The Biology and Husbandry of Whydahs & Combassous by Luis F. Baptista Chairman and Curator California Academy of Sciences

The word "finch" is a catchall phrase that includes belonging to several unrelated families whose members have conical bills and tend to forage on seeds as their main food item. 1be Cardueline Finches include species such as Linnets, Goldfinches and Canaries, who build open cup nests. 1be Emberizid Finches include some 279 species, and contain a diverse assortment ofsmall songbirds ranging from 50+ gram Saltators to Pair ofPintailed Whydahs

Cardueline Finch fledgling begging to be fed by parent. Note that the neck is tiny 8 gram Seedeaters and Grass­ stretchedforward and bill is wide open. quits. The Weaver Finches belong to (F1~om Nicolai 1967). the family Ploceidae and actually weave nests using special stitches and knots. The Estrildid Finches () include the Waxbills, Mannikins and Australian Grass­ finches. They build domed-over nests that are' 'thatched" like the roof of a grass cottage. Because of their beauty and usually easy maintenance, Estrildid Finches have been popular subjects of avicul­ ture and a good number of species are well established in the hobby. Some ofthe other finch groups, nota­ bly the viduines, have been relatively neglected by aviculturists. In this essay I bring together some of the lit­ Estrildid Finch (Violet-eared Waxbill) begging to be fed by parent. Note that erature on this finch group which are the head is twisted and held below the not readily accessible to the average horizontal. This method ofbegging is aviculturist. unique to Est1 4 ildid Finches and to the parasitic viduines. (F1 4 0m Nicolai 1967). Introduction to the Viduine Finches One subfamily of the weaver finches, The Viduinae or viduines in the anglicized version, include the Whydahs and Combassous who are brood parasites. Like the European Cuckoo or North American Brown­ headed Cowbird, viduines do not build nests but instead lay their eggs

40 February / March 1992 in nests of estrildid finches and depend on the latter to raise their ABOUT BIRDS Kathleen Szabo Harring young. With the exception of the ~ (815)648-4078 ~ domestic handraised babies Pintail Whydah (Vidua macroura) Po.~ Roudybush Diets \'1') (305) 258-2373 who lays its eggs in nests of several Waxbill (Estrilda) species, each Handfed & imported birds LUV THEM BIRDS, INC. I'Q Box 0285, Goulds, FL33170 viduine species lays its eggs in nests 11508 Rt. 173 HEBRON, IL 60034 ofonly one host finch species.

Identification ofViduines BIRDS OF DISTINCTION The Wright Roost Healthy, Handfed Birds Jeri Wright Viduines may be divided into three 1 Breeder Supplies (206) 838·9802 groups. One group which includes Greys· Conures· Cockatiels NOW HAND-FEEDING White-faced Cockatiels. Finches Hyacinths & othermacaws, Cockatoos the Pintail, Steel (V hypocherina), Conures & Amazons Queen (V regia), and Fischer's (V (704) 821-6998 Domestic, Close-Banded fisheri) Whydahs have straw-like tails 5822 Highway 74 W, Monroe, C 28110 Roudybush Distributor and are placed in the subgenus Vidua. These species are easily identified. The second group, the Combassous, also known as Widow Finches or Atlas Finches, are placed in the sub­ genus Hypochera. All have short tails although occasionally individuals do appear with slightly elongated rectrices. Distinguishing species in this group is a great challenge as developed below. The third group, the Paradise Whydahs, have long flat­ Quality cage products tened rectrices, and are placed in the ... will enhance the breeding potential of your birds subgenus Steganura. Combassou males may vary geogra­ phically in color within a species, but 1/2" x 3" Mesh 12 gao always utilize the same host. The suitable for same species may be blue, or green, everything from or even purple in some regions. Two Finch to Macaws. species of Combassous may live in 1 • x 3" Mesh 10 gao the same area in but each will suitable for larger Amazons, parasitize a different Firefinch. Mim­ Macaws and Cockatoos. icking the song and other vocaliza­ tions of the correct Firefinch ensures that the female will make the correct California Breeder mate choice. For example, the Vil­ lage Indigobird (Vidua chalybeata) • Most versatile cage on the market today may vary from green to blue in color • Used by many well-known breeders and farms depending on the geographic region, but it always mimics the Senegal (= Red-billed) Firefinch (Lagonosticta 10 Spring latch senegala). The Variable Indigobird Wire latch (Vidua funerea) may be green or blue, again depending on the area, Metal Nest Boxes 1" x 1" sprin~ Square Tube IOa~ed~ but always mimics the Dark Firefinch Roll Wire (1. rubricata). The surest way to iden· clip pliers Custom AviaryDesign tify a Combassou species is by the Doors mouth-markings of the nestling Single Units • Breeding Complexes which mimics those of the host nes­ Wind Panels· Roof Structures tlings. The next best way is to listen Call or write for more information. to its mimicked song which should 9" x 9" and 12" x 12" be that ofits host Firefrnch. Feed Doors 1 (818) 843-MATE The is the most with inside frequently imported. Since the Red­ Feed Trays HOURS: also available Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. billed Firefinch, its host, is the easiest • Saturday, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. of the Firefinches to breed, it is not ...., 3314 Burton Ave., Burbank, CA 91504 Cages too surprising that this Combassou is ~ the most frequently bred viduine in [ VISA NATIONWIDE SHIPPING • captivity. I The four Paradise Whydah species Quality cage products atprices that don't bite! can be distinguished by body color

