Our history with Pin-tailed Parrot Finches - Erythrura prasina

Errol Crosbie.
Copyright © 2002.
All rights reserved.
Revised: Oct 14, 2007

This is our history of keeping Pin-tailed Parrot Finches, (Erythrura prasina prasina).
1985 - bought 1 pair of imported Pin-tailed Nonpareils - eggs within 2 weeks but cock died during incubation 1986 - bought 3 pairs - no eggs; late 1986 sold Pin-tailed 1987 - moved house - no birds; 1988/ 89 - no Pin-tailed 1990/ 91 winter (season) - bought 7 pairs of imported Pin-tailed (2 died). 23 chicks hatched but all parent-reared chicks died at about 8 days; 1 to the perch from the only foster nest 1991/ 92 - 22+ eggs hatched - attempted parent-rearing but none raised 1992/ 93 winter (season) - from approximately 70 eggs - 22 to perch; most fostered; a few parent-reared. All but 2 required hand-feeding supplementation for several days immediately after fledging before fosters or parents took over their duty.

1994 - ignored birds while refitting a yacht; some eggs - no fostering - no chicks fledged		2000 - revisited records for 1992/ 93 - recreated conditions, feed etc.
1995 - late '95 - disaster trying new product as a prophylactic. It killed most cocks. Sold all stock and sulked		Egg-laying commenced from late April. Three hens and 5 cocks - all wild imports - laid 59 eggs. 20 were foster-reared to the perch.
1996 - rebuilt aviary with accent on hygiene and ability to maintain itself during working week; mid-'96 restocked but no eggs;		Only 4 required hand-supplementation. A further 4 were lost 5 days post fledging when suddenly and inexplicably they were abandoned by the Bengalese.
1997, 1998 & 1999 - no eggs; tried various diets		All attempts at parent rearing failed.

2001 - attempting parent-rearing with first generation domestics. Not successful to date - 2 weaned from 25 eggs; see 'What's Occurring' for details
2002 - continued attempts to parent rear - started initiating feeding changes suggested by Dutch breeder & Graham Lee (UK). Why are Pintailed so slow to adopt new food?Very, very few chicks to the perch.

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