Many owners have found that they are sometimes “too willing” to attempt nesting – starting out when given a box but failing due to age, aggression, poor condition or other factors. In common with some other birds native to harsh habitats, Red-Headed Finches may be stimulated to breed at any time of the year if a nest box is provided. Grit and cuttlebone should always be available. Increased amounts of protein-based foods and fresh produce are necessary during the breeding season, and for parents with chicks. Small live insects (mealworms, waxworms, crickets), Egg Food and softbill pellets, while not essential outside of the breeding season, should be provided several times weekly silkworms and other canned insects should be used to add variety to the diet.įresh sprouts, carrot tops, and small amounts of chopped kale, dandelion and other greens will round out the diet. Millet sprays hung from perches will keep both you and your birds occupied and entertained for hours. Those I’ve cared for did well on finch seed mixes that had been bolstered by a high-grade parakeet diet. DietĪ thick, conical bill allows the Red-Headed Finch to consume a wide range of seeds. They also get along with Cutthroat Finches, but will interbreed with them and produce fertile hybrids. In spacious quarters, Red-Headed Finches may be kept with Java Rice Birds, Spice Finches, Button Quails and similar birds. In an aviary or flight cage, multiple pairs may be housed together, but their behavior should be closely monitored for signs of aggression. Although they nest in colonies, only a single breeding pair should be kept in a cage. Red-Headed Finches may be kept in large finch cages or outdoor aviaries. Red-Headed Finches breed colonially, utilizing abandoned weaver nests, tree cavities, and holes in building walls. It is a bird of open thorn-scrub habitats and brushy veldts, but also frequents farms, villages and even cities.

The Red-Headed Finch inhabits southern Africa, where it ranges from Angola through Zimbabwe to South Africa. The alternate common name, Paradise Sparrow, is apt – in part due to the brilliant plumage but also because this 5 ¼ inch-long bird is stoutly built, and puts one more in mind of a sparrow than a typical finch. Females lack the red head and are more somberly-colored in general. In place of the Cutthroat Finch’s attractive splash of color (please see photo), the male has a bright red or crimson head, and his breast is beautifully marked with black-rimmed white spots.

Many keepers report that their Red-Headed Finches mimic sounds, and the songs of other birds, quite well.

It is also a more reliable breeder than the Cutthroat and, if properly cared for, may live for over a decade. The Red-Headed Finch ( Amadina erythrocephala) somewhat resembles its more familiar cousin, the Cutthroat Finch, but is a bit larger and, in my opinion, even more striking in appearance.

Sparrow with redhead