Green Strawberry Finch
BirdCare.com.au
PO  Box 126 Mitcham Vic 3132 ( Victoria, Australia )

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. Green strawberry finch  Updated with the helpful advice from the Green Avadavat breeding recovery Group
This page is Sponsored By:
Green Avadavat Recovery Group
An Australian site based in Queensland
We specialise in the recovery of the
Green Strawberry Finch
www. greenavadavat.org
  • Scientific Name:  Amandava formosa
  • Common Name/s:  GREEN STRAWBERRY FINCH,  GREEN AVADAVAT,  GREEN MUNIA (in India).
  • Sub Species in country / area of origin:  None
  • Origin / Distribution:  Central northern India. Distribution covers about 500,000 square kilometres.
  • Habitat In Wild:  Small shrubs and tall grasses.  Has adapted to cultivated farmland.
  • Status In Wild:  Listed as vulnerable.  Declining due to loss of suitable habitat, exploitation of lands for intensive farming and trapping for the bird trade.  Has a CITES Appendix II listing.
  • Status In (Australian) Captivity:  Rare.  Less common than the Red Strawberry finch.
  • Age To Sexual Maturity:  about 8 months
  • Adult plumage:  attained at about ? months
  • Best breeding years (estimate):  12 months - 4th year.
  • Lifespan (estimate):  About 7 - 9 years, can be up to 10 years.  Long lived for a Finch.
  • Sexing:  Monomorphic / Dimorphic (difficult to accurately determine sex - hens are duller)
  • Mutations:  None
  • Availability:  Very hard to find any birds for sale.  May be only 80 - 100 birds left in Australia.  Not all are of breeding age, many are old non-breeders.  Numbers are low worldwide.  They are subject to a "Breeding recovery program" in Australia - refer above.
  • Temperament:  Colourful attractive birds.  Non aggressive and do well in mixed collections in large aviaries.  They tend to be secretive birds while building their nest.
  • Cost (Victoria) Per Pair: - Normal colour (Approx.) $2000 = This price is probably meaningless as few birds are available.
  • Description Of Adults:
  1. Length: Approx. 100 mm (or approx. 4 inches)
  2. Colour ( "normal" colour ): Refer photo/s above if available.
  3. Weight: Approx. 9 - 10 gms (or approx. 1/3 oz)
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.

May be kept with other finches but with their rarity in Australian aviaries it would be best to give them an aviary of their own.

The Green strawberry finch is generally non-aggressive and do well in mixed collections in large aviaries but can also be bred as one pair in large canary style breeder cage.

In an aviary situation the aviary should be fully roofed.  This will minimize the risk of loss of adult birds, fledglings or eggs from extremes of weather.  The better the control of the environment, potentially the better the chances of good breeding results occurring.  The birds should be encouraged to build their nest in the rear half of the aviary.

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 Green strawberry finch requires a good quality finch mix and seeding grasses.  Sprouted or soaked seed if available.  Their favourite sprouted or soaked seed is White French millet.  Live food is not essential when the birds are not breeding but is an essential food requirement during the breeding season.  Mealworms are ideal.  Termites are a favourite if available.  Fly maggots are often fed.

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
  • Nesting months:  Autumn to spring.  (They are winter/cooler months breeders in Australia)
  • Nesting receptacles:  Will build a dome shaped nest in a shrub or dry brush.  Occasionally it will build a nest in an artificial nests including half open timber nest box.
  • Nest:  Both parents build a large dome shaped nest made of fine grasses, coconut fibre, other plant materials and the nest has a side entrance.  Swamp grass or November grass is a preferred nest material.  Nest is lined by the hen with feathers and soft fine grasses.
  • Who incubates the eggs: Hen at night / cock / both share.

They tend to be secretive birds while building their nest.  Like some other species of finches, they like to build the nest while the keeper is out of sight.  The nest may have a downward facing entrance.  This requires the birds to enter the nest from slightly below the nest.  In the wild, this may  make it harder for predators to enter the nest.  It also makes it impractical and difficult for inquisitive keepers to inspect the contents of the nest.  Nests of the Green strawberry finch are usually reused for the next clutch.  Adequate new nest material must be available for the hen to rebuild the old nest or build a new nest for the next clutch.
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. 11 - 12 days.  Fledge approx. 21 days but may return to the nest for about a week.  Independent approx. 4 - 5 weeks of age.

The adult birds may spend one or more weeks in their nest prior to the hen starting to lay her clutch of eggs.  This may give the impression to the keeper the clutch is overdue for hatching.  The temptation to explore into the nest and see how the eggs are progressing must be resisted.  When the eggs hatch the parent birds will increase the intake of insects.  This is a normal indication of young hatching in most finch species.

The Green strawberry finches have a strong pair bond within the breeding season.  Un-attached spare adult hens or cock birds should not be housed with breeding pairs.

Nests are usually built at mid to high nest site height in an aviary.  Parents are intolerant of nest inspections.  Parent birds will leave the nest as soon as the owner approaches or enters the aviary.  Leaving the young independent birds with the parent birds in an aviary situation should not cause any problems.

These birds are good candidates for each and every bird to have a closed metal numbered leg ring and a recorded pedigree or genetic history.  Each bird could have its parentage recorded and supplied to the purchaser of any bird.  Minimizing inbreeding of all birds may delay demise of these birds!

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:   www. greenavadavat.org (an Australian site based in Queensland)

Australian Aviculture
  • A/A Vol 57 No. 8 Aug 2003 Page 165-166.
  • A/A Vol 57 No. 7 July 2003 Page 159.
  • A/A Vol 55 No. 1 Jan 2001 Page 6-11 (Inc photo)
  • A/A Vol 47 No. 9 Sept 1993 Page 216-220 (Inc photo)
  • A/A Vol 36 No. 5 May 1982 Page 101-103
  • A/A Vol 20 No 6 Jun 1966 Page 80-82, 84 (Inc colour plate).
  • A/A Vol 14 No 6 Jun 1960 Page 85.
  • A/A Vol  5 No 1 Jan 1951 Page 12.
  • The Bulletin No 19, May 1944 Page 8.
  • The Bulletin No 15, Dec 1943 Page 6 - 7 (Breeding notes).
  • Australian Birdkeeper
  • ABK Vol  4 Issue 9. Jun-July 1991 Page 403-406

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