redbrow feeding diamond

Includes Species Profile
Post Reply
User avatar
garyh
...............................
...............................
Posts: 805
Joined: 11 Sep 2011, 11:05
Location: Montrose, Victoria

Today i was showing a bloke around my aviaries,as we approached one of the aviaries where 3 diamonds had fledged about 2 weeks ago, he happened to mention how loud the young are when being fed and so we looked for the youngsters,there sitting on a large pot plant was a redbrow feeding the diamonds we were stunned as neither of us had ever seen this before,i don't know weather it was a cock or hen but it was doing a darn good job,now to hope they have their own babies and do just as good a job,garyh
User avatar
gomer
...............................
...............................
Posts: 4484
Joined: 23 Nov 2008, 17:41
Location: Victoria
Location: Victoria Australia

Very interesting Gary,I have also never heard of that.
Keeper of Australian Grass Finches
User avatar
Diane
..............................
..............................
Posts: 7402
Joined: 05 Apr 2009, 14:23
Location: Northern 'burbs of Adelaide
Location: Northern 'burbs of Adelaide

Ive had an uncoloured gouldian feed a younger uncoloured gouldian.
Diane
The difference between Genius and Stupidity is, Genius has it’s limits
User avatar
Tiaris
...............................
...............................
Posts: 3517
Joined: 23 Apr 2011, 08:48
Location: Coffs Harbour

I've seen a few instances of birds feeding other species' young in breeding aviaries. Seen Stars feeding young Gouldians, Blue caps feeding young St helenas & RFPF feeding Tri-coloured Nuns. The common thread seems to be loud & relentless begging calls by the young as if the other bird is feeding them just to shut them up. With the Star & RFPF, the bird doing the feeding were just part-coloured young themselves.
Also noticed some co-operative feeding by independent young feeding the following round's young of same species. Seen this in Melbas, Painteds, Saint Helenas & Gouldians. I personally believe co-operative feeding may be far more prevalent across a far wider range of species than is widely recognised. When you think about it, this is the ideal adaptation to adverse environmental conditions or the ideal way to maximise breeding success rate.
User avatar
garyh
...............................
...............................
Posts: 805
Joined: 11 Sep 2011, 11:05
Location: Montrose, Victoria

Could be on to something there Tiaris,with the birds maximizing the conditions,it was very warm when they fledged and the parents started sitting on eggs again 8 days later,garyh
User avatar
arthur
...............................
...............................
Posts: 1995
Joined: 13 Mar 2009, 10:22

A few examples of unfledged parrot chicks, some quite small, feeding (or at least regurgitating food to) their clutch-mates, recorded by nestbox cameras
User avatar
Tiaris
...............................
...............................
Posts: 3517
Joined: 23 Apr 2011, 08:48
Location: Coffs Harbour

Your nestbox cameras Arthur?
User avatar
branchez
...............................
...............................
Posts: 1128
Joined: 02 Oct 2011, 21:05
Location: north shore victoria

arthur wrote:A few examples of unfledged parrot chicks, some quite small, feeding (or at least regurgitating food to) their clutch-mates, recorded by nestbox cameras
Is there a link to this thread?
User avatar
mickw
...............................
...............................
Posts: 365
Joined: 08 Jun 2009, 19:49
Location: Port Macquarie, NSW
Location: Port Macquarie

I seem to recall somewhere in text that Redbrows were reknowned for this behaviour.....maybe Cayley or Immelmann....good excuse to pull out the books....

From 1984-1986 I had a bald-headed Redbrowed cock which I got from a neighbour whose brother caught it in the wild 8 years prior to giving it to me.......I hope this admission doesnt draw any enforcement action :shifty: .........Aaanyway, this cockbird fed any finch chick...mostly Zebs, but also Longtails, Chestnuts, Spice and Blue faced Parrot finches.....I didnt think too much of it because I'd read about it somewhere or another :think:

I recently had a "pair" of Yellow rumps incubate, hatch, rear and fledge two healthy Black throated finches :wtf: ....A friend on here took on my pair of yellow rumps and reports that they are both male :lolno: ........who said gay marriage and parenting cant work 8-)
User avatar
arthur
...............................
...............................
Posts: 1995
Joined: 13 Mar 2009, 10:22

Tiaris wrote:Your nestbox cameras Arthur?
Sorry, just saw this

No, not my cameras

Son was going to install some 6 years ago for me but I fear it will not happen

His mother still has high hopes . . but mothers are like that :innocent:
Post Reply

Return to “Diamond Firetail”