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Charles,
I live in Sydney and have kept
(white) zebra finches for several years in a small aviary. I tried small wicker
nests (from the pet shop for this purpose) which they
rejected in preference to building their own nests. I put the same bushes ,
dense small leafed tea-tree and a prickly hakea, (which they nest in down here),
in the aviary and also clumps of long fine grass with seed heads, shredded
hessian, coconut fibre and fine string. They used all these plus moulted
feathers from the two canaries that are also in the aviary. They never tire of
building nests and breed like rabbits.
To get them to breed in your
garden it would be best to create an area that has all the same features as
where they nest in the wild. They must have dense bushes preferably with
prickles for protection from predators, an abundance of fresh running water for
drinking and shallow bathing, plus suitable grasses dry and green with seed
heads for building nests and feeding young. Down here they like chick-weed for
the young.
Most pet shops should have a selection of books on grass finches and a different nests
to try.
If you or your neighbours have
cats forget the whole idea as you will only be creating a "Cafe a la Cat
".
The best idea is pick up your
binoks and follow the finches when they leave your garden and watch them nest in
the wild.
Regards
Lauris Hopkins
"Ku-ring-gai
Birdwatchers"
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Gerry Hopkins MMR
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