Lavender Finch

Scientific Name: Lagonosticta caerulescens

Origin: West Africa

This is a lively finch with quick movements, which makes a peaceful yet interesting addition to a mixed aviary. However, it also has a tendency to pluck its own feathers and also those of its companions. For this reason, it is recommended that only one pair of this specie should be kept. A lone pair des not pluck each other quite so readily as several kept together. This specie becomes tamed very quickly and has a quiet murmuring song, which is repeated quite frequently as it settles down to roost.

Description:

Size: 13 cm (5 in)

COCK:

Body: Grey. Rump: scarlet. Beak: dark grey. Legs: dark grey. HEN:

Similar, but the gray plumage appears slightly muted and is often more smoky-brown in tone. The hen is slightly smaller.

Diet: (Seed eater)

Mixed millets form the basic diet. Green-food, spray millet and some live food such as fresh ants' eggs should be provided. Grit and cuttlefish bone must always be available.

This specie needs protection from severe weather in an indoor flight but extra heat is not necessary.

Although it often looks very scruffy when offered for sale because of its habit of feather plucking, this should not deter prospective buyer. It does not indicate poor health. Once installed in an aviary, the bird would soon improve.

Breeding:

A Lavender Finch pair nests happily in sanest box with a small round entrance hole or in a globular wicker basket. Sometimes the birds build their own nest in bush. Plenty of nesting material should be provided including soft grasses, moss, wool and feathers. The hen lays four to five round white eggs and incubation usually lasts about 12 days. The young fledge in 14 days.

Soaked seed, egg rearing food and soaked bread should he provided for rearing the young. Extra supplies of fresh ants' eggs should be given.

Occasionally the lavender breeds with the Fire Finch, if housed in the same aviary. This produces hybrid which is very attractive in appearance.

The Lavender Finch can be allowed free flight outside the aviary during the breeding season, once a nest has been completed, as it returns to feed its young.

Lavender Finch Information

• The lavender finch is the natural inhabitant of West Africa. Their territory covers from West Africat to Senegal and south west chad to northern Cameroon.
• In wild the bird prefers to stay in pairs or in small groups.
• The birds have the ability to fly very fast in air.
• Have a natural instinct of roosting in their nest at night.
• In case they fail to find any proper nest to roost they are often seen to be sleeping on tree branches with their head drooping downwards.
• Generally in wild the pairs start breeding and nesting in the later half of the rainy season.