FINCHforum

This little fellow is 2 years old now and he has the most unusual colors and markings. When he fledged he had several white wings but I have seen this on some and when the bird moulted they came in dark. Usually attributed to a nutritional problem. Some that have had injury to feathers sometimes may loose pigment, however neither are the cause for this fellow. This goldbreast retained his white and now has gotten a lighter green around the neck and head, yellow flecks and more white patches. He also has gotten some curled tips to his eyebrow. I wonder if he will be like the pied parrot finches and get more yellow and white with each moult????







With his brother for a color comparison. Notice how much lighter green he is and pale yellow feathers throughout.




Check out his eyebrow

Such a pretty little thing, unique

He is VERY handsome!

Candace, have you bred him yet to see if he passes it down? Mine has gone through two major molts, kept the white in his wings but is brightly colored where he should be. Hopefully he will stay this way throughout time as yours has.

Thanks all, he is kind of cute.
Cindy,
I just moved him with a new hen and 2 other pairs ionto the large indoor aviary. We will see if he makes babies. None of the others show this color pattern so I don't know how prominant it may be. We will see.
I had 6 breeding pair in one aviary and they have had about 30 chicks over the last couple of years... I am not sure which pair the parents were. I will pay more attention this next breeding season....though I have added new bloodlines and spread the goldbreast out to 3 different aviaries.... I may have seprerated it's parents without realizing it. Oh well, he may just be my only "freak"

Candace, he isn't a freak, just a unique beauty! Good luck with the breeding...we will be waiting for the news!!!!

Yes, I have heard of them, just never saw a real one. I personally don't care for the pied look very much in any birds (other than zebras) I have a flock of around 35 goldbreast and he just appeared out of many normal looking birds. I guess there would be a market for the people that like something different. I just hate to get pied lines mixed in the population. It is almost impossible to get it out. That is why I put him and a mate with 2 other pair in a different aviary.... I don't want it getting out of hand.

Do you have a link to that 4's aviary?

Thanks, I had googled it but could not see any photos. That explains why.

UPDATE a year later.... Same Bird
I named him Pale Pal
well this little fellow has molted into a real strange looking bird....
pictures today... the birds are a little tired, I had to chase them around the large aviary to get a picture..once they tired they stayed still
He is fawn bodied with yellow pieing. White wing and tail feathers.
All the other occupants in the breeding group are normal colored.






here he is with another male.


He refused to give me a frontal shot but instead of the orange gold color the breast it is a sunflower yellow color. It was too hot to chase them around anymore..I will try and get a frontal shot later.
He is on top of the nest

He is beautiful Candace, even if he is an oddball

Candace, I dug out this photo of a pied Goldbreast I had. A woman had given me a pair of Goldbreasts, a pair of Strawberries, and a one-eyed Owl. I would have loved to have gotten some babies out of this male, but he was old. Couldn't put him with a younger hen, as these two pairs had been together for years--would have been cruel to break them up. Haven't seen one like him since.

He is beautiful Sally.
If I hadn't had a same species aviary with only goldbreast I would swear they were a cross breed... but no they are really pied goldbreast
My guy has been with 2 other males and 3 females in the Pine Tree Aviary (inside aviary) and he did not seccessfully reproduce. he and his mate laid eggs but were not fertile I hope I will get some offspring from him before he gets too old... The 2 normal pair didn't have the greatest breeding season either and they molted very early this year.. I think due to the artificial lights with longer hours than the outdoor ones... some are still in the molting process... The ones in the outoor aviary are not molting and sitting on eggs

I am beginning to think that with each molt he will get more yellow just like pied parrot finches.

I love the look of the pied goldbreast. Maybe breeders for show are more particular for lines of breeding, but as a hobbiest, I love the look. They are unique and cool to look at.

As always, I love the pieds!! He is absolutely gorgeous and I wish you would separate him and try to get some pied GB's as a true mutation -- and put me on your list to buy some when you do!

Anna,
I have him with two other pairs and just added a new unrelated pair. These birds breed much better for me in flocks than they do singly in cages...I have had no luck with them in cages. I had one pair in an aviary with other finches but they seemed to be too shy amongst them. When you have a few pair they seem to be more at ease and breed more readily. They are extremely peaceful birds.
Hopefully he will get busy and make some babies once he is done with his molt I'll put you on my list, right at the top, if he ever produces.