Zebra finches

Zebra finches are the most popular pet finch and one of the most popular of all caged birds in the world.  They are gregarious little bundles of energy that have some wonderful qualities, yet have some not so wonderful ones as well that you should consider before acquiring a pair.  I will mention both the good and the bad, but first want to set the stage with my own story.

A cute pair of Zebra finches was my introduction to the finch world.  At first, I was in love with their energetic antics and personalities.  It seemed they never slowed down, being active from the first rays of the morning sun till the last shadows before night fall.  They would eat, bathe, explore, sing, eat again, and so on till they abruptly went to bed when the sun went down.  I then noticed the male singing specifically to the female and an increase in allopreening, and before long the not so shy mating on a perch.  Only a matter of weeks went by before it was apparent there were eggs, then babies hidden in the nest I had provided.  This resulted in three more Zebra's being added, and at first it seemed like the perfect little family had formed.  That is until the parents decided they were ready, a few weeks later, for brood number two.  Then the harmonious family environment turned chaotic.  The male no longer lived peacefully with his growing kids and started harassing them at all turns.  To combat this, I built a bigger cage which seemed to fix the problem.  But only weeks later the calls of new babies once again emitted from a nest and I knew I was in for it.  It seems that when people state that something 'breeds like rabbits' they mean 'breeds like finches' because Zebra finches are unbelievably fertile and able creatures that can turn a small collection into a zoo in short order.  With the addition of three more babies, I was suddenly up to 8 Zebra's in no time at all.  To make matters worse, the now 2 month old siblings began showing signs of pairing.  Something had to be done.  I first tried removing any new eggs, but this only delayed the problem of more chicks.  I also felt it was not good for the females to essentially being laying a new egg every day to replace the ones I had removed.  I then tried adding ceramic eggs which did serve to stop the stimulus of more laying, but didn't address the problem of their defensive nature when eggs are in the nest.  I then separated the male and female into different cages, but this seemed to drive them crazy, with all the birds calling incessantly and trying to fight through the cage bars to reach their significant others.  Finally, despite the fact that Zebra's love to sleep in a nest, I put them back together but removed all possible nesting material.  This did the trick, both for the non-stop breeding and egg laying, as well as the defensive nature that they showed.  They now are as peaceful as is possible for a Zebra finch, though this is still quite boisterous for some of the more peaceful finches, so I decided to place them all together in a separate cage so they could romp to their hearts delite without annoying the quieter types.  phew...

Now to the good and the bad of the Zebra finch.


The good:
    Beauty: They are a beautiful subtle gray bird, with males having an oval orange cheek patch, chest of zebra striping, and deer fawn brown sides with small white spots.
    Interesting: Constantly on the move, engaging in some activity, whether it is nest building, bathing, exploring, etc.
    Not picky: Will essentially eat anything that you give them, though it is best to provide a good seed mix.
    Hardy: Can thrive in most temperature extremes that I have seen at least.  They do well when it is hot and humid, and have no problems when it has reached the 40s, though that rarely happens where I live.
    Healthy: With even the most basic deworming protocol, I have never had a single Zebra finch show any signs of being sick.
    Fertile: They are willing and able to breed in almost any environment.  I have even heard of Zebra's being shipped in small boxes to people who buy them via the internet, who found eggs had been laid upon arrival of the FedEx truck.  They also are indifferent to nest inspection and very rarely toss chicks from the nest for any reason.
    Price:  Besides Society finches, they are the cheapest and most widely available of all the finches, costing around 10$ for a single bird, and being available at most chain pet stores (e.g. Petsmart, Pet Supermarket)

The bad:
    Noisy:  At first I found the males unique call interesting.  But after days of non stop squawking (reminds me of a chicken yard) I realized these are not the quiet birds I had always read that finches were. Now get a couple of males singing together, with the background constant cooing of the females, and your peaceful relaxation by the aviary may go unrealized.
    Uninhibited breeding:  As I mentioned, it is much harder to get Zebra's to NOT breed, as oppossed to most finches where they require certain environmental considerations.  So expect your 2 birds, to multiply quickly if the right steps are not taken.
    Aggression:  Everything I read said that Zebra's do fine when mixed with other small seedeaters.  The fine print would add 'when not breeding'.  Unfortunately, even if not actively breeding, Zebra's are thinking about breeding and begin to get aggressive.  And from I witnessed, this is not the 'please give me some space' type aggression, but the constant pursuit and feather pulling type aggression.  Very few of the birds that I have housed with the Zebra's would stand up to this abuse (of note: Societies and Cordon bleu's were the least bothered by the aggressive attempts).
    Boisterous:  Even when not aggressive, they are simply all over the place in every other birds business, so the quiet environment needed for some of the exotic finches to breed, will not happen when the Zebra's are around.
    Nervous:  After daily interactions with all of my birds, most have become quite tame to my presence.  The Gouldian's rarely even leave the spot they are at when I approach.  The Bleu's only occasionally send me the Cordon chatter to warn me not to get too close their nest.  The Star's and Parrot's seem to actually be curious what I may be bringing and often come closer.  But the Zebra's scatter and scream every time I come around.  Despite having had them the longest, they still seem the most shy and stressed when I come near the cage.

