In our article we want to talk about Amadins. These little birds have long gained popularity among pet lovers. White amadins belong to the family of finch weavers, which can be found all over the globe.
Appearance of White Amadinas
What do White Amadins look like? Description of this little bird you need to start by mentioning its credulity. A mobile and cheerful creature is able to win the hearts of even the most indifferent to feathered people. In the wild, Amadins live in Australia and Africa. Some species are also found in South Asia. Birds live not only in thickets, but also in open areas.
White amadins are small in size, their body length is from ten to fifteen centimeters. Although they are considered to be songbirds, they sing very poorly. Of course, they are able to start a melodic trill, but it will look more like a whistle, buzzing or twittering. Moreover, males sing much better than females.
Amadina's beak is arched, thick and curved, it seems to be translucent, as if from wax. In young birds it is black, in males - a bright coral shade, and in females - orange.
Amadins are found in a variety of colors, sometimes their plumage is extremely beautiful and bright.
Bird color
Amadin coloring is a separate topic for conversation. It can even determine the habitat of birds. Those birds that live in temperate latitudes have a white, brown and fawn color. But tropical residents are always dressed in elegant clothes. There are also birds with a bright combination of black, red, green, blue, yellow and purple.
Males of some species are able to change plumage before the breeding season. In any case, the color of males is always brighter than females. Such a feature was conceived by nature so that the father of the family could lead away from the nest in case of danger of enemies. And the female, on the contrary, should be as less conspicuous as possible, as she hatches eggs.
Scientists even say that the color of the feathers on the bird's head reflects their character. Based on the experiments, they concluded that an amadine with red feathers on her head would be much more pugnacious and more conflicting than his brothers. In general, birds perceive this color as a sign of aggression.
But black-headed individuals are the most daring, they are more curious and inquisitive.
Types of White Amadins
On earth, there are thirty-eight species of these beautiful birds and at least three hundred of their subspecies. They breed very easily in captivity, so lovers of birds among their large numbers distinguish the following species:
- Zebra
- Nutmeg.
- Japanese (scaly).
- Rice.
- Malabar.
- Pointed tail.
Also, birds are divided by color into:
- White.
- Yellow.
- Brown-chested.
- Srasnogolovy.
- Red-necked.
Any division of amadins into species is very conditional, since they practically do not differ from each other, except for coloring.
Zebra Amadins
Such birds live in Australia, and not only in arid places, but also near forests. If they have chosen a densely populated region, they can even live on the streets, in gardens, in the yards, in the fields. But if there is little water in the territory, then the Amadins settle closer to people.
These birds do not like solitude, and therefore fly in large flocks. Even during rest, they do not move away from each other. Amadins have an interesting feature: they are not more than four kilometers from the places of feeding and daytime rest.
Scientists have discovered some of the features of this species of birds, which they acquired, living in arid lands. So, for example, this species can do without water for months. But if there is an excess of moisture, then the amadina drinks half as much as other relatives. In severe drought, a wild zebra can drink very salty water, which for other birds is just poison.
If the Amadins live in places where there is a rainy season every year, then the females will breed every year. But in regions where there may be no moisture for several years, birds can wait for a more favorable time, although their body is always ready for breeding.
In the wild, zebra amadins build nests in places where lizards and snakes cannot reach them. Reptiles love to eat masonry. Therefore, nests are often found in bushes, small hollows and minks. Zebra amadins are fed together, in a large flock. Young birds at the age of two months begin to molt, after which they are ready for breeding.
The first information about the breeding of these cute birds appeared in the nineteenth century. A lot of time has passed, since then they have become incredibly popular. Of course, during their home maintenance they have changed a lot, both externally and in behavior. So, for example, wild zebra individuals have a bright plumage with a clear differentiation of colors, and in birds living in captivity, these borders are very blurred, yellow and brown hues become dominant.
The breeders worked hard, constantly creating ever new varieties with unique colors. So there were different types of white madadins. Birds with this color are not found in the wild. In the early twenties of the last century, white zebra amadines (reviews of them are given in our article) with dark eyes were bred, which distinguishes them from many other albinos.
Japanese variety
Just want to clarify that the Japanese Amadins in nature never existed. They were bred by crossing such a bird as a bronze manakin with Chinese or Japanese varieties of amadines. Therefore, it is impossible to see them in nature, unless the birds slip out of the cage.
