. Black headed nun
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- Scientific Name: Lonchura malacca
atricapilla
- Common Name/s:
BLACK HEADED NUN, BLACK HEADED MUNIA, BLACK HEADED MANNIKIN.
- Sub Species in country / area of origin:
The Black headed Nun is a sub species of the Tri coloured Nun.
- Origin / Distribution: India,
Pakistan, China, Taiwan and further south.
- Habitat In Wild: Tall grasses
and reeds. Wet tropical
environment and has adapted to farmlands such as rice paddies.
- Status In Wild: Secure.
- Status In (Australian) Captivity:
Secure
- Age To Sexual Maturity: ?
- Adult plumage: attained at about 12
months.
- Best breeding years (estimate):
2nd - 5th
- Lifespan (estimate): up to 8
years.
- Best breeding years (estimate):
12 months to 5 years.
- Sexing: Monomorphic / Dimorphic
- Mutations: No
- Availability: Bird dealers.
- Temperament: Docile, hardy,
long lived bird. They are social birds that like to live in a
flock and fond of company of their own species. They can be
kept as a colony or as a single pair in a mixed finch collection.
They adapt well to Canary breeding size indoor cages as well as a
planted aviary and are good as a beginners bird.
- Cost (Victoria) Per Pair: -
Normal colour (Approx.) $80
- Description Of Adults:
- Length: Approx. 110 - 115 mm (or approx. 4.5 inches)
- Colour ( "normal" colour ): Refer
photo/s above if available.
- Weight: Approx. 20 gms (or about 2/3 oz)
Black headed Nun, Silver headed Nun or
the Tri coloured Nun have similar husbandry requirements.
Aviary Notes:
Read notes
on "Finches - Non Australian" web page
and use in conjunction with details
outlined on this page.
Level Of Knowledge Required:
Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced / Specialist Breeders Only.
Government Regulations &
By-Laws: Refer to "Government Laws" page.
Housing Requirements:
Click on "Housing birds"
web page for general details on the housing
of Non Australian Finches or read on for specific details for this finch.
In a planted aviary, plants similar to
their natural environment include tall growing grasses, reed like
plants, shrubs and pots of small bamboo. Growing seeding grasses
are eagerly consumed.
Do not house Black headed Nun, Silver
headed Nun or the Tri coloured Nun in the same aviary as they may
hybridize.
Diet / Feeding:
Click on "Feeding birds"
web page for general details on the
nutrition of Non Australian Finches or read on for specific details for this
finch.
Black headed Nun requires a good quality finch mix, seeding grasses
and some fruits (e.g. apple) and vegetables. Sprouted or soaked seed if available. Live food is not essential
but is beneficial especially during breeding season.
Basic seed mix should include Canary
seed, White French Millet, Japanese Millet, and Yellow and Red Panicum.
Nesting:
A basic overview only.
- Roosting nest:
Yes / No
- Nesting months: Spring
to autumn but may
breed year round if conditions are suitable.
- Nesting receptacles:
Both parents will build a nest in a shrub or dry brush. Equally it will
build a nest in a wide variety of artificial nests.
- Nest: The pair make a
dome shaped nest from grasses. Nest is lined with soft fine grasses.
- Who incubates the eggs:
Hen / cock / both share.
More details on finch nests
and a selection of finch nest photos
can be located on the "nests", "finch nests"
and "finch nest photos"
web pages. Click on "Up" then "nests" then
"finch nests" and "finch nests photos" in
the navigation bars.
Breeding:
Egg Colour White. Clutch/s
per year 3 - 4. Eggs per nest 4 - 7. Incubation
approx. 14 days. Fledge approx. 21 - 24 days.
Independent approx. another 3 - 4 weeks.
First official breeding in South
Australia was in 1935 by H. Sewell.
Do not house Black headed Nun, Silver
headed Nun or the Tri coloured Nun in the same aviary as they may
hybridize.
Although a good beginner's bird, expert
opinion may be required to accurately determine the sex of each bird.
The young may be left in an aviary with
the parent birds if there is adequate room available. The parent
birds will usually tolerate the young independent birds and not cause
them any harm. The hen may start laying another clutch of eggs
while the young are still being fed by the cock bird. Fully
independent young should always be removed when they are bred in a cage
or a small aviary.
Adequate new nest material must be
available for the hen to rebuild the old nest or build a new nest for
the next clutch.
Artificial incubation, hand rearing or fostering will not be
covered on this web site. It is too complex and diverse in nature to be
attempted here. Refer "Specific References" as listed below and
"General References" listings.
Health Issues:
Refer "Avian Health Issues"
web page for information and references.
- Worming and parasite control and Quarantine
requirements of new birds or sick birds are considered to
require veterinary advice and therefore not covered on this web
site. Refer above option - "Avian Health Issues"
web page.
- Avian medicine is advancing at a rapid pace. Keep
updating your knowledge and skills.
General References:
Refer to references listed on "Book
References" web page.
Specific References:
- Australian Aviculture
- A/A Vol 30 No. 4 Apr 1976 Page 63-64
- A/A Vol 29 No. 12 Dec 1975 Page
180-185 (Inc photos)
- A/A Vol 9 No 9 Sept 1955 Page 111.
- A/A Vol 3 No 6 Jun 1949 Page
62 (First breeding in SA).
- Australian Birdkeeper
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