www.BengaleseFinch.co.ukintroductionBengalese finches, or the 'Society' finch as they are known in the USA,
are an extremely easy and interesting way to get into bird collecting, or
aviculture. Other names include the Japanese Mövchen
finches and there are no doubt many other names for this very special finches!
They rank equally with the zebra
finch in popularity and availability. They were given the name of the
'Society' finch because of their reputation for being so very
sociable; almost to a meddlesome degree. When a Bengalese finch sees another bird preparing a
nest for example, it just naturally wants to assist. When the nest is finished, the
Bengalese will help incubate the eggs. Shy birds will often desert their nests because of this unwelcome intrusion. Therefore, the wise breeder of rare and shy birds will undoubtedly maintain several pairs of
Bengalese to be used as foster parents in emergencies, but he will house them in a separate aviary or in individual cages. The Bengalese finch has a shrouded history; its basic identity, its scientific classification, is the subject of ongoing debate. This unique bird can claim something no other finch can thus far: it exists only in captivity. It has never existed in a wild state anywhere on the planet. It is a completely man-made finch, domesticated over many centuries. Just like Dalmatians, Holstein Cows and Rhode Island Red chickens, Bengalese finches are are the product of artificial selection by humans.
a complicated background The first Bengalese were bred in the Far East, possibly in Japan. Their captivity dates back so long ago, that their true ancestry or beginnings have always been controversial. However, many authorities now believe the Asian Striated and Sharptail Mannikins are direct ancestors. These wild, seldom-seen Mannikins are essentially identical to the Chocolate Self Bengalese Finch. Its relation to other Mannikins, including the Spice Finches and the various Asian and Indonesian munia species, is undisputed, but the exact relation of this species to the others remains a mystery. It has also been described as a descendant of the Shaft-tailed finch or the White-Backed Munia or Striated Finch (L. striata) crossed with the Sharptailed finch (L. acuticauda). Possibly the Philippine White Breasted Mannikin or a similar subspecies was also used although it was evolved so long ago by a series of hybridizations that the true parentage is no longer known. However, the general shape of the Bengalese is more similar to the Philippine White Breasted Mannikin than to the Sharp Tailed. It is believed that the initial impetus behind the development of Bengalese finches was to develop a strain of birds to be used in fostering of other (more difficult) finch species.
Most commonly these birds are assigned to the genus 'Lonchura', species 'domestica'. It was first named in 1766 by Linnaeus. Why all the confusion? As its scientific name suggests, the Bengalese is one of the few domesticated species of finch. Domestication implies two things: first, the animals in question survive in captivity as well as, if not better than, they would in the wild, and secondly, they differ significantly from their cousins who still live in the wild. Both aspects of this definition are true with Bengalese; as a species they do not exist in the wild - and never have. Bengalese finches are good breeders and are ideal foster parents for many of the rarer finches that are not steady enough to be called reliable parents. Sexes can accurately be determined mainly by behaviour. The male sings a squeaky little song to his mate while puffing out his chest and sticking his head high up in the air. This is an amusing little performance punctuated by short but vigorous hops. Bengalese finches, accustomed to living with humans, do not stress as easily as other species. As a result they can live in homes with other birds and even other animals. They have no problem with eating, bathing or singing in the presence of humans. Additionally, they can be housed with most other species of finches as they are non-aggressive. For domestic arrangements, Bengalese prefer nest boxes or covered wicker nests. They are so easy to care for that they are an ideal species to begin with if one is a novice finch owner. Whatever its history, the Bengalese is one of the most enjoyable and easiest finches to keep and bred. Every bird fancier who keeps them will come to realise the true value of this lovely little bird.
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