Brilliant to keep, a challenge to breed

ONE question I get asked most regularly is: “Which species of softbill can I start with?” And mostly people ask whether Pekin robins (aka red-billed leiothrix, Leiothrix lutea) are suitable. Everyone likes the size and colour of this species and its song, too. Moreover, this is a very active species, always on the move investigating its surrounding.

I have a pair myself and during nearly 40 years of breeding