Bandamadine
| Bandamadine | ||||||||||||
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Bandamadine ( Amadina fasciata ) |
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| Amadina fasciata | ||||||||||||
| ( Gmelin , 1789) |
The bandamadine ( Amadina fasciata ), also known as the band finch , is a species of splendor finch and belongs to the species within this family that are found in Africa . It occurs from Senegal to eastern Ethiopia and Somalia , as well as south to northern Mozambique , Zimbabwe and Botswana .
description
Bandamadines reach a body length of up to 12 centimeters. The body plumage is brownish, the females are a little lighter in color than the males and they lack the chestnut-brown belly spot that is typical for the males. These also have a red throat band. In both sexes, the sides of the head are finely dark banded across and the throat is whitish or banded across. Young birds resemble the females, with young males the red collar and the chestnut-brown belly spot are mostly already hinted at.
The plumage shows a strong individual variability, so that numerous subspecies have been described for this species. Today only four subspecies are generally recognized. Different colors are available among the varieties kept as ornamental birds . Among the individuals kept as caged birds, there are sometimes very dark variations that are mistaken for a special species and are called Amadina marginalis .
The voice is sparrow-like, the birds singing is purring or humming.
Way of life
Bandamadines inhabit dry acacia savannas, but do not penetrate as far into semi-desert regions as the red headed amadines , which belong to the same genus . They have also opened up human settlement areas and can be observed near villages and on the edge of cultivated land.
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Bandamadines breed at the end of the rainy season or in the dry season. The breeding season varies depending on the geographic location of the occurrence. Bandamadines are half-cave breeders . The female lays between 4 and 6 eggs and the incubation period is 12 to 14 days. In contrast to most other fine finches, the young birds of the band finches keep their nest clean by squirting their excrement out of the nest opening and not settling it in the nest. During the breeding season they live in pairs and then form small or larger swarms. In regions where bandamadins are common, up to 1,000 individuals can be observed in a swarm.
Keeping as an ornamental bird
Bandamadines are believed to be the first species of finch and one of the first exotic bird species to be imported into Europe for trade. They were probably held as early as the 17th, but certainly in the 18th century. Since the middle of the 19th century - apart from the interruptions during the two world wars - they have been on sale regularly and are still among the most frequently imported species of finch.
Bandamadines need large cages or, even better, aviaries for their wellbeing. In summer they can also be kept outdoors, but in autumn they have to be brought back into a heated room as they cannot be kept healthy below 10 ° C. They are fed with seeds such as millet , seed fodder and seeds from grasses and wild herbs. Green fodder such as chickweed and dandelions is also popular.
literature
- Horst Bielfeld : Knowing and caring for 300 ornamental birds. Ulmer Verlag, Stuttgart 2009, ISBN 978-3-8001-5737-2 .
- Jürgen Nicolai (Ed.), Joachim Steinbacher (Ed.), Renate van den Elzen a. a .: Fine finches - Africa. Series Handbuch der Vogelpflege, Eugen Ulmer Verlag, Stuttgart 2007, ISBN 978-3-8001-4964-3 .
Web links
- Videos, photos and sound recordings of Amadina fasciata in the Internet Bird Collection
- BirdLife factsheet
- Amadina fasciata inthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Threatened Species . Listed by: BirdLife International, 2012. Retrieved November 24, 2013.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Jürgen Nicolai (Ed.) Among others: Prachtfinken - Afrika. Series Handbuch der Vogelpflege, Eugen Ulmer Verlag, Stuttgart 2007, ISBN 978-3-8001-4964-3 , p. 79.
- ↑ Jürgen Nicolai (Ed.) Among others: Prachtfinken - Afrika. P. 81.