South American Finches

Abstract

One of the best kept secrets of exotic aviculture is the finches of South America. They are numerous, varied, fascinating and challenging.

The definitive book on birds of South America by Dunning lists 87 species of finches, divided into three size groups. The smallest group includes the Jacarini (3" long) and the largest includes the Saltators and Grosbeaks (up to 7" long). Colors range from jet black to cardinal red and canary yellow. Seed is the modal portion of their diet, but many also eat fruit and insects.

Probably the best known in North America is the Red Siskin (Spinus cucullatus). It has been bred by the thousands, mostly by canary fanciers who want its red genes, but there is now a consortium of AFA members raising Red Siskins for the purpose of re-stocking it in the wild. The Watchbird has run several articles about this dazzling, tiny ( 4") bird, and, no doubt, will publish more.

Probably the next-best known South American finch is the Saffron Finch (Sica/ls flaveola). The right pair will consistently turn out up to 15 young a year. Races from different parts of the continent differ considerably in shades of color, but they all have a crown and forehead orangish (saffron-colored) and the body yellow. In my experience, the Peruvian race is especially colorful, a pure canary yellow body, a black bill, a bright orange forehead and yellow wing feathers edged with olive.

My Saffrons breed freely in a cage 18" x 36" x 36", using a 4" x 4" plastic freezer box (for vegetables) with the front half open. Diet is basically seed, but especially when they are feeding babies they like eggfood, fruit and mealworms. I keep only one pair to a cage because the male can become assertive.

The third best known South American finch probably is the Blue-black Grassquit or Jacarini (Volatinia jacarini). This is a diminutive bird (about 3'' long) that has several attractions. It is dimorphic in season; males take on a glistening blue-black plumage in breeding condition and females retain their drab brownish color with striped breast.

The male has a delightful nuptial dance. He picks the top twig of a 48" bush, then flies up about 36", does a somersault and returns to the perch, meanwhile singing madly. I have watched this courtship in the wild go on non-stop for an uninterrupted half-hour at a time. The Spanish name describes him nicely: saltapalito (stick-jumper or pole vaulter).

My Jacarinis breed in an indoor planted aviary every December. They have retained their tie to the South American calendar, which has summer in January to March. A nest is built in an open, flat box the size of a cigar box, packed with dried grass. I put it on the floor where it is shielded with nearby plants about a foot high.

Two eggs are laid and usually both babies are raised, unless one of the larger birds chooses to have a livefood brunch. Young look like their mother until they are about four months old.

When I was asked to write this article I listed the species that I thought should be covered. There were 16, too many to be included in a single article. All 16 have been imported successfully and have been rewarding birds to keep in a mixed collection. I have to pare that list down to just a few more species to discuss.

My favorite on that list is the Parrotbilled Seedeater (Sporophila peruviana). It is a small brown bird but really quite colorful. Females are plain brown but the male has grayish brown upper parts, a noticeable liq ht bar on the wing, a light spot at the wing elbow, a black throat and a black cumberbund. All of this is on a bird four inches long.

But the most striking feature is the hooked bill. The Spanish name is Pico Grueso (huge beak), and both names describe the bird well. It is not a psittacine (parrot-family) bird, of course. It really is close to one of Darwin's finches. But it can be described as a bird the size of a house wren with a parrot beak.

Evolution produced the Parrotbilled Seedeater by adapting it to feed on plants that require specialized harvesting utensils. This has continuing value for the bird; I find myself putting off catching one as long as I can. That beak is worse than a female budgie's when it finds your cuticle!

Lindsay Clack, Pittsburgh Aviary Director, has had good success raising the Chaco Finch (Saltatricula multicolor). This is an attractive, larger finch (about 6") from Argentina. It is basically brown, with black face, forehead and sides of the neck. Throat and belly are white and underparts are a rich cinnamon color. I think these are not now being imported but there may be aviaryproduced specimens around.

Rather similar to the Chaco Finch is another that I find interesting, the Diuca Finch (Diuca diuca). It is more gray than the Chaco and has an eye ring. Undertail converts are chestnut and the black tail has white tips on the outer feathers. The Bolivian and Peruvian species I have had have white wing patches. I never did succeed in breeding them and do not know anyone who has.

The Collared Warbling Finch (Poospiza hispaniolensis) is more beautiful than its word-description sounds. The male is in shades of gray, black and white. The female has a similar pattern but is more brownish. There is no problem sexing adults. The male has a black face with a white lower-lid. Sides are gray and underparts are white. There is a wide, black, breast band. The tail is black with white edges.

I have a self-sustaining colony of Collared Warbling Finches that has been in my atrium for about 15 years. I have no idea what generation they have reached, but it is several. I know when they have babies because the adults are waiting for me in the morning when I arrive with egg food and mealworms. At other times of the year they eat only seed. The male has a sweet song.

I mentioned the Red Siskin above.

There are two other interesting Siskins, the Hooded and the Black.

 

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