Aussie Finch Forum

It used to be believed that the Society finch was a fertile hybrid whose original parentage was lost in antiquity. DNA testing has shown that the Society finch (Bengalese) is a domesticated version of the White-Rumped munia.

Another interesting site on society finch origins.http://www.efinch.com/species/whiterump.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Are their origins based from asia/India area, that's what I've been lead to believe, just want to make sure that what I've read has been correct.

Late reply, but rather from Bengal/India, Society Finches actually trace their domestication to China. Apparently, they were sought after due to their easily domestication and nice soothing song.

I was of the opinion that they were a fertile hybrid from two Munias one from memory was the Sharp Tailed Munia the other I am not sure
They first appeared in China year dot.They evolved to where they are now by the Japanese from nearly year dot.
But their growth and popularity extends only about 50 years because the Japanese developed them as the foster parents for their Gouldians
Possibly 20/30 years ago they had literally thousands of Bengalese in the Gouldian Breeding factories.
This humble little bird has done our hobby a great service.

DITTO!!!!!!!!!!
Roland

E Orix wrote:I was of the opinion that they were a fertile hybrid from two Munias one from memory was the Sharp Tailed Munia the other I am not sure
They first appeared in China year dot.They evolved to where they are now by the Japanese from nearly year dot.
But their growth and popularity extends only about 50 years because the Japanese developed them as the foster parents for their Gouldiand
Possibly 20/30 years ago they had literally thousands of Bengalese in the Gouldian Breeding factories.
This humble little bird has done our hobby a great service.

I agree with the opening comments that the Bengalese or Society Finch is a domesticated form of the White Rumped Munia. The easy breeding character of the Society is due to the very long history of domestication and the various colour mutations can be explained by selective breeding of the species over time, we see many of our aviary birds such as the Ruddie, and Cordon Bleu displaying pied markings since being selectively bred and there are plentiful examples of colour mutations for practically every species of finch that has been kept and selectively bred in Aviculture. Some of the Bengalese in the UK and the U.S. are in fact a Hybrid that was developed to bring out some of the features of the Bengo and it is called the "Euro" Society. In Australia we have never received an import of this hybrid strain.

As mentioned by Tintola it is now commonly accepted in the Scientific community that the Bengalese Finch is in fact a domesticated strain of the White Rumped Munia (Below)

It has been an early misconception that the Bengalese is a "hybrid bitsa" and this was fueled by the marked differences in colour and appearance to other Lonchura species and we now know from our own experiences that this is quite a common phenomenon in keeping domesticated birds. When you compare the White Rumped Munia to a good example of a well marked "pure" Chocolate Self Bengalese (Below), it is hard to argue that they are far removed from each other at all.
And if you think it's all a bit of BS then that's OK too!

Cheers!

I don't care where Bengos came from. I keep and breed them because they are great little birds and I can work on breeding the colours/mutations I like. But as you say Aussie those 2 pics sure look like siblings.
LML

Here is a link to an excellent article on this topic by Queensland Breeder and a founding member of the Queensland Bengalese Breeders Society, the late Mark Shipway that I am posting on my Blog in stages..

http://aussiebengos.blogspot.com/search ... %20Shipway


Cheers

Interesting and logical. Mr. Spock would approve. (Live long and prosper)
LML

Aussie_Bengo wrote:And if you think it's all a bit of BS then that's OK too!

Cheers!

I can only assume BS=Bengalese story