The conclusion: An awesome bird in many regards, but one that may not be the best choice for the new or casual aviculturist, due to some potentially problematic qualities.

Rating Score: 7/10

   Mixed with other finches: 2 out of 5 (Potential for injury to other birds in a mixed collection)

   Thrive/Breed in cage: 5 out of 5

Our first female Zebra finch, Nala.  Beautiful subtle gray coat, with distince black tear stripe under her eye and orange beak.

Our original male, Simba.  You can see the distinctive orange ear patch, zebra chest striping, and brown side stripes that make the Zebra a beautiful bird.

Prepare for the fact that your Zebra's will go to nest if it is available, choosing any structure with any available nesting materials to complete their task.

Quite soon after you will see the nestlings emerging with an over protective dad being close to chase off any nearby neighbors.

You would be amazed at the decibel level of baby Zebra's begging for food, something they seem to do every 5 minutes for a minimum of 2 weeks after leaving the nest. 

Here is an example of the unintended disturbance of the Zebra finches boisterous activity, as a quiet Gouldian is frightened away from a peaceful perch by the energetic and frequent Zebra cage exploration. 

As soon as Jr grew up, it seemed like father and son would have a harmonious relationship, but things got a bit too cranky when one, then both decided it was time to breed.

No amount of covering plants could give enough space for the other birds to live quietly.

Alas, it took the removal of nests and a move to a new cage for peace to return.  Now the Zebra's are happy together, though not breeding, in their new environment.

Housing: A flight cage with a view

How much room could two small birds actually need? More than you think. We initially bought one of the one square foot cages they sell at Petsmart, but before an hour had passed watching our birds hop back and forth, I was drawing up a design for a larger cage. This would subsequently be more than doubled in size to accomodate our growing family as well as undergoing multiple interior design modifications before finding its final position on our large 38th floor patio overlooking downtown Miami and the ocean. With year round daytime temperatures averaging 80-90 and 60-70 at night, as well as the 12+ hours of warm sunshine, our birds are thriving.

I have read in numerous places that it is not the height of the cage, but the width that is important for finches.  I must say that I do not entirely agree with this statement.  While it is important to have enough width for finches to fly horizontally, the statement that finches do not fly vertically is not correct, in my experience.  It is true that most birds, when newly acquired from short caged environments, do not have the strength required to fly straight up, but they quickly acclimate to such a task, and before long are zipping horizontally and vertically with no effort.  I believe that the extra height of a cage allows a cage setting to have varied levels, that allow the birds some room of their own, even when in a mixed collection.  Some of my finches (e.g. firefinches) spend most of their time on the bottom level, even nesting near the bottom of the cage.  Others (e.g. Parrots, Gouldians) spend most of their time near the top of the cage, with only occasional trips to the bottom for the bird bath or to pick around the soil of the ground plants.  The point is, even though these birds share a cage, they rarely interfere with each other due to their natural tendencies.  They also have become much stronger flyers due to the need to fly vertically.  

So if you have to choose between height and width when building a cage, you should go with a good width to allow adequate horizontal flying.  But if you can, add a bit of extra height to your cage, and I assure you, your birds will be stronger and happier as a result.

Our first cage was 3'x3'x2' and eventually would comfortably house 4 pairs

But as our flock grew, our cage had to as well.  6'x3'x2', initially separated except for a small opening on the right side, we would eventually remove this to build one complete space.

All of our finches are very peaceful and get along well, that is except for our pioneer zebras.  Due to their growing family and boisterous attitudes we bought them a separate cage we have named Z-land.  Now they can get as wild as they want without annoying the quieter peace loving finches in the big flight cage.

My very favorite finch, a Gouldian named Sprite, would rather look at the camera then the ocean view she sees everyday.

Finch Rating Scale

After a bit of trial and error, and a lot of reading, I discovered that not all finch types can live together peacefully, and that not all finches thrive and breed in cages (typically defined as less then 50 cubic feet).  For my own future reference I decided to put together a rough rating scale for each of the popular exotic finches, so I would know which was best for the environment that I had available.  My main flight cage measures 36 cubic feet and, while it offers a decent amount of thick vegetation, and numerous perches and nests at various heights, the space is still limited.  So any addition has to be thought out.  So what I came up with was this.

