Setting Up a Display Avairy

[Viraba]

Hi Everyone,
This is going to get you all going

I'm wanting to set up a display avairy of Aussie finches (not Zebs) along with some Aussie parrots.

What are your thoughts on mixing finches and parrots and what would you recommend ? I'm talking of the smaller parrots here........bourkes, turqs etc

Viraba

[Smiley]

how big will thie avairy be



Natalie

[Viraba]

Sorry Natalie,
It isn't much bigger then 3x2.5 metres at this stage

Viraba

[Smiley]

Pitty is was not a bigger one...You could have had a lot of different types there...I vistited an aviary that is about on hour from me and they had heaps there..it was all made out of shade cloth..it was two ac big...

You could put bourkes,teils,any of the grass parrots..but i wolud not put in red rumps...You would have to make shore that the finches you get are not agressive as well..


Here is a link to that avary I was telling you about..and the bigger parrots are on other cages...



photobucket.com/albums/v104/viragogirl/Flying%20High/


Natalie

[Viraba]

If only.........my whole yard is only a quarter acre .........and I have to fit a 4 bedroom house on that

If I try to go any bigger at the moment my wife would kill me

I'm looking at just a few pairs and the toss up is whether I go mixed or just put in one species of finches. I was thinking of gouldians (already have some), stars and maybe blue-faced parrot finches. I've been offered some long-tails but I've heard that they can be aggresive.

The other thought I had was a pair of bush budgies if I can ever find an unrelated pair

Cheers Viraba

[fischer]

Hi Viraba, There are pro's and con's with mixed collections and smaller sized aviaries, It depends wether your serious about breeding your finches or just want a display.

Even small parrots like bourkes etc, can disturb the finches enough to not breed well, Its more the size of them than direct interference with the finch nests thats the problem, Neophemas
tend to get active just on sundown and can disturb the finches from roosting, and when they fly, their size can be frightening to
the much smaller finch, and Iv'e found the finches will tend to only build roosting nests and not breeding nests.

The best Neophemas would be Bourkes, Scarlets and Elegants,I
would not include Turqs as they can be vicious toward finches, In an aviary the size your considering I wouldn't put more the 2
pairs of parrots, and not more than 5 pairs of finches, If its too crowded, the only birds that will breed are the parrots, This is just my opinion .

Long-Tails can be aggressive in a mixed finch aviary and interfere with other finch nests, they are best kept in colonys by themselves

Hope this helps, Cheers Tony

[billspets]

hello all
it has been my experance with finches and small parrot that the finches try to nest on top of the small parrots but can be done
tony i dont know about where you are but in SA the Bourkes have been removed for being listed as a member of the Neophema family
regards
bill

[fischer]

Your right Bill ;D, They have been removed, a silly mistake on my part, but after calling them noephemas for nearly 40 years, I still find it hard to get it into my head that their not now ;D ;D.
Cheers Tony

[Catbird]

I love a good mixed aviary! They can be very beautiful if planted out.

Remember too that if the birds breed you're going to need more room, so don't overcrowed it to begin with. Research your birds as to which go in when. Some bird may establish territories and when other birds are introduced they become very agressive.

Some of the finches you could consider may be double-bars or painted firetails. Bourkes fly around at night and may scare the finches (some people I know have had problems with this). I know someone with very good collection of finches, including rare species, of which he keeps scarlets as well and all species breed well together.

I'd consider some quail as well, just for balance (not black-breasted though as these may attack young finches).

All the best - and don't forget to show us the photos!!!

- Claire

[Viraba]

Thank's for your thoughts everyone. It's my intention to only really have this avairy as display. I love finches and would really like to 'get into them' but really don't have the room for the extra's.

My thoughts are to try to set it up as an Aussie native avairy and even though the neophema's are aussie of course, I'd kind of prefer to have some bush budgies instead, mixed with the local finches from NQ.

Has anybody had any experience with bush budgies in this type of set-up ? Got to find a pair of course

Cheers, Viraba

[Catbird]

Hey Virbra,

I've got planned 3 themed display aviaries. One is birds of nothern WA and will include bush budgies, as well as Varied Lorikeets, Gouldians, Stars and Painteds. I'm hoping to include Spinifex Pigeon, but they can be a bit agressive, so they'll go in last.

I have seen Gouldians and Golden-shouldereds kept together in a planted aviary, and they have the same range. Depending on the laws in your state you might be able to include a pair of soft bills like red-backed fairy-wren. The golden-shouldereds didn't seem to bother the finches and even fed together. They seemed to stick to their own ends of the aviary for most of the time. Stay clear of Crimson Finches if you are keeping anything else with red in the plumage.

- Claire