Chestnut Breasted - Wild flock or Aviary release?

[biggerbills]

I recently had a young finch land within three feet of me on the front of my gouldian aviary which is located on my large patio. I reached over to my net and caught the finch and placed it in a small carry cage. I was unsure as to what type of finch it was so after checking on the net I identified it as a juvenile Chestnut Breasted Finch and that in NSW a licence is required to keep them.

I released the finch only to find 2 days later on my return from work that there were 3 finches sitting in front of the aviary. Within a week I had approx 40 birds comming in and around my patio and now 2 weeks later that number is constant. Throughout the day there are always some birds hanging around and all 40 odd come in to roost on the rafters each night. There appears to be about 5 pairs of adult birds and the balance appear to be juveniles at varying stages of there moult.

I live in Coffs Harbour (in town) and have not seen them in the wild before. Does this appear to be normal behaviour of a wild flock or is it more likely to be someones colony that has escaped or been released?

[vettepilot_6]

I would be assuming they would be wild..as they naturally occur around cane farming areas...and I have seen them in Grafton as well

[jusdeb]

Lucky you BBills . Photos please

[wagga]

Sounds like a wild flock have found a safe haven in your yard. I have friends who have Double Bars and Red Brows doing the same thing. They come and go according to the breeding season or if the conditions are right you just might have adopted them. Just sit back and enjoy the view.

[COUNTRY CAPITAL]

Beats sparrows or indian mynah's Biggerbills.
they do seem to inhabit the coastal strip, i have seen similar flocks down near Forster.
the ones i noticed were pinching seed from parrot aviaries and were mixing with doublebars.
Seems to me to be too widespread and too many of them to be just aviary escapees, enjoy the experience and snap some photos

[Nathan Morleyy]

You're very lucky,
To have them in you're yard.

Thanks Nathan

[Diane]

you just might have adopted them.

From the growing numbers arriving I think that might be the other way around, the birds have adopted biggerbills.

[vettepilot_6]

Usually round this time of year Cane is burnt off so all the inhabitants go looking elsewhere for shelter and food.....calls of your birds may have alerted them to easy pickings.....

[biggerbills]

Chestnut Breasted Finches (640x312).jpg

Finally managed to take a photo of some of the Chestnut finches that have adopted my patio as home.

There is about another 20 or so that are out in the garden at the time the pic was taken. The flock comes
and goes throughout the day and are not overly concerned by humans or my aviary security (Charlie - American Staffy)

[SamDavis]

Wow, very cool!