Aussie Finch Forum

What species have you always fantasised about keeping?

Ever since I was a kid I wanted pintailed whydahs - I was fascinated by the plumage, the behaviour, their parasitic breeding....
I'm thrilled to see they're around still in Oz, although a bit steep at $1500 a pair.
Maybe one day I'll get some!

Yep, Pintailed wydahs for me too. I am building my colony of St Helenas for this purpose. Just have to convince the wife to let me start building my new aviaries.

You'll have to let us know how you go!

Here's an article from an Aussie pintail breeder:

http://www.feathered.flyer.co.uk/finche ... hydah.html

red eared and beautiful firetails are for me.only a few years from reality.as I will start building their avairys next year.

They're lovely looking birds, but they need a lot of privacy.

My fanasy finch I saw today down on the IRRI farm here in Los Banos. There were 5 birds and what looked like a couple of juveniles. Although I was too far to get a good look they were definitely Estrilid finches feeding on seed barnyard grass and they were arterial blood red and black and somewhat larger than a strawberry finch (Last seen here 2002 and presumed extinct). My best guess is i) an undescribed parrot finch, ii) the long-lost local strawb, iii) dyed juvenile chestnut munias (Lonchura atricapilla). During festivals here the locals sell dyed spice finched in a dull red or green but these birds weren't like that. If this birds is a new parrot finch or Straw then that's what I want. I'm going with a couple of disapproving twitchers on the weekend so I hope to confirm the ID as one of these guys has seen them too and I didn't believe!

Ah your a twitcher Greg.had one here on the weekend.took hundreds of photos, mainly at my fathers cause he ran out of time.He left a few bird call cds.i will listen to on the weekend.

my wish is the same as Gomer's although not as close to coming true. red eared & beautiful firetails are what I want. would happily give up all of my other birds for a pair of each

What's the attraction?

i am the same the red ears and beautiful firetails. i have had pretty much what i wanted . they are high on the list but where i am at currently, theres no room. but there are a few softbills i would love to get . i think i just have a thing for birds that are hard to sex or to find.... pete