Common Name	Red-Cheeked Cordon Bleu
Latin Name	Uraeginthus bengalus
Average Lifespan	10 Years
Average Length	4.5 Inches
Average Weight	10 Grams
Song Type	Quiet

Noise Level & Vocalization

Their contact calls are thin, high-pitched tsee-tsee and their songs are described as wit-sit-diddley-diddley-ee-ee.

Physical Features  

Male Face, throat, breast and flanks light bright blue. Rump and upper tail coverts a slightly duller blue. A large patch of dark crimson on the cheeks involving most of the ear coverts. Central tail feathers a dark greenish or greyish blue. Top of the head and the rest of the upper parts a slightly reddish dark brown. Centre of lower breast and under tail coverts pinkish buff. Bill pink or reddish with a black tip. Legs and feet pale brown.

Aviary Compatibility

During the breeding season, males can get quite aggressive towards other males.

Diet

Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu's mostly feed on grain, grass seeds and other seeds, as well as millets. Occasionally, they also eat beeswax. When raising young in particular, they also take insects - as the chicks require a diet rich in protein to support their rapid growth.

Care

Housing

Breeding Information

Age of Maturity	1 Year
Breeding Aviculture	Uncommon
Average Clutch Size	3 - 6 Eggs
Nest Box	Wicker Basket
Breeding Life	3 Years

In the wild, nests often in thorn bushes. Nest is roundish, quite small with a side entrance and built of grass stems. In captivity will use wicker baskets lined with grass or coconut fibre and some feathers.
The clutch is usually three to six eggs and incubation usually starts with the third egg. Sexes take turns with incubation which lasts around 11 days and young fledge at 17 to 19 days.

Courtship display The cock bird will hold a piece of grass in the beak and bob up and down. As he rises he throws his head backwards. The head feathers are often raised to give the head a triangular appearance.

For nesting, they usually accept the readily available finch nest boxes - although nest box preferences will vary depending on what the parents themselves were raised in.

These finches are not tolerant to nest inspections or disturbances in general when nesting, and often abandon any eggs or chicks. This should also be taken into consideration with respect to placement of the aviary.

 

Wild Status

Stable - Least Concern