Aussie Finch Forum

Doing the usual thing this morning (feeding the birds ) when I got a bit of a pleasant surprise. I have noticed the stars hanging around a particular part of the avairy in some brush and thought a few weeks ago that I could see a red face in there. Today heard some strange noise and had a closer look (from the outside.) Saw the stars feeding some chicks that are feathering up but the strange thing is it is a cup shaped nest, not the normal ball shaped one. There is plenty of nesting material available at all times so I thought it a bit strange. The only concern I have now is that they might be more prone to jump ship early because of the nest shape. Anyone had anything similar and is this normal?

I have had stars start laying in a partly constructed nest but they never seriously incubated in this cup-nest and the 2 eggs got built over when the structure was completed. I can't actually even say that they were the star eggs even as they are in a mixed collection and my gouldians often parasitise the stars nests. I've also has a star nest constructed with the normal front entrance but when the chicks were avout a week old the parents tunnelled through the side and gave themselves two exit options.

Never seen it happen with my own birds. However, on the internet somewhere I've seen a few pics (maybe video) of stars nesting in a canary cup with very minimal nest in a small indoor cage. Just tried unsuccessfully to find the link, but I remember thinking it was odd behaviour.

i had a pair of stars many years ago that only ever built a cup nest. yes, the chicks are prone to leave early if startled - i lost a couple each clutch that way. hopefully if it's in a quiet area they'll be ok. it's weird, isn't it? i've probably owned ten pairs but only ever had one pair nest like that.

Yeah, pretty strange and I may be lucky as it is in the rear of the avairy so when I go and have a look they don't seem to worry. Whats even stranger is that they have bred twice before in a conventional nest. Maybe they just decided a corrugated suntuf roof with green shadecloth would do and to hell with the rest of the construction!