Cordon Question

[flippenheck]

I have a pair of Cordon's and the male bird continues to build nests all over the place. I think he is now onto his 5th nest. As yet I have not seen the hen lay one egg. Has anyone else seen this before and why this might be happening. I keep thinking that they will start soon, but this has been going on for a few months now. Any thoughts would be great

[SamDavis]

A couple of possibilities come to mind:
1. Lack of sufficent live food.
2. They're too young so are just stuffing about.
3. They're being disturbed, so they desert the nest and start again. Could be human interference or other birds.
4. Incompatible pair. Try a new hen or if you have no spares then split them up for a fortnight and then try again.

[Tiaris]

What (if anything) do they share their aviary with?

[flippenheck]

What (if anything) do they share their aviary with?

At present they are in my largest aviary with Double bars, RFPF, Emblemas, African Fire Finches and Gouldians.

[Jayburd]

I've kept cordons with all of those species with no aggression or disturbance issues.

[Tiaris]

Only possibility I can think of out of those species would be the chance of doublebars camping in the nest but if he has renested so often I presume they have plenty of other camping options. Does he get to the stage of lining the nests. White feathers for this?? Any interest shown by the hen, courtship singing & dancing - reciprocated interest by her??, etc.

[flippenheck]

Does he get to the stage of lining the nests. White feathers for this?? Any interest shown by the hen, courtship singing & dancing - reciprocated interest by her??, etc.

I am pretty sure he has used feathers to line the nest and they were white feathers. I have seen the hen with a piece of swamp grass displaying to him and he doing the same. This has been going on for months though. Just very frustrating, as birding keeping an be

[Greg41]

I would go with compatibly and/or interference. If possible buy a second Pr and put the 4 birds in a cabinet type cage and wait until 2 of them
show interest in each other. Put them back in the aviary and on sell the other two.Might take a little time but better success in the long term.

Cheers Greg.

[vettepilot_6]

Not 2 cock birds? only 1 has red cheek patches?

[E Orix]

1.Are any other birds nesting and breeding?
2.Have you got adequate nesting sites with suitable structures to hold a nest?
3.Have they got plenty of fine grass available?
4.What age are the birds,did you buy them together from a breeder. The reason I mention this is
the male could be at a good breeding age and the female just too old to want to breed?
5.It could all come down to the female just not intersted in the male.
6.It may be best to split them up and see what happens.
Remember Cordons will sparr for territory but seldom do any damage to each other.