afa WATCHI3IRD 41 Species andgeographicalraces (subspecies) ofParadise Whydahs: A. Viduaparadisaea, B. Viduap. orientalis, C. Viduap. kadugliensis, D. Viduap. aucupum, E. Vidua obtusa, F. Vidua inteljecta, G. Vidua togoensis. (From Nicolai 1964). Note differences in tailshape, breastandhind-neck color.

and pattern and by the shape of the 2a. Hind neck pale yellow with­ tail. The following is a key modified out any orange golden brown. from that devised by the late Herbert 3a. Wing 75-80 mm. Breadth of Friedmann (1960: 158) which may rectrices 24-30 mm ... v.p. orienta/is. be used to distinguish Paradise 3b. Wing 80-89 mm. Breadth of Whydah species: rectrices 35-37 mm ... V. obtusa. la. Elongated rectrices tapering 2b. Hind neck golden orange noticeably terminally .... v. p. para­ brown or darker. disaea. 4a. Breast not noticeably darker lb. Elongated rectrices tapering than hind neck. Gteen~ings terminally. Sa. Long rectrices very long, Buffon's Whydah Species and Their Hosts Hya.;inths WHYDAH SPECIES HOST Paradise Whydah (Vidua p. paradisaea) Melba Finch (Pytilia melba) Mif itijrys Broad-tailed Paradise Whydah (V.p. orientalis) Melba Finch (Pytilia melba) Blue and Golds West-African Paradise Whydah (V.p. acupum) Melba Finch (Pytilia melba) Golden-naped Paradise Whydah (V.p. kadugliensis) Melba Finch (Pytilia melba) ets Broad-tailed Whydah (V. obtusa) Orange-winged Pytilia (Pytilia afra) Cameroons Paradise Whydah (V. interjecta) Aurora Finch (P. phoenicoptera) outs (V. togoensis) Yellow-winged Pytilia (P. hypogrammica) • ALL BIR RFClOSED BANDED Queen Whydah (V. regia) Violet-eared Waxbill ( ) andY~TERINARIAN CHECKED Fischer's Whydah (V. fischeri) Purple Grenadier (U. ianthinogaster) 4J UNRHAHD'AIRs AVAILABLE Steel-blue Whydah (V. hypocherina) Black-cheeked Waxbill (Estri/da erythronotos) Pintailed Whydah (V. macroura) Red-eared Waxbill (E. astri/d) Village Indigobird (V. (Hypochera) cha/ybeata) Senegal Firefinch (Lagonosticta senega/a) RtINJRtE~WS Baka Indigobird (V. /avartico/a) Masked Firefinch (L. /aNata) BAEEDING,"oRESEARCH Variable Indigobird (V. funerea) Dark Firefinch (L. rubricata) P.O. Box 1271. Fort Bragg, CA 95437 Wilson's Indigobird (V. wilsoni) Bar-breasted Firefinch (L. rufopicta) (V. rarico/a) 707-964-4380 Black-bellied Firefinch (L. rara)

