Star Finch Coloring

[waxbill lover]

Hello,

Wondering if anyone might know the answer or has had the same experience with their star finches.
I bought a male last year, and when I bought him, he had wonderful red coloring on his head. I've had him for about 8 months now, and he has lost most of the bright red coloring on his head/face. He still sings and displays like crazy, and is otherwise a very healthy and active bird.

What does this indicate? Poor diet? A health problem? Do star finches go in and out of breeding plumage like strawberries do? He has been alone for the last 4 months, as his mate passed away, however I recently aquired a new female from Debbie (who was gracious enough to basically give her to me!) and he seems much happier. To my knowledge, I have not seen him go through a moult as of yet.

Also has anyone used or currently use red palm oil with their birds?

My birds are all given a combination of veggies/fruit, and eggfood several times a week, cuttlebone, calcium in their drinking water, a mineral/vitamin powder, dried insect pattee and a superbreeder finch seed mix, along with millet spray whenever they wish. They are under artificial lighting (full spectrum daylight bulbs).
I've attached a photo of him when he was still brightly colored, he has almost no red left, and its pretty much just light orange a bit near his eyes and beak, so dull he looks like a yellow headed female. I'll try and get a pic soon.

I am anxiously awaiting your experience and knowledge!

Thanks!

[finchmix22]

Sounds like diet or lighting to me. My Stars and other colored finches will look lighter colored if I don't use the UVA and UVB bulbs. "Daylight" bulbs don't actually give off UVA/UVB spectrum lighting, unless specifically noted on the label. I buy Zoomed avian bulbs and have one at each end of the flight. The finches color stays much better this way. I noticed with my fire finches, the male's color is more read when he eats eggfood. May be just coincidence, but I made that observation; although, I have not tested my theory yet.

[CandoAviary]

Birds will enrich their coloring by the foods they eat. Red birds need foods that are high in carotenoids to produce the brightest reds.