The zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) is the most common species of Australian finch and comes from the family called Estrildid, which features most of the finches that are kept in poultry around the world. It lives in the cool south and the extreme tropical north of the country, as well as in Indonesia and East Timor.
The essential
People have called zebras ‘flying mice’ because of the ease with which they reproduce. This is great if you are looking to start raising or adding a new species to your aviary, as there are very few specific requirements for them.
Zebra finches are happy to live in colonies with their own kind of birds, as well as a wide variety of other species. They will live in peace with almost all other species of finches, canaries, British birds, pigeons, and even smaller parakeets.
When breeding, both birds can be a bit defensive of their nest and will scare off other zebras. This is a natural behavior and will spread when a chick fled or leaves the nest, but it is never particularly aggressive or harms the other bird. It’s more of a loud, fast-flying warning to stay away from your home.
Feeding the zebras is pretty straightforward too. Use a good mix of foreign finch as the base of your diet and supplement with egg food and some specialized seeds like Niger or hemp seeds. Fresh fruits and vegetables are very important to your health and you will easily consume foods like spinach, kale, and cabbage and fruits like apples, pears, grapes, mangoes, and plums. With fruits such as apple and plum, remove the seeds or pits, as they contain small amounts of toxic substances, so it is best not to risk it. Access to grit or cuttlefish is also important, especially during the breeding season to replace the calcium used to make eggs in the hen.
Breeding
Zebra finches don’t have a particular breeding season like many birds do. They are triggered under playing conditions by light and heat levels or sometimes for no discernible reason! They like a variety of materials for nesting and are surprisingly good little builders. Coir, jute, sisal, feathers, and even dried grass will be incorporated into the nest, which will usually be dome-shaped. They will also happily use a half-open finch nest box, or one with a single hole.
Once the nest is finished, remove any excess nesting material; otherwise they will keep building and even cover their eggs. Anywhere from 2 to 7 eggs are laid and both birds incubate them for about two weeks. When the chicks hatch, they are small and almost hairless, blind and defenseless. Parents feed them in the nest for about three weeks, at which time they fledge fully feathered and resemble an adult except for their black beak. One way to tell that the bird has matured is that the beak will change from black to bright red in the case of a rooster or a duller red in the case of a hen.
After fledging, the parents feed the chicks for at least two weeks, at which point they may be able to fly or not be competent. If they’re not the best at flying, they will look for corners to hide in, so always keep an eye out for newbies in strange places and make sure they don’t get stuck.
Zebras can breed at insane ages of around three months, but it’s wise to wait until at least six months of age before allowing this. One way to ensure this is to keep males and females in separate cages until fully mature.
Keeping zebras
The lifespan of these little birds is surprisingly long. In the wild, they live for about five years, but in captivity, 5-7 is average, 12 is possible, and the oldest zebra was recorded at 14.5 years. They are relatively resistant to weather conditions, although any bird must be protected from the worst weather conditions.
They will happily live in a good size cage as a pair or colony, or with other birds. They will also thrive on a flight or in a large aviary cage and on a flight they can become quite human friendly when they can approach on their own terms. Being very still with food in hand before the first feed is a good way to win them over, and some may happily jump on your hand to grab the food first.
Conclution
No matter what your experience with birds is, zebra finches are a great bird to have. They need little specialized care and can be easily reproduced with a few simple supplies. They come in a range of colors and different mutations, so you can quickly get into the fun side of genetics and learn which combination can produce which colors. But overall, they are fantastic little characters that will quickly conquer your heart.