. Cordon bleu Waxbill
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Three Cordon Bleu waxbills are available in Australia:
Blue Breasted Cordon Bleu Waxbill
- Scientific Name: Uraeginthus
angolensis
- Sub Species in country / area of origin:
4
- Origin / Distribution: Angola and most
of Southern Africa
- Habitat In Wild: Occupy a more
temperate area than the other Cordons
- Status In Wild: ?
- Status In (Australian) Captivity:
Rare
- Age To Sexual Maturity: about 8
months
- Adult plumage: attained at about 4
- 6
months.
- Best breeding years (estimate):
2nd - 5th
- Lifespan (estimate): Approx 7
- 9 years
- Sexing: Monomorphic
/ Dimorphic. Cock birds
may have a more intense plumage colour than the hens.
- Mutations: No
- Availability: Rare
- Temperament: Insects are essential
for successful breeding.
- Cost (Victoria) Per Pair: -
Normal colour (Approx.) $ ??
- Description Of Adults: Similar to
the other Cordons except the blue is more extensive and the red spot
on the cheek of the cock bird is absent.
- Length: Approx. 110 - 120 mm (or about 4.5 - 5 inches)
Smallest of the 3 species
- Colour ( "normal" colour ): Refer
photo/s above if available.
- Weight: Approx. 10 gms (or about 1/3 ozs)
Blue capped Cordon Bleu Waxbill
- Scientific Name: Uraeginthus
cyanocephala. Largest of the 3 species
- Sub Species in country / area of origin:
?
- Origin / Distribution: Small
part of eastern central Africa.
- Habitat In Wild: Generally occupy
dry semi-desert areas.
- Status In Wild: ?
- Status In (Australian) Captivity:
Secure
- Age To Sexual Maturity: about 8
months
- Adult plumage: attained at about 4
- 6
months.
- Best breeding years (estimate):
2nd - 5th year
- Lifespan (estimate): Approx 7
- 9 years
- Sexing: Monomorphic
/
Dimorphic
- Mutations: No
- Availability: Pet shops & bird
dealers
- Temperament: Popular aviary
bird.
- Cost (Victoria) Per Pair: -
Normal colour (Approx.) $300
- Description Of Adults:
- Length: Approx. 130 mm (or about 5 inches)
Mid size of the 3 species.
- Colour ( "normal" colour ): Refer
photo/s above if available.
- Weight: Approx. 13 gms (or about 1/2 ozs)
Red cheeked Cordon Bleu Waxbill
- Scientific Name: Uraeginthus
bengalus
- Common Name/s: RED
CHEEKED CORDON BLEU WAXBILL, RED CHEEKED
CORDON BLEU, RED CHEEKED WAXBILL.
- Sub Species in country / area of origin:
5
- Origin / Distribution: Across
central Africa
- Habitat In Wild: Dry
woodlands and will forage in farmlands, villages, parks and gardens.
- Status In Wild: ?
- Status In (Australian) Captivity:
Secure
- Age To Sexual Maturity: About 8
months
- Adult plumage: attained at about 4
- 6
months.
- Best breeding years (estimate):
2nd - 5th
- Lifespan (estimate): Approx. 7
- 9 years
- Sexing: Monomorphic
/
Dimorphic Cock bird the broad crescent
shaped spot on each cheek. The hen does not have the cheek spot.
- Mutations: Yes, includes white and pied.
- Availability: Pet shops & bird
dealers
- Temperament: Popular aviary
bird. Can be housed and bred as a colony in a large aviary. Cock
birds can be territorial.
- Cost (Victoria) Per Pair: -
Normal colour (Approx.) $60
- Description Of Adults:
- Length: Approx 120 mm (or about 5 inches)
- Colour ( "normal" colour ): Refer
photo/s above if available.
- Weight: Approx. 11 gms (or about 1/3 ozs)
Aviary Notes:
Read notes
on "Finches - Non Australian" web page
and use in conjunction with details
outlined on this page.
Level Of Knowledge Required:
Beginner / Intermediate
/ Advanced / Specialist Breeders Only.
Government Regulations &
By-Laws: Refer to "Government Laws"
web page.
Housing Requirements:
Click on "Housing birds"
web page for general details on the housing
of Non Australian Finches or read on for specific details for this finch.
Do not mix the Cordon species as they
will easily hybridize.
Cordons can be housed in a planted
aviary but can also be bred as one pair per large canary style cage.
Best results are achieved in a planted aviary. Minimum aviary
length should be about 2 metres (7 feet) long.
Best breeding results are usually with
one pair per aviary or one pair of Cordons in a mixed species finch
collection.
They can be bred in a Canary style
breeder cage of about 900mm long x 400mm high x 400mm deep (36 x 16 x 16
inches). Only one breeding pair per cage.
In a colony of Cordons the dominant pair
will be the most productive and the lesser dominant birds may fail to
produce young.
Diet / Feeding:
Click on "Feeding birds"
web page for general details on the
nutrition of Non Australian Finches or read on for specific details for this
finch.
In the wild these birds usually forage
on the ground for seeds and insects. They will forage for foods in
villages and urban areas.
The Cordon bleu waxbill requires a good quality finch mix, seeding grasses
and some fruits (e.g. apple), vegetables and green leafy vegetables. Live food is
essential especially at breeding season. Mealworms and small
crickets are commonly
used. Sprouted or soaked seed if available.
