they'd do in Sydney without a specialised setup; how do people's birds go in winter in cooler climate?

Also, will finches be happy in just a pair, or do they need a small group to feel secure? I'd rather start with a (reasonably sized) cage to begin with, then build an aviary once we're sure we want to keep more birds, but if finches can't be happy in a cage, then I'll just do it right from the start.

Finally, I'm hoping they don't need direct sunlight. We'd likely be keeping them on our (sheltered, cat-proofed) porch, with plenty of air movement and filtered light, but even if we build an aviary in the garden, it won't get direct sun in winter, as we're in a pretty sheltered spot. I'm happy to give them vitamin D mixed in with their food, so I'm hoping that's enough for healthy birds.

Thanks for any help you can give! I'm really happy to have found this forum

[finchbreeder]

The biggest problem with all finches is windproofing. Cold winds are the quickest way to kill them, so that that is your 1st consideration.
They do need morning warmth - particularly birds like Gouldians that have no down under their feathers. Even In sunny WA we have to consider that.
This is why you will see recomendations everywhere to have them facing northeast to get morning sun to warm them.
Tougher birds can get by with well protected avairies and light and Vitamin D.
Finches can be kept in groups of 2, 6, or more. Some do best in small flocks of at least 6 - so it will depend what you settle on.
Space needed also depends on what you settle on - some are more active (so need more space per bird) than others.

[Stealthflower]

Thanks LML! Are there species that do better with cold? (For Sydney values of cold, of course)

[finchbreeder]

I think those on your side of the country would be best to answer that one.
Or look through the posts for members who's location matches yours and who's posts indicate success with something in particular.
With luck some others will chime in soon.

[BrettB]

Hello Stealthflower,

I think these are excellent questions that are not asked often enough

Firstly the question of cold tolerance. As you will have read, Gouldians do not have the downy underfeathers of some birds. However, many people keep them in climates that get much colder than Sydney and have no problems. Birds are not stupid, and they have a number of strategies to keep warm. When they run into trouble is when those strategies are not available to them.
You need to create "microclimates" within your aviary/cage. If you put them in a cage with no cover and no wind protection, then they are in trouble.
They need a sheltered area, were they can get out of the wind, with a minimum of three sides protected and preferable more. My shelter is protected on 3 1/2 sides. Don't make your shelter too dark, they prefer bright areas. Have plenty of "brush" in your shelter, it reduces air movement and the birds can tuck them selves away inside it if they need to. Some species will use a roosting nest, so provide one for them. The more birds, the greater their capacity to huddle together and keep warm.
You will often see statements like " it is not the cold, but the wind that kills birds" . Well it is the cold, but the wind chill factor is difficult for the birds to manage with their strategies.

On the question of sunlight, I have never found any science but there has been some studies on chickens and they need 20 minutes a day of direct sunlight. Small birds probably need less, but they do need some. If you can get some direct sunlight, even for a short time each day, the birds will find it and sun themselves. If not Vit D works just as well

Brett

[Stealthflower]

Thanks for the help, everyone! We've ended up with a pair of red-faced parrot finches (not native, but very cute), who are now happily bouncing around in their setup. We're giving them soluvite-D in their water to make up for the comparative shade on the porch, and a variety of greens and sprouted seeds to supplement their seed.

We've been trying to work out what greens they like best, but so far the answer has been 'everything', so we're taking care to not overfeed them. It's nice to have something to do with the chickweed I weed from the garden other than compost, though.

[finchbreeder]

What size avairy did you wind up with?
You do have to watch Red faced Parrott finches - they can be little pigs - so while it is great that they are eating thier greens - it is also great that they are being active.
Enjoy.

[Stealthflower]

Yeah, I read that the red face parrots were tiny piggies, and ours are certainly bearing that out. They're in a cage at the moment; it's 80cm wide, 90 tall and about 50 deep, and we've put in a range of perches and some cover for them; they're usually darting around.

I also read that they prefer foraging on the ground, which definitely is the case with ours; they're much more likely to check out food bowls on the floor of their cage than the hanging seed trays. They're such fun to watch!

[finchbreeder]

Most finches like to forage on the ground to some degree.
I think it is because in the wild seeds will always wind up blowing/falling to the ground as they ripen.
Cages are better longer than taller as this promotes horizontal flight, which is more natural to birds.
Vertical flight takes more effort, but is less natural. They are built like planes not helicopters to put it into perspective.
So make sure the perches are positioned to allow clear flight paths. Something it takes me a while to master with each new avairy.

[Stealthflower]

Thanks LML, we deliberately set the perches so they had diagonal flight paths to give them as much length as possible to fly, and they do seem to be enjoying them. We used (dried, nontoxic) branches from the garden rather than premade perches, too, which I'm hoping gives them a bit of grip variation as well