1VTe acquired our first five, wild­ Wc;ught Bar-breasted out of quarantine from an importer in October of 1991. They were in worse than typical "quarantine condition" ­ barely recognizable as Bar-breasteds and, certainly, of undetermined sex. Even after regrowing their feathers, breeding the Bar-breasted was a diffi­ cult challenge as they are not dimor­ phic, the sexes looking quite similar. Setting up a true pair was not an easy The Bar-breastedFirefinch is very rare in American task. aviculture. This species also has the red bill as does The Bar-breasted , only the common SenegalFinch. This is the cock . rarely available, is about the same size as the very much more COll11110n Sene­ gal, or Red-billed Firefinch (Lagonos­ ticta senega/a). It also has a red beak, Breeding the making it possible to distinguish it, the Senegal, and the Brown Firefinch Bar~breasted Firefinch (Lagonosticta nitiduia) from all other firefinches, the Senegal being the most (Lagonosticta rufopicta) commonly imported and the Brown by Carol Anne Calvin and Stash Buckley probably never imported. A pattern of Magnolia, New Jersey white spot.s on the breast gives the Bar-breasted its broken bar effect. Of the five we had acquired, we set up two tentative pairs as soon as their feathers had regrown. As with our other wild-caught breeding pairs, these were set up in separate four foot by two foot by three foot high flights. Small, closed wicker baskets were supplied high in the corners, with clumps of dried grasses shielding the The hen Bar-breastedFirefinch shows the broken Ught bars on its er:trance and a natural perch posi­ chest as does the cock. tioned for easy access to the nest opening. A slnall handful of soft hay was placed in each nest basket as a "starter." Dry, untreated straw was scattered on the flight floor. Drinking water with Nekton S added was pro­ vided in an open, shallow dish on the flight floor. A finch/ canary seed mix­ ture was offered in a hang-on plastic The immature Bar­ dish, with several ll1illet sprays hung breasted is dull in against perches and left lying on the coloration compared to floor. theparent birds. Mealworll1s were offered in a shal­ low, open plastic dish on the floor, but these were most often ignored. Egg­ food was also offered, with no appar­ ent interest. Nesting 111aterial was provided in the forll1 of four-inch strands of burlap. Nest building com­ ll1enced shortly thereafter, with both wicker and free-standing nests being

4 March / April 1994

AMERICAN FEDERATION OF AVICULTURE Dedicated to conservation of bird wildlife through encouragement of captive breeding programs, scientific research, and education of the general public. 1994 OFFICERS LAURELLA DESBOROUGH, President (51 0) 372-6174 • Fax (510) 372-0306 CHUCK SAFFELL, 1st Vice President (813) 722-0997 GARY CLIFTON, 2nd Vice President (602) 830-4920 DAVID SMITH, Chief Financial Officer (602) 516-0561 DIANA SKALSKY, Executive Secretary (407) 892-0643 LEGAL COUNSEL VICE PRESIDENT • LEGISLATIVE AFA office, P.O. Box 56218, Phoenix, AZ 85079-6218/ (602) 484-0931/FAX (602) 484-0109 MEMBER NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS American Cockatiel Society, Inc. • Avicultural Society of America Gold Triangle Parrot Club, Canada • International Aviculturist Society Society of Parrot Breeders and Exhibitors • World Parrot Trust MEMBER CLUBS Northeastern Region NEW JERSEY FLORIDA (SOUTH) MICHIGAN LOUISIANA State coordinator: State coordinator: State coordinator: State coordinator (acting): Linda S. Rubin, regional vice pres. Peg Whitney (908) 542·7126 Kathleen Harring (305) 258·2377 Dave Bowman (616) 381·5779 Jeanne C. Murphy (504) 833-4241 (617) 469·0557 Central Jersey Bird Club Cage Bird Club of Charlotte County Ann Arbor Cage Bird Club Fax (504) 833-4241 CONNECTICUT Feather Fancier's Society Greater Brandon Avian Society B.E.A.K.S. Gulf South Bird Club, Inc. State coordinator: The Real Macaw Parrot Club Parrot Society of South Florida Capital Feathered Wings Bird Club MISSOURI Gustave Seehorst (203) 745-3697 Treasure Coast Exotic Bird Club Genesee County Avian Society, Inc. PENNSYLVANIA Mid-Michigan Bird Club State