Basic seed mix should include Canary
seed, White French Millet, Japanese Millet, and Yellow and Red Panicum.
Nesting:
A basic overview only.
- Roosting nest:
Yes / No
- Nesting months: May
breed year round. Spring to early autumn is preferable.
- Nesting receptacles:
Will build a nest in shrubs, dry brush or in a half open nest box.
Will also use a wide variety of nest types when bred in a cage.
- Nest: Both parents
build a dome shaped nest with an entrance at the side, out of grasses,
moss and coconut fibre. Nest is lined
with feathers and soft fine grasses. November grass and Swamp
grass are
favourites.
- Who incubates the eggs:
Hen / cock / both share.
Generally unwise to do nest inspections.
The nest is difficult to access for a nest inspection without damaging
the nest. Adequate new nest material must be available for the parents to build a
new nest for the next clutch or to modify an existing nest.
More details on finch nests
and a selection of finch nest photos
can be located on the "nests", "finch nests"
and "finch nest photos"
web pages. Click on "Up" then "nests" then
"finch nests" and "finch nests photos" in
the navigation bars.
Breeding:
Egg Colour White/ivory. Clutch/s
per year 3 - 4. Eggs per nest 4 - 6. Incubation
approx. 12 - 14 days. Fledge approx. 19 - 20 days.
Independent approx. another 14 - 21 days. Leave with parents
till about 4 weeks of age. The extra time will allow the young to
learn some of the social and behavioural skills that will help them be
better parents when they are fully mature.
The Cordon bleu waxbill hens should be allowed time to fully
mature before commencing breeding. Best results are achieved if the hen
is 12 months old prior to starting breeding.
The young may be left with the parent
birds after the next clutch has been started, but if any aggression is
shown to any of the young, the young birds should be removed to another
aviary. The adult cock bird may show aggression to a male young bird.
A leg ring can be placed on the leg of
the young bird as soon as it leaves the nest.
Do not house the different types
together as they may hybridize.
Young birds (when they become fully independent) must be removed when
bred in a cage. Generally safe to remove the young from the parent birds
4 weeks after they have left the nest.
Artificial incubation, hand rearing or fostering will not be
covered on this web site. It is too complex and diverse in nature to be
attempted here. Refer "Specific References" as listed below and
"General References" listings.
Health Issues:
Refer "Avian Health Issues"
web page for information and references.
- Worming and parasite control and Quarantine
requirements of new birds or sick birds are considered to
require veterinary advice and therefore not covered on this web
site. Refer above option - "Avian Health Issues"
web page.
- Avian medicine is advancing at a rapid pace. Keep
updating your knowledge and skills.
General References:
Refer to references listed on "Book
References" web page.
Specific References:
- Australian Aviculture
- A/A Vol 59 No. 11 Nov 2005 Page 255-259 (Background notes on
some African Waxbills).
- A/A Vol 58 No. 2 Feb 2004 Page 25-28 (Inc cover photo).
- A/A Vol 54 No. 9 Sept 2000 Page 193-194
- A/A Vol 54 No. 5 May 2000 Page 100-104
- A/A Vol 51 No. 9 Sept 1997 Page 206-208 (Inc photo)
- A/A Vol 51 No. 9 Sept 1997 Page 194-195 (Britain)
- A/A Vol 51 No. 8 Aug 1997 Page 170-172 (Britain
Bird rooms)
- A/A Vol 50 No. 12 Dec 1996 Page 283-285 (Inc photo)
- A/A Vol 50 No. 10 Oct 1996 Page 226-228
- A/A Vol 42 No. 2 Feb 1988 Page 41-42
- A/A Vol 33 No. 12 Dec1979 Page 207-208
(Inc photo)
- A/A Vol 29 No. 6 Jun 1975 Page
84-91 (Inc photos)
- A/A Vol 21 No 1 Jan 1967 Page 1-2.
- A/A Vol 20 No 6 Jun 1966 Page 82, 84 (Red cheeked, Inc colour
plate).
- A/A Vol 17 No 8 Aug 1963 Page 115-116.
- A/A Vol 17 No 3 Mar 1963 Page 44-45.
- A/A Vol 15 No. 5 May 1961 Page 72.
- A/A Vol 10 No 10 Oct 1956 Page 113-114.
- A/A Vol 7 No 4 Apr 1953 Page 41.
- A/A Vol 6 No 6 Jun 1952 Page 65-66.
- A/A Vol 6 No 8 Aug 1952 Page 93.
- A/A Vol 5 No 9 Sept 1951 Page 112.
- A/A Vol 3 No 12 Dec 1949 Page 134-135.
- A/A Vol 3 No 4 Apr 1949 Page 35.
- The Bulletin No 15, Dec 1943 Page 6 - 7 (Breeding notes).
- Australian Birdkeeper
- ABK Vol 18 Issue 8 Apr-May 2005 Page 486-487.
- ABK Vol 16 Issue 8 Apr-May 2003 Page 465-467.
- ABK Vol 4 Issue 11. Oct-Nov 1991 Page 512-515
- ABK Vol 1 Issue 4. Aug-Sept 1988 Page 107
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