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 birds 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 (Estrildidae) 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 Africa 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 bird 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 Village Indigobird 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 Togo Paradise Whydah (V. togoensis) Yellow-winged Pytilia (P. hypogrammica) • ALL BIR RFClOSED BANDED Queen Whydah (V. regia) Violet-eared Waxbill (Uraeginthus granatina) 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) Jambandu Indigobird (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.