Pytilia hypogrammica

ORIGIN:

Western equatorial Africa in savanna woodlands, thick brushland, and areas of abandoned cultivation.

DIET:

Seeds of grasses and small plants often collected on the ground. Also feeds on termites and ant pupae.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Lives in small family parties of groups, seldom in large flocks. Roosts high in the tops of trees or tall bushes. Larger and more round in body design than most other waxbills. Seen in the company of whydahs which parasitise this species. This is a quiet, rather shy species. They are seen sunning themselves but will retreat to dense low cover when disturbed.

REPRODUCTION:

A small, tightly woven nest is built of small twigs and grass stems and blades. It is usually lined with fine plant fibers and soft feathers, which are collected from the immediate vicinity of the nest. This gives the finished structure very good camouflage.

Both birds construct the nest although only the male collects the material. 4-5 white eggs hatch after a 13-day incubation by both parents. Young, fed termites and grass seeds, fledge after 18-20 days and remain with the adults for several weeks, even though they are self-sufficient in just a few days. If conditions pen-nit, a second brood will be raised. They emerge looking like hens, but adult coloring is quick to molt in, usually in just a few weeks.

RED-FACED AURORAS IN CAPTIVITY

HABITAT DESIGN:

The Pytilia family usually inhabits dry forest or tall shrub country, so needle-type, dense and small-leafed growth should be included in their enclosures. Grasses are used for building the nest and these can be grown in the enclosure or supplied dry on the ground for their collection. They are fond of sunning and will use flat rocks, branches, and logs lying on the ground for this.

Hard, woody shrubs such as Leptospennum (Australian Tea tree) and Callistemon and Melaieuca (Bottle Brush) are favorites for nesting and hiding. Surface water in a dish or shallow pond is required; as bathing is much enjoyed, open pans, ponds, or shallow streams are preferred.

Arranging the taller material at the back while leaving the front and center more open will provide the necessary cover/nesting sites while staging the birds in the open center for viewing.

DIET:

Small and large millets, canary grass, and other small seeds may be offered mixed or cafeteria style. Standard finch mix is acceptable. They are shy and prefer to eat away from others. A few small feeding stations will accommodate them better than one large station for everybody in the enclosure. They will take sprays of seed, especially if hidden in the brush where they may feed in seclusion. Small mealworms, waxworms and other grubs, along with pinhead crickets and fruit flies are essential while raising chicks.

BREEDING:

A small, round sphere will be built from three to six feet from the ground in a dense bush, tumbleweed, or clump of dry grass. Composed of small twigs, large blades of grass and panicles, it may be lined with soft feathers or nothing at all. A side entrance usually faces away from the flow of traffic in the area. They have successfully bred while nesting in clumps of dry brush tied into an open bundle and fastened to a solid wall.

The chicks are usually fed a high percentage of live insects when first hatched; if none are available the adults may throw their offspring out of the nest, assuming nature has failed them. They will usually start right over again, conditions permitting.

Young look like hens for about four months, after which the males will begin to molt in their red faces and bluer body shades. They are mature at 6-8 months and may begin nesting at this time.