Masked Grass Finch

Scientific Name: Poephila personata

This attractive grass finch spends a great deal of time on the ground and is sometimes a little less hardy than other species of grass finch. However, it thrives well if provided with suitable accommodation with protection against damp and cold. Although not aggressive, except in the breeding season, this bird has a tendency to disturb its aviary companions with frequent alarm calls for no particular reason. It is not a good bird to exhibit, since it sits on the cage floor too frequently. Description:

Size: 13 cm (5 in)

COCK:

Body: cream-grey. Wings: beige. Tail, mask and upper thighs: black. Beak: yellow.

HEN:

Very similar but a little paler in color with a slightly smaller mask. The hen's beak is also a paler yellow. Behavior is a more reliable indication to the sex of the bird, but the cock must he watched carefully to spot the ruffling of his throat feathers and to hear his song.

Diet: (Seedeater)

Plain canary seed, mixed millet and finch tonic seed form the basic diet. Charcoal should always be available, for without this breeding is not attempted. Grit and cuttlefish bone are also necessary.

Breeding:

Standard half-open nest boxes should be provided at low levels. If several pairs are kept, they should be allowed plenty of space between nesting sites. Once the hen has accepted a nest box, it is 21 days until the first egg is laid. Progress is far slower than that of other grass finches. The nest building is a lengthy affair with both parents taking part in lining the nest with moss and feathers. The normal clutch is five eggs, with cock and hen sharing the incubation and rearing of the chicks. Masked Grass finches tend to rear their young on one solitary type of food. Some parents feed only sprouted seed, others only standard canary rearing food mixed with hard-boiled egg or brown bread and milk. So seek out live food. Watch carefully to learn their preference and always provide larger amounts of the favored dish until the young are independent. The juvenile molt commences when the chicks are nine weeks old. This specie is sometimes rather aggressive during the breeding season.

Masked Grass finches have hybridized many occasions with the Longhaired, Parson Finch, Zebra Finch, Birchen, Cherry Finch and Chestnut-Breasted Finch.

If difficulties occur in rearing young Masked Grass finches, Bengalese may be mused as foster parents.

To promote proper breeding and nesting you may offer the birds with a nest box with a hole for free passing. A half open box would be an ideal one. You may serve the pair with coconut fibers for forming the base while the burlap or soft feathers for lining the nest. You are recommended to leave these birds alone while they are sitting on the eggs as they have the tendency of abandoning their eggs or chicks if disturbed. Place the young birds with other masked grass finch as soon as they learn eating on their own.

The Masked grass finch is actually the sub specie of white eared masked grass finch.