The most important thing was how finches get along with other finches.  That includes how aggressive they tend to get while breeding, because whether you try or not, their is a very good chance that finches will find a way to breed.  On a scale of 1 to 5, if they never cause any problem, they get a 5, and if they are complete jerks to other birds, they get a 1.  Admittedly a bit subjective of a scale, but I tried to be as cautious as I could about where I rated them along this scale.

The other factor that I had to consider was how well a particular finch would do in the limited amount of space that I have, particularly, how well they thrive and breed, the ultimate evidence that they are doing well in a specific environment.  Once again, from 1 to 5, if they freely breed and can get enough exercise in a cage setting they get a 5.  If evidence suggests that they absolutely need the vast spaces of an aviary, they get a 1.  I then decided that any score less than 8 would not be the type of finch that I should pursue.  Arbitrary? Maybe, but it has since been very helpful and would have helped me avoid some mistakes if I had used early on in my aviculture experience.

Most of the information that I used was from the fantastic book by Russel Kingston, A Complete Manual for the Keeping and Breeding of Finches, published in 1994 (ISBN: 0958561206).  An absolute goldmine of information from one of the masters of aviculture, though I will say, a bit hard to find and quite expensive (mine was 100$ used) if you do find it.

Finch Rating Scale: Compatibility/Cage OK

  10 (5/5): Perfect compatibility with other finches and breeds/thrives well in a cage
                     Society Finch

                     Cordon Bleu

                     Painted Firetail Finch

                     Avadavat (Red [strawberry finch] and Green)

                     Red billed Firefinch

   
 9 (5/4): May find it hard to breed or obtain enough exercise to avoid obesity in a cage; prefer Aviary
                     Silverbill

                   
                     St Helena waxbill

                   
                     Spice Finch

                   
                     Star Finch

              

                      Black Rumped waxbill

   9 (4/5): May have minimal aggressive tendencies especially during times of breeding
                     Gouldian Finch

                     Masked Grassfinch

  8 (5/3): Moderate problems in a cage setting, prefers an aviary

                  Parrot Finch (Red faced and Blue faced)

  8 (4/4): Minimal problems with more dominant birds and minimal problems in a cage setting
                     Orange breasted waxbill

   Below this score I choose not to obtain for my personal collection (anymore).

   7 (5/2): Likely problems with breeding, health or obesity in a cage setting
                       Aurora Finch

                       Owl Finch

                       Plumhead Finch

                  Munia (black, white or tri-color headed, Pictorella, and White belly)

   7 (4/3): Moderate problems with cage setting with minimal aggressiveness during times of breeding
                               Longtail Grassfinch

                               Black throated Grassfinch

   7 (2/5): May have severe problems with other finches in a mixed collection
                       Zebra Finch

                       Redhead Finch

                       Java Finch

 6 (3/3): May be moderately aggressive towards smaller species and does better in an aviary     

                     Diamond Firetail Finch

 6 (1/5): Potential for severe injury/death to other finches in a mixed collection
                       Munia (Chestnut and yellow)

                       Cut throat Finch

 5: Potential for severe injury/death to other finches and do not do well in a caged setting
                      Crimson Finch

                      Dybowski Twinspot Finch

                      Melba Finch

                      Red browed Finch

                      Rufous Mannikin

Star finches

Petsmart strikes again.  We were on an innocent journey to buy pet food again when we happened by the bird section, and saw a lonely male Red faced Star finch in a cage all alone.  Apparently his mate had been bought the day before, and to speed the sale of the one left they had him on sale for 50% off.  Knowing no finch likes to be alone, and loving the sale price, we took him home with us.  He quickly acclimated to his new, much larger, home, but it was apparent something was missing.  I would pass by various stores in the area over the next couple weeks but only found already paired Star finches for sale.  Not wanting to break up another pair, I held off.  Luckily, at a different Petsmart across town, I found his mate.  She was a beautiful red faced, and like our male, was all alone and on sale.  When I brought her home it was obvious we had found the thing he had been looking for.  He immediately flew down to greet her and they instantly hit it off.  They would sleep next to each other that very night, and would investigate their new home together the next morning.

