St. Helena Seedeater
BirdCare.com.au
PO  Box 126 Mitcham Vic 3132 ( Victoria, Australia )

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. St Helena seedeater
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  • Scientific Name:  Serinus flaviventris
  • Common Name/s:  YELLOW CANARY,  ST. HELENA SEEDEATER.
  • Sub Species in country / area of origin: Yes
  • Origin / Distribution:  East and southern Africa.
  • Habitat In Wild:  ?
  • Status In Wild:  Declining
  • Status In (Australian) Captivity:  Rare
  • Age To Sexual Maturity:  ?
  • Adult plumage: attained at about 3 - 4 months  
  • Best breeding years (estimate): ?
  • Lifespan (estimate):  approx. - years
  • Sexing:  Monomorphic / Dimorphic
  • Colour mutations:  No
  • Availability:  Specialist breeders
  • Temperament:  Cock birds are good singers.
  • Cost (Victoria) Per Pair: - Normal colour (Approx.) $??
  • Description Of Adults:
  1. Length: Approx. 130 mm (or approx. 5 - 5.5 inches)
  2. Colour ( "normal" colour ): Refer photo/s above if available.
  3. Weight: Approx. - gms (or approx. - ozs)

Listed on the Australian Government's "Inventory of Exotic (non-native) Bird Species known to be in Australia, 2002, updated 2003" as the "Yellow Canary".

Aviary Notes:

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 St. Helena Seedeaters should be housed per aviary.  This should minimize the chances of aggression or injury occurring.

The St. Helena seedeaters will hybridize with the canary and other closely related species.

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, 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.

The St. Helena Seedeaters has a similar feed requirement as Canaries and the "soft foods" as provided for Canaries will be consumed by the St. Helena Seedeater.

Nesting:  A basic overview only.

  • Roosting nest: Yes / No
  • Nesting months:  Spring to autumn.
  • Nesting receptacles:  The hen will build a cup shaped 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.  Nests are similar to those made by canaries.
  • 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 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 ...  Clutch/s per year 2 - 3.  Eggs per nest 3 - 5.  Incubation approx.13 - 14 days.  Fledge approx. 20 - 21 days.  Independent approx. another 3 - 4 weeks.

Cock birds can be aggressive at breeding season.  Care must be taken at breeding time if the pair is housed in a cage, to ensure the cock bird is not too aggressive to the hen.

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.

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 12 No 9 Sept 1958 Page 113-114.
  • A/A Vol  9 No 1 Jan 1955 Page 11-12.
  • Australian Birdkeeper

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