Bird Banding Finches

Gouldian babies are much
darker skinned than any
of the small parakeets.

Gouldian finches are sure different than Bourke parakeets. A Lady Gouldian breeder told me she bands her baby Goulds when pinfeathers begin to show. She must use different bands than those I bought.

This morning both parents were out of the nest together. That was a first, so I snatched the largest baby from the nest to see if I could band him. No pinfeathers yet, however. After getting all four toes into the tiny aluminum closed band, it quickly became apparent that it wasn't going to slide over the joint (ankle) above is foot. I'd waited too long and he was too big.

Disappointed, I put him back and didn't attempt to retrieve any of the others. I suppose that letting the parents raise their first clutch without banding their babies means disturbing them less, so maybe it's a good thing.

Perhaps I'll do better on their second clutch. I won't wait until they are 8 days old. Optimal for Bourkes is 7 to 9 days, but not for Lady Gouldians apparently. Maybe 4 to 5 days. We shall see.

He almost looks like a little frog here. Smile

Peace & Blessings.