coordinator: Connecticut Association for State coordinator: Carter Atwood (816) 987-3907 GEORGIA Motor City Bird Breeders, Inc. Aviculture, Inc. Debra Foote (814) 967·2866 State coordinator: Gateway Parrot Club Saginaw Valley Bird Club Rose City Hookbill Society Anthracite Bird Club Mimi Shepherd, DVM Greater Kansas City Avicultural Town & Country Feathered Friends MAINE Central Pennsylvania Cage Bird Club (404) 248-8977 Society State coordinator: Chester County Avian Society Aiken Bird Club OHIO Missouri Cage Bird Association Margaret Fisher Delaware Valley Bird Club State coordinator: Erie Cage Bird Club KENTUCKY Dianne Holloway (419) 636·3882 OKLAHOMA Maine Slate Caged Bird Society State coordinator: State coordinator: Greater Pittsburgh Cage Bird Society Classic Feathers Thomas B. Angel, Jr., DVM •• Richard Bewley, (918) 366·7427 MASSACHUSEnS National Cockatiel Society Firelands Exotic Bird Club (606) 371-4929 Bird Fanciers of Oklahoma, Inc. State coordinator: Philadelphia Avicultural Society Golden Crescent Cage Bird Club Central Kentucky Cage Bird Club Central Oklahoma Bird Club Nancy Meyers (413) 256-3129 York Area Pet Bird Club Miami Valley Bird Club Oklahoma Cage Bird Society Boston Cockatiel Society, Inc. MISSISSIPPI Northwest Ohio Exotic Bird Club Exotic Cage Bird Society of VIRGINIA State coordinator: State coordinator: TEXAS (NORTH) New England Maurice O. Hinton (601) 857·5168 WISCONSIN State coordinator: Dawn Kopf (703) 594·3841 State coordinator: Massachusetts Cage Bird Central Mississippi Bird Club Virginia Baker (214) 374-4141 Blue Ridge Caged Bird Society David Bluma Association, Inc. South Mississippi Cage Bird Dallas Cage Bird Society Commonwealth Avicultural Society Avian Insights Bird Club Western New England Cage Bird Society Fort Worth Bird Club Parrot Breeders Association of Kenosha Exotic Bird Club Plano Exotic Birds Association NEW HAMPSHIRE Virginia NORTH CAROLINA Madison Area Cagebird Association State coordinator: The Aviary Bird Club of Central State coordinator: Wisconsin Cage Bird Club, Inc. TEXAS (SOUTH) Susan Fellows (603) 887·4930 Virginia Bob Beech (919) 855-8292 State coordinator: Birds of aFeather Avlcultural Society Trl-State Bird Club & Foundation Charlotte Metrollna Cage Bird North Central Region Ray Wangler (21 0) 732-8025 Society Alamo Exhibition Bird Club NEW YORK WEST VIRGINIA James McCabe, regional vice pres. State coordinator: Raleigh-Durham Caged Bird Society Triangle Bird Breeders Club State coordinator: (612) 753·5241 Charles Galusha (518) 686·5263 Alexis Sellert (304) 866-3433 PUERTO RICO Broome County Caged Bird Club Coordinator: IOWA Northwestern Region BUffalo Hookbill Association State coordinator: David Negron (809) 251-1153 Natalie Frumln-Welss, Capital District Cage Bird Club Southeastern Region regional vice pres. Central New York Caged Bird Club SOUTH CAROLINA ·Mid America Cagebird Society State coordinator: (206) 927·6983 Finger Lakes Cage Bird Association Rick Jordan, regional vice pres. MINNESOTA Greater Rochester Hookbill (305) 258·2373 Ted Stephens (803) 279-3374 ALASKA Palmetto Cage Bird Club of Anderson State coordinator: Association Steve Estebo (612) 432·4758 State coordinator: Long Island Feather Enthusiasts ALABAMA Michelle Keener (907) 345·2220 State coordinator: TENNESSEE Minnesota Companion Bird Alaska Bird Club Northern New York Pet Bird Club State coordinator: Association RHODE ISLAND Bird Club of Greater Birmingham Wanda Elder (901) 853·9988 IDAHO Cage Bird Club of Northeast NEBRASKA State coordinator: Central Alabama Aviculture Society State coordinator: State coordinator: . Rocket City Cage Bird Club Tennessee Wayne Tracy (208) 467-2082 Greater Memphis Bird Club · VERMONT FLORIDA (NORTH) Middle Tennessee Cagebird Club Greater Omaha Cage Bird Society MONTANA State coordinator: State coordinator: Tennessee Valley Exotic Bird Club NORTH DAKOTA State coordinator: Peter Lowry (802) 754·6494 Mary Glep (407) 892-1837 State coordinator: American Cockatiel Society, Inc. VIRGIN ISLANDS Central Florida Bird Breeders State coordinator: OREGON ·Dakota Feather and Fur Club Mid-Atlantic Region Association State coordinator: Kayla