Today we are going to talk about the feeding of passerine birds: finches (goldfinch, canary, Gouldian finch) and starlings, and piciformes (toucans …). Whether you live with one of these birds or not, it is interesting what foods and nutrients these feathers need, many are the same that you put on the table.
Finch feeding
The finches are made up of 690 species that are distributed almost all over the world. Almost all feed on seeds, although they can also eat insects and fruits in season. Some are excellent singers, like the canary.
We are facing a group of small animals: between 10 and 55 cm
The jiguero
. Mixture of birdseed, millet, hempseed, oats, black …
. Endive, lettuce …
. Chopped pine nuts.
. Crumbled hard boiled egg.
. Sponge cake for canaries.
. Insects (mealworm, cricket …)
. Vitamins
. As a curiosity we will say that the goldfinches have great nutritional interest for the fresh leaves of nettle.
The Canary
. Commercial mix of canaries.
. Lettuce.
. Bread.
. Canary cake.
. Crumbled hard boiled egg.
. Vitamins
The gouldian finch, the mandarin diamond, and the cutthroat finch
. Birdseed, millet, oats …
. Spinach, lettuce, endive …
. Insects (mealworm, ant eggs …)
. Sponge cake for canaries.
. Hard boiled egg mixed with breadcrumbs and lemon rind.
. Charcoal plus “grit” (always available)
Java sparrow
. Birdseed, millet, oats …
. Spinach, lettuce, endive …
. Insects (mealworm, ant eggs …)
. Sponge cake for canaries.
. Hard boiled egg mixed with breadcrumbs and lemon rind.
. Charcoal plus “grit” (always available)
Starlings eat dates, insects, and some fruits
Within the passerines, we have the great family of starlings (Sturnidae) that groups 110 species well represented and distributed throughout the world.
They are very active birds, with a size between 15 and 40 centimeters. They have straight or slightly downward curved beaks, they walk in a similar way to ducks and some of them jump.
The talkative miná or miná of the Himalayas
This bird eats:
. Figs, dates and raisins (previously soaked in water overnight)
. Grapes, banana, apple, orange … also canned fruit salad.
. Blackberries.
. Rice boiled with milk.
. Hard-boiled egg.
. Insects (mealworm, crickets …)
. Vitamins and minerals.
The feeding of the toucans
Of the 41 species of toucans, we can say that the highest concentration resides in the Amazon Rainforest.
The original beak of these animals has an internal fibrocellular structure that allows it to be highly rigid with the least possible weight.
Toucans live in small flocks that move looking for the ripening of berries and fruits, the main bases of their natural diet. They can also eat small rodents, reptiles and bird eggs as part of their diet.
Among the food that we must provide to a toucan that resides in our home, are the following foods:
– Banana, apple, pear, cherry, grape … also canned fruit salads.
– Figs, raisins, plums … (Previously we will have these foods soaked in water for one night).
– Tomato.
– Blackberry, blackberry, currant …
– Bread with milk.
– Crumbled hard boiled egg.
– Insects.
– Vitamins scattered on food.