42 February/March 1992 over275mm. 6a. Long rectrices 290-360 mm.... V togoensis This ad can save you 6b. Long rectrices 284-298 mm.... V intetjecta more than $50.00. 5b. Long rectrices shorter, AFA is running out of stor­ under 275 mm .... Vp. aucupum 4b. Breast definitely darker, age space and must sell more brownish, than hind neck .... Vp. kadugliensis its stock of back issues Closely related parasitic species lay in nests of closely related host spe­ of the Watchbird. cies. Thus all the various Paradise Whydah species lay eggs in nests of Pytilia species, i.e. Melba Finches Receive 35 and their relatives. The related Queen and Fischer's Whydahs lay in nests of Violet-eared and Purple Grenadier 11 WATCHBIRDS Waxbills respectively. The Steel-blue Whydah lays in nests of Black­ cheeked Waxbills (Estrilda erythron­ for the price otus). The Pintail Whydah chooses various other Estrilda Waxbill species of only 10! as hosts. Finally all the Combassou species, essentially Whydahs with short tails, lay in nests ofvarious Fire­ For only $25.00 (plus $7.50 shipping/ finches (Lagonosticta spp.). handling costs), you will be sent an assortment of 35 "Watchbirds" from Adaptations for a Brood 1976 through 1985. Parasitic Mode ofReproduction To ensure that the host will accept (Foreign add $15 shipping cost) and raise the parasite, Whydahs have evolved a number of "tricks" to fool This offer represents the host: 1. Each Whydah nestling uses the a 66% savings identical begging call ofthe host nest­ • from current prices. ling. Nicolai (1964) has raised Fischer's Whydahs under Society Finches and found that the Whydah's mimetic begging calls are innate, i.e. Stock is inherited and not learned. In the course of evolution, Whydahs have evolved begging calls matching those limited ... oftheir hosts. once they are gone ... 2. The parasite young has similar they're gone! Don't wait. plumage as its host. The beginner Order your back issues NOW! may have difficulty telling apart a To order (U.S.), send a check Combassou fledgling from those of the Firefinch host. However, Com­ for $32.50 (shipping/handling included). bassous scratch for food on the Foreign - $40.00 (ship/handling included). ground with both feet kicking back­ (Please remit in U.s. funds) wards at once and Firefinches never do. This should give the novice a cer­ tain clue as to what he has in his American Federation of Aviculture fledged brood. P.O. Box 56218 3. Estrildids have very colorful palate colors and markings. Incredi­ Phoenix, AZ bly, each Whydah parasite has almost identical palate colors and markings 85079-6218 as its specific host. Include your name and complete 4. With the exception of some address. Packages will be sent species such as Cutthroat Finches UPS and cannot be delivered to (Amadina fasciata) and Parrot a P.O. Box. Finches (Erythrura spp.), estrildid finch chicks beg in a very special Offer good while supply lasts. manner. Rather than stick their heads

