. Grey singing finch
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- Scientific Name: Serinus
leucopygius
- Common Name/s: GREY
SINGING FINCH, GREY SINGER.
- Sub Species in country / area of origin: 3
- Origin / Distribution: Narrow band
across northern central Africa just below the Sahara.
- Habitat In Wild: ?
- Status In Wild: ?
- Status In (Australian) Captivity:
Less available than the Green Singers. Pairs may be hard to
acquire.
- Age To Sexual Maturity: ?
- Adult plumage: attained at about
?
months
- Best breeding years (estimate):
2nd - 6th.
- Lifespan (estimate): About 10
years.
- Sexing: Monomorphic
/ Dimorphic, but differences are very
subtle.
- Mutations: None known. Will
easily hybridize with the Green Singer.
- Availability: Bird dealers.
- Temperament: They are good
singers. They are active, hardy birds that will breed in a
cage or aviary.
- Cost (Victoria) Per Pair: -
Normal colour (Approx.) $500
- Description Of Adults:
- Length: Approx.130 mm (or about 4.5 inches)
- Colour ("normal" colour): Refer
photo/s above if available.
- Weight: Approx. 16-18 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"
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.
Can be housed and bred in canary style
indoor cages as well as small outdoor planted aviaries.
Although they can be kept with other
finches, only one pair of Grey Singers should be housed per aviary. This
should minimize the chances of aggression or injury occurring.
Grey Singing Finches are territorial in an aviary, particularly around
the nest.
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.
Good quality finch mix, seeding grasses
and some fruits (e.g. apple) and some leafy green vegetables can be
offered. Live food is not essential in the non-breeding season but
is beneficial at breeding season.
Mealworms, small crickets and small locusts can be offered. Sprouted
or soaked seed if available.
Basic seed mix should include Canary
seed, White French Millet, Japanese Millet, and Yellow and Red Panicum.
Grey Singing Finches have a similar feed
requirement as Canaries and the "soft foods" as provided for Canaries
will be consumed by Grey Singing Finches.
Nesting:
A basic overview only.
- Roosting nest: Yes / No
- Nesting months:
Spring to autumn.
- Nesting receptacles:
The hen will build a nest in a shrub or dry brush such as tea
tree. Equally it will build a nest in a wide variety of
artificial nests. Will use a half open nest box or a canary
nest.
- Nest: Made from a
variety of materials including grasses, teased short pieces of
hessian, coconut fibre. Swamp grass, November grass and Pampas
grass are good. Nest is lined with feathers and soft
materials.
- Who incubates the eggs:
Hen / cock / both share.
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 Whitish with brown-purple spots. Clutch/s
per year 2 - 3. Eggs per nest 2 - 4. Incubation
approx. 13 - 14 days. Fledge approx. 20 -
21 days.
Independent approx. another 3 - 4 weeks. The cock bird
feeds the young after the young leave the nest.
Young should be removed from the parent
birds as soon as they are fully independent so as to avoid possible
aggression from a parent and to allow the hen to care for the next
clutch with out interference from the young birds.
Will hybridize with the canary and has
similar breeding and feed requirements as the canary.
They prefer to nest high up in the
aviary.
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 51 No. 12 Dec 1997 Page 265-266
- Australian Birdkeeper
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