SEXING
Although the male and female are similar in appearance, subtle differences do make it possible to accurately sex this species.  The male stands taller than the female.  The female breast has a somewhat dirty appearance where the males breast is a cleaner white.  This is an unreliable indicator however as breast color can vary based on age and condition.  When looking down at the top of the head, the males head is somewhat wider and the black feather at the top of the beak go back further on the male than on the female. This method of sexing is most reliable on young birds who have just finished their first molt at around 4 months of age.  On older birds, the most reliable way to sex owls is to place them in a cage by themselves, out of sight of the other birds, but within ear shot. In this environment, the male will sing in short order.  The female will make a one note contact call but will not sing.

HOUSING
The owl finch does well in either a cage or aviary setting.  They thrive in either small colonies or mixed flights..  This species spends much of its time on the ground scratching and looking for insects.  They greatly enjoy a small pile of leaves in a corner of the aviary where they can hunt for insects.  This tendency to use the lower regions of the aviary makes it an ideal addition to any collection.  The owl finch is an active, comical bird that is a joy to watch.

DIET
Owl finches will thrive on a standard finch mix, cuttlebone, oyster shell, fresh water. They also like sprouted seed, greens, Feast softfood, and small meal worms.  They are fairly eager to try new foods. I serve Daily essentials 3 on their softfood daily and calcivet 2x/week.  During breeding, increase the calcivet to 5 times per week and add Proboost supermax to the softfoods to provide the increased protein needed.

BREEDING
I have successfully breed this species in a small 2’x2’ cage but prefer to use a 3’ cage or aviary.  The owl finch is an active, inquisitive bird who does best when given adequate flight space.  They form strong bonds with their mates.  Once they have bonded, it is best to not attempt to switch mates.  Owl finches build freestanding nest or use small nest box or wicker basket.  They construct a dome shaped nest with a short side tunnel entrance.  They will use a variety of nesting materials including soft and coarse grasses, burlap, and small twigs.  They prefer to line their nest with soft burlap or feathers. The female lays between  4-5 eggs.  Both parents incubate the eggs and feed the young.  It is important to increase the protein when they are raising young.  Provide either meal worms, insect food, Feast softfood food or grated hard boiled egg.  The eggs hatch after 14 days and fledge at 21 days.  The chicks are independent 21 days after fledge.  Sexual maturity is reached at about 6 months but it is best to wait until they are 9-12 months old before breeding them.