This elegant bird is remarkable for the size and beauty of the tail, the middle feathers of which, (although the body of the bird is not much larger than a Canary,) is twelve inches long. It is a splendid bird in a cage, and carries its extremely long tail gracefully, and manages it dexterously, in hopping from perch to perch. It has a very sweet and soft note, and keeps itself neat and clean; nor is it by any means a delicate bird, although from the torrid zone, but stands our climate very well, and is easily kept in a cage. It moults twice in the year, when a change takes place in its plumage, and it loses the long feathers in the tail, which it does not regain for six months, it having those feathers only, (in its own country,) in the breeding season. They should have a very large cage, and the perches pretty far apart.

Food

They are fed the same as the Canary Finch.

Characteristics Of The Sexes

The upper parts of the male of this bird are a brownish black; paler on the wings. On the upper part of the neck there is a broad collar of rich orange yellow; the under parts are of a light buff color, at the tail black. After losing the long feathers the plumage becomes streaked with black and white, about the head and neck, and below with black and red. The female is of a brownish black, all over, and has not the long feathers in the tail. The length of the long feathers in the tail of the male is twelve inches.

Location

Found in Southern and Western Africa.