Aussie Finch Forum

I agree that privacy is the key. I've never seen mine building a nest, yet they've built heaps. Whenever I'm about they're continuously looking a bit nervous and checking me out. I have to spy on them from afar to confirm the nest is actually theirs. Mine also love sprouts.

Thanks Sam I just saw my saint helenas pulling bits of dried grass from one of my Poa Annums
working on growing vege and sprouts at the moment ;)

With shy birds I want to watch I often stand/sit in front of the adjoining aviary facing into the aviary in front of me but watching out the corner of my eye to the one's nextdoor.

well yesterday I made a chook-wire tube, today filled it with hay and in it went... jacarinis, saints, nuns, cordons and yes parrot finches loving it hope they will know what to do with it!
Spent half an hour watching them as silently and still as possible until the mozzies came out

The only other thing I have found with them after getting 3 clutches of 'clear' eggs last season is to monitor the time when you think they start sitting. If the male is overweight as can be a proablem with TCPF, then you dont want hen sitting for too long on clear eggs or else the 'breeding season-window' we have in the colder states will pass with nothing on the perch.

I understand that it is hard to be accurate with this, but having a rough idea will help, you dont want her on the eggs for 4 weeks for example. I am not suggesting continually inspecting/interfering with the nest etc, but as with all finches there will be a noticable change in behaviour when they have youngsters - if you dont see this in ~ 3 weeks after you suspect they went down then time to re-think.

If your avairy is big enough to give him plenty of exercise then all will hopefully be ok with resepct to the weight issue. Saying that, mine are in a 5m x 2.5m planted avairy, but I am hoping that because they were a young pair that this season (their 2nd) will be better.
They are building a nest at the moment.

Alos found that they go mad for winter grass seed heads, I throw them on the ground for the DB and Masked , and it is the only time I see the TCPF on the ground too. Alos love the leb cucumber ( all finches do).

Cheers