Finches | Facts & Information

Origin

All finches, both wild and captive, belong to one of four families: Fringillidae(over 125 species), Estrildidae(133 species), Ploceidae(over 156 species) and Passeridae (32 species). In total there are over 446 species of finches.

The Finch is widespread in Romania from the lowest lands, like the willow forests of the Danube Delta, to the mountain regions with alpine pastures reaching an altitude of 1500m above sea level.

The range of the finches includes the regions of Europe, North Africa and South-West Asia.

Finches Feed

Finches are easy-to-feed birds. Daily food and fresh water should not be lacking. Seeds and seed mixtures are the main food of finches.

A Finch will eat about a teaspoon of seeds a day. When the weather is cold or they are in the moulting period they need a little more food. Dietary supplements are very important.

Millet is one of the finches ' favorites. For protein you can offer eggs, milk, insects, even a little dry dog food containing meat.

Food containing vitamin D is recommended for birds that do not receive natural light. Sand is essential for digestion, it can be put in a separate Cup on the bottom of the cage. Calcium is also recommended.

Fresh water should not be missing daily. Finches also like to bask, so you can put another cup of water once a week.

Bathing is very important for finches when changing their feathers and during the breeding season.

Features Finch

The Finch shows an accentuated sexual dimorphism, the male having brick color. Goiter, chest and sides of the body, tartita and the rest of the head are gray.

It is a very social bird with personality. It will not disturb children, guests or other pets. They are quite friendly and can live in a spacious cage with other finches.

It is not recommended to keep finches with parrots or pigeons.

Finches have enjoyed popularity since antiquity because of their colorful plumage and their chirping. Most will not "sit around caressing", but over time with patience they can come on your finger and show you more affection.

Finches pinch very rarely and when they do they do not pinch hard and for this reason are not considered dangerous or harmful.

It is important for their health to have space to exercise and periodically bathe. As toys can be used a mirror, many put cork stoppers (mainly from wine bottles, which are not recommended by many).

Breeding Finch

The nest is largely built by the female from plant roots, tree bark, Moss and straw. Being lined with feathers, it is placed at the bifurcation of branches and is masked with lichens and mosses.

In the spring, during the mating season, the brightly colored male draws the female's attention to himself by his loud chirping.

The female reaches sexual maturity after about a year, while the male only after 5 years becomes sexually apt.

The female lays from April 4-5 eggs of bluish green color with reddish spots, from which the chicks hatch in about two weeks.

Depending on the abundance of food, in a season the female can lay eggs 2-3 times. In Romania the Finch is only partially migratory, the males wintering in the country, while the female and the young migrate to North Africa or South-West Asia.

Finches are generally very resistant to all diseases, but you should watch out for poor nutrition or dirty cages if you are breeding finches.

A sick Finch can easily differentiate from a healthy one; if it stays with its eyes closed, has ruffled feathers, lack of appetite, irregular breathing, lack of activity, etc.

It is often believed that a good remedy is heat, but for more safety go to a veterinarian.