Page last updated: 23 Sep 2021 (website last updated: 24 October 2021)

Welcome to the Waxbill Finch Society's website

First WFS branch meeting since the national lockdowns

Dave Harris has kindly stepped forward to re-open the Midlands branch for its (and the WFS as a whole) first branch meeting since the national lockdowns. The first meeting is set for Sunday 17th October and further details can be found below.

Renewal of WFS subscriptions for 2021/22 now live

The  membership page  has now been updated to accept subscriptions for the coming year through PayPal. We recognise how difficult it's been for all members during the extended period of lockdown and we look forward to a point in time when we can start to meet up again and exchange birds. Membership numbers have suffered during the Covid-19 period and we ask existing (as well as returning and new) members to re-subscribe and ensure the WFS continues to operate in line with its aims. Many thanks to you.

2020 WFS members' breeding returns

The 2020 WFS breeding returns were incorporated into our website during April 2021. A big thank you to Neil for collating the returns and for every member who contributed again this year.

In memory of our President, John Dodwell

Members will have seen that John sadly passed away in November at the age of 95. John was a founder member of the society and had been an avid breeder of waxbills and a tribute to John is featured in the Spring edition of the The Waxbill.

2021 Target Species

Following the 2015 breeding returns, it was agreed that the WFS would set a target species for each year to help promote awareness of, and encourage members both to keep and breed, that species. As well as being a risk within aviculture, there is a stipulation that the cost of acquiring a pair of birds shouldn't exceed £120 and that the species is reasonably available.

The orange-cheeked waxbill was the first target species in 2016 and was joined by red-cheeked cordon bleu in 2017, the red-winged pytillia (2018), the red-headed finch (2019), and the red-eared waxbill (2020). For 2021, it has been agreed that the target species will be the St Helena waxbill.

The WFS retain the 2019 and 2020 target species giving the full WFS target list as:

•  St Helena Waxbill 
•  Red-eared Waxbill 
•  Red-headed Finch 

WFS badges now available

We're pleased to add Waxbill Finch Society badges to the list of items we offer on PayPal. They're available for £4 each (free postage in the UK) and can be found on the  WFS booklets  page.

Forthcoming Waxbill Finch Society meetings

2021	Branch
17 Oct 2021 (Sunday)	Midlands Branch Meeting The Newstead Centre, Tilford Road, Newstead Village, Nottinghamshire NG14 0BS
All meetings	See our  WFS branch meetings  page for all the details.

WFS Facebook page

The Waxbill Finch Society also has its own closed group on Facebook. Access the site through the banner above.

Paypal for your 2021/22 subscription

Subscriptions for 2021/22 run from 1st July 2021 for 12 months.

Please use Paypal to renew your membership or to join us as a new or returning member.

See our  membership  page for full details.

WFS members' breeding returns

The latest breeding returns (for 2020) feature in the  Species  section of the website and feature on the Profiles and Breeding Returns pages - the latter also allows you to download the full 1992-2020 returns in Excel or in pdf format. Since last year, we have presented these as a heat map to colour code the risks associated with the long-term viability of each species in UK aviculture. The returns are designed to promote debate on the popularity and risks associated with particular species. They also help in choosing those target species for the coming year.

The Waxbill Finch Society was formed in 1991 with the following aims:

• To encourage the breeding of Estrildid Finches (Waxbills, Munias, etc.)
• To share information about proven breeding and feeding methods
• To help members locate, exchange, purchase or sell stock
• To build up stocks of captive-bred birds
• To assist members to contact one another at Branch Meetings or by telephone

This website is therefore designed both to promote our society and to help it achieve these aims. We also hope it will encourage potential members to develop an interest in these marvellous birds.

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