Aussie Finch Forum

Can anybody advise on catching finches im my avairy. The avairy is 4m x 2.4m x 2.4H with shrubs, brush boxes, nests and perches.
I have used the net and have caught some but it is hopeless. They evade very easilly into any cover. Next I used a disused bird cage with a trap door. The door was held open with a stick and a string pulled the stick to close ths door when the wanted birds were in the trap. Worked great for a while but now they avoid it like the plague.
I got an old finch trap but its the same as the cage trap.
I think the traps work but only once as after that they get smart.
I have thaught about putting a drop sheet to divide the avairy in half at large catching times and use the net. I find it impossible to catch 1 sick at the moment.
Are there any better ways to try?
I will not smash my birds around with the net.

Take your feed out out at about 4pm the afternoon prior to catching your birds. They’ll be hungry next morning, guarantee you’ll catch them. Stick and string method works fine.

Jeff that is not a good idea. Finches can only go without food for two or three hours and they maybe feeding young aswell that will die.
It would be better to do in daylight hours and keep an eye on them if that's the method you want to use.

Thanks for the replies.
I have taken the seed out the day before but I worry about how long they can go with seed.
Right now there are several nests of babies. In the past the seed has been out for almost a day. All the easy ones go in the trap that I dont want. The problem is do I leave the seed out for 2 days, I think not.
Thanks for the advice.

Take the seed away just on dark if you will get up at sunup and set the trap.
If not, take the seed out in the morning and set the trap to catch them though out the day.
Works best with putting those you catch into holding cages so they do not keep getting in the trap.
Parent birds being the exceptions, they would have to be released to go feed chicks.

A feeding station that doubles as a trap works well. They'll never learn to avoid it if that's where the best food comes from.

Has anybody got plans to build a feeding station trap.
What are the measurements of the feeding station. What is the best way to set up the trap door. Any ideas would be helpfull.

This is what mine looks like:
When the trap is active, the white plastic is lowered and the only entrance is the small square of mesh in the middle. The mesh is propped open on the edge of the branch.

To activate the trap, I just bump the other side of the branch (from outside the aviary) so the mesh drops.

Thank you Shane.
Really like your avairy design. I wish I had the space for several large avairys. I was thinking of building a feeding station with a cage around it. In normal daily use the entire front is open to the birds. I have some wire cage fronts which will be used to set the trap. On trapping days the cage front can placed in a frame leaving space for the birds to get in. I will place a couple of weights on the bottom of the frame so it will drop. A length of fishing line will go vertical to hold the door open and to close it.
I think this will work.

I am getting the feeding station built now. When I set it up I will post some photos.