Rose Finch

Scientific Name: Lagonosticta larvata

Origin: West Africa

A very peaceful waxbill, similar to the African Fire Finch, that agrees readily with others and is very attractive. This species may be housed in quite a small aviary with other small seed eaters, but must have extra warmth in cold weather.

Description:

Size: 11 to 13 cm (4 to 5 in)

COCK:

Head: dark grey. Black stripe above beak, across eyes and checks. Throat: black. Back, breast and stomach: red. White spots on sides of breast. Under parts: black. Tail: dark red. Wings: brown. Beak: grey.

HEN:

Body: grayish-brown with a red cast. Stomach: pinkish-beige. Head: light grey.

Diet: (Seedeater)

The basic diet consists of mixed millets, spray millet, soaked and sprouted seed, chopped mealworms and insects as available. Grit and cuttlefish bone must always be available.

Finch Breeding:

Pairs go to nest quite readily, building around nest from available materials, such as soft grasses and mosses.

Three to five eggs are laid which hatch in 11 days. Both parents share in the incubation. Try to provide fresh ants' eggs, chopped meal worms and mashed egg yolk. Dried ants' eggs should be soaked in warm water prior to feeding.

Rose Finch Information

• The bird is commonly found in Europe and in Asia. The area covered by the finches extends from Sweden, Siberia, Bering Sea to the Caucasus, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Western part of Himalaya, Tibet, China to Japan. The natural habitat of the bird almost extends from 25 degree to 68 degree of the world. In the cold bitter winter season the bird is also found in the southern Iran to sooth east part of South China Sea including India, Myanmar and the Indochina region.
• In the summer season the birds are commonly found in the woodland areas, the forest edges near river banks and thickets. During the winter the bird can be found in the orchards, swampy vegetation and dry woodlands of oak trees.
• The nest of the bird is generally built in low bushes. The eggs in a clutch are five in number and they are dark blue in color with dark brown spots.
• Though the global population of the bird has not yet been counted but the bird is far from being under the threat of extinction.
• Rose finches are from the family named Fringillidae. The finches that exhibit various shades of red are included in this family.
• The rose finches are found extensively in northern hemisphere of the world with largest varieties of bird breed occurring in Asia.
• There are a number of rose finch branches. The scarlet finch is one of the radiations of this finch family. The scarlet finch further got split off into middle Miocene. The middle Miocene is believed to be the genus of the rose finch found in Europe.