Black Hooded Red Siskin Finch information

Found in store, for more details call Birdsville 9667 2555. More information coming soon.

Carduelis cucullata
Natural distribution and Habitat

Native to Venezuela and Columbia and some off shore islands they live in open woodlands and savanna’s

Diet for Red Siskin Finch

Seed–  Essential for these birds feed them a good quality finch mix with the addition of niger seed which is very important and should not be ignored and supplied in a separate feeder.  Other seeds to feed- maw, hulled oats, crushed sun flower seed.

Millet sprays– a fresh seed on the stem french white millet or pannicum is recommended.

Greens– Important for red siskins, seeding grasses, chickweed, lebanese cucumber, dandelion, clover, silver beet, flowering heads of milk thistle and endive.

Vitamin supplement– Add via the water supply

Live food– Feed all year round but increase the supply during the breeding season supply meal worms and fly pupae with the addition of wombaroo insectivore mix.

Egg and biscuit formula-An important addition of protein and readily eaten by red siskins this can be added to the above live food when fed to the birds.

Grit– feed a good quality mix consisting of charcoal, crushed cuttlebone, shell, baked egg shell and limestone.

Fresh water- must be available at all times

clover
clover is great for Red siskins

Breeding Red Siskin Finches

breeding season starts in september this is a time to give them a more varied diet to kick the breeding instincts into gear. Red siskins will breed in canary nest         40 mm across with the hen using  a variety of nesting material such as swamp grass, coconut fibre, cotton wool, feathers and soft bark.

The hen will lay around 3 blue white with red flecked eggs which will take 13 days to incubate.  The young  will fledge in about 3 weeks and will continue to be fed by the hen for a further 2 to 3 weeks as they learn to feed for them self.  It is essential to increase the live food and egg and biscuit formula intake during the entire breeding process especially when chicks are being fed by the parents.

Sexing Red Siskin

With adult the bird’s the male is a much brighter red and the hen much more dull in colour.