Aussie Finch Forum

I am looking into getting some redbrows. I have Mastered the Zebra finch breeding and am looking for something alittle more exotic but still suitablefor someone learning finch to add to my flock. I am wanting advice on a breed of finch and some advice on how to breed redbrows and how to house them.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

I have never researched Red-brows, but you do need a Bird Keepers Licence to keep them, just so you know.

For redbrows to breed they need a well planted aviary, with some well protected hiding spots to build nests in. Most people will use paperbark / tea trees or similar. Several pairs in the one flight are needed too, they will pair bond when on their own and become "great mates" but breeding of a single pair is rare.

They are easy to keep, a nice clean aviary with plenty of roosting nest sites available and standard finch supplies (dry seed, grit etc) will do. Mine have never touched live food (although some swear by it) and ignore most greens but will always go for fresh seeding grasses. I've always just left a corner of the yard alone and the couch grass will seed, they love it and some of the other native grasses too.

We have kept them for years in mixed aviaries but they have never bred (1x2m aviaries usually with 1-2 pairs of other birds) but I have decided that I want to rise to the challenge of the "right"
conditions and plan a flight better set up to the above requirements to be built over the next few weeks.

Because they are licensed birds the young can be harder to sell, (in Vic at least) many dealers won't take them which means you're down to selling privately even if that doesn't suit for some reason.

Unless you have a flight big enough to plant well and have several pairs enjoy the pretty looks and be pleasantly surprised if they breed. My new flight will be 1.2x3.0m and will house 3 pairs plus a couple of pairs of painteds (we have always kept both together successfully and they don't compete for space usually and the painteds will usually breed like, well, zebs .

Whenever we go out camping we always see them in their hundreds, and they are always in and out of black berry bushes. I wouldn't try cathching one though in a black berry bush, they have the sharpest burs on them and it stings like hell.

To put it simply YES they are far far harder to breed than Zebras. Infact I don't think they are easy to breed at all.
Sadly they were regarded as begginers birds not because they were easy to breed but were inexpensive to buy.
Very nice bird though,especially when you have a real close look at them.

I think that Redbrows are one of the more difficult Australian finches to breed. Recommend your next step be stars or longtails or even gouldians.

Lol yes hardy they may be but good luck breeding many. Still tho my fav bird and I am trying my best. Not a easy bird to breed. Red cheek cordons breed like zebbies compared to them. I to agree with longtails. Stars are a lottery they go nuts or nothing.

Thanks everyone! I am going to risk the red brows! I am willing to give it a go. Plus the ones i a getting are super cheap! Have my license so all is good. I am also getting a pair of stars and a pair of blue faced parrots. I would like to try the red checked cordon blues but where would i find a pair of those near the central coast???

Shameless_phantom wrote:Thanks everyone! I am going to risk the red brows! I am willing to give it a go.

Treat them well and there's no real risk involved, they're hardy little things. Far less fragile than many other species.As i said keeping them and breeding are two separate things though....

i've tried redbrows several times but never any success breeding them. I have a friend though who has had really good success. he has a colony of them in a massive habitat aviary, about 5m x 10m, well planted with shrubs & grass. all along one of the 5m walls he has palm or guinea grass planted, and swears that his redbrows only breed when the palm grass is seeding. if it doesnt seed for some reason, no redbrow babies. so good luck!