Finches Previously in our Care - Red Cheeked Cordon Bleu Waxbill

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The Finch Diaries
Finches Previously in our Care

Red Cheeked Cordon Bleu Waxbill

DISCLAIMER: The information below is based solely on our observations of our finches, and is not intended to indicate typical behavior for all finches of this species.

Our Finches

Gender of Finch	Details
Adult females
Adult males
Unknown gender	our male was put to sleep in April 1998 due to an unknown terminal illness

General Comments

Our pair of red cheeked cordon bleu waxbills are the most inquisitive finches of the entire community. Each addition to the finch environment is invariably investigated first by one or both of the pair. The red cheeked cordon bleus are good companions to each other as well as to the other aviary inhabitants, and rarely cause trouble, even during the times in which they've nested. These colourful and energetic finches are enjoyable to observe in the aviary, especially when nesting materials are present as they are master grass and moss thieves, rarely ever getting caught!

Based on our experiences with this pair, we highly red cheeked cordon bleu waxbills in a community aviary environment.

ABOVE and BELOW: Our male red cheeked cordon bleu waxbill.
In these photos, he is in the early stages of his illness.

Dietary Requirements

Food Type	Our Finches Consume This	Is Recommended by Experts
Block supplements	crushed oyster shell while mating and nesting	yes, especially during breeding
Boiled egg	occasionally	yes, especially during breeding
Finch seed mix	yes	yes
Fruit & vegetables	voracious eaters of lettuce, spinach	yes
Live food	will play with live food hulls, and will steal a half eaten mealworm from green singers	yes, especially during breeding
Spray millet	yes	yes
Water	yes	yes

Social Habits

Activity	Comments
Gets along well with	all other finches
Does not get along with
Indifferent to	green singing finches who are aloof to everyone
Bathing	frequent bathers
Preferred sleeping places	the pair slept snuggled together and with other waxbills
General behavior	get along well with all other finches

Courtship

With a blade of grass or piece of moss in her upward facing bill, the female hops in place singing a high pitched upwardly spirally song. After a few hops, she flies to another branch to hop and sing some more. Throughout her dance, the male listens attentively and follows her from branch to branch. Mating has not been observed following her dance.

The male will also perform the same dance, and his song is very much like the female's. She does not, however, follow him as intently during his dance as he follows her during her dance.

BELOW LEFT: Unknown red cheeked cordon bleu preening itself.
BELOW RIGHT: Left, female; right, male.