The Truth About Society Finches

Called Society finches in the United States, these tiny birds are actually Bengalese. This is not a species of bird found in nature. In fact, they are fertile hybrids. The history of the delightful pet is still a mystery. No one is quite sure what birds were used to create society finches. It is believed that the Striated Finch and the White-Rumped Munia played an important part in their creation, but there is no evidence to prove this.

Society finches are extremely popular on the pet circuit for a few reasons. While they don't have striking markings to attract attention on the pet market, their winning personalities more than make up for that. This bird does extremely well in captivity and enjoys spending time with humans. This probably stems from the fact that they are not a wild species, but one created in captivity.

These demure birds also excel as foster parents for other small birds. The trick to getting the birds to foster other eggs or even young birds is in the pairing. Unlike other birds, a male-male pairing of Society finches works best for fostering. This pairing works better then two females or even a male and female pairing. A pair of males will often accept eggs without hesitation.

While Society finches do not come with a brightly color coat of feathers, they instead have a quiet beauty about them. Their various shades of beiges and browns can be quite beautiful without screaming for attention. Unfortunately, their mellow colors can make it very difficult to sex them. There are two ways to attempt to sex these birds when undertaking the task of breeding them.

One way to determine the sex of the bird in question is through behavior. Male Society finches cannot help but display to attract a mate. The first step to this is to remove the bird in question from the flock and place it in a small cage. Isolate the bird so that it can neither see nor hear any other birds for several hours. After the time has elapsed, add another of its kind to the cage. If the bird in question displays for the newcomer then it is most likely a male. However, this does not determine the sex of the other bird since males will display to both males and females.

A surer method for sexing Society finches requires two birds. By comparing them side by side, you can distinguish a male from a female. Males have broader or wider heads then females. This is easily noticed when holding two birds next to each other. While holding the two birds, the under-side of the beak should also be compared. A male's under-beak is a definite "V" shape while a female's will be a softer shape, more like a "U" shape. When holding two birds next to each other, these differences will be easily noticed.

Compared to other pets, Society finches are easy to care for. All that they require is high quality millet, grit, fresh water, and some greens. A steady supply of these things will keep them healthy and happy. While not the most popular of finches, these little charmers are the best suited to being pets and will quickly charm their way into anyone's heart.