Snyder, regional vice. pres. Emerald Coast Avian Society SOUTH DAKOTA Birds Exotic All Bird Club (215) 855-4463 Exotic Bird Club of Florida Mid-Eastern Region State coordinator: Florida West Coast Avian Society Royce King (605) 393·1720 Emerald Exotic Bird Club Bob Smith, regional vice pres. Fluttering Wings Bird ClUb, Inc. DELAWARE Galnsville Bird Fanciers Black Hills Cage Bird Club (517) 764-5170 Mid Oregon Bird Club State coordinator: Gulf Coast Bird Club Northwest Bird Club Nancy Selz (302) 798·8625 Heartland Avian Society ILLINOIS South Central Region Imperial Bird Club State coordinator: WASHINGTON DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Richard Hazell, regional vice pres. State coordinator: Jacksonville Avicultural Society Bonnie Doane (708) 223·2117 State coordinator: (316) 681-2079 Thomas Marshall (703) 777·3252 Panhandle Aviculture Society West Suburban Caged Bird Club Jeri Wrl9ht, legislative liaison National Capitol Bird Club South-west Florida Bird Club ARKANSAS (206) 838·9802 Suncoast Avian Society INDIANA Avicultural Society of Puget Sound State coordinator: State coordinator: MARYLAND Sunshine State Cage Bird Avis Northwest Bird Club Nicole Vander Heyden, DVM Carol Hoerres (501) 839·2948 State coordinator: Society, Inc. Cascade Canary Breeders Assoc. (317) 786·1826 Brad Clark (301) 242·8471 Tropical Cockatiel & Lovebird KANSAS Greater Spokane Avicultural Society Central Indiana Cage Bird West Florida Avian Society, Inc. State coordinator: Northwest Exotic Bird Society Kentuckiana Cage Bird Club West Pasco Exotic Bird Club Patl Hazell (316) 681·2079 South Sound Exotic Bird Society Michiana Bird Society Kansas Avicultural Society, Inc. Washington Budgerigar Society, Inc.

6 March / April 1994 used. The free-standing nest was con­ mula and half Skipio's Soya Musca, structed ofstraw and burlap strands. the chicks grew at a remarkable rate. Western Region Central Coast Avicullural Society Several months went by with no We are always trying to find a better Coastal Avian Society further signs of breeding. Doing formula for handfeeding finches, and Robert Gibson, regional v. p. Conlra Costa Avian Society (702) 645-7608 Foothill Bird Fanciers further research, we discovered that this Exact/Skipio's mixture has ARIZONA Gold Country Avicullure Society Bar-breasteds like a moister environ­ proved to be the best to date. The Siale coordinator: Gold Country Bird Society Michelle Rietz (602) 973-9282 Golden Gate Avian Society ment than the SenegaIs. As they were Soya musca provides the extra protein .Arizona Avian Breeders Assoc. Model Aviculture Program housed in one of our upstairs "dry boost so necessary to a young chick's Arizona Avicullure SocietY Monterey Bay Cage Bird Club grassland" birdrooms, we decided to feather development. These birds I. Arizona Seed Crackers Society Redwood Empire Cage Bird Club :.Avicullural Society of Tucson Redwood Exotic Bird Society try misting them with warm water in were easily weaned at about four I,YUma-lmperial Exolic Bird Club Sanla Clara Valley Bird Club an orchid mister two times a day. In weeks of age (mid-July 1992) when COLORADO HAWAII addition to mealworms, tiny thread­ perches and a Society with clipped Siale coordlnalor: Stale coordlnalor: Ray Vander Leesl (303) 795-2088 Joe Baker (808) 966-6966 like white worms were served. The wings were introduced into the unit to Rocky Mountain Society of Avian Research Association Bar-breasted picked at these, but encourage perching and self-feeding. Avicullure, Inc. Hawaiian Parrot Fanciers, Inc. really became excited when we The Bar-breasted in this and subse­ NEVADA decided to try them on wingless dry­ Siale coordinator (acting): quent handfed clutches proved to be Joanne Edwards (702) 436-0110 Southern California sophila (fruit flies). We believe it was eager eaters, presenting no problems. Las Vegas Avicullural Society Region the combination of misting and the We have most recently discovered a Reno Area Avian Enlhusiasls Aletta M. Long, regional v.p. proper livefood that spurred them into live food which the parent Bar­ NEW MEXICO (213) 596-7429 Siale coordinator: breeding. breasteds seem