A pair of
BREEDS & their NEEDS
NEEDS HEAT IN COLDER MONTHS
page is still under construction . . .
The Cut-throat or
Ribbon Finch is a rather stocky Waxbill with a sturdy beak.
is predominantly different shades of brown with a complex barred
and spotted pattern.
resembles a Mannikin (Lonchura)
certain traits with the Pytilias,
such as the
mouth markings and downy cladding of its nestlings
of its voice and behaviour are similar.
It is 11-12 cm
(4½-4¾ in) in length
to be more delicate than the males but once acclimatised, it can
be quite a long-lived bird
In the wild
the species may be taken for a small ‘sandy speckly’
sparrow-like bird with white tips to its
outer tail feathers.
However, the broad
bright red band running right across the throat, cheeks and ear
coverts is diagnostic
of the male.
It is extremely
sociable and the pair-bond is strong so females are unlikely to
be seen alone.
but needs extra warmth in cold weather
FEATHER & BODY DESCRIPTION
i.e. the sexes differ in looks therefore easy to sex once past
A. f. fasciata, is a pale sandy brown or sandy fawn
with a slight pinkish tinge
on its forehead, crown and nape with delicate crescentic
black bars across each feather.
coverts are a darker and more greyish brown with black
The under wing
~ pinkish fawn.
tail feathers are brownish black, usually with very small
white spots, which soon wear off.
The outer tail
feathers are broadly tipped with white and the outer webs of
the outermost pair are
throat and the front of the face are creamy white.
dark red band
runs across the lower throat and extends up the sides of the
to above the ear opening.
immediately beneath the red band the upper breast is creamy
white, shading to
pinkish fawn on the breast.
On the lower
breast and upper part of the abdominal area there is a patch
of dull chestnut,
broadly enclosed at the front and sides by
conspicuous pale spotted plumage.
The flanks are
pinkish fawn, with narrow blackish fringes to the feathers
forming a delicate barred
or scaly pattern.
belly and ventral areas are pale fawn to whitish.
The under tail
coverts have extensive whitish tips backed by blackish
crescentic subterminal bars
and greyish bases.
is horny grey, pinkish grey, grey and pinkish or bluish
are brown, reddish or light brown.
and FEET are pale flesh-coloured.
In older birds the
pink tinge in the plumage disappears and the bird becomes paler
and more sandy.
lacks the red on the throat and face
and is pale fawn,
speckled with blackish in these areas.
are primarily pale fawn, with blackish markings on the sides of
the breast and flanks;
the blackish markings sometimes extend right across the breast.
male is almost intermediate in pattern between the male and
but the red
band is clearly noticeable though it is paler than in the
The tips of
its wing coverts and inner secondaries are also paler and
more sandy in tone.
female is like the adult but with paler feather tips as in
the juvenile male.
25ºC (77ºF) is the
recommended temperature for new arrivals
and it is
important not to let the temperature drop below 15ºC (60ºF),
breeding time as females can be susceptible to egg-binding.
temperatures help to alleviate this problem.
TYPE OF TERRAIN PREFERRED IN THE WILD
It is found below
1500metres in arid country where it inhabits dry Acacia Savanna,
semi-desert or desert with some trees or bushes and available
It is usually seen
in flocks, both large and small, or in pairs, and frequently on
bare branches perched high
in the treetops.
Single birds may
be seen during the breeding season while their mate is on the
It usually hops on
the ground but can also walk or run short distances.
It forages for
food on the ground, which consists primarily of grass seeds but
termites and other insects
are also eaten.
BREEDING AND NEST BUILDING IN THE WILD
Nests are built at
the end of the rainy season ~ in the dry season
They are sited in
trees, shrubs, bushes and occasionally in holes in trees and
Weavers’ and other
species’ nests are often utilised and are used to sleep in.
Natural nests are
rather untidy roundish structures made out of grass stems and
lined with feathers.
The nest is
sometimes constructed with a short funnel entrance.
bird nests in colonies.
NEST BUILDING IN CAPTIVITY
breed easily, and fast!
