Diamond Sparrow

Scientific Name: Staganopleura guttata

Origin: Australia

The colourful Diamond Sparrow is one of the most easily bred Australian finches. A pair in a mixed collection may be well behaved towards the other inhabitants or very aggressive, for individual temperaments vary greatly in this species.

Description:

Size: 1.3 cm (5 in)

COCK:

Head: gray. Throat: white. Back: grey.ides: black dotted with white spots.lack band on chest. Rump: scarlet.Bely: white. Legs: gray. Beak: red.

HEN:

Similar in appearance, but the hen has ampler red rim around the eye than the cock. The cock bird's song is a short rasping note and the hen merely chirps.

Diet: (Seed eater)

Small plain canary seed and mixed millets form the basic diet, with some green food. Grit and cuttlefish bone must always be available.

Since this bird spends much of its time on the ground, it should be shut inside the shelter during very heavy rain to prevent chills.

Diamond Sparrow Breeding:

The display of the cock is the best indication of the bird's sex. He approaches the hen holding a long grass stalk in his beak whilst fully stretching his neck upwards, then lowers his head until his beak almost touches his chest and hops closer to the hen in an ungainly fashion. Although the hen usually looks bored with his antics, this signifies that she has accepted him as her mate. If the hen is not interested she flies off.

Diamond Sparrows nest in half-fronted nest boxes in which they construct their own domed nest. Pairs rearrange the nest several times until it is considered perfect. The hen often plucks white feathers from her own breast to line the nest.

Six eggs form the maximum clutch and both parents incubate the eggs. On changing over, the sitters call out to each other with a strange snore bike noise.They commence sitting as soon as the first egg is laid.

Offer as much live food as possible during breeding, including fresh ants' eggs and boiled mealworms, finely chopped with a plentiful supply of grit.

The chicks are easily reared and leave the nest in 22 to 24 days. In the first few weeks they return to the nest to be fed and to sleep. Nest inspection is not usually resented by Diamond Sparrow's. Once independent the young should be removed from their intolerant parents unless the aviary is very large. The young move out between seven and 13 weeks of age.

Diamond Sparrows who go to nest too young should have their chicks removed for fostering by Bengalese. Do not place more than three young chicks with one pair if Bengalese, since Diamond Sparrow chicks eat particularly large quantities of food.

Diamond Sparrows have a habit of plucking each other and also sometimes their neighbors, so should be watched for this had habit.

Once the initial difficulty of obtaining a true pair is overcome, breeding results should be. good.