Star finches love to climb and if given a choice between a horizontal perch and a vertically hanging branch, they will choose vertical every time.  I therefore added some hanging type plants that thickened up the top reaches of the cage, which the Stars took to immediately.  After a couple weeks of getting accustomed to their environment, it became apparent that they were ready to take the next step in their relationship and have a family.  The male would begin his grass dance and sing his beautiful rhythmic song and she would receptively watch, yet no attempt was made to build a nest.  I tried various pre-built nests, and even built a wooden box type, but to no avail.  Finally I found some information that claimed Star finches like to build their own nest, about 1-2 meters above the ground in dried brush.  I therefore visited Michael's craft store and found some dried wheat bundles that I attached to a corner about halfway up in the flight cage.  That must have done the trick, because the very next day you could see the beginnings of a nest being built.  They both worked hard carrying dried grass up to the corner and weaving it into a base.  The female then began sitting on the base and creating a roof above her head, with the male constantly supplying the materials.  Last, but not least, they utilized the synthetic spanish moss, also bought at a craft store, to line the inside of the nest.  Another week went by with them modifying the nest but I was unable to tell if there were eggs inside or not.  Star finches are supposedly the most sensitive finches when it comes to nest inspection, so I stayed away and just observed from a distance.  Then one evening, about a week ago, the male was seen sleeping on his own.  Sure enough, when I glanced at the nest, a small red beak could be seen at the edge of the entrance hole...Incubation had begun.  For a week now we have seen only one at a time with one of the partners always in the nest, and the female always pulling the night shift.  We have therefore increased the fresh greens and boiled egg food that Star finches like when raising young.  They are especially fond of Dill, an herb commonly found in most grocery stores.

As members of a mixed community of small seedeaters, the Star finches are model citizens.  They are very peaceful birds, and I have only seen them act defensive when certain finch types (mainly Zebra's and Parrot finches) get extremely close to the entrance hole of their nest.  Even when on the defensive, however, the Star's only give a small chase, never going to the extremes that I have seen with the Zebra's and Gouldian's of actually pulling feathers out of the other birds.  They also have become quite talented at flying, darting in and around the various plants like a Jedi in a star fighter flying through an asteroid field.  From what I have seen, they suffer no ill effects of being in a flight cage, as oppossed to an aviary.

In summary, a beautiful and peaceful finch that gets along fantastic with other peaceful types, though may not stand up to the more dominating birds that some keep (i.e. Zebra finches).  Also one that, if given the right materials, will breed in a large cage setting.

Rating Score: 9/10

   Mixed with other finches: 5 out of 5

   Thrive/Breed in cage: 4 out of 5 (per Kingston's Manual of Finches they breed better in aviaries then cages)

Turk: Our Red Faced Star finch male.  He loves to cling to the side of the cage or to hanging branches attesting to his native instincts of clinging to reeds along river banks in the wild. 

Turk, clinging again, displaying his beautiful red face and star patterned chest.

Certainly one finch that doesn't bother any of his companions, yet still one to be curious about the Societies and their begging Gouldian chick.

One reason for the Star finches nonobtrusive behavior in a mixed colony is that they tend to go where few other birds go, choosing perches that are not exactly fought over by the other birds.

Star finches have a quiet, yet unmistakable song that they sing throughout the day, whether in courting a female or just for practice.  They remind me of Gouldian's in that respect, seeming to practice their personal song daily. 

This was while Turk was in his lonely period, without a partner.  We didn't know then, just how much one Star finch needs another.

Macy: Alas we found his partner and they have been inseparable since.

Difficult to tell a male from a female Star finch, until you see them together.   Here Macy explores her breakfast options.

Star finches are quite active, yet can hide away from sight even in a flight cage.  Here Macy decided to give her feet a rest from vertical sitting and plop right down on a nice flat rooftop.

When seen together, the differences in male and female finches becomes apparent.  Turk, the male on the left has a brighter red face and beak which is more extensive extending behind the eyes and under the chin.  He also has a less extensive star pattern on his chest.  Macy, the female on the right has a subdued red, almost orange face/beak, yet more extensive stars on the chest.  I still, however, mix them up once in a while when they are seen on their own.  That is when the song helps, as he is the only one that will sing for prolonged periods, while Macy prefers to offer only a chirp or two on occasion.

Turk hiding in the plants, while Macy waits on the sun to come back out on her sunbathing perch.  I have found that they prefer the thick plants whether I am around or not, meaning they are not simply hiding from the big human giant, but like the protective feel of dense vegetation regardless.

Besides fresh greens, Star finches relish well boiled eggs, especially when breeding.  They would spend half an hour eating both the meat and the shell of the egg.  Some books suggest a minimum of 30 minutes boiling the egg to kill any possible Salmonella bacteria that may lie within.  I typically boil a few eggs at a time, slicing each one in three parts, and freezing all but one slice.  The frozen section that I offer every morning is the first course in a Star finches breakfast.

Their nest had humble beginnings.  After I placed the wheat bundle, they decided the corner was ideal and began laying dried grass as a platform.  At this point the addition of the spanish moss did not make a lot of sense, but the Star finches knew what they were doing.

By adding more grass to the top, they created a roof, trapping the spanish moss inside.  Macy then spent hours inside of the nest weaving the spanish moss into a thick blanket and wall covering.  They have since added more grass to the top that they have woven into the wheat bundle to secure the entire structure.  This nest is exactly 3 feet from the floor of the cage, in a relatively low traffic zone.  The entrance hole is on the left side, immediately adjacent to the dried pine branch in the picture.  The entire nest is approximately 5 inches in diameter.