Finch behaviour

["Philip Veerman" <>]

Yes.

 

Many finches do this, especially during breeding (not that much protein in seeds). Immelmann's 1965 book says (page 2) "During the breeding season nearly all the species take various amounts of insect food. The insects are taken from the ground or caught in flight and are swallowed hole. In northern Australia the birds mostly take flying termites."

 

I am not sure which of the "nearly all the species" are not included. Certainly he writes for the Masked Finch "At the onset of the breeding season these finches are almost completely insectivorous." For the Double-barred Finches he wrote that they "do not appear to take insects on the wing but that captive birds eat lots of insects during the breeding season."   

 

Philip