. Dybowski's twinspot
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- Scientific Name: Euchistospiza
dybowskii
- Common Name/s:
DYBOWSKI'S TWINSPOT, DYBOWSKI'S DUSKY TWINSPOT.
- Sub Species in country / area of origin:
None
- Origin / Distribution: Across
parts of central Africa
- Habitat In Wild: Hot and dry.
- Status In Wild: ?
- Status In (Australian) Captivity:
Rare
- Age To Sexual Maturity: ?
- Adult plumage: attained at about 3
months
- Best breeding years (estimate):
2nd - 7th year
- Lifespan (estimate): Long
lived for a finch. 10 or more years is possible.
- Sexing: Monomorphic
/ Dimorphic Differences are subtle.
- Mutations: None
- Availability: Specialist breeders
- Temperament: Cock birds can
be aggressive towards other finches especially around breeding
season.
- Cost (Victoria) Per Pair: -
Normal colour (Approx.) $800
- Description Of Adults:
These birds have spots that are
arranged in pairs or "twins". Hence its Twinspot name.
- Length: Approx. 110 - 115 mm (or approx 4.5 inches)
- Colour ( "normal" colour ): Refer
photo/s above if available.
- Weight: Approx 13 gms (or approx 1/2 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" 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.
The Dybowski's Twinspot finches may be kept with other finches but with their rarity in Australian
aviaries it would be best to give each pair an aviary of their own.
Spare birds should not be kept in an aviary with a breeding pair as
aggression and injury would occur.
Best results are achieved in a planted
aviary. Less reliable breeding results occur when housed indoors in a cage.
Low shrubs as well as taller shrubs and tall grasses are good.
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.
The Dybowski's Twinspot finch requires a
good quality finch mix, some fruits
(e.g. apple) and seeding
grasses. Live food is
essential especially at breeding season. Mealworms are commonly
used. Small crickets can be offered. Sprouted or soaked seed if available.
Leafy green vegetables can be offered.
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:
- Nesting receptacles:
The cock bird will make their nest in shrubs or dry brush such as
tea tree. Will use half open nest boxes and other commercially
available nests.
- Nest: The dome shaped
nest is made from grasses. The nest is lined
with feathers and soft fine grasses.
- Who incubates the eggs:
Hen at night / cock /
both share during the day.
Nest is often built close to the ground. Parent birds
often reuse the nest
for subsequent clutches. Adequate new nest material must be
available for the birds to refurbish the old nest for the next clutch.
Adequate new nest material must be available for the birds to build a
new nest for the next clutch.
The Dybowski's Twinspot finch is generally intolerant of nest inspections.
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. Clutch/s
per year 2 - 3. Eggs per nest 4 - 6. Incubation
approx. 13 - 14 days. Fledge approx 21 days.
Independent approx. another 4 weeks.
Form strong pair bonds.
Some hens may lay at 6 months of age but it is better if the hen is
about 12 months of age prior to it starting breeding.
Young should be removed from the parent
birds as soon as they are fully independent so as to avoid possible
aggression from a parent.
Until the early 1990's these birds
regularly bred in good numbers and with little encouragement from the
keeper. They were good reliable breeders. Somewhere in the
late 1990's Dybowski's started to become less reliable breeders and
their numbers started to drop. Today the numbers that are bred are
very low and few people have pairs that are reliable breeders. One
possible explanation is that the Dybowski's Twinspot genetics has become
very inbred and low fertility is the result. Careful monitoring
and recording of each parent bird's genetic background must now be
considered essential for the future of this species in Australia.
All young must have their parentage recorded and available when sold to
another breeder. Every effort must be made to mate birds that are
not closely related. Avoiding the mating of related birds may help
slow down the decline of these once reliable breeders.
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 54 No. 6 Jun 2000 Page 133-138 (Inc Photo)
- A/A Vol 17 No 3 Mar 1963 Page 37-39 (Inc colour plate).
- A/A Vol 14 No 7 Jul 1960 Page 97-99.
- A/A Vol 12 No 1 Jan 1958 Page 12-14.
- Australian Birdkeeper
- ABK Vol 17 Issue 2. Apr-May 2004 Page 74-76
(Indoor cage lighting).
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