What is the difference between their white relatives and white Japanese madadins? The feedback from the bird lovers confirms their extremely balanced and calm disposition. They are very friendly and get along well in the same cage with their relatives. People even thought of breeding to use them as nannies for the chicks of other species of Amadina. During periods of hatching offspring, couples need to be resettled, because they like to pay visits to other people's nests, which causes the offspring to be crushed.
Such birds easily mate with their relatives, as well as with some other representatives of this family. As a result, the plumage of the young is very bright and beautiful. But the situation with hybrids is much more complicated. They can hardly reproduce. Therefore, to get white Amadins, a lot of work was put.
Amadins Gould
It is believed that the guild amadine has the most striking and interesting color. In the wild, it can only be found in northern Australia. This species is considered endangered. The bird got its name in honor of the wife of a British scientist who traveled with him and died after one of such trips.
The behavior of such a bird is slightly different from most of its relatives. She often migrates to new places. Typically, this occurs after the rainy season, when there is very little food. Guldova Amadina loves swimming very much and at the same time consumes a lot of water. But to breed such a bird is very difficult. Like their wild relatives, birds of this species throw their clutch or chicks. Therefore, the people involved in their breeding, acquire a few more Japanese Amadin, which can take care of the kids.
Silver Amadina
A silver zebra species was also bred in Australia. Unlike wild birds, such a bird has a plumage of light silver-gray color, the saturation of which is different in different individuals. Some amadins have such a light shade that they are almost similar to white species. Such a feature in birds arose due to the almost complete loss of a brown pigment called pheomelanin and a decrease in the content of eumelanin (black pigment). When breeding white individuals very carefully approach the choice of parents. It is important that there are no dark tones in the covers.
There is also a bright-backed zebra amadina. But the creamy variety was bred by crossing brown and silver individuals. The degree of coloration of such birds can be very different. Males, for example, have yellow spots on their cheeks, their sides are orange, and the lower part is completely white. A delicate silver-brown shade made this look incredibly popular.
White Amadins: how to distinguish a male from a female?
If you want to buy such a bird for yourself, then you need to know its habits, as well as understand what care it needs. First of all, newcomers who plan to purchase birds are interested in two questions: “How are white Amadins different from other individuals?”, “How to distinguish a male from a female?” Let's deal with this in detail. As we have already mentioned, bright birds have a cocky character, but white amadins are absolutely calm and balanced creatures. Therefore, if you dream of an obedient feathery, then you definitely need to take a white bird.
As for the sex of the Amadins, it is not so simple. Of course, people want to understand a little about the nuances in order not to be deceived and not to acquire two females or males. So, to determine the gender of bright varieties is much easier. As for white individuals, an inexperienced lover may be mistaken. To determine the gender, you should pay attention to the beaks of birds. In males they are redder and brighter, and in females - orange. You should not pay attention to the plumage of birds, since it is white and does not give us any information. The second sign for determining sex can be considered the singing of amadins. Females do not sing at all. But the males make pleasant songs. It is worth remembering that the males of the Japanese Amadina do not sing, but rather whisper. In this they differ from other representatives of a kind.
From the history…
In 1921, a white zebra amadina was first brought to Sydney. The plumage of such birds was completely devoid of pigment. However, unlike albinos, these birds had dark eyes, like wild individuals. It is very difficult to distinguish a male from a female, only by the color of the beak. In males, it is brighter. Young chicks often have gray plumage on their wings and on their heads before the first molt. Sometimes this effect persists even after the second feather change. Maintaining the genetic line of white birds is very difficult. For this, manufacturers are selected, rejecting all colored representatives. The light representatives have one property: near the mouth of a non-luminous picture. This is what distinguishes the white zebra madadins. Reviews of birds-lovers about beautiful white birds confirm their calm and judicious nature.
Home Bird Care: Feeding
Suppose you have zebra amadins in your house. Features of care for them need to be studied in detail in advance to avoid unnecessary mistakes. The first thing you need to know is how to feed this sweet creature.
