Some species readily raise their offspring with few problems such as zebra and society finches. In fact societies are often used as foster parents for rearing clutches of eggs/babies that are not their own. Owls (bicheno), Stars, Shaft-tails, Masked Grass Finches, Cherry-head, Parrot Finches, Gouldians, and most Mannikins will be successful parents if certain criteria are met. All nest boxes and cages are not equal when it comes to these birds. Gouldians usually require porch-style nest boxes that mimic the nesting cavities they use in the wild. Shaft-tails breed better in larger cages than smaller. The majority of these birds also prefer more private environments to successfully incubate and rear their young without tossing the chicks from the nest or abandoning the clutch entirely. Waxbills like Cordon Bleus, Violet-eared, Purple Grenadier, African Quail Finches, Fire Finches, and some of the more temperamental Mannikins require very private environments for breeding as well as the addition of soft food and live food. Without the stimulus they may not even begin to breed. And if a bowl isn't filled in the morning it may cause them to abandon the entire clutch. I've had Cordons incubate but never successfully rear their young. Strawberries were hit and miss. I was much more successful with wild-caught versus captive bred pairs (oddly enough). Softbills like dacnis, honey creepers, and starlings are even more difficult and may require large planted aviaries outdoors in order to breed.
