Types of finches: description and photo

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Amadins are birds belonging to the family of finches from the order of passeriformes. They got their name due to the ability to build nests from thin and flexible blades of grass, deftly separating the fibers along their entire length. Beautiful, bright and very active birds - finches. We will present their types and descriptions in this article.

External Features

Finches are small birds. Their body length does not exceed eleven centimeters, and they acquire their bright and beautiful color seventy days after birth. The male has a brighter plumage, while the female is much paler, with black stripes on her head. Young birds are distinguished by the presence of a black beak, which looks rather unusual, since its texture resembles wax. It is for this reason that birds are sometimes called waxbills. Various types of finches have different colors, but we will talk about this a little later.

Habitat

These small birds are distributed throughout almost the entire territory of South Asia. Some species of finches live in the southeast of China,Sumatra, Java, Lombok, Timor, Myanmar, Malaysia, India, Thailand, New Guinea and Sri Lanka.

Views

Ornithologists claim that today there are more than three hundred species and subspecies of these cute birds. But today we will present you the most common and popular types of finches, which are more suitable than others for home keeping.

Zebra finches

These representatives of the species are most often found in Australia, and they are common there both in dry regions and in forests. If the area they like is densely populated, they settle in courtyards, on the streets, in gardens. Zebra finches, the photo of which you see below, absolutely cannot stand loneliness. Therefore, they tend to form huge flocks. They even rest, trying not to move away from each other, and scatter only in search of an overnight stay.

This species can go weeks without drinking water. If necessary, the zebra finches in natural conditions can drink very s alty water during a severe drought. For other birds, high levels of s alt are often fatal.

Zebra finches build their nests in places protected from lizards and snakes that are not averse to feasting on their eggs. Often they equip them in thorny bushes or groves, in small holes, hollows, etc.

The first information about the breeding of this species of birds at home dates back to the 19th century. Since then, these birds have become very popular among bird lovers. Indeed, during this timeoutwardly these finches have changed. Birds of this species in natural conditions have a plumage with a clear distinction between colors, while those living in captivity do not have such boundaries. In addition, yellows and browns have become more saturated.

Breeders continue to work on breeding these birds with a unique coloration that cannot be found in nature. So, in the early twenties of the last century, white zebra finches appeared with dark eyes that distinguish them from other albinos.

Rice Finches

These representatives of the species are considered the largest among their relatives. Rice finches (you can see the photo in our article) have a body length of 15 to 17 cm. The birthplace of these birds is the island of Bali. But you can see them almost anywhere in the world. Experts explain this by the fact that domesticated birds, which were brought to another country, flew away from the cages and successfully took root in the new territory. They prefer to settle in rice fields, which is why they got their name.

Japanese finches: species

This bird can be recommended for keeping novice bird lovers. This species, along with the canary, has a long history of domestication - more than 400 years. The first to breed it were the Chinese, who are famous for their ancient bird breeding traditions.

From China, this finches was brought to Japan. It was here that some of its color subspecies appeared, and at the end of the 19th century it came to Western Europe. Here she got two names at once: a public reel (for her peace-lovingdisposition) or Japanese. The ancestors of this species is the bronze finches, which still lives in the forests of Southeast Asia.

In recent years, several unsuccessful attempts have been made to cross the wild bronze and domestic forms of the Japanese finches, but in the end the work of scientists was crowned with success. A hybrid offspring was obtained, but it turned out that it was quite prolific: chicks were obtained from hybrid females and males. To date, chicks of the third and fourth generations have been bred.

Japanese finches (species with photos of birds of this family are presented in the article) today quite often appear on the pages of ornithological publications, as they are of great interest to bird lovers. Especially when you consider that today there are many varieties of it:

• fawn;
• crested;
• variegated brown;
• red-colored;
• pure white etc.

They all breed actively, but the main thing is that these birds are excellent mother hens, nannies and foster parents for chicks of various types of weavers.

Guldian Finches

We hope that the types of finches presented in this article (photo with names) will help our readers choose a cute and cheerful feathered pet. Many are sure that this bird has the most interesting coloration in its family. Representatives of the species may have several options for elegant plumage.

Under natural conditions, they are common in the north of Australia and belong to an endangered species. The bird was named in memory of the wife of naturalist John Gould fromGreat Britain, who traveled with him on all expeditions and died after one of the trips. At first, the name sounded different - Lady Hood's finches. In its habits, the bird of the Gould's finch is somewhat different from its relatives. Let's see what it is.

These finches are birds that often migrate in the wild after the end of the rainy season, when they begin to experience food problems. Of the food at this time, only dry grass seeds remain, which they find on the ground. But the point is that the Gouldian Finches do not want to eat from the ground, so it flies away in search of better conditions, often leaving nests with eggs and sometimes hatchlings.

Scaly finches

Many types of finches have become known to our lovers only in recent decades. And in other countries, back in the 18th century, these birds adorned winter gardens and palaces with their presence. It is not difficult to keep them, but they do not always breed in captivity. For example, scaly finches have recently been bred.

