Guldova Amadina is one of the most beautiful birds of the finch weaver family. Her homeland is North Australia. The bird got its name in honor of the wife of John Gould, a British naturalist and animal painter. He discovered these birds traveling around Australia in 1938 and 1840. In his scientific works he made a mention of them in 1844.
Amadins of Gould, photos of which are in front of you, are considered very rare birds even in their homeland and are classified as an endangered species. These birds are kept in the form of decorative birds, only due to their colorful plumage. In a word, they are extremely beautiful, so you should learn more about them. The maintenance and breeding of Gould’s Amadins, their way of life in the natural environment and in captivity, are all very interesting. In this article you can find out about all this.
Description of Amadin Gould
Guild amadins are birds whose plumage of the head can vary greatly. In the wild, they are called black-headed, red-headed and yellow-headed. Sometimes there are orange-headed beauties. On the head of females there is an intermediate color of feathers.
Only a male has a low voice, the ability to sing and a bright color of feathers. Amadina Gould is not included in the list of feathered singers, females of this species cannot sing at all. Their plumage is characterized by a calmer color, in a word, “girls” are in the shadow of “boys”. There are mutations of these birds - white-chested and blue. All forms have the ability to cross among themselves.
The nature of guild amadines can be determined by the color of the feathers on the head. Instances with red plumage are more aggressive than their “black” counterparts, but they are more curious. It is assumed that the temperament of birds, in some way depends on pigmentation.
Red-headed individuals in almost all cases receive a gain in the struggle for food; the instinctive fear of red color is considered the reason. If a female mates with a male of a different color, 72% of the chicks in the brood will be males.
Birds of both sexes are approximately 11 cm in length. If you take from the head to the ends of the middle feathers of the tail, the length will be from 13 to 15 cm.
What is the voice of Amadina Gould
Amadina Gould belongs to flocks of birds. All representatives of this species are endowed with the property of roll call with their congeners, which is manifested by the constant silent calls of "sit". They use these sounds during flights. Such an appeal is so quiet that it is possible to hear it only being very close to the birds.
At a time when someone is behind the pack, calls become louder and change to “citt-citt”, then turning into a loud long “tsrui-it” if the member of the pack completely disappears from view.
Amadina Gould: Habitat
The habitat of guild amadines is Kimberley County, where birds are currently very common when compared with other regions. This place is considered the hottest in the entire southern hemisphere, the daily temperature there rises to 40-45 degrees in the shade.
Amadina Gould is a very mobile bird. Even at high temperatures, it can stay in the sun for a long time and can easily adapt to all extreme climatic conditions. Other birds in this heat try to hide in the shade. In the northern regions, Amadins feel good at high temperature and high humidity. At this time, they prey on insects and look for semi-mature seeds that are part of the diet.
House for guild madadins
When keeping finch weavers at home, enclosures, sometimes cells, are used. The size of the cells can be different, depending on the living conditions. But the permissible minimum size of the house must be observed. In order for the birds to feel comfortable, they must live in a cage measuring at least 60 x 40 x 40 cm (60 is the length of the cage).
Some species of weavers live and even breed in cramped houses, but they should not exist for so long. Such conditions severely restrict the movement of birds, resulting in metabolic disorders. This will threaten the Amadins with grave irreparable consequences.
The cage can be made of plastic or wood, it is only important to observe the distance between the rods, which is allowed about 1 cm, not more. The poles are made of rods of different thicknesses, and you do not need to remove the bark from them. The cage should be constantly lit.
Even the most demanding Amadins of Gould, whose care and maintenance will be at the proper level, will be able to delight the household with their beautiful views.
Guild Amadine Conditions
For the reason that guild amadines belong to exotic birds, whose residence is tropical and equatorial belts, it should be provided for them with daylight hours of 10-12 hours. For example, if the Amadins of Gould live in Moscow, it means that during the winter period it is necessary to do additional illumination for them.
Cages need to be installed on special supports (40-50 cm above the floor). It is good if they are located near a light source. Amadina Gould - a bird that is very stressed. You need to turn to her in a quiet voice, with affection, carefully approach the cage, do not make noise during the replacement of the feeder and drinking bowl. Only in this way will the feathered be able to get used to the owners and will not show panic. At the sight of a stranger or a sudden turn off of the light, a bird may die.
