FEATURE


RED-BELLIED FIRE FINCHES IN BUSH AND AVIARY


Here in Queensland, the Red-billed Fire T


here is a small Finch that frequently slips under the radar in Australian aviaries. Maybe it is its docile


nature or quiet call. What is it about this delightful little bird that continues to thrive in captivity after fifty-six years of having no injection of fresh blood while many other species have suffered a serious decline - or worse? In this article I will explore the possible reasons for this and other matters surrounding one of the most delightful finches to come out of Africa.


Finch goes under the obscure jargon of Ruddy or plural, Ruddies. At times it has been incorrectly referred to as the African Fire finch. Other common names include Senegal Fire Finch, Common Fire finch, Fire Finch and the seldom used Australian name of Pigmy Blood Finch. The Afrikaans call them Rooibekvuurvinkie. Whatever common name one wishes to use, they are in the genus Lagonosticta and loosely related to Twinspots and Pytilias. There are eleven species of Lagonosticta. These are: Red-billed Fire Finch, L.senegala; Bar-breasted Fire Finch, L.rufopicta; Brown Fire Finch, L.nitidula; Black-faced Fire Finch, L.lavata; Black-bellied Fire Finch, L.rara; African Fire Finch, L. rubricata; Jameson’s Fire Finch, L. rhodopareia; Mali Fire Finch, L.virata;


BIRD SCENE 07


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