Aussie Finch Forum

Well... i have now lost two of my favourite finches (Parrot Finch) from a Magpie! i wont go into details as its gross and sad!...

Can someone please let me know if there is a way to stop this!

And obviously i know that moving the finches to indoors is probably the answer! but i cant for many reasons, family! noise and mess, will keep the bub awake!...

The cage they were in is just a standard Finch Flight/Breeder cage!... am i better off getting a aviary built with snake and mouse mesh so nothing get in or out!!!!
Only problem, im on a budget so other info would be well appreciated

Thanks
Tamara

Hi Tammy, Sorry to hear about your finches I know I have had butcherbirds kill some of mine and it is heartbreaking. I have an aviary which no birds can harm my finches but I do have a couple of small wheelie cages where the wire is vertical so they can get there beaks in. What I have done bought some shadecloth and pegged it on they can still see out but the butcherbirds cannot see them. I have magpies every year in my yard and they have never attacked my finches.

Thats sad and sadder still is they know where the free feed id and so will be back .

Id go a new improved aviary as big as the budget can afford . Its a one off and replacing birds is going to set you back anyway so that's where Id be heading , in the meantime a couple of metres of bird netting might help and wont cost the earth .

Good luck.

Tammy, if you can or get help to build an outer protection, build about three times the size of the cage. Just get 8 pieces of wood, scrap wood will do, go to bunnings get some plastic trellis. Nail four bits of wood together to make a square, then nail the other four pieces as legs. The idea is to place it over the cage, now cut the trellis to size to cover the sides and top so the magpie can not get to the cage.
This way you can lift easy to get to cage, keep the birds away from the cage. It is a short term fix to protect the birds. Be aware the magpie will still come back, it will try to get to them , they will get scared but wont get attacked. Its a cheap fix, hopefully after a short period the magpie will realise it cant get them and leave them alone. I am presuming the magpie is nesting and see them as an invasion. This will also protect against other birds. Trellis will cost about $15.
Hope that makes sense if not let me know.

Or get some netting the type to protect fruit trees and drape it over the exposed sides of the aviary and peg it out away from the wire.