One of the
simplest birds to raise, and babies can be hand-trained.
A wooden nesting
box is recommended, and they will build the nests with many
bits of cloth, grasses and feathers.
A good way to
get rid of old hair from hairbrushes too.
Opinions differ as
to the reliability of the Cut-throat’s breeding success in
are nervous will abandon eggs and/or young at the
will tolerate nest-inspection and handling of their
It is far
safer to err on the side of caution and allow them plenty of
privacy and quiet.
Once a pair
has a proven track record of successful breedings they are
less likely to be easily disturbed.
are utilised and it is important to provide various types of
coarse building materials,
such as hay, grass
stems and shredded paper, as well as feathers with which to line
the inside of the nest.
when provided with
coconut fibres or long, fine grasses, they'll weave elaborate
nests that are quite sturdy.
They will weave a
globular nest with a tunnel entrance in a large finch box
Standard finch mix (they do have a
preference for the larger millets so a parakeet mix
would be fine too),
some Live food.
If kept in an
outside aviary with a dirt floor, the birds will dig in the dirt
looking for bugs.
Otherwise, if kept
in a cage, they will love to scatter and dig in their food dish.
in the form of crushed egg shell, crushed oyster shell and
cuttlefish should always be available.
If using chicken
egg shells, bake in the oven until they are a slight yellow
grind up and feed
additive in the water or drizzled on their egg food while
Breeding to avoid egg-binding
Since they have a
high-fat diet, nutrition supplements should be used.
The best way is to
add vitamin drops to their water.
Live food (mealworms,
termites, ant pupae), millet, green food,
some fruit (oranges, pears, apples).
Cut-throats form strong pair bonds and are a
Members of a pair may engage in allopreening.
Outside of the breeding season, these birds live
in large flocks.
They enjoy "dust bathing" and may benefit from
access to a shallow dish of dry (chemical-free)
Cut-throats have been known to investigate the
nests of less-bold species and throw out their
young then commandeer the nest.
tend to remain peaceful towards other
cut-throats even while breeding (if a spacious
enough enclosure is provided).
a non-breeding mixed aviary, Cut-throats may be
peaceful inhabitants, but if they show signs of
aggression, they may need to be separated from
the more passive species.
Cut-throats are prone to induced melanism
if they are not housed adequately with plenty of
To avoid this plumage
problem, make sure to provide your birds with
adequate lighting and a quality diet.
housed in small enclosures, Cut-throats have a
tendency to become lethargic and obese;
keeping Cut-throat finches in a spacious,
well-planted aviary is advised.
LIVEFOOD REQUIRED AT BREEDING TIME
Some pairs require
Livefood with which to rear their young, such as waxworms,
mealworms and spiders,
While others need
only dry and soaked seed, egg-food and a little green food.
therefore, should be considered essential until proven
Hens of this
species also tend to suffer from egg binding; therefore,
providing a constant source of
calcium and a balanced diet is
important, and breeding should be limited to warmer weather.
EGGS & INCUBATION
4-5 eggs are laid
Because hens are
prone to egg-binding, Cut-throats should not be bred until they
are at least 1 year of age.
They start laying
and breeding at different times in their native homelands but in
U.K. they start in the spring.
They are incubated
by both sexes in turn during the day.
During the night
the pair roosts together in the nest.
takes 12-13 days
The young fledge
at 21-23 days.
continue to feed the parents up to about 21 days after fledging.
Closed Ring size
emits contact calls that resemble sparrow-like chirping and
there are also wheezier notes.
The nest call is
not unlike the sound made by a creaking door
The song has been
described as low pitched with a humming or buzzing sound
also as a fruity
warble which may be repeated several times without a break.
The female’s song
consists of low, toneless warbling sounds.
The male sings
both undirected song and in display and usually the feathers of
the bird’s head and
underparts are more or less erected and the head is turned from
side to side.
best housed one pair to a spacious cage or a small group to a
spacious indoor flight.
It is essential
that they are not housed with timid finches and waxbills,
especially during the breeding season,
as these will be bullied.
Birds larger than
themselves are not always immune, either.