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Coloured Parrot Finches.PHIL MEAD looks at , the parrot finches, an attractive family of bird.
PROBABLY the most commonly imported of the parrot finches in the past was the pin-tailed nonpareil (Erythrura prasina), as it was more commonly known then. These birds were imported in huge numbers, but this has now stopped. It is a gorgeous bird and a popular subject with aviculturists.
  The cock bird is stunningly coloured. The back of the head, neck and wings are bright green, the forehead, face, throat and upper breast are deep blue. The tail, which has the two central feathers elongated, giving the bird its name, is red. The centre of the belly is also red in a slightly paler shade, which merges into a brownish yellow on the flanks and the rest of the under parts. The lores and bill are black, and the legs are flesh coloured.
Imported birds of this species could prove to be tricky to acclimatise and establish, and great care is required for a considerable time. Feeding them could also cause problems, and it is usually necessary to give them paddy rice to begin with and to mix it with a foreign finch mixture, gradually reducing the amount of paddy rice over a period of time. Once on a good varied diet they would improve quite considerably in colour and in their general health.
A healthy diet.
A GOOD diet can consist of a good-quality foreign finch mixture with the addition of some perilla, which is said to have health-promoting qualities, some niger seed in small quantities, and some Japanese millet. A separate dish of British finch mix can also be given, but they may not eat much of it. Millet sprays are enjoyed. Soaked and germinated seeds are an important item of diet and are helpful while settling in new birds. Greenfoods in various forms are taken, and seeding grasses are very much enjoyed, as is fruit. Many of these birds enjoy apple, including the pips. The fact that apple pips are supposedly poisonous should be remembered, and I am not recommending the use of these as a food for birds, although I cannot recall ever having any problems with them. Livefood is also taken, and such insects as small white-skinned mealworms, waxworms, fruit flies, aphids, small spiders and caterpillars can be offered.
A grit mixture including oystershell and baked hens' eggshells should be provided in a separate dish. Some granulated charcoal might also be a good idea, as this species is prone to digestive upsets. On this point it might be worth mentioning that one old book in my collection says that this species is particularly fond of
oranges, then proceeds to say that they come down easily with intestinal and digestive problems. In my opinion, this is most certainly not a bird to be fed on oranges.
Fresh drinking water must always be available, and it may prove beneficial to add a water trough if the birds bathe frequently.
The pin-tailed parrot finch is probably better housed in indoor accommodation, although we did house these birds in outside aviaries on a number of occasions. Although they did well, an outside aviary is not conducive to good breeding results. These parrot finches do not brood their chicks for more than a few days after hatchingm and chicks will quickly succumb to low temperatures, particularly at nights. This species has evolved to a certain way of life in their natural habitat, and as we are their providers in captivity, we must see to it that we do all we can to provide an environment as close to that in the wild.
Other family members.
THESE birds require a reasonable amount of space. They are usually very nervous, and as they have a fast flight, they can easily injure themselves in a mad dash induced by panic. They are a good species for a tropical house type aviary, and if provided with a reasonable amount of space, they can be housed as a group.
Two other species of parrot finches that are often offered for sale and are much easier to keep are the blue-faced parrot finch (Erythrura trichroa) and the red-throated parrot finch (Erythrura psittacea). The first species is almost entirely bright green, with a blue face and a red tail. Hens are slightly duller with a little less blue on the face.
The red-throated is also mainly bright greenin colour, but this species also has a red face and throat and a red tail. The sexes are alike. Both species have black bills and flesh-coloured legs. These two birds are much more frequently bred than the pin-tailed, and breeding often takes place in cages. Feeding these birds is quite simple, and their requirements are similar to those of the pin-tailed. Another parrot finch that is occasionally
seen is the gorgeous three-coloured parrot finch (Erythrura tricolor). This is a stunning bird. The face and breast are a deep blue that becomes paler on the lower underparts and vent. The back of the head, neck and wings are a bright deep green, and the tail is red. Again, the cock and hen are alike in this species. They require similar care to the pin-tailed.
This is a beautiful family of birds, and it is a pity that more birds are not available more often than they are at present.
Birds for specialists.
ONE or two other parrot finches are seen from time to
time and are expensive and suitable only for the specialist.
These include the bamboo or green-tailed parrot
finch (Erythrura hypery'thra).
This bird has a black forehead with.an area of blue behind it;
the back of the head, neck, wings and flan.ks are briglrtgreen.
The face, breast and rump are a deep orangey, the lower
under parts are paler. Hens lack most of the black and blue on the head.
This can be a tricky bird to keep in good health over a long period of
time, and it is suitable only for those with plenty of experience
with the more demanding waxbills and finches.
The Mount Katanglad or red-eared parrot finch is rarely seen and is expensive. Another colourful bird, is mainly green and is darker on the wings. The face is deep blue, with a bright .red crescent-shaped marking covering the ear area; the tail is also red. The bill is black, and the legs are flesh coloured. Hens may have less blue on the face and a slightly smaller and less bright area of red on the sides of the head.
source Bird Keeper Mag.
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