The name of this species surprisingly accurately emphasizes the features of the bird's plumage - its body is colored in brown tones, and on the sides and on the lower part of the body it has a dark brown pattern resembling fish scales. Her neck and head are brown, and the back is much darker. The uppertail coverts and uppertail are yellow, while the undertail is white. The tail and flight feathers are dark brown. Females and males have the same coloration. Young birds are uniform, brown-brown, with a darker upper body.

This bird lives in Indochina, India, in the southern regions of China, Taiwan and Indonesia. Settles on the outskirts of the forest, in thickets of bushes, savanna-type steppes, but certainly near human habitation.

Red-throated finches

It is interesting that in different years different types of finches were popular among bird lovers. For example, in the 70-80s of the last century, Russian amateurs, both beginners and experienced ones, preferred this bird. She got her name because of the scarlet shiny strip located across her throat. Its coloration is rather peculiar - the upper body has a light brown plumage, the sides of the head and throat are white, and, of course, a characteristic red stripe.

The abdomen and chest are painted in light brown tones with a slight yellow tint. There is a dark brown spot in the center of the abdomen. All plumage, excluding the undertail, the sides of the head and the neck, are covered with transverse dark streaks. The tail is brown, with light spots at the end of the tail feathers. The beak is light grey.

The female is not very different in color from the male, but her back and head have a gray tint, and the dark spot on the abdomen is much smaller. But the main distinguishing feature of the female is the absence of a red stripe on the throat, while young males have this characteristic feature from birth, so it is not difficult for breeders to determine the sex of birds.

Diamond Finches

All types of finches have a completely unique color. And each of them finds its admirer. Thus, lovers of birds appreciate the diamond finches for the unusual beauty of its contrasting and at the same time very delicate plumage. The female and male are colored the same. Their wings and back are light brown, the neck and upper part of the head are gray. The middle part of the abdomen, undertail, throat and sides of the head are white, chest, sides, tail and “bridle” are black. But the special pride of these birds is the cherry-red rump.

The sides of the abdomen are strewn with many white spots on a black background. They gave the birds their name. Young finches are light brown in color, and their rump is bright red. These beautiful birds came to us from Eastern Australia, where they live in grassy steppes with rare shrubs and trees. They build large, oval-shaped nests, usually in dense tree branches. This species breeds in small colonies. You can find up to twelve nests in one tree.

This species was introduced to Europe at the beginning of the 19th century, and the first offspring from them appeared in 1859. In captivity, these birds are kept in spacious cages or aviaries because they are prone to obesity and need to move.

How do finches sing?

The male uses his vocal abilities to attract the female. His "arias" are aimed at creating a couple in order to later build a nest with his chosen one and raise offspring. Owners' opinions about their singing vary: some argue that their birds sing beautifully and loudly in the morning, which even eliminates the need to set an alarm. Others find the singing of the finches quiet,more like chirping. A representative of a zebra species sings a monotonous, quiet and somehow dull song.

Amadins content

To keep these birds at home, you need to get a cage measuring 350 x 200 x 250 mm, which has a retractable bottom tray that allows you to clean it without any problems. The bottom of the cage should be covered with a layer (about two centimeters) of dried sand, which from time to time must be replaced with a new one. The cage is placed in a bright place, away from drafts, while not forgetting that these birds need to be in direct sunlight for at least three hours a day.

There should be no sudden changes in temperature in the room where the cage is installed. It should be constant - + 18-20 ° C. Owners need to know that these birds do not tolerate cigarette smoke, loud noises. Moreover, abrupt movements can greatly frighten them and even cause instant death.

Amadins do not have a great need for water, so a small drinker is suitable for them. The water in it should always be settled or filtered. In addition to the drinker, the cage should have a bathing bath and a shallow feeder.

Amadins: breeding

Today, many fanciers keep these birds. They are attractive in appearance and do not require too complicated care. Like parrots, finches will breed under certain conditions. For breeding, they will need a wooden house, 12 x 12 x 12 cm in size, with a notch, with a diameter5 cm, and in order for the birds to build a spherical nest, they need bast, soft grass and light chicken feathers.

During the week, the birds build a nest, after which they lay eggs in it, usually 4-6 pieces. Their parents hatch together for two weeks, during which they should be given complete rest, not to be frightened by harsh sounds. Do not try to look into the nest unnecessarily, as a frightened pair may stop hatching.

The female and the male take an active part in feeding the chicks, regurgitating food from their crops. The chicks grow very fast, staying in the nest for twenty-one days before leaving it. One more week after the departure of the chicks, the parents feed their offspring, but when the young finally leave the parental home, the couple proceeds to the next clutch. These birds reach maturity in forty-five days and can produce up to four broods per year under the right conditions, but should be bred after they reach five months of age.

How to choose a bird?

If you decide to have these cheerful and funny birds in your home or even breed them, you must take the choice of a pet very seriously. Its content and well-being largely depend on the condition in which you acquire it.

First of all, pay attention to the activity of the bird, as well as its fatness. If she is lethargic, does not move well - this is a signillness. Not the fact that she will survive the adaptation in a new place. A he althy bird should be active, with a clear voice and springy movements.

Ask the seller to catch the finches and give it to you. Only in this way will you determine the degree of its fatness. Too thin or too obese individuals are a deviation from the norm. Feathers should be free of visible signs of mites or parasites. By spreading the feathers, you can see the color of the bird's skin, which should be light, slightly pinkish.