Keeping Yellow Rump Finches from a greenskin
Posted: 02 Mar 2019, 16:12
I haven't read a great deal on these guys nor are there many that keep them near by.
After success with zebs, gouldians, oriental greenfinches, siskins (red n yellow), parrot finches and goldfinches I thought I would give one of the lesser known (in my area at least) aussies a go. Many will say they had them "years ago" but don't see them a great deal anymore. Im not a fan of what I have seen locally and was sold on them only after getting them freighted in. I think yellow rumps are one of the best and I plan to keep them for years to come and maybe I may add masks to their flight one day, but for now, they are priority 1.
I thought I would just share some things I would have liked to have known when I first got them. I am also sharing my experience so it may be obvious to some or completely silly to others but it has worked for me.
I got my birds from the NT, so they are larger than the ones I have seen in Sydney and are very colourful. they were flown down in juvenile plumage and didn't look that great until the last six months.
With regards to sexing, use DNA, it'll save stress and a good coloured hen looks like a cock. In a colony situation, its hard to use the crowing method.
I have tried feeding live food but there is little to no interest. I have opted for seeding grasses. These guys seem to love them above all else. They are the first on them and they use the green grass stems to make their nests as I found out. I have found these fellows don't have issues in a mixed setting and don't even fight between themselves.
In terms of seed I have been using avigrain blue and it works well. With regards to seeding grasses I think some are better than others but they will take what ever you have. They are the first onto the grass and the last to play with the stems.
Breeding: Someone told me you need to do 2 things, rebrush and then provide heaps of greens after a summer shower. I did this and my birds (just over 12 months old) went to nest straight away. I run them in a colony of 5 pairs.
I have noticed they will build from scratch or renovate an abandoned nest. Mine reinforced it and patched one up with the spiky tea tree. You cannot see in it and it is massive. They build the biggest nests I have seen except for diamonds. They are coated in the fresh tea tree and seeding grass stems.
I am yet to reach the stage of young however I am able to candel eggs in one nest and this morning I saw a heap of nice solid white eggs with blood veins meaning if all goes well I will have my first young. Hope this was in someway helpful or at least interesting to some of those out there who want to give these awesome little fellows a go.
After success with zebs, gouldians, oriental greenfinches, siskins (red n yellow), parrot finches and goldfinches I thought I would give one of the lesser known (in my area at least) aussies a go. Many will say they had them "years ago" but don't see them a great deal anymore. Im not a fan of what I have seen locally and was sold on them only after getting them freighted in. I think yellow rumps are one of the best and I plan to keep them for years to come and maybe I may add masks to their flight one day, but for now, they are priority 1.
I thought I would just share some things I would have liked to have known when I first got them. I am also sharing my experience so it may be obvious to some or completely silly to others but it has worked for me.
I got my birds from the NT, so they are larger than the ones I have seen in Sydney and are very colourful. they were flown down in juvenile plumage and didn't look that great until the last six months.
With regards to sexing, use DNA, it'll save stress and a good coloured hen looks like a cock. In a colony situation, its hard to use the crowing method.
I have tried feeding live food but there is little to no interest. I have opted for seeding grasses. These guys seem to love them above all else. They are the first on them and they use the green grass stems to make their nests as I found out. I have found these fellows don't have issues in a mixed setting and don't even fight between themselves.
In terms of seed I have been using avigrain blue and it works well. With regards to seeding grasses I think some are better than others but they will take what ever you have. They are the first onto the grass and the last to play with the stems.
Breeding: Someone told me you need to do 2 things, rebrush and then provide heaps of greens after a summer shower. I did this and my birds (just over 12 months old) went to nest straight away. I run them in a colony of 5 pairs.
I have noticed they will build from scratch or renovate an abandoned nest. Mine reinforced it and patched one up with the spiky tea tree. You cannot see in it and it is massive. They build the biggest nests I have seen except for diamonds. They are coated in the fresh tea tree and seeding grass stems.
I am yet to reach the stage of young however I am able to candel eggs in one nest and this morning I saw a heap of nice solid white eggs with blood veins meaning if all goes well I will have my first young. Hope this was in someway helpful or at least interesting to some of those out there who want to give these awesome little fellows a go.
