Hybrid Timor sparrows (in English!)

[romango]

Hallo, German Finch Lovers!
I'm sorry I can't write in Deutsch, but I , begging Your pardon, need Your advice.
Some Years ago I bought two pairs of Timor sparrows (Lonchura fuscata) from our friend Marco Baumgartner. They actually are three cocks and one hen ! I was able to breed them easily, anyway. Unfortunately , I was so sure these were easy birds, I parted from all the offsprings. The following year I had clear eggs only. I soon realized I was left with three sterile cocks and one good hen. So, I tried crossing the lone hen with a Java cock.
I had many clear eggs, and, happily, two hybrid hatchlings, which I hand raised. They are two cocks and are now singing a lot. So, this is my question: do You think they could be sterile? If no, which is the best next option? That is : to back-cross them with their mother or give them a Java hen?
P.S. I couldn't find any actual Timor breeder in Europe (except one in France who has hundreds but don't sell one of his birds !)
roberto mangani
from Firenze, Italy.
http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/6701/timorhybri3fq51rc7.jpg




http://img355.imageshack.us/img355/1761/yypadda2gk0.jpg



http://img355.imageshack.us/img355/4492/yypadda1wv2.jpg

 

[Tiffani]

Dear Roberto,
my English is not perfect, so I use the Googel translators!

I imagine a link that I think with a little luck are you there.

I hit you the thumbs

Greetings from Berlin rima:

Padda fuscata

 

[Rasti]

hey, roberto....

look in your private news for a new adress.......
Unfortunately it is difficult to breed Timor sparrow. And a hybrid is - competent according to breeders - infertile .
Over the breeder in Luxembourg Mr. Weyrich : the entire breeding 2007 was stolen completly .

AND : Timor needs much space to fly - otherwise they will be agressively .

NO CAGE !!!!!!

 

[romango]

Thank You very much for the link and advices. I know Weyrich (or, better, his site!) from some years, and was shocked to hear what happened to his birds. Today I am going to put nests in my aviaries and cages, so, in a few weeks , I will know if Timor-Java hybrids are fertile ! Unfertile eggs is a big and widespread problem with Timors. I suspect this species has a different breeding behaviour from Javas . (Maybe javas are so easy breeders as they are domesticated from some centuries, while timors are still "wild" birds). I am not at all interested in making hybrids , but as i am left with one only timor hen, I am trying all what I can.
I will update the forum with my results.....
roberto

 

[Munia maja]

Hello Roberto,

I think, the hybrids are fertile, because the parents are very closely related - mostly the male offspring is fertile...
If you cross back the offspring, you never get back the "pure" Timor again - therefore it doesn´t make any sense to cross the young male with his mother.

I wish you a good luck - it´s difficult to find Timor sparrows, but sometimes...

Steffi