The Green Singing Finch-African Finches

The African finches are some of the most photographed bird in Africa. They vary in colors and they are beautiful singing birds. The green singing finch in particular is a small African finch variety, relative to the canaries.

Characteristics

The green singing finches (Serinus mozambicus) also often called Green Singer, Little Green Singer, and Mozambique green singer, are not really green in color; in fact they are mostly yellow in color with gray and black stripe marks. The male green singer has a beautiful singing voice that is more airy than a canary and very pleasant to hear. Both the males and females resemble each other but females are duller in color and she has dots in front of her neck that looks like a necklace. They are a very active birds and their high energy level keep them always on the move.

Diet

Green singing finch can be fed with small millet seeds, canary grass seeds, hulled rice and oats that have been soaked and sprouted. Soaked rice and oats also stimulate the pair in their brooding activity. Live foods, such as small mealworms, ant eggs, larvae and termites can also be given in moderation especially when raising baby finches as they are too fattening. Green foods like slices of fruits and shredded vegetable should also be an important part of their diet.

Breeding Green Singing Finch

Plenty of live foods, green foods and sprouted seeds most often induced breeding. You will notice that breeding will begin when the male begins to sing and dance around the female. He will also sometimes offer her bites of food. You can place canary nest baskets inside their cage. They prefer a cup-style nesting basket that is placed in the highest part of their cage or aviary. You must provide them with plenty of soft lining material and natural fiber once they started building their nest. The green singing finches needs privacy when breeding. Green singing finches are territorial in nature especially during the breeding season that it is recommended to house only a male and female in a cage. It is not recommended to inspect their nest more often as females fly out of their nest when approached but will immediate return when the intruders are gone.

The female green singing finches sometimes even after only a few weeks double or even triple the clutch, if this is the case, it is important to immediately separate the baby finches before the next clutch of eggs hatches to avoid any fatal aggression from the cock.

Cage or Aviary

There should be plenty of flight room in the finch cage or aviary. It is best to keep only a pair of green singing finches in one cage or aviary to avoid any fatal fights among green singers if more than one pair is housed in one enclosure.