Aussie Finch Forum

Will Zebra Finches build their own nests from scratch?

they do out in the wild so i dont see why not in an aviary only if they have the right materials to do it though.

Emu feathers and swamp grass do then ?

Definitely, mine have nested in brush and crevices in frame or behind boxes.
They do seem to prefer boxes or hollow logs, but they can certainly make do.
Mine get white feathers and wild grass (the ones we call fairy grass and helicopter grass seem to be their favourites), but like jazz musos and bushies, zebs are no doubt great improvisers.

I've seen an aviary where no nest boxes were provided for zebras, barbary and talpocoti doves... lots of little twig nests from the zebras, platforms from the doves all made themselves.

mattymeischke wrote: zebs are no doubt great improvisers

Let's face it, they'll nest in 1/2 dozen pieces of grass in a seed bown if they had to.

My zebs have built their own nests a few times now. I prefer to use boxes as the finch made nests are often unstable and I can keep an eye on the the chicks alot easier in the boxes.