Blue-capped Waxbills are more attractive than Red-cheeked Cordon Bleus?
Parent-reared Blue-capped Cordon Bleu cock   ---->
Parent-reared Blue-capped Cordon Bleu cock        
How many names does he have?
  • Blue-headed Cordon-bleu
  • Blue-capped Cordon-bleu
  • Blue-capped Waxbill
  • Blue-headed Waxbill
  • Uraeginthus cyanocephalus
Blue Capped Cordon Bleu cock

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For such a willing breeder, relatively few were 'got to the perch' in the UK pre-2007

Needs are simple but many perish between egg and perch - often abandoned or ejected

Perhaps they are too simple and breeders had moved on to more challenging ones

Fortunately several UK breeders took the Blue-capped seriously in 2007

Numbers bred by the UK WFS are now good
WFS breeding records

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6 chicks

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BCs are the ideal introduction to Waxbills and perfect husbandry is for birds to parent rear

This is definitely the most satisfying but more are needed in the UK to lower prices and to increase availability to introduce more keepers to Waxbills

Fostering is far less satisfying but it delivers in terms of the number of youngsters reared

With good Bengalese/ Society Finches, a breeding stud can be easily trebled in a year, even by newcomers to waxbills

Fostered youngsters show no signs of imprinting

Indeed F1's are calm, used to cages and eggfood and seem more willing to breed in smaller quarters than wild-caught.   Wasn't evident in 2009 with F1's but 2010 F2's were good


BCs are the ideal introduction to Waxbills and perfect husbandry is for birds to parent rear.

This is definitely the most satisfying but more are needed in the UK to lower prices and to increase availability to introduce more keepers to Waxbills.

Fostering is far less satisfying but it delivers in terms of the number of youngsters reared.

With good Bengalese/ Society Finches, a breeding stud can be easily trebled in a year, even by newcomers to waxbills

Fostered youngsters show no signs of imprinting

Indeed F1's are calm, used to cages and eggfood and seem more willing to breed in smaller quarters than wild-caught.   Wasn't evident in 2009 with F1's but 2010 F2's were good


BCs are the ideal introduction to Waxbills and perfect husbandry is for birds to parent rear
This is definitely the most satisfying but more are needed in the UK to lower prices and to increase availability to introduce more keepers to Waxbills
Fostering is far less satisfying but it delivers in terms of the number of youngsters reared
With good Bengalese/ Society Finches, a breeding stud can be easily trebled in a year, even by newcomers to waxbills
Fostered youngsters show no signs of imprinting
Indeed F1's are calm, used to cages and eggfood and seem more willing to breed in smaller quarters than wild-caught.   Wasn't evident in 2009 with F1's but 2010 F2's were good

Pluses and minuses of the Blue-capped Cordon-bleu

Positives
  • very attractive, moderately sized waxbill
  • quite active/ calm/ not prone to stress
  • intelligent/ inquisitive
  • easy to care for
  • easy to sex (even at fledging)
Negatives
  • 1 breeding pair only per cage/ flight
  • seed sweepers (ie empty container)
  • only very slightly prone to egg binding
  • not readily fostered by 'poor' Bengalese
  • parent-rearing can be problematic

Positives
  • very attractive, moderately sized waxbill
  • quite active/ calm/ not prone to stress
  • intelligent/ inquisitive
  • easy to care for
  • easy to sex (even at fledging)
Negatives
  • 1 breeding pair only per cage/ flight
  • seed sweepers (ie empty container)
  • only very slightly prone to egg binding
  • not readily fostered by 'poor' Bengalese
  • parent-rearing can be problematic
Next page deals with   -   Housing
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