to devour ravenously Kelly Tucker (505) 298-3876 CALIFORNIA (SOUTHERN) It was early in June of 1992 that we and feed to their chicks - wax worms Las Cruces Parrot Club SAN DIEGO AREA: New Mexico Bird Club State coordinator: discovered three eggs in a small, (wax moth larva). We have found it Marty Muschlnske (619) 468-3201 UTAH Finch Society of San Diego County closed wicker basket. These eggs best to leave the chicks with their Stale coordinator (acting): Hemet Valley Bird Society were removed to a pair of Society parents as long as possible to get a Sieve Long (801) 647-3653 Hookbill Hobbyists foster parents, along with two PytHia maximum of beneficial bacteria, only Avicullural Society of Utah North County Aviculturists Utah Pheasant Society San Diego County Bird Breeders eggs. After the usual 13 days of incu­ pulling them when the parents seem WYOMING Association bation, two of the three Bar-breasted to be losing interest. Stale coordinator: San Diego County Canary Club eggs hatched, onJune 15, 1992, along As far as firefinches go, these Bar­ CALIFORNIA (SOUTHERN) LOS ANGELES AREA: with the two PytHia eggs. After about breasteds are very shy birds, requiring Siale coordinator: two weeks, the Societies got "lazy" more cover and more time to settle Northern California Jaml Kennedy (805) 296-4451 and, fearing starvation, we decided to down. They have a very sweet call, Region Antelope Valley Bird Society Avicultural Society of Long Beach pull all the chicks for handfeeding. similar to the short call of the Crimson Donna Tondreaull, regional v.p. Long Beach Bird Breeders The Pytilias (Red-headed mutation Seed-crackers, only much softer. (916) 642-9050 Norco Valley Bird Breeders CALIFORNIA (NORTH) Orange County Bird Breeders Crimson-winged Auroras) were easily We believe the Bar-breasted has a Stale coordlnalor: Simi Valley Bird Society distinguishable from the Bar-breasted very slim chance of being established Santa Barbara Bird Club Jim Prllchard (707) 887-9462 to Aviary Association of Kern South Bay Bird Club since they had a white edging their in this country due to the very limited Avicullure Association of Valley of Paradise Bird Club beaks which is absent in the Bar­ number of individuals. This beautiful San Francisco Ventura County Bird Club breasted. Also noteworthy is the bird is simply another example of Butte County Bird Club West Valley Bird Society Capitol City Bird Society observation in subsequent clutches of America's lack of commitment to Central California Avian Society Philippines Bar-breasted that the chicks are very establishing species while they were dark on top and light-skinned on the still available and now we fear it is Avian Society of the Philippines I bottom, a two-toned skin that we've probably too late for them to be estab­ .Position open - contact regional vice president if interested never noticed in any other Estrildid lished in American aviculture.• I.. Indicates 2year term has been fulfilled. If no new interested party comes forward and indicates adesire to serve, incumbent remains in chick. Editor's Note: Any persons knOWing of a successful I After handfeeding in our breeding of the Bar-breasted Firefinch prior to dates I position. stated in this article, please notify Dale R. Thompson, Intensive Care Unit on a mixture of Chairman, Avy Awards Committee, through the AFA half Kaytee Exact handfeeding for- Home Office, Phoenix, Arizona. For information about contacting any of these member clubs, please call that clUb's state coordinator. SCHEDULE FOR AFA BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETINGS PENGUIN INTERNATIONAL Mark these dates and plan to attend! p.o. Box 012345, Miami, Florida 33101-2345 BOARD MEETING May 6-8, 1994 phone (305J 358-5513 fax (305J 381-6020 Country Suites by Carlson 1660 West Elliot Road, Tempe, AZ Exotic birds from around the world For reservations: (602) 345-8585, Fax (602) 345-7461 Room rates: $37 studio, $46 1 bedrm., $792 bedrm. for zoological collections

AFA CONVENTION 1994 andprivate aviculturists August 4 - 6 Knoxville, Tennessee New World Species our Specialty Call us about consortium specials!

afa WATCHBIRD 7