Aussie Finch Forum

hi i have 3 pairs of star finches housed in an avery roughly 2m tall, 2m wide, 3m long.

i have only had them a couple of months now and they are just starting to breed, 1 pair has a few eggs in the nest already and another pair is starting to make a nest.

just wanting to know is it normal for them to fight alot when they are breeding? as every time i watch them they just constantly chase each other around the avery.

it doesn't matter the sex they just all chase each other, almost like they are trying to bash each other lol

are they just sorting out who is the pecking order? or do i just have some aggressive birds lol

this is the first time having stars, i used to keep and breed zebras but wanted something more interesting. any advice is greatly appreciated.

also is there enough room for a couple of pairs of someting else like emblemas. or maybe even some quails to keep the ground clean?

Thanks Jamie

Jamie,
Some Stars can be very territorial around their nest & it definitely sounds like yours may be. The fact that they are already showing quite a bit of aggression indicates that things might be a bit confined for that many pairs in your enclosure. Adding more birds is not a good idea for your aviary, given the agro already evident. A single pair of Stars might be a better option mixed with a single pair each of a couple of other finches such as Painteds + something else. My experience with Quail is not that extensive but generally found them more disruptive at night than they were worth.

Phear,
I have a few (?) pair of stars at the moment, have just fledged 4 but there is a defenite aggression thing in regards to location of the nest. Have 2 more nests with visible chicks at this stage. I think that the less pairs the better, I am clearing out and becoming averse to the colony breeding method. Not that it was the ever the intention. Plenty of greens, sprouted seed and maybe a few mini mealies will do the trick.

Must admit they can be super aggressive.

Good luck

Ken.

thanks guys, its good to know they are known for being aggressive not just my birds

they were like it from a few days of having them.

just seems to be a little worse now that they are nesting.

there are plenty of nests for them to choose. it doesnt matter where in the avery they are they just always act the same constantly chasing each other around.

i think once they stop breeding ill have to catch them and put different leg rings on all of them so i know who is paired up with who.

the guy i got bought them from already had them on and theres only 2 coloured rings

i have another larger avery which we were going to get rid of (not my decision) i may have to try and move 2 pairs into that if i am allowed to keep it lol

then just add a different pair to the existing avery which would work out perfect.

I have two 3 pair colonies of Stars in my aviaries.I find in each colony i have a dominant pair and breed the best and the other pairs dont breed as much.Quails are good at cleaning up the floor but find they can be a problem with nights frights and put finches of the nest especially the brush nesters.Good Luck and more aviaries is always better.I have started to split the stars up into single pairs some making nests.

ive actually just noticed that some of them look like they have scars on there faces from fighting. ill try and get a pic if they sit still long enough.

would it disturb them too much if i catch them all now and put leg rings on while they have eggs in the nest? im guessing it would?

No, it wouldn't disturb them too much. It would be a positive step toward knowing which birds are breeding & which are an unnecessary competitive burden on your aviary. Until you do identify them that way you are just putting off seeking a resolution to the existing problem.

ok thanks ill wait until they are finished in the nest.

where is the best place to buy leg rings from and what size do you recommend for adult stars? also are the slip on or crimp ones the best?