Since the habitat of the Amadins is hot countries, they do not tolerate sudden changes in temperature, which should be in the range of 22-24 degrees. Tobacco is very harmful to birds and other harmful substances. Amadins in a house with cats or dogs also feel uncomfortable.
Keeping cells clean
One of the most important conditions for the maintenance of Amadin Gould is purity in the cells. To achieve this, you must:
Daily:
• In the places where the birds are located, carry out cleaning: take out the garbage, wipe off the dust, extend the tray and wipe it with a damp cloth, change the litter.
• Wash dishes for birds with hot water and detergents, then wipe them with a dry cloth. The feeders intended for grain should be cleaned of the remaining food by wiping, filling with the daily norm of food and put in place.
Once a month:
• It is necessary to carry out general cleaning in the cage. Wipe it with a sponge dipped in natural disinfectants (infusion of chamomile or wormwood). It is recommended to pour this grass under the pallet.
• Clean roosts from adhering dirt, then rinse and calcine in the oven.
Every quarter:
• The cell must be washed with a solution of soda, taking 2-3 teaspoons of it per liter of water, then wipe thoroughly.
• Rinse with infusions of herbs. Herbal remedies will not harm the bird. Chemical preparations for cell care are best avoided.
Caring for Amadins Gould
Amadins are bathing enthusiasts. Such an opportunity can be given to them if you place a bath near the hole in the cage. There should be very little water in it - not higher than the calf’s lower leg, so that he could not drown. Bathing is good for bird health, and plumage, thanks to water, will be in a neat condition. The water in the bath should be at room temperature.
Caring for Amadins includes combating fleas and ticks. For this, there is a spray that has the property of combating parasitic insects. It is not recommended to use it for processing birds during laying or hatching eggs. It is advisable to spray the bird with a preparation against feather growth, do this until the skin and plumage become wet. Repeat the procedure after two days.
In the room in which the cell is located, disinfection should be done with one of the drugs against parasites. The floor can be washed with water with the addition of wormwood infusion.
Feeding
Amadins of Gould, the contents of which are possible at home, need to be fed mainly with grain mixtures, which include different varieties of millet: Italian, red, white, black, yellow. Canary and flaxseed can be added. It is advisable to buy mixtures for exotic species of birds.
Sprouted cereal grains are also happy to eat Gould’s Amadins. Feeding and breeding are closely interconnected, because germinated grain is a stimulator of birds to breed. It is especially useful to feed its amadins about a month before nesting.
Every day, you need to add vegetables and fruits, such as sweet peppers, carrots, and fresh herbs to the diet. Animal feed is also needed for finch weavers. These include: cool-boiled chicken eggs, flour worms, fresh bloodworms, green leaf aphids and leafless caterpillars. Fresh ant chrysalis are especially appreciated.
Amadins Gould: breeding
It is not at all difficult to reproduce these birds at home. Only this takes into account the fact that if you do not provide the feathered handsome people with proper conditions, they are unlikely to please their owner with chicks. You need to stock up nesting houses with a half-open front wall. The size of the house should be 15 x 15 x 15 cm. The nest of soft hay and feathers of the bird is paved by themselves, sometimes they line it with lettuce and cabbage. This increases the humidity inside the nest.
In one clutch there are 4-6, sometimes 8 eggs. Chicks appear on day 15-16. Immediately after hatching, they are blind, without fluff. A characteristic pattern is located on the inner surface of the mouth.
Chicks grow quickly, leave the nest at the age of 22-25 days. The beak turns black and the plumage turns brown-green. Amadina Gould feeds her chicks another 10-15 days after departure from the nest. At six months, young birds acquire a permanent color.
Ways to infect Amadin Gould with a tracheal tick
All small ornamental birds, especially the canaries and Amadina Gould, are affected by tracheal tick disease. Routes of infection have not yet been fully studied, it is assumed that the bird can become infected with a tick in such cases:
• during feeding;
• airborne droplets;
• through contaminated water.
In the early stages of the disease, the Amadins of Gould stop singing, their plumage becomes ugly, drowsiness is observed. Despite the fact that the feathered people eat and drink, they strongly begin to lose weight, often hawked. At a deeper stage, sneezing, coughing, wheezing are observed. The bird sits with its mouth open, breathing heavily, constantly cleaning its beak on the perch, removing the discharge.
A tracheal tick affects the lungs, trachea and bronchi, which leads to complete blockage of air passages.
