Owl Finch
The Tasmanian Owl Finch
The owl finch is a tiny Australia bird that finds its origin in the land down under. These mini birds only growing to about four inches but they are distinctive because of their color pattern. They are grey, white, and black. The typical owl finch has two distinct black rings that form dividing lines separating its white belly from its white chest and its chest from white malar throat and face. Although most of its face is white, its black crown feathers extend down to the apex of its bill, thus giving this Aussie bird its owl-like facial appearance. Nature has mottled its black wings with symmetrical rows of white dabs.
What’s in a name?
Its distinctive looks give it not only the name, “owl finch,” but also its other much more pedestrian name, the double-barred finch. Its scientific name is Taeniopygia bichenovii. The species name refers to James Ebenezer Bicheno, a British administrator who helped govern Tasmania back when even the British administrators still called it Van Diemen’s Land. (Interesting the Dutch discoverer, Abel Janszoon Tasman named it after his supervisor, Van Diemen, but the British would rename it after him, Tasmania.) Bicheno wrote several scientific articles on the botany of the land Mother England had charged him with ruling and his name lives on not only in this finch but also in a town name in Tasmania.
Caring for the Owl Finch as a Pet
The owl finch can make for a great domestic bird. It is naturally playful and its small size is conducive to indoor captivity. The key to raising a happy, healthy owl finch is remembering to keep the bird in conditions that somewhat resemble those that he left behind in the wild. So what does this mean in terms of your little Bicheno finch?
Diet
Owl finches are seedeaters in their natural habitats, so you will want to make sure that your finch diet is heavy in grass seeds and millet. You should also look for cuttlefish bones at your local pet shop and add them to your finch’s diet as well. The cuttlefish bone has the dual benefit of being a calcium supplement for your bird and of helping him maintain him naturally trim back his beak. (Generally, the texture of the cuttlefish bone also gives an enjoyable tactile feel—birds have a highly developed sense of beak sensitivity so variety in this department can really give a bird a jolt of excitement.) If you cannot find cuttlefish bone, try to go with grit. Any pet store worth its salt should have one or the other, if not both.
Just like you, your finch needs its veggies too. Remember to give it a steady supply of carrots, lettuce, spinach, and/or broccoli. These are also a pleasure because of the various textures.
Space and Climate Requirements
Although these are tiny birds, they love to stretch their wings. For this reason, they do best in large aviaries. We do not recommend outdoor aviaries because it makes it difficult to monitor climate conditions. This is especially true if you live somewhere where nighttime temperatures become particularly harsh. Owl finches simply don’t thrive in such environments.
Breeding
If you are looking to breed owl finches, you will want to separate out a male and female pair bond and give them a chance to get things going. If things work out, the female finch will have between four and six eggs. She will start sitting on the eggs once she has four and the eggs typically hatch within two weeks. The little finch babies take about a month and a half to wean from their parents.
Be careful, however, when you keep male owl finches together during breeding season. Male owl finches can become very aggressive toward one another during mating season when a female is present. The close confines of indoor aviaries only exacerbate this problem, because cages are never large enough to allow the weaker candidate to successful escape harm.
Despite this, an owl finch makes for a great, domesticated bird species.