Java sparrow feather problem?

[o.kauzal]

Hello everybody.

I am a newbie into aviculture but not into ornithology so I am aware about bird biology etc. but still I would like to ask because when talking about my animals I am always maybe little too worried.

At first let me introduce you to Princess Mononoke. She is a nice lady of java sparrow which was given to me as a present (not that kind of present when people give animals to other people which did not wanted them and do not know nothing about them) with another one, a male. The reason I'm telling you is that those birds were bought in a pet store and they did not know nor their age nor their sex. I did the sex determination so maybe I have made a mistake. I suppose the birds might not be very old since the were I did not see them in the pet store for a long time.

But the true reason why I am writing here is this: I don't like her plumage. Compared to him she is much less elegant. She looks a little untidy and she even looses some of her feathers. It is mostly visible on her head and tail feathers. I would like just to ask, if this is a normal process of how do the birds look like during the molt or if there might be some issue.

I am sorry I did not seen any of these birds during the molt before so I might ask stupid questions. I suspect it is a molt because of these factors:

1. she doesn't seem to mind – she behaves normally, she is active, she eats and drinks well, she doesn't seem to seek for parasites in her plumage all the time
2. the fallen feathers looks alright – there is no sign of any damage to them. The are not "half-eaten" or loppy etc
3. I can see among those feathers also some primaries etc. which could suggest molt (but that's not a proof)
4. there are no bald spots
5. even if i can see occasional squabbles, it is mostly bill fencing and none of the birds is attacking one another or pulling the feathers of the other one

So please, is this just regular molt or is there any possibility of a incoming problem?

Thanks for reply!

Here are the pictures:
P.S. She might look a little more untidy than she normally looks. That is because of her battle with my pillow she just seem not to like. But those "strange" feathers on her head and tail are pretty visible.

[30 Seconds to Bob]

To me it looks like a fairly young bird not fully in adult plumage or perhaps it's first adult moult. JMO. (and I do keep javas) May not have had ideal nutrition, but it's never too late to start. Bob

[wildbird]

Looks like normal molting. Very pretty bird.

[o.kauzal]

To me it looks like a fairly young bird not fully in adult plumage or perhaps it's first adult moult. JMO. (and I do keep javas) May not have had ideal nutrition, but it's never too late to start. Bob

Looks like normal molting. Very pretty bird.

Thank you guys. I think the young to adult moult is not this case. I've seen the bird there before in the pet store (even a month or so before) and none of them had any sign of juvenile plumage. But still thanks.

And for the bad nutrition - yes that might be because of the pet store again. I offer them variety of seeds and "green food" as well as mineral sand, cuttlebone etc and they love it so I hope they will be alright.

Thanks again.

[wellingtoncdm]

Sounds like she's lucky to have found you. Hopefully her condition will continue to improve with your care.

[o.kauzal]

Hello, so I'm updating the info. I took a photo just now and this is, how she looks now:

Do you still think it is the moult? I don't see any differences in her behaviour. She still normally does everything. Any ideas please?

Thank you for your replies!

[o.kauzal]

I'd like to point that if I am right there are new feathers emerging in the photo. Am I right?

[cindy]

Yes she has new feathers coming in!!!!! They sometimes look splotchy as molting and like they have little white pins. She looks almost through molting.

[NorwichFinchman]

Your Java Sparrow is a pied mutation. Nothing to worry about but comes from two different mutations. hard to tell which two but Normal with another. The Bird could be in a moult but once fully moulted will still look the same colour wise. Any too mutations will see the Normal are more prominent. the pins on the head are nothing to worry about they will grow normally given time. They are feathers growing after a moult.
The white patches on the head and on the side and wing areas tell me that it is a split mutation although looks very much like a normal.
If the other Java looks very similar in colouration it will most probably be brother & sister.
Regards
Steve
http://birdkeeper.synthasite.com/

[o.kauzal]

Your Java Sparrow is a pied mutation. Nothing to worry about but comes from two different mutations. hard to tell which two but Normal with another. The Bird could be in a moult but once fully moulted will still look the same colour wise. Any too mutations will see the Normal are more prominent. the pins on the head are nothing to worry about they will grow normally given time. They are feathers growing after a moult.
The white patches on the head and on the side and wing areas tell me that it is a split mutation although looks very much like a normal.
If the other Java looks very similar in colouration it will most probably be brother & sister.
Regards
Steve
http://birdkeeper.synthasite.com/

Thanks. The other bird looks like a wild bird, and there is none sign that he should look any different. But thanks for the point! I was thinking about that pied mutation too, we'll see. She didn't went through the moult quite yet.
And yes, now I can clearly see the new feathers coming in, I was a little worried at the beginning, those are my first birds. But when those white "pins" became more obvious, I was sure it is moult.
Still, thank you all for your kind replies!