Aussie Finch Forum

Well I'll be...

I have a nest bursting with 7 baby Gouldians that I'm expecting to fledge tomorrow. I thought I'd better watch them for a while today to be certain which adults are feeding them, because I like to ring them on day 1 when they are easy to catch. So I watched... The two Gouldians I strongly suspect of being the parents just sat around ignoring them, all day, as did all of the other Gouldians. Yet, these babies look well fed and are far from shy about calling for food. Then along came Uncle Cordy and gave them a good feed!

I thought he had been looking extra busy and purposeful lately, as if he was nesting, but I have no Cordon Bleu hens atm so I wondered what all the bustle was about. Turns out he has found a way to give his lonely life a sense of purpose!! And the Gouldian adults can chill out and moult while he gets on with it!

Cute
I remember Monotwine posted some pictures of a male RFPF feeding blue cap chicks, and just last week I saw my own RFPF lonely male feeding my fledged gouldians. Gives excess males something to do I suppose
Now I have two RFPF hens for him, I'm hoping he might be feeding his own chicks soon!!

Very good to hear of other species looking after other species.

aw how precious bless him

Finchy congrats on the full nest of young.

It is quite strange to see such a different species feeding young. I found it very unusual between the CB and parrot finches because the chicks mouth marking are so different with the nodules etc. and one would not expect a waxbill to go for feeding the noduled bare skinned young. Jayburd you remembered well from so long ago, almost got it right. My Bluecap hen fed the greedy eager RFPF.

Finchy wrote:I have a nest bursting with 7 baby Gouldians that I'm expecting to fledge tomorrow.... Then along came Uncle Cordy and gave them a good feed!

Wow! 7 gouldians is a gigantic effort for a single Dad let alone a Cordon. I recently had a pair of Strawberries fledge a single Gouldian but 7 is in a different league altogether.

I think the two Gouldian parents started them off, then the Cordon took over towards the end. The first baby out is very handsome indeed - a big, healthy looking bird. Maybe the others will be weeds...

This is only my second ever nest of 7 Gouldians. Last time I had to erect a second nest next door to the first and transfer three of the babaies, because they kept pushing each other out. It worked; the parents fed both, no problems.

At the same time this week I have a nest of 7 Zebras fledge too! I must have been doing something right lately. 14 healthy bubs in 3 days!

Um, make that 15...

Well done Finchy

Maybe we should be asking what you are feeding them? Congratulations. And sounds like the Cordon will be a great little dad when he gets his own lady.
LML