Goldfinches and Siskins

Hey guys take a look at this link http://belfast.gumtree.com/belfast/54/70635854.html surely u cant keep these as pets...

You can keep any native finch if you can provide proof that it was bred in captivity and not taken from the wild. This usually is easy as a closed ring will be fitted onto the bird's leg as a nestling, thus it would have to be in the care of a keeper during the nesting and rearing stage. The Gumtree ad makes reference to them being ringed, so I would infer that this means close-ringed as it is standard practice with all captive birds.

If the relevant authorities - the PSNI and DoE - had cause to believe that native finches being kept in captivity were obtained from the wild and not captive bred, then legal actin would ensue. If they are being offerred for sale, as they are here, then it is doubly important that evidence of captive breeding can be provided.....as keeping wild birds without licence or proof of origin is one offence, but offerring them for sale is a second and additional offense.

Not being a softbill keeper I'm not too in the know re. people keeping these, however over the years I've heard of a few people keeping native finches and a read through most issues of Cage & Aviary Bird will turn up some reference to native species kept in captivity.

The above doesn't of course apply to native finches held in captivity during rescue / rehab work or because they are wild-injured and can no longer be returned to the wild. In this instance however finches are being offerred for sale, so rescue and rehab info doesn't apply.

Great thread guys. Excellent info as usual Karl

These british birds are commonly cross bred to canaries by breeders to produce mules...a few private keepers also breed these true to type as well and a special license is normally required to keep british birds in captivity