Domestication

[GregH]

I know I've asked about this before and it seems the knowledge has either disappeared or the people that once did it (legally) are unlikely to use computers but does anyone know how to get wild birds to calm down & breed. Here in the Philippines, fauna laws to prevent capture & trade in wild birds were only introduced in 2004 but are rarely enforced except by the rarity of the species. As a consequence none of their parrot finches are ever offered but the munias are still regularly offered. I have an aviary with mixed munias (spice finch, white bellied munia, chestnut munia & Java sparrows) and just today I noticed that after two years my spice finch is making a nest. Unfortunately he (it sings) is alone so may have paired with another species. According to http://www.birdcare.com.au/spice_finch.htm spice finches make a roosting nest so I guess I will find out soon. If they have formed an interspecific pair does that prove a willingness to breed I could exploit by confining them with their own species?

[finchbreeder]

Many types of Munias will cross breed. As I found out by accident. Had a pair of Chestnut finches and a pair of Bengalese finches in the same aviary. Still have some beautiful if elderly Chestnut/Bengo crosses. The pairs were not boy/girl pairs. Male Chestnut had been singing. Bengos had been making nest. We live and learn.
Now I do not put munias of different types in the same aviary unless I am possitive they are a real pair.
So you never know what could appear out of that nest.
LML

[gomer]

Its a taboo subject.But you hear about people traping wild birds still.And i have seen a few wild parrots put with hand raised birds that have breed.I think a wild bird never really trully domesticates aswell as a aviary breed bird.And for the people doing it they are asking for trouble.As the posibility of introducing desease is geatly increased.

[GregH]

Yes I know it's taboo but the knowledge was there once and it wasn't considered legally or politically incorrect it just was and every plant or animal we have now did have it's wild ancestors. I've got an old British based TFH book on finches and it says that it's difficult to settle wild caught Java Sparrows so they should be paired up with a domesticated white mate. Makes me wonder how how the first normals were settled? Anyway it seems that my Spice finch has paired with White bellied (Javan) munia. I'll let them raise a couple of nests before I separate them and place each with their own kind - once I'm sure they've got the idea of how to do it and hopefully they won't be imprinted too heavily on the other's species.

[Mattyboy]

Back in the 80s when we still got legally wild caught Aussie finches shipped down each year from the Kimberly region, I bought three pairs of wild long-tails.
They settled down almost immediately and raised babies within several weeks. They did not have any domesticated birds in the aviary with them at the time.

I think the key with any wild bird is probably to make sure they have private areas and places to hide and feel secure. My aviary had a good enclosed shelter section and lots of brushwood.

I'm assuming that most of the goldfinches, greenfinches and probably spice finches available through Oz bird dealers are still wild caught? Their low monetary value seems to suggest so...

[GregH]

You're probably right about the gold & green finches as I know a supplier in Melbourne who sells these birds domestically & internationally. Anyway I managed to get a pair of aviary bred Javas today so I hope they can help settle the Javas which are with the the hanging parrots. I wonder if many of the Australian finches are innately easier to domesticate - they at least have a reduced requirement for live food compared to many others.

[cranberry]

I know a supplier in Melbourne who sells these birds domestically & internationally...

Isn't that illegal?

[Mattyboy]

No it's legal to export non-native species and I would assume it's probably legal to trap them as well.

[GregH]

That's right birds are still exported from Australia as long as they are not Australian or meet certain requirements like: they are not endangered and would suffer if separated from their owner as would a companion galah or sulfur-crested cockatoo. If you're wondering where all the gold- and green-finches come from in Australia have a look at http://www.animal-house.com.au/.

As for my plans to get domesticated strains of the spice finch and white-bellied munia established in the Philippines that suffered a set-back today. The hen white-bellied munia escaped today and didn't even look back leaving me and her mate agast. I suppose I should have seen it coming given that they had built a nest only 60 cm from the access hatch to the feeding station. I assumed she had begun sitting but was probably just waiting for the right opportunity to escape. I'm probably anthropomorphizing there but I will have to do something about the design of the station - perhaps as simple as hanging a mesh curtain across the hatch.

If she comes back I hope I can catch her as it's taken 2 years to get as far as nest making even if it was interspecific. If I acquire more wild birds I will have to make sure I separate the species.

[Diane]

Sorry about the escapee.

I'm probably anthropomorphizing there

But you can just see the intelligence behind the eyes and in seeing that its hard not to imagine yourself in the same position and your reactions to the situation.
I do the same thing myself.