When you hear the words "finches species," the first things that might come into your mind are zebra finches or society finches. This shouldn't be a wonder, as these are the most common types of finches domesticated or kept in cages and aviaries at home. If you're thinking about keeping or breeding at home, but want something out of the ordinary, you might want to consider some of the more unusual species.
· Cut-Throat Finch - The cut-throat or Amadina fasciata is a common bird in the African continent. Its color is pale or light brown, with tiny black flecks all over its body. Adult males have a thick red band across its throat, thus explaining its common name.
· Java Rice Finch - The Java Rice or Java Sparrow (Padda oryzivora) is a small cage bird native to the island of Java. The adult is quite unmistakable because of its gray body and breast, pink belly, white cheeks, black head and red bill. The Java sparrow is a vulnerable finches species and can be found in the islands of Java, Sri Lanka, Colombo and Oahu, Hawaii.
· Owl Finch - The owl or double barred (Taeniopygia bichenovii ) is a beautiful bird that inhabits the northern and eastern part of Australia. Unlike colorful finches species, the Owl finch is of monochromatic color. The face is all white and is bordered by a dark ring of feathers, giving it an owl-like appearance. Its body and wings are patterned in dark brown and white.
· Red-Cheeked Cordon-bleu - This small bird (Uraeginthus bengalus)is native to the sub-Saharan parts of Africa and is known for its vibrant blue body, brown wings and red cheeks.
· Star Finch - The star finch (Neochmia ruficauda) is a nearly threatened finches species that is native to Australia. This finch is olive in color but has a vermillion head that makes it stand out. This bird is peaceful, making it a great choice in aviaries with mixed finches.
· Strawberry Finch - Also known as the Red Munia (Amandava amandava), the Strawberry Finch is native to tropical Asia, and is very popular as a house pet because of its colorful plumage. The bird is easily identifiable because of its very red body.
As far as diversity is concerned, these five unusual finches are just the tip of the surface. There are more unusual finches left to be discovered and enjoyed as house pets. While these finches species are usually native to countries and islands other than the Americas, they are usually available locally within the country, and with some luck, your neighborhood pet or bird store might have a beautiful unusual finch for sale. Unlike common finches that are inexpensive, these uncommon finches species might be priced at anywhere from $20 to a couple of hundred dollars each, so be prepared to spend more for them.
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