or Blue-headed Parrot Finches



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feeding has to be more simple as it would take a great deal of time

doing the daily round. There is always a hopper filled with canary

seed, one with white millet and another with Indian. The birds

hardly touch either of the latter, but if they eat any at all it is always

well, as it is difficult to vary the food of these birds much. About

three times a week sprays are provided, and about twice a week

insectile mixture and two mealworms per bird. The last two things

are given on different days, so the bill of fare is not too monotonous.


Every six weeks or so cod-liver oil-soaked canary seed is given

for a week. Tufts of weed grass are put in regularly—earth and all.

These rules are not held to hard and fast, and should the birds be

moulting, for instance, more insectile food is used and also cod-liver

oil seed.


It is usual to separate the sexes as far as is possible. It is best to

have the cocks as far away as is convenient. If you have two houses

put the cocks in one and the hens in the other. This reduces the

chances of the cocks bickering and of hens doing any winter laying.

Neither is likely, but it is well to take as few risks as you can.


Parrot Finches are very fond of bathing, so do not use dishes with

more than an inch or so of water in them, and change daily.


In the spring of 1931, thinking I would be very kind to my Parrot

Finches when they were turned into their outdoor aviary, I kept the

heater on. The head feathers of the birds were continually in quills.

After a month or so the weather became warmer and so the heater was

turned off. The birds almost at once got their full plumage and began

to think of nesting. To make quite sure that it was the heating it was

again turned on and the result was more quills which disappeared

when it was stopped. Members have from time to time written to the

Magazine about birds in aviaries with heated shelters. It certainly

has not been a success with Parrot Finches here, though it may suit

birds of the Parrot tribe.


For nesting sites the best things to use are straw hats, wicker cages,

and the usual Finch boxes. The birds seem to like them in the order

mentioned. Almost any material will be used for building, but moss,

fine hay, heads of flowering grasses, and dry leaves are most often

used. They have not a craving for nesting in the flight, and as this is



