Sunday, 8 January 2023

Australian Zebra Finches on the Loose

Australian Zebra Finches are an adorable native Australian finch. They have been a very popular aviary bird for decades and I have seen them in several private aviaries in the Touraine Loire Valley. Apparently they've been introduced in the wild in Portugal, so it wasn't much of a surprise when a nature contact of mine reported them from Ariege in the Pyrenees. 

Australian Zebra Finch in the outback. Photo by Loire Valley Time Travel.

The species adapts to life in captivity remarkably well, and it is well known as Australia's most studied bird species and indeed, globally the most studied captive passerine bird. Pairs mate for life and they are very social birds.

Flock of Australian Zebra Finches in the outback. Photo by Loire Valley Time Travel.

They eat grass seeds and their main predators in the wild are snakes and lizards.

Photos taken by me in the Australian desert more than 15 years ago.

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