Ruddies and Nesting behaviour

[spoton]

Have a pair of ruddies that made a nest in one of the tube type cane nests. Filled it with feathers and fine grasses. Even to the point of having a "feather door". They would take it in turns to sit in the nest during the day and roost in it at night.

Thing is they have made 3 such nests to date and only keep them for 3-4 days and then pull it apart completely just to start building again a day or so later.

Is this normal type behavior or is it a case of "told you its not perfect now do it again"???

Thanks

Spoton

[djb78]

Never had my ruddies do that before hate had them build a couple of nests before they settled but they only abandoned the other but have had my Cubans pull a nest apart to start all over again in the same fork of brush. Might be they aren't happy with the nest or location. Sorry spoton can't be of much help i just assume that they know what their doing.

[toothlessjaws]

i frequently have birds nests in the cane baskets (not the tube ones) only to abandon them.

in fact my birds build nests constantly. very few of them follow through!

i can tell you this though - the ruddies, unlike the other birds do prefer to build their nests very low to the ground. mine have only ever raised chicks in nests built in clumps of native grasses on the avairy floor.

maybe try something lower.

[Lukec]

Do you have enough nesting material available for them?...i have had them do this when there is not a surplus of nesting material avail.

[dano_68]

This sounds more like Red-cheeked Cordons who are serial nest builders...anyway, there can be several reasons:

* Something is disturbing them - other finches, ants, cockies, mossies, mice, geckos, too much sun, too hot, not enough sun - too cold
* Immature birds, too young and still learning
* Not enough live food to convince them it is worth investing in eggs

If it continues you have a few options:

1. Get a new cock bird/hen and pair them up
2. Separate cock from hen and use their diet to stimulate them into breeding condition at the same time. This can take up to 6 weeks but always works!
3. Trade both in for a new pair!

Good luck!

[Tiaris]

Agree with placing the basket very low for Ruddies (about knee height) as they may be not quite happy where it is. Are you sure its the Ruddies pulling it apart & not another species in the same aviary? If this is a possibility add plenty of nesting material as already suggested - grass & feathers & see if it continues. If these are not the case/solution, dano's suggestions seem like a worthwhile last ditch course of action.

[spoton]

Thanks for the responses everyone.

Am pretty sure its not the other breed in the same aviary (4 x young goulds that fledged a few months ago that I am waiting on colouring up) as I have never seen them go near the nest sites let alone pick up any nesting material apart from a few grass stems from the avairy floor.

I will try dropping the height of the nests to a lower level to see if that see's greater success. currently the nests are about 1.5mts from the ground.

Once again thanks for the help.

Spoton