Aussie Finch Forum

I can't remember which mag it was in (Aviary Life or ABK) but they had a story this year about a Ruddy X Star Cross and showed the progeny and intermediate mouth marking in the nestlings so there are surprises in hybrids even with birds only distantly related. For sure the progeny would be sterile.

I would love to see what they looked like.

So would I.
Some hybrids are certainly interesting to look at.
And where as I dont agree with breeding hybrids from anything that isnt as common as zebras and galahs.
If/when it accidently happens the results can be appealing.
Speaking as someone who has had two hybrid incidents over the last 20 odd years.
Bengo x Chestnut - very handsome
Canary x Goldfinch - wonderful songbird
LML

I saw some canary/goldfinch hybrids in a pet shop and they were very vocal, they had a beautiful song and would be an ideal pet. They're possibly the only hybrid I see any sense in deliberately producing.
I've never bred any hybrids. I would never do it deliberately but accidents will happen in mixed collections.

accidents only tend to occur though when you have odd numbers of birds in the aviary. if you have only pairs in your aviary and any odd bird is kept in a holding cage crossbreeding shouldn't happen

I have only had a hybrid pr breed once in my short time of keeping finches,Around 12 years.They were odd birds in a mixed avairy.A plumhead and a parson finch.They had no other birds of the same species with them.

I only have 3 aviarys, so holding cage is the aviary next door with its occupants.
In the case of the Bengo x Chestnuts I thought I had a pair of each. But as I am now a lot more
aware Bengos will behave like a pair regardless of their sex and the Chestnuts only ever saw one dancing, just didn't realize that they both did it at different times. So my pairs were a pair of female Bengos and a pair of Male Chestnuts.
In the case of the Canary x Goldfinch, I only had one of each at the time and knew the sex of the canary but not of the Goldfinch and was willing to risk it because I knew what beatiful songbirds they made.
I've been a lot more careful since.
LML

despite all the advice i do the unthinkable and keep strawberry's and orangebreast's together. i have never seen my spare strawberry cock show even the slightest bit of interest in any of the orangebreast hens. not that the males would let him get close anyway.

instead he is bonded with a pair of male cordons!