Intro Any seasoned and dedicated bird breeder, will likely have tried several if not all the different types of commercial egg-foods over the years with varying success. Whilst some waxbill species can have a broad pallet and be willing to try and eat most things, many other waxbill species can…
Building a new bird-room to my own specifications is a task I look forward to and dread in equal measure. Whilst it provides the perfect opportunity for you to pour all Newley gained knowledge into creatively customising a new set up that improves on the last set up, it can…
The Right Nutrition at the Right Time For the Gouldian Finch, and many other Australian Finches, the availability of food in their natural environment varies and changes throughout the year. But what sort of a role does this play in the birds’ lifecycle? In the birds’ natural environment of Australia…
A Parliament of Owls, A Gaggle of Geese, A Murder of Crows & A Charm of Finches. These are some of the names given to a grouping of animal species, while some of these well known, some are not so well known such as a “Bellowing of Bullfinches” or a…
What is “NATURALLY for BIRDS”? “Under the leadership of award winning Dr Sarah Pryke (at the Australian National University), the Save The Gouldian Fund (STGF) team of scientists has been working on the ecology, behaviour, physiology and nutritional requirements of a range of finches. Part of this work has been…
With the large variety of nest boxes on the market today, finding the right one for your birds can often be a case of trial and error. Nest boxes come in all shapes, sizes, material and price. So what qualities do you look for when selecting the right nest box?…
There’s always a mixture of excitement and overhanging dread when you begin making preparations for the new custom built aviary you have been dreaming about. And if like me you have built an aviary from scratch, then I’m sure you would have been guilty of it at some point or…
As our understanding of bird keeping has grown over the years, we have collectively become more experienced in understanding the needs of our birds. As a result, we have better insight in how to create the natural conditions of the wild with improved methods such as Full spectrum lighting, better…
With the extensive range of bird feeders on the market today, finding which feeder is best suited to use in your bird room can often be a case of trial and error…unless you have had the pleasure of coming across the Mangiatoia TOP4 made by S.T.A Soluzioni. This 4 slot…
We’ve have got some exciting times ahead planned for all you bird keepers, breeders and enthusiasts. With the launch of our Planet Aviary web site you can now access a free resource containing plenty of up to date information on the Gouldian finch, covering all the things you need to…
The bird room Our garage was once used for collecting unwanted household items but now sees a much more interesting life as a converted bird room. Measuring 18ft in length and 7.5ft wide, the bird room acts as my current Gouldian finch breeding room. One wall length of the room…
If you have been a bird breeder or keeper for any length of time then you will be no stranger to having crossed paths with various health issues that can affect your birds. There is no other aspect in the world of aviculture that is worse than to lose a…
How do you know when your Gouldian finches are ready to breed? If like me, you have your Gouldian finches on a lifecycle diet regime that mimics their natural availability of foods in the wild, (austerity diet, breeding diet, and maintenance diet) then you already know that all your birds…
With the large variety of different seed mixtures available on the market today, selecting the right seed mixture for your gouldian finches can be a little confusing at times, and for some even a little overwhelming. While it holds true that a good quality foreign, tropical or Australian finch seed…
Featured image by Alwyn Simple Housing There is no absolute 100% right way to house your Gouldian finch. Space availability, geographic location and financial resource all play a role in determining how best we can house our birds, and what works for one person’s set up may not work for another.…
Featured image by Alwyn Simple Although commonly known today as simply the Gouldian finch, this bird was first named “The Lady Gouldian Finch” in 1845 by an ornithologist called John Gould. Like most of us, if not all who first lay eyes upon this finch, John Gould was so struck by…