The Australian Zebra Finch is a popular cage bird in many countries, not simply among hobbyists, but also among scientists where it is the preferred subject for laboratory research in a range of biological disciplines. The primary aim of this book is to integrate these diverse laboratory studies and place them in the context of the biology of the animals in the wild so that a more complete picture of the adaptations and life history of the species will emerge.
Given the vast number of publications on domesticated laboratory Zebra Finches, it is impossible to review all of them, or to keep up with the continuous flow, so those that complement the field studies and aid understanding of the species have been selected. Perhaps 'subspecies' is more accurate because almost all research has been conducted on the Australian subspecies of Zebra Finch. Nothing is known about the field biology of the Lesser Sundas subspecies, and only limited aspects of its vocal and reproductive behaviour are known from captive birds. There is some fascinating work to be done on this subspecies; it will not only fill a void, but will provide interesting reflections on the biology of the Australian subspecies.
For most of the last 30 years much of our knowledge of the behaviour of the Zebra Finch in the wild was based on Klaus Immelmann's work. Unfortunately, only a small proportion was published in English, in particular in his wonderful book, Australian Finches in Bush and Aviary. Readers of German had access to his massive papers from which the English work was extracted, but if the citations in the literature are any guide, these papers have been largely ignored. Therefore, another of the aims of this book is to make accessible to readers of English additional details of Immelmann's fine fieldwork. Of course, things have not stood still in Australia since his visit and a number of ecological and behavioural studies have been conducted on populations in different parts of the country and these have been set in the context of Immelmann's contribution.
The following topics are covered in detail:
-Systematics and phylogeny
-Distribution and habitat
-Morphology, domestication and moult
-Feeding ecology
-Drinking, water relations and temperature regulation
-Coloniality and breeding ecology
-Breeding periodicity
-Populations
-Social and reproductive behaviour
-Vocalizations
-Sexual imprinting and mate choice
-Life history and adaptations.
"The Zebra Finch" by Richard Zann (335pp, including 53 figures, 21 Tables, 4 Appendices) is published by Oxford University Press and is part of the Oxford Ornithology Series edited by Christopher Perrins. The illustrations above by Mike Bamford are taken from the book.
To order this book, either follow this link: The Zebra Finch, or contact your local Oxford University Press distributor: