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There are many different types of finches and softbills.
This page will provide a little background information about the
finches that I breed. I also have a page devoted to each
type of finch I breed, with pictures taken of some of the
finches in my flock. |
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Zebra finches are grassland finches who naturally range over
most of Australia, except for the wet coast areas and the island
of Tasmania. The male is distinguished by his orange
cheeks, white spotted chestnut flanks, and the horizontal bars
on his chest. The male has a red beak, and the female has
an orange beak. The juvenile finch is a dull version of
the hen, with a black beak. They are opportunistic
breeders who will breed throughout the year if the conditions
are right.
From A Guide to Australian Grassland Finches: Their
Management, Care and Breeding, by Russell Kingston,
published by Australian Birdkeeper Publications, 1997 |
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Gouldian finches are native to the northern open grasslands
in Australia. They are nomadic, and their exact range and
the size of the wild population are difficult to specify with
any certainty. However, I have seen several sources
claiming that there are at least twice as many Gouldian Finches
in captivity just in the United States than are left in the
wild. The colors on the male are brighter, and he tends to
have longer tailfeathers than the female. In the wild, the
primary color mutations are Black headed (the dominant
mutation), Red headed or Yellow (which actually looks orange) headed. In domesticated
birds, there are many different mutations. The juvenile
finch is generally dark green in color (breeders often call
juvenile gouldians "greenies". In the wild, their primary
breeding season is December through April.
From A Guide to Australian Grassland Finches: Their
Management, Care and Breeding, by Russell Kingston,
published by Australian Birdkeeper Publications, 1997 |
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Society finches are unique in that they are a totally
domesticated form of a wild finch. They are thought to be
descendent from the White backed Munia. Most reports I
have read indicate they were originally bred and domesticated in
China, and latter were introduced to Japan and then the rest of
the world. The primary color variations are fawn, grey or
chocolate, with some being mottled with white (pied).
Society finches are VERY gregarious, thriving in groups.
It is difficult to differentiate the sexes by plumage or
appearance. The most reliable way is through their songs:
only the male sings. Crested society finches are starting
to be available in the United States, although they have been
bred in Japan for many years.
From The Finch Handbook, by Christa Koepff and April
Romagnano, published by Barrons, 2001 |
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