afa WATCI-IBIRD 43 straight up and open their bills as in Whydah sings the Melba's song, the Combassou females. The Combas­ the picture on the Nestle Chocolate Fischer's Whydah sings the song of sous developed ovarian follicles only label, estrildid finches twist and the Purple Grenadier, and the Village when they heard the song of the lower their heads below the horizon­ (or Senegal) Combassou sings the correct host, namely the Red-billed tal so as to expose the mouth mark­ song of the Red-billed Firefinch, etc. Firefinch. Thus, the song of the host ings. The nestling orfledgling viduine (Nicolai 1964). By listening to the also stimulates the female parasite to parasite twists its head like the host song ofyour Whydah you can tell its produce hormones and lay eggs. This nestling when begging for food. host species. Very seldom do Why­ is important to remember in Whydah 5. The parasite's eggs tend to hatch dahs lay their eggs in nests of the husbandry as developed below. in 10 to 11 days, i.e. a day or so wrong host and thus learn the wrong Whydahs are promiscuous, i.e., earlier than the eggs of their hosts song, although this does happen there are no pair-bonds between (12-14 days). Thus a parasite may occasionally. boys and girls. Males often gather in a have an advantage over its foster All Whydahs are "bilingual", i.e. "lek" (Norwegian for playground) to siblings by having a head start. How­ they have two vocabularies. When sing and display, and females come to ever, unlike Cuckoos and Cowbirds, males are competing with each copulate and then leave to search out eggs and/or young of the host spe­ other, they sing their conspecific host nests to lay eggs. Bob Payne cies are not destroyed but are raised Whydah songs. When males are studied leks of Combassous in great along with the parasite (Morel in courting or trying to advertise for a detail and found that it is the alpha Payne 1977). female, they sing the estrildid finch male that receives the most visits and Nicolai's (1969) field studies reveal song oftheir host. copulations with females (Payne and the extent of parasitism by some Bob Payne (1973) played taped Payne 1977). The rest of the males Whydahs in the wild. Paradise Why­ Melba Finch songs to a female Para­ usually just get to watch. dahs lay larger eggs than those of dise Whydah and she eventually laid Whydahs and Combassous have their host the Melba Finch and may an egg. He also played taped Red­ been bred from time to time in aviar­ be easily recognized. He found Why­ billed Firefinch songs to a female ies. From the published literature, dah eggs in 13 of 15, i.e. 86.7%, of Combassou and she ovulated. Subse­ Combassous appear to be the more the nests of Melba Finches. Each quently Payne (1983) played songs of regularly raised species in captivity Melba nest contained two or three different Firefinch species to Village followed by the Pintail Whydah (e.g. Whydah eggs. In one Melba nest Nicolai counted four eggs on March 14. On March 15 he counted seven eggs in the same nest. The three new eggs were laid by Whydahs, three females laying on the same day. NEST BOX Eleven of 15 nests (73.4%) ofGrenad­ /; ier Waxbills were found to contain / eggs ofFischer's Whydahs: four nests / contained one Whydah egg, six had two, and one had three parasite eggs. NEST Does a female viduine sometimes lay more than one egg in the same NEST nest? Payne (1977) answered this ENTRANCE - question by placing one pair of Vil­ lage Combossou in an aviary full of Red-billed Firefinches. He found 22 firefinch nests with eggs of which nine contained one Combossau egg in addition to that of the Firefinch, four had two Combossou eggs and three had three Combossou eggs per nest. The viduine eggs were larger and rounder than the Firefinch eggs HOLE FOR EGG and were thus easily recognized. ~ TODROP Payne (1977) also found that a Q female Paradise Whydah (V paradi­ saea) may lay up to 26 eggs per REMOVABLE season, and a Village Combossou (V DRAWER chalybeata) may lay up to 22. - ~.~Q2:C"'< -H+-'~~ . SAWDUST SOngs ofWhydahsand TheirFunctions With the exception of the Pintail and Steel-blue Whydahs, each para­ site also learns the song and all the Special nest-box designed by Karl Sabel to b1'eed Whydahs andCombassous. other vocalizations of the host Wax­ bill or Firefinch. Thus the Paradise 44 February/March 1992 Poulson 1956, Payne 1977). The Par­ were fed egg-food which were, in adise Whydah has also been bred in turn, fed to the parasites. Bob Payne captivity (Lloyd 1955). It is a great (1977) also used Societies in the field challenge to breed Whydahs using to see iflarger, rounder eggs found in their natural hosts, however, this is estrildid nests were those ofviduines. not often practical as all Whydahs Eight large eggs collected in the wild tend to be egg-eaters. Indeed Nicolai produced viduines and six small eggs (1976) suggests feeding Whydahs produced Firefinches. raw egg-yolk as part oftheir diet. The Watchblrd offers free publicIty for member Karl Sable has successfully bred Epilogue club bird shows by announcing the dates and Broad-tailed Paradise Whydahs (V Some years ago I warned avicultur­ locations of the shows. To have your show listed It Is necessary to get the data to thc obtusa) using a special nest box that ists (see Watchbird 5: 28-32, 1978) Watchbird four to five months before the show he