Errol Crosbie.
Copyright © 2009.
All rights reserved.
Revised: August 6, 2010


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Photograph of The Egg Factory showing nest sites

 

Pin-tailed Parrot Finches - Nests & Material

Nests
15cm by 15cm by 15cm, external dimensions half-fronted wooden boxes
A semi-translucent, half-fronted plastic box of 13cm x 13cm x 16 cm (5" by 5" by 6.5") has been used ('4')
Material
coconut fibre is all that is needed
s ome  straw can be added but it's not necessary
Fashion the fibre into some sort of nest in each box

Siting

Siting
with a colony, get them started and any container or nook or cranny will be pressed into service
 
Height
Sites range from highest available, 2 metres ('1' & '2'),
to lowest 90cms ('7' & '8')
Boxes have always been sited with the entrance facing inside
away from my gaze

However, all free-built nests have had their entrance facing outwards!
 
Nest building was even attempted in a bird bath which had fallen to the floor during one particularly intense breeding frenzy.  Once a nest was built in the lower portions of a small pot plant ('5')
Self-Built nest between shelves
 
Shelves
Nests have been built between shelves formed by the bottom of the upper cage and the top of the one below  
Entrance height of 6cms, internal height 7 cms but reduced by conifer branches laid on floor of the ledge ('3' & '6')
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Inspection
never look at a nest if construction is in progress or egg laying may have commenced.  Nest and/ or eggs will be abandoned

Nest box tops

Nest box tops
make nest box top removable if fostering is intended
Extracting eggs or chicks with a spoon without a removable nest box top is extremely difficult
Pin-tailed Parrot Finches make a small, tunnel-like nest entrance
The floors of the cages in the 'factory' are also removable
for access to self-built nests in the ledge below
 See sequential development of Pin-tailed chicks at Chicks Photographs
Link - Website - HomeLink - Pin-tailed - IndexLink - Development of Chicks