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The Societies

This might come as a surprise to many, but the societies are my favorite birds in the aviary. I feel like they are frequently dismissed as just a "beginner's bird" because they are so common, easy to care for, and not so brightly colored. But they really are wonderful birds and they do great in a community setting. They get along well with everyone and bond closely with each other. A whole family of societies will try to pack all together into a single nest for the night. I think of my societies as the little angels of the aviary.

My societies are fawn marked white pieds. This is a common mutation seen frequently in pet shops. I understand that chocolates are more popular among breeders and enthusiasts, but I am really taken with the fawn.

Societies cannot be sexed visually, but over time you can usually sex them from behavior. Males will sing a little song and do a little dance to court another finch (male or female). The dance consists of stretching its neck up high and inflating its belly down low to the ground. I will attempt to catch this behavior on video for you - once you see it, it is impossible to mistake it. The female neither sings nor dances, but she will chirp (single short notes that sound like a cricket). Just because a society does not sing does not mean that it is a female, however. Egg laying is the only fool-proof method of identifying a female society.

I started with two societies who were supposed to be the same sex but then one day I had a nest full of eggs and shortly thereafter, four little chicks hatched. This is the only clutch I've ever bred, and although it was not my intention to breed, I am glad to have witnessed this miracle just once. Societies have a reputation of being excellent parents (with some exceptions of course), and mine lived up to that reputation. Of the four chicks that hatched, I still have two, a male (Junior) and a female (Li'l Missy).

The societies are excellent eaters, trying everything on their plate with relish. They love to bathe and usually do so all together like it's one giant pool party.

See the Image Gallery for more photographs.

 

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