Currawongs

[finchbreeder]

CQ very sorry to here your bad news. Your decission where you go from here. Me, I would get even by outwitting the sods, and refusing to let them stop me doing what I want. There is layered roofing as per Orix's suggestion. Drop/roll down blinds as per Diane's post elsewhere on the forum. Etc. Good luck with whatever you decide.
LML

[CQDude]

Sorry you feel dissilisioned ( oh crap I cant spell that word ) spose I should say dont give up $$$ to hard to come by to be feeding the predators . Do what makes you happy and if you do give the finches a miss you can always try again later .
Nothing wrong with the ringnecks mate , they are a gawjus bird .

Bloody expensive though. I now know why there are no wild finches here anymore. No doubt it has been brought on by mankind clearing the land, creating an ideal world for predators. We plow the land and bring up grubs and frogs for the crows, maggies etc and grow grain which in turn brings mice and rats for the hawks and owls. Oh did I forget snakes and them bloody feral cats ? I keep tellin the pig shooters to use them for target practice but they dont waant to waste ammo, lol. I am contemplating putting a cage over the cage, bloody lot of money for a few birds, but thats the only option I guess. Just a shame that I now have to wait until christmas to drive 800km to get some more birds. I saw a wedge tail grab an emu chick the other day and raced over and chased him, he dropped the chick, guess I shouldn't have interfered with nature, but the father was running around frantically tryin to chase the wedgy. He had 9, be interesting to see how many survive. On the 11000 acres we have at least 3 lots of young out already, early this year.

[jusdeb]

We grew up on land backing on to crown land with no other houses around , virgin bushland in all its rugged glory ...my father built a huge aviary stocked with finches and native doves , it was like putting a food vending machine on the property .
Everything from goannas on steroids to kookaburras with telescopic beaks attacked the aviary , every predator for miles knew there was food in a cage and had a go.
Luckily we had very few losses only out of luck and 2 little yap yap dogs .
My point is , its the nature of the beast , a predator will do what comes naturally and a finch in a confined space is a hell of a lot easier to kill than one in the wild.
You might win the battle today but as soon as your backs turned they will be back trying to have another go , sorry but unless you can really bird proof your aviary I wouldnt be stocking it just yet .

[CQDude]

Well I am contemplating (thats a big word for this time of day, lol) putting shade cloth on top and from the roof to the top of the fence on 2 sides and seeing how we go from there. I dont want to close it in to much as we get 40 degrees for weeks on end up here in the summer so I want the breeze to be able to flow through.

[Buzzard-1]

During summer here I set up shade cloth over like a tent fly and dampen it down it works like a coolgardie safe.

[Finchman]

I have mouse proof 5mm wire on my avaries,You can try getting a large plastic hawks to mount to the top of the aviary,hang a plastic snake,mount an aluminum fan blade (refrigeration) that spins in the wind ,a nice and shinney one,Its worth a try...

[Jayburd]

wouldn't the plastic hawk scare the finches, thus reducing breeding results?