Feeding our beautiful native finches is not complicated, says MARK JONES, but quality and variation make a vast difference to the health and condition of our stock
AFTER many years of being involved in birdkeeping, I have recently come to the conclusion that if you want to avoid serious ill health in your birds, you need to start by planning to avoid minor ill health!
That means paying attention to the food, drinking water, housing and hygiene. Since this Cage & Aviary Birds has a special focus on feed, we’ll begin with that. I have no doubt that a good and suitable diet is fundamentally conducive to rude health. And the species-specific seed mixes for hardbills are clearly put together with particular needs in mind.
There is no point in feeding seed that your birds don’t eat, or feeding them particular seeds in excess. A special mix tailored for a particular species should include seeds that your birds will eat! If all aren’t eaten with regularity, then it is likely that the birds are being overfed: that is why they are able to pick and choose. In such circumstances they are able to pick out their favourite seeds and ignore those that they find less palatable.
In the long term, that is not a feeding régime which encourages good health. If you investigate the contents of various seeds, you will see variation in levels of fat, protein and carbohydrates. Any bird needs all of those to function, but an excess or shortage of one or other can lead to ill health.
The presentation of symptoms of ill health may not normally be immediate but would likely show up after some time. By way of example, if you give a child a fatty diet, it would probably lead to obesity at first, then later in life to the risk of conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.
Birds are no different. They need a diet that they are adapted to in the wild. That isn’t always possible, and so a diet closer to it is the next best. So, in returning to the species-specific mixes: these are built with a range of seeds in mind, but also in proportions that are appropriate. I don’t suppose that they find perfection, but they are better than a general mix.
You don’t have to use them but you can follow them by making up your own mix. The diet of a hardbill doesn’t end with seed. All will take livefood throughout the year or at some point during the year. Clearly, some species consume more livefood than others. Those that consume more are probably helped by the feeding of some livefood through the year.
In copying nature, I expect that those species find less livefood during the winter months, so a reduction in the amount given then seems appropriate.
Think greens
However, we should not forget the importance of vegetables in the diet of our birds. Again, we will see variation in the consumption of vegetable matter from one species to another – but I believe they all need it. The bullfinch in the wild is renowned for the inclusion of buds in its diet. Providing buds throughout the year for captive bullfinches is probably not possible, but other vegetable matter can be given which is likely to assist good health.
A slice of apple, or peas, broccoli and others can be provided for your birds to take. You needn’t overdo it. Just a small amount daily or every other day would probably be enough. I believe that the availability of such vegetable matter is important. You can monitor how much your birds take and feed accordingly.
I am convinced that vegetable matter is important in the health of bullfinches and also the goldfinch. It is of lesser importance to other seed-eaters, but still relevant. I have bramblefinches that take peas, rowan berries and apple. So offer greenfood to all and tailor what you provide according to the consumption.
You will also see seasonal variation in the uptake. As we enter spring and summer we have access to weeds such as dandelion, sow-thistle and others. The seeds will be eaten by some species, but in the case of dandelion and sow-thistle some birds will eat part of the plant. In particular the goldfinch and siskin take the white sap of sow-thistle. So tap into the availability of weeds in the spring, through the summer into the autumn.
Although it may not meet the definition of “feed”, don’t forget items such as grit. I consider the behaviour of birds and what they do in their day-to-day activities. My birds readily take eggshell and charcoal and I have also been feeding a pigeon grit for years. More recently, I purchased some bird grit from a local petshop. It contained a mixture of aggregates. The birds really took to it, especially a red-coloured one which looked like sandstone. I have seen plenty written in the past about whether birds need grit to aid digestion. However, based on the way I see them react to and take it, I am of the view that it would normally form part of the process of digestion and/or the uptake of minerals.
My birds spend quite some time on the floor of their flights. They take from the soil seeds, insects or grit. Occasionally I have offered a clump of soil to the birds that I’m keeping in cages. It creates much interest as the birds pick at it.
Cleaning is not optional
The cleanliness of drinking water is of the utmost importance. I advise that it be given fresh and daily. I don’t advocate the use of receptacles that promote the provision of water less often than daily. I often observe birds dropping down to drink once fresh water is offered. I have also noticed it with dogs when the water is changed.
Another important point is the cleanliness of the receptacle used to hold the water. If you pay close attention, you will see the build-up of dirt and slime. Receptacles need to be cleaned regularly. Every week is probably sufficient for most of the year. If your receptacles aren’t cleaned then the likelihood of bacterial and fungal infection increases.
The drinking water can include additives and I believe that one which includes vitamins and minerals is beneficial. A balanced diet may provide all of a bird’s nutritional needs, but just in case it does not then a supplement can be a back-up insurance. Don’t overdo supplements. Follow the recommended dosage of the product – in fact you probably need less if your birds are particularly well cared for in their dietary needs.
● In his next article, Mark considers the other key elements in the proper management of native hardbills.
Mark Jones is a committee member of the National British Bird & Mule Club.
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