Aussie Finch Forum

so, heard some squeaking about a week back coming from my gouldians nest. they had been sitting, but i wasnt 100% sure when to expect them to hatch. had been vigorously defending the area, even attacked a masked grassfinch fledgling that wasnt quite quick enough to get away!!

anyway, the other day, i saw dad fly in and thought "that doesnt sound like a regular baby gouldian..." as the youngsters started up. this morning, same thing.
so, curiosity finally got the better of me and i pulled one of the youngsters from the nest.

PAINTED.
FIRETAIL.



i assume all the young (3) are painteds, because hatch date was the same day. still not entirely sure how it happened, but at least i know who the parents are (only have one pair of painteds in there). i'm also 100% certain they AREN'T hybrids because the gouldian pair and painted pair in this aviary are very strongly bonded, the painteds even have another nest where they are rearing their own young this time lol. gouldians must have just taken over the nest and not laid any of their own eggs... very strange.

also, didnt think gouldians would feed anything without their youngs distinctive mouth markings? maybe just a sign of domestication? going to let them go and just see what happens anyway...

Well There you go as you said signs of domestication Congrats

Bloody Gouldians before I took mine out of the aviary they were always in the nest ( not theirs ) thet went from nest to nest till I took them out , now they are on their own with a nest of their own plenty of swamp grass and feathers and you know what they do ? Sit on top of the nest , havent so much as moved a twig of swamp grass .
The firetails who were put into a cage of their own at the same time have an awesome hollowed out cylinder nest are happily getting ready for eggs .
Wonder when the Goulds will stop sulking and build a bloody nest of their own?

Congratulations Spanna, you should get a good batch of young emblema around the same time by the sounds of it. Wish mine would do more than just sit in their nest. Going to put more brush in tomorrow if I can get more from the park without getting arrested.

Going to put more brush in tomorrow if I can get more from the park without getting arrested.

LOL I too have been driving around the place checking out where there are bushy areas to collect shrubbery from without getting in trouble!!!!!!!!