Abstract
Jerry Jennings
The Chestnut-breasted Finch (Lonchura castaneothorax) is one of three Australian Mannikins, the only one still in American aviculture to the best of my knowledge, and perhaps the most striking of all the Lonchura. The other two Australian Mannikins, the Yellow-rumped Finch (Lonchura Oavipyrmna) and Pietorella Finch (Heteromunia pectoralis), were kept by U.S. breeders in the forties and fifties, but seem to have disappeared sometime shortly after the Australian embargo on wildlife exports in 1959.
Although I have never seen the Pieterella, I was fortunate to obtain two female and one male Yellow-rumped Finches in the Spring of l 973. These birds laid several clutches of eggs, however, many were infertile and the parents did not incubate them as well as they might. By the end of the year all three birds had expired for unknown reasons. One egg in a clutch of five, placed under Societies, did hatch and the chick lived to about 18 days.
During the past three years small numbers of Chestnut-breasted Finches have been imported and are enjoying increasing popularity with more advanced breeders. Their handsome appearance and willingness to breed under the proper conditions have contributed to this new interest.
The Chestnut-breasteds crown and nape are dark grayish-brown streaked with a still darker color. Back and wing feathers are dark cinnamon, rump and tail feathers are straw yellow. Lores, cheeks, and throat are black. Breast is a light chestnut brown bordered by a black band, which sets off the white abdomen. Under tail coverts are black. Bill is grayblack, iris reddish brown, legs and feet black.
The female is identical in color to the, male making them extremely difficult to sex. Some observers have stated that females have a lighter shade of color, especially on the crown. This, however, is an individual variation and not related to sexual characteristics. The only accurate method for differentiating the sexes is through careful observation. The male has an elaborate courtship which includes a noticeable and elaborate song.
During courtship the male extends his neck and holds his beak open and pointing down. At the same lime the feathers of the head, breast. and belly arc fluffed out. In this posture the male sings his courtship song. while bending and stretching his legs. The Chestnut's courtship behavior is similar to the Society's in this regard. The song can easily be heard from a distance of thirty feet or more and the birds will not stop their display behavior when approached. Sexing, therefore, requiresjust a little patience.
Young Chestnut-breasted Finches are quite different in appearance from their parents. They are nearly uniformly dull olive brown, lighter on the underside than on the back. The black areas of the face and throat are the last to color up during the juvenile moult.
The Chestnut-breast ranges from
Derby in tropical northwestern Australia to eastern New South Wales as far south as Sydney. It is not known how far inland the species extends, however, it covers a fairly broad climatic range. Four distinct sub-species of the Chestnutbreast inhabit New Guinea (L.c. uropy - gialis; L.c. boschnai; L.c. sharpei; and L.c. nigriceps). The Australian race (L.c. castaneothorax) is slightly different in appearance from the others.
The Chestnu t-breasted Finch inhabits grasses and reeds bordering watercourses and swamps. It also prefers cane fields and other areas of dense cover. It avoids human structures, beying shyer than many of the other Australian Finches. Although the Chestnut-breast is fairly common in Australia it has met fierce competition from the introduced Spice Finch (Lonchura punctulata) and in some areas the Spice has completely replaced the Chestnut.