developed. This consists of a half­ that someday as third world coun­ date. For example. !fyour show takes place thc open finch nest box with a false tries develop an environmental con­ first week ofOCtober. It should be listed In U1C August/Septcmber Issue. The deadline for bottom equipped with a small tray sciousness, exports of exotic birds Ulat Issue Is June Isl. (Copy/article deadllnc filled with sawdust. Place the modi­ will stop altogether. The day is Is two months prececUng publ1cation date.) fied nest box in a cage or aviary and almost here. If you wish to continue let an estrildid build its domed nest to enjoy the songs and displays of Portland's Rose CityExotic Bird Club within. Zebra Finches or Societies Whydahs in your aviaries, now is the presents its may be used for this purpose. Now time to place some efforts in estab­ 5thAnnual All Bird Show dig a hole with your fingers on the lishing captive breeding strains. Since and Bird Expo nest floor. Whydahs learn songs ofhosts and are November 7 lit 8. 1992 Place the special boxes containing sexually stimulated by their songs Washington County Fairgrounds nests in the aviary or large cage hold­ and displays, it is theoretically possi­ Hillsboro. Oregon ing your viduines. Since viduines are ble to imprint Whydahs on Society or 25 minutes from Portland promiscuous, one could theoretically Zebra Finches as hosts that raise Parrot. Exotie & FinchJudge keep several females with one male. them in captivity and thus establish Dr. AI Decoteau Indeed, ifmore than one male is kept domestic strains. These will be CanaryJudge in an aviary one may expect frequent domestically raised Whydahs inde­ Dr. DaVid Guinn fights and even deaths of the subordi­ pendent of the need for their some­ Budgerigar Exhibitors: nate individuals if the aviary is not times harder-to-acquire natural hosts, two shows oneweekend large enough. ow either play taped the Firefinches and Waxbills. Once Saturday. Nov. 7. 1992 songs of the hosts or, better still, you do this, you should have more Rose City Exotic Bird Club Judge Gary Hicken place a breeding pair or singing male freely breeding viduines in your aviar­ host Firefinch or Waxbill in a nearby ies, i.e. strains ofWhydahs stimulated Sunday. Nov. 8. 1992 Cascade Budgerigar Club cage or aviary. Remember it is the to breed by hearing songs of Benga­ Judge Dennis Lalevee song of the host, and better still the lese or Zebra Finches. Both shows ABS points. sight and sounds ofthe host's nesting ABS show standards activities that stimulates your Why­ Bibliography Friedmann, H. 1960. The Parasitic Weaver­ Fly-in entries accepted. dah female to lay. If your Whydah for details please call lays in the specialized nest-box, then birds. U.S. al. Mus. Bull. 223: 1-196. Lloyd, T. 1955. First breeding of the paradise (503) 641-4457 the egg should roll down the hole Whydah. Forcign Birds. 21: 156-160. For show entries or into the sawdust trap where the Nicolai,]. 1964. Ocr Brutparasitismus der vendor space information: Whydah cannot eat it. The eggs may Viduinen als ethologisches Problem. Z. Ron orJune Marks. then be harvested and placed under Tierpsychol. 21: 129-204. Show & Expo Managers Society Finches or Zebra Finches. Nicolai, ]. 1967. Vogclhaltung - Vogclpllege. 19235 SW Pilkington Road Kosmos. Franckh 'sche. Verlagshandlung, Lake Oswego. OR 97035 Combassou eggs can be placed under Stullgart. Phone (503) 684-3799 pairs of Firefinches known to be Nicolai,]. 1969. Beobachtungen an Paradies­ good parents. icolai (1969) hatched witwen (Steganura paradisaea L., Steganura Broad-tailed Whydah eggs under Ben­ obtusa Chapin) und der Strohwitwen (Tetraenura fischeri Reichenow) in Ost­ galese and then moved them to a nest africa.]. Ornithol. 110: 421-447. Superior New of Pytilias who successfully raised icolai,]. 1976. Kafig und Volierenvogel. Lactobacillus acidolphllus Franckh 'sche Verlagshandlung, Stuttgart. the parasite. product for better bird health: Viduines do not imprint sexually Payne, R. 13. 1973. Vocal mimicry of the para­ dise whydahs (Vidua) and response of • Avian-specific, natural on Bengalese Finches. Indeed, when female whydahs to the songs of their hosts Nicolai was studying the biology of • Antibiotic-compatible (p)'tilia) and their mimics. Anim. Bchav. 21: • Freeze-dried in laboratory viduines in the wild, he traveled with 762-771. Payne, R. 13. 1977. Clutch size, egg size, and • Use dry or dissolved in water a land-rover stuffed with cages con­ • Researched, developed, taining breeding pairs of Bengalese. the consequences of single vs. multiple par.lsitism in Parasitic Finches. Ecology. 58: monitored by an avian vet. Whenever he found a viduine egg or 500-513. 2 oz. $11.95 • 8 oz. $31.95 nestling in a Waxbill nest, he simply Payne, R. 13. and K. Payne. 1977. Social organi­ Shipping and Handling $3.50 popped it under the Bengalese and in zation and mating success in local song To order or information, write: this way actually raised them success­ populations of Village Indigobirds, Vidua chalybeata. Z. Tierpsychol. 45: 113-1T~. Pet Med Tech., fully and later transported them to Poulson, H. 1956. Breeding of the Senegal Inc., P.O. Box 5534, Germany where he continued his combassou (Hypochera chalybcata Mull) in Augusta, Me 04332 ontogenetic studies. The Societies captivity. Avicull. Mag. 62: 177-181..

afa WATCHI3IRD 45