Aussie Finch Forum

Spot on Alf.

The NSW department are a toothless tiger when it comes to hybridisation. I remember when looking up the regulations that their wording was something like 'Hybridisation is not condoned" or words to that effect.

Unfortunately advertising of so many hybrids at bird sales in NSW and on sites such as Petlink just encourages everyone to think that it's ok to hybridise. Only the Avicultural Society of Australia had the foresight to ban the advertising of hybrids in their magazine but unfortunately they are only a smaller player on the avicultural scene these days.

Concur with all of you. Like the designer dog, now the designer bird. So many of the Aussie native birds have been messed up by hybridization, in my estimation.

I know of a princess x Superb that has been put back to a blue princess and they are on eggs.

I find them interesting to look at but breeding fertile hybrids concerns me greatly.

when I got my Madagascan weavers I was told they throw yellows........was recently told that means they have been crossed with the komoro or some other weaver.

If people would only get into this hobby for the hobby sake we would all be fine.

Alf63 wrote: it would appear that crossing everything that moves is common practice in NSW.

Regards

Alf63

That's why I get all my more expensive birds from Victoria or QLD. You seem to have more breeders than dealers there.

It is also concerning that there seems to be more interest in transferring colour mutations from one species to another than there is in maintaining rare pure species.

It ends up being a lose-lose situation IMO.

Myzomela wrote:It is also concerning that there seems to be more interest in transferring colour mutations from one species to another than there is in maintaining rare pure species.

It ends up being a lose-lose situation IMO.

Totatlly agree... Hybridising I think comes down to those that wish to make a quick $$$ ..... Trouble is it does way more harm then good, wish there was a way to stop it though..

Agree, hybridising is taking genes out of the already limited gene pool for no rational reason but money. While putting mutation to mutation can trip over into a completely new mutation. Is this good or bad? Neither, just different.
LML

finchbreeder wrote:Agree, hybridising is taking genes out of the already limited gene pool for no rational reason but money. While putting mutation to mutation can trip over into a completely new mutation. Is this good or bad? Neither, just different.
LML

Hybridising is just wrong to me.... mutations well if thats their thing I say go for it....

I'm not in favour of hybrids, but there is another side to the story (although not so relevant for finches/softbills)...
http://cityparrots.org/journal/2013/4/1 ... lture.html

SamDavis wrote:I'm not in favour of hybrids, but there is another side to the story (although not so relevant for finches/softbills)...
http://cityparrots.org/journal/2013/4/1 ... lture.html

Good read...still doesnt change my mind in captive birds though ...I look at if it is a cross or mutation in the wild and it survives thats natures way...so be it but to physically/intentionly crossbreed, what benefit is it really? maybe to save an almost extinct animal possibly but would'nt/shouldn't that be left to more knowledgeable people then someone who just wants to see what they get if they do it?? Personally I think we as aviculturist's have a duty to teach or ban someway such people who do hybridise intentionly...maybe I'm too old who knows....anyway off the soapbox I gone..