. Violet eared waxbill
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- Scientific Name: Uraeginthus granatina
- Common Name/s:
VIOLET EARED WAXBILL
- Sub Species in country / area of origin:
possibly 2
- Origin / Distribution: Southern
portion of Africa
- Habitat In Wild: Lightly
treed areas that include acacia and thorn bush.
- Status In Wild: ?
- Status In (Australian) Captivity:
Rare
- Age To Sexual Maturity: About
12 months.
- Adult plumage: attained at about
3 - 4
months
- Best breeding years (estimate):
2nd - 5th.
- Lifespan (estimate): approx. 6 - 7
years
- Sexing: Monomorphic
/ Dimorphic
- Mutations: None
- Availability: Specialist breeders
- Temperament: Should be kept as
single pairs. Can be bred in a planted aviary or in a canary
style breeding cages. Cock birds can be aggressive to other
cock birds.
- Cost (Victoria) Per Pair: -
Normal colour (Approx.) $2000
- Description Of Adults:
- Length: Approx. 145 - 150 mm (or approx 6 inches)
- Colour ( "normal" colour ): Refer
photo/s above if available.
- Weight: Approx. 15 - 18 gms (or approx 1/2 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 each pair an aviary of their own.
Violet eared waxbills are commonly bred
indoors in cabinets (canary style cages). They are from a hot dry
environment so when bred indoors, the temperature, humidity and lighting
can be regulated to optimize their natural wild environment and
hopefully maximize the breeding results. Optimal environment
should also help keep the birds in top condition and health. They
can be kept in an outdoor aviary. They like tall grasses, small
bamboo plants and shrubs in their aviary.
Should not be housed with Cordon Bleu
species to avoid the possibility of hybridization.
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, some fruits (e.g. apple) and
some green leafy vegetables. Live food is essential especially
during the breeding season.
Mealworms, small crickets, aphids, small cockroaches 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.
Nesting:
A basic overview only.
- Roosting nest: Yes / No
- Nesting months: Spring
to late summer.
- Nesting receptacles:
Will build a nest in a shrub or dry brush. Equally it will
build a nest in a variety of artificial nests including half open
nest boxes.
- Nest: Both parents
build a domed nest with a side entrance out of grasses and other
suitable materials. Nest is lined
with feathers and soft fine grasses.
- Who incubates the eggs:
Hen / cock / both share.
Nest is usually at the mid to high level
in the aviary. Parents usually build a new nest for each new
clutch. Adequate spare nest receptacles must be available for
pairs nesting in artificial nests before the current clutch leave the
nest. Adequate new nest material must be available for the birds
to 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 .. Eggs per nest 3 - 6. Incubation
approx. 13 days. Fledge approx. 21 days.
Independent approx. another 3 - 4 weeks.
Birds can be "paired-up" at about 3
months of age and allowed to commence breeding at about 12 months of
age.
To maximize production, the eggs can be
removed and placed under Bengalese Finches and allow the hens to lay
another clutch. When raised by Bengalese they are usually
successfully when the Bengalese use live food. If they are fostered under Bengalese,
be sure to remove the young as soon as they have become fully
independent and place them with their own species.
If Bengalese are to be used as foster
parents to raise birds that have live foods as a dietary requirement,
add live food to the foster parent birds and monitor which birds feed
the live food to the baby birds. Keep an accurate record of the
birds that feed the best quantities of the live food to the babies.
Use these birds when one has to foster birds that have live foods as a
significant portion of their preferred diet. "Pairs" of two male
Bengalese have been used successfully to raise foster birds.
Young should be removed from the parent
birds as soon as they are fully independent so as to avoid possible
aggression from a parent.
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.
Violet eared waxbills will hybridize with the 3 Cordon Bleu species.
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. 5 May 2000 Page 100-104
- A/A Vol 13 No 4 Apr 1959 Page 53-55 (Inc colour plate).
- A/A Vol 5 No 1 Jan 1951 Page 12, 11.
- Australian Birdkeeper
- ABK Vol 15 Issue 6. Dec-Jan 2003 Page 310-311.
- ABK Vol 11 Issue 5. Oct-Nov 1998 Page 234-237
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