I hand raised a wild baby Chaffinch that had fallen from it's nest a number of years ago. I knew less about birds than I do now and fed him just as the vet who gave him to me had been doing up till then, on soaked kitten bikkies. When he grew up he was really bonded and would fly to me as soon as he saw me. It took a long time to wean him off me so he could be freed, but when he was he would come back every year to 'check in' as it were. I always knew it was him because he sang just like my canaries!.

I think finches are very hard to be hand raised. All finches are very skiddish around humans. The only reason they are captive is for their lovely voice. I would say reared.

Nate, are you guys going to the Varsity Theater on April 15 to see this?
The Trailer looks pretty cool. http://www.wildparrotsfilm.com/trailer.html

Mike Bross

I've heard of people having luck with taming parent reared canaries, but of course canaries are domesticated and it would be different with wild finches.
I did hear once of someone who had a tame female zebra finch. Apparently her mate died and she just became tame on her own, driven by lonliness. But that sort of thing is rare. I think you would need to get a hand raised finch to be guaranteeed a tame bird.


Karen
Chico (conure) and Pippin (budgie)
WI

I saw it 2 weeks ago at a small indie theater. My wife and I enjoyed it!

Get Firefox!

I had a Zebra finch that now resides with my mother and her budgie. I did tell the long tale of woe about Freddy the finch et all on a post ....
anyway, since he's been with my mom (free flighted) he's become quite tame. He follows her around the house and lands on her from time to time. She isn't able to touch him (yet).
He does'nt get put to bed at night (sleeps in a small Norfolk Pine tree in her house) so when the budgie starts yelling in morning, if my mother does'nt get up quickly, the finch will land on her face or head and start chirping to wake her up to open up the budgie cage.

I wonder if she had him clipped (she never would!) would he become tame?
He's very messy and builds nests all over the house pooping as he goes, ha,ha - my poor mom.

Re: Wild Parrots of Telegraph hill
Unfortunately, that film is not available in Canada yet. I saw the book in Chapters and will either buy it or borrow it from the library. It's quite a nice story.

Barb

Finches should never be clipped. They can't climb to get around like parrots can. He'd just be helpless and would probably have trouble even just getting to his food and water dishes.
You might want to try this site.
www.robirda.com
There's some info on taming canaries - it might apply to finches.

Karen
Chico (conure) and Pippin (budgie)
WI

I saw it last summer, when Mark Bittner and producer were in town to promote it, and they had a Q&A session after the film that was really great. I might go see it again, but I'm not sure yet. My last couple weeks have been so busy I'm very averse to making plans right now, all I want to do is unwind!

Nate Waddoups
Redmond WA USA