The diet of birds is based on wild grass seeds, young shoots and insects. And what do white Amadin eat at home? Feeding birds comes down to the purchase of ready-made grain mixtures, consisting of light varieties of millet, flaxseed, canary seeds, etc. At present, in pet stores there is a pretty decent selection of ready-made grain mixtures designed specifically for amadins. What food is better to choose, it's up to you and your birds to decide. It happens that mixtures of some manufacturers feathered birds eat better than others. This can only be verified based on personal experience.
In addition to seeds, amadins need to add green food, for example, lettuce, sprouted oats, field herbs. It is very good when there is a mixture of boiled eggs, green foods and grated carrots in the diet. Calcium must be in the bird’s cage - cuttlefish shell, shell rock, egg shell crumbs or calcined mixtures. You can’t give them food parrots. The grain mixture is given once a day, one teaspoon of seeds is enough for one bird.
In addition, the Amadins need live food: bloodworms, flour worms, camarus. Especially they need living creatures during the breeding season.
In one cell, there must certainly be several feeders. In one, you can pour seeds, in the other - porridge. Different types of complementary foods in one dish should not be mixed. Amadins are white (photo is given in the article) cucumbers and bread (preferably from bran) are very fond of.
Homestay
Everyone should understand that taking a bird to the house will need to take care of it. Since the Amadins live up to ten years, you need to carefully look after her, so as not to shorten the period of life. Basically, there are no calmer feathered birds than white zebra amadins. Keeping them in an apartment is not difficult, you just need to know some basic rules.
Fans should clearly understand that the bird will never sit quietly on its shoulders. Amadins must be in the cage, otherwise they can simply fly away. In addition, these beautiful creatures cannot live alone, they need to get a minimum of two, otherwise the bird may die from longing.
For birds you need to pre-purchase a cage, poles, a bathing suit. You need to clean the home of the Amadins daily, because they dirty, where it was trampled, like other birds. Once a month it is worth carrying out disinfection to prevent the appearance of any parasites and diseases associated with them.
Amadins very poorly tolerate all kinds of pungent smells, so we can’t talk about any varnishes and perfumes in a room with birds. A cage cannot be placed in drafts. And at the same time, the sun should fall on it at least several hours a day. Together, they do not recommend containing representatives of different species of amadins, since we mentioned that some individuals are very squabbling.
The rest of the birds are picky. Therefore, no special problems cause white Amadin. The care is not distinguished by any difficulties, just basic rules of keeping that will help keep the birds healthy should be followed.
For birds, cages and drinking bowls must be in the cages. Make sure that no debris enters the container. In bathing places there should not be more than two centimeters of water. Otherwise, chicks or even adults can simply drown. Water needs to be changed daily, and in the summer you can even several times. Amadins love to splash around in fresh water. If the bird bathes, then this is a sure sign that it is healthy.
Breeding birds
Do white Amadins give offspring? Breeding birds at home is not such a difficult matter. However, birds need care and attention, like any other living creature. Amadins are ready for breeding literally at two to three months of age. But they should not be allowed to nest earlier than five months. For a young female, this can be dangerous. And the chances of such individuals to bring a viable quality offspring are few.
Before starting to multiply, Amadins must get accustomed and get acquainted if they lived in different cells before. To do this, they will need from two to four weeks. If the birds get along well, sit on one branch, the male sings songs, and the female grunts, then you can try to offer them a nest. Amadins are white (photo is given in the article) - these are fearful creatures, therefore it is better to use a closed nesting house. An open nest is dangerous because eggs and chicks often fall out of it.
The house is installed in a cage or suspended. Building materials are also put there: dry blades of grass, coconut fiber. After some time, the male will begin to equip the home and look after the female. And after three days, eggs may appear. If this does not happen within two weeks, then you should not be upset, you can offer the birds another nesting place or put two at once, so that they choose.
In the case when the birds do not get along very well, you can try to plant them for a while, then they get bored and can more actively show their feelings. If nothing helps, then you have to disband the pair and find each new partner. Sometimes the Amadins are very picky in their choice.
Poultry perches on three or four eggs. During this period, you need to be especially careful. Amadin should not be disturbed or rearranged. Two weeks later, chicks appear. At first they were not heard at all, but on the third day they squeaked a little. And after two weeks, the kids scream loudly. At the age of three weeks, the chicks first try to leave the nest.
Instead of an afterword
Amadins (white) in Russia have long been not uncommon. If you wish, you can buy these cute birds. They are great for beginners, as they are not too picky to care for.