Aussie Finch Forum

I was recently talking to a breeder in Brisbane who has kept crimsons for many years.
He said they were one of the very first birds he ever kept and would recommend them to a beginner... I also noted he had them in aviaries containing (that I saw, at least) yellow rumps, red painteds, masks, redbrows and red-chested button quail... no aggression had ever been seen apparently.

there seems to be a changing of opinion recently about the temperament of crimsons, what are all your views on compatability and suitability for the beginner??

All I know is that they are some of the most beautiful birds I've ever seen... I just wish White-Breasts were more common

I think it may depend on the strain of Crimsons,size of aviary,what they are housed with and the individual bird.A lot of variables Jayburd and in a mixed aviary a close eye should be kept on them.Aggresion comes in many forms and it may be as simple as just some bullying around feed stations or it can be death to other finches wearing red.There doesnt seem to be a hard and fast rule.The change of opinion is not a new thing and i think you will find some comments in Eric Baxters book regarding the subject,coincidently he had very large aviaries.Speaking with a breeder a few weeks ago he mentioned he had a pair in a large aviary and they caused havoc.

hmm, so it is just as it used to be...
these ones were in aviaries roughly 4m x 1.5m sharing the aviary with at least 5 other pairs... all breeding.

Personally I think in many cases, the price of a pr of birds can give you a gauge of how difficult they can be to house and or breed, Taking into account demand for any such specie aswell.In the right conditions with the right pr,I think some more advanced birds will do well with little effort.But with the crimson finch here in my climate and set up,I would say they are not for a beginner.But perhaps in Queensland that maybe different. And it will depend on the strain aswell. I keep mine with yellow rumps,blue gouldians including red heads,mask and we mask,pictorellas,chestnut breasteds,stars,emblemas,to name a few,With no problems overall,And when I have had one or two suspect birds they are not breed with.So they do need to be kept an eye on untill you know your new arrivals.In cold climates where the daytime temp does not get very high,the hens in particular will struggle.I lost many hens before getting a strain that will do ok in my climate and conditions,Maybe I was just unlucky Though ?

Mine are in 1.2w x5.5 long three pr per aviary.Or 2.4w x5.5 long upto six pr max per aviary.

All comes down to temprement & strain, I've got 2 pr, 3/4 coloured, in a holding flight, 5'x2.5'x7'6", with one lonely Red-Chested BQ cock, while I finish off their aviaries. There is a clump of grass on the floor for the Quail to hide in, & I have seen both cocks trying to build simultaneously, one on the top & one on the side with no sign of aggression what so ever (so far anyway). The breeder I got them off had about 20 young in the same flight, with about a dozen Red Strawbs with no problems, but, they are young birds, & as the hormones kick in I think this will change.

Hi Jaybird,
Nice to meet you and your lovely mother Meridith in Brisbane. Crimsons in my aviaries are not aggressive to my birds. They are housed with African fires, painteds, stars, grenadier weavers, scarlet-chested parrots, pictorellas, cubans etc etc. No issues at all. Prior to egg laying, they may chase birds away from the nest, but no more than other species. Thoroughly recommend you give them a try. Like all species, keep an eye for rouge individuals but over all, they are undeserving of the aggressive tag. The notion of them attacking anything with red is bizarre. They are as peaceful as stars in my aviaries.
Cheers David Pace

Hi David,

I believe your aviaries are reasonably large? If so, your experiences may prove to be different to Jayburd's.
I know you've had some "heated" discussions in the past about the subject of aggression in crimson finches!!!! ;)
As others have rightly stated, you need to assess the particular birds you buy and how they act in YOUR setup. Getting juvenile birds may be a good stating point.

I thought Mike Fidler's talk on Crimsons was quite interesting. Basically, he put hen and fledgling mortality down to aggression/stress from the cockbird.
Providing a wire mesh cage filled with brush/bracken up high as a breeding area, and a similar cage down low at ground level with a sheet of metal to cover it at the other end of the aviary gave somewhere for the young and the hen to hide when the cock came off the nest and was wound up. He kept one pair alone in each fully roofed aviary 2.5m long x 1m wide and 2m high and breeds 60-80 per year with minimal losses.

He also commented that their reputation for aggression is not necessarily justified.

Good luck with whatever you decide Jayburd!!

Correction...
MF put down juvenile mortality down to their habit of roosting in low grass/shrubs where they were exposed to rain, chills etc. Cover these low areas, give them somewhere to hide-alleviates this problem.

From memory aviary design needs to be considered due to flight patterns and the timing of when to introduce them or other birds needs to be considered to overcome potential aggression.

I recall hearing this "maybe" from mike fidler last year at the save the gouldian fund day.

sorry memory not that great, many ales consumed since.

Might trigger some thought.

Cheers
Luke