Zebra Finch
(Taeniopygia Guttata Castanotis)
Common Names: Zebra Finch, Chesnut Flanked Finch
Description: In the normal form of the Zebra finch the head, nape and back are gray. The wings are dark gray to fawn-gray while the tail is barred with black and white. Both sexes also have brown eyes, black tear drops below the mid-eye, white bellys and orange legs. On males there are chestnut cheek patches, black and white zebra stripes on the chin, neck and upper chest with a solid black band meeting the belly. The male also has chesnut flanks with many white spots and a red-orange beak. The hens are rather dull lacking the chestnut cheek patches, chestnut flanks, zebra striped breast & bright red-orange beak.
Size: These birds average about 4 inches (10cm). Some of the English and German varities can be larger.
Origin: Zebra Finches are distributed over much of Australia, Tasmania and Flores Islands (northwest of Australia).
Mutations/Sub-species: There are domesticated mutations in many parts of the world including the USA. Some of the more common mutations include: Fawn, Pied, Saddleback, Penguin, White, CFW (Chesnutt Flanked White), Florida Fancy, Creasted, Yellow-beaked, Dominant Silver, Recessive Silver, Dominant Cream and Recessive Cream. Newer mutations include: Lightback, Orange Breasted, Black Breasted, Black Face, Black Cheek and Fawn Cheek. . Many mutations are combined to create further mutations such as Phaeo (Florida Fancy x Black Breasted). Certain mutations such as George, Eumo, Agate, Charcoal, Slate, Blackfront or Grizzle only exsist in Australia and Europe. There is a sub-species refered to as Timor Zebras (Taeniopygia guttata guttata) which are smaller than normal Zebras and lack the zebra striping. Below are photos of mutations that I keep. To see photos of newer mutations click the buttons below. The first button will take you to E finch created by Roy Beckham. The second will take you to Garrie Landry's Acadiana Aviaries.
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Zebra Finch Mutation Photos
Zebra Finch Genectics Chart
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Mutation
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Genectic Inheritence
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Normal
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Dominant (Normal Form)
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Fawn
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Sex-Linked Recessive
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CFW
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Sex-Linked Recessive
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Lightback
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Sex-Linked Recessive (multiple allele of CFW)
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Yellow Beak
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Autosomal Recessive
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White
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Autosomal Recessive
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Pied
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Autosomal Recessive
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Orange Breast
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Autosomal Recessive
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Black Breast
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Autosomal Recessive
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Black Cheek
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Autosomal Recessive
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Dilute Normal (Rec. Silver)
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Autosomal Recessive
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Dilute Fawn (Rec. Cream)
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(Rec. Silver x Fawn) combination
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Dilute Normal (Dom. Silver)
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Dominant
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Dilute Fawn (Dom. Cream)
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(Dom. Silver x Fawn) combination
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Black Face
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Dominant
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Fawn Cheek
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Dominant
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Gray Cheek
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Dominant
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Crested (Bonten)
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Dominant
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Florida Fancy (Isabel)
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Co-Dominant
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Pheao
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(Florida Fancy x Black Breast) combination
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Diet: A good Zebra Finch diet must include a mixture of millets, cereal seeds and canary grass seeds. Fresh water, cuttlebone and grit should also be supplied at all times. Lettuce, Spinach, Chickweed, Spray Millet, Eggfood, Brocolli tops and Carrot tops can also be offered on a regular basis. Livefood is not nessacary for the species.
General Care: These birds require routine nail trimming. Provide bath water daily.
Housing: Many Zebras are house in individual breeding cages much like Canaries. However, they will thrive in a large planted aviary with plenty of room to fly, sing and socialize. The best temperature to maintain is around 75 degrees but Zebras can tolerate 50-60 degree temperatures. If your main intention is to breed them they will colony breed but you will get a much better production rate with individual pair cage breeding. . In a colony setting pairs are known to interfere with other pair's nesting and breeding attemps at times tossing babies, stealing nesting material, and breaking eggs.
Song: The male Zebra Finch has a boisterously loud song. He will puff out his feathers and stand tall while he sings. They will sing to hens and other males. The hens do not sing but do make clicking calls or warning sounds.
Breeding: Zebra Finches are free breeders and on occasion are used to foster other exotic finches.They are not picky about a nesting site. They will adopt finch nest, canary nest or finch boxes. You can supply dry grasses, sisal, coconut fiber, tissue paper or soft mosses as nesting material. In order to breed it is best to have them paired in individual breeding cages. They will breed in a colony setting but their slight breeding aggression will decrease offspring percentage. No control of breeding can be kept in colony breeding so using this method can produce inbreeding and undesirebly colored birds. The average clutch consist of 4-6 eggs which the pair take turns incubating for 12-14 days. The young finches fledge normaly at 18 days old and at 32 days old they are completly independent. Young Zebra finches should be removed once they are weaned so the parent birds do no begin to harras them as a result of wanting to nest agian. Young mature fast and I have seen 4 month old Zebras attempt to breed although it is best to wait untill they are at least 8-12 months old before breeding them.
Price List:
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ZEBRA FINCH
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$10.00 Each (Male or Female)
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$20.00 Pair
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$10.00 Each (Male or Female)
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$20.00 Pair
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$10.00 Each (Male or Female)
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$20.00 Pair
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$10.00 Each (Male or Female)
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$20.00 Pair
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$15.00 Each (Male or Female)
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$30.00 Pair
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$15.00 Each (Male or Female)
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$30.00 Pair
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$25.00 Each (Male or Female)
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$50.00 Pair
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$25.00 Each (Male or Female)
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$50.00 Pair
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Fawn Cheek
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$25.00 Each (Male or Female)
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$50.00 Pair
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$35.00 Each (Male or Female)
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$70.00 Pair
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$35.00 Each (Male or Female)
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$70.00 Pair
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$35.00 Each (Male or Female)
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$70.00 Pair
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Split for Black Breast
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$15.00 Each (Male or Female)
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$30.00 Pair
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$40.00 Each (Male or Female)
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$80.00 Pair
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Split for Black Cheek
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$25.00 Each (Male or Female)
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$50.00 Pair
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$40.00 Each (Male or Female)
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$80.00 Pair
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Split for Orange Breast
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$25.00 Each (Male or Female)
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$50.00 Pair
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Split for Orange Breast & Black Breast
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$25.00 Each (Male or Female)
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$50.00 Pair
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$40.00 Each (Male or Female)
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$80.00 Pair
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$60.00 Each (Male or Female)
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$120.00 Pair
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$60.00 Each (Male or Female)
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$120.00 Pair
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$60.00 Each (Male or Female)
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$120.00 Pair
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