FINCHforum

I have never had a Java finch since it was young and I am a bit confused about the colouration. I went to a Pet Shop today and the women swore to me that the birds she showed me were young Javas. I didn't feel convinced, the beaks were red but darkened at the tip where as my Java lightens towards the tip. I saw about six so called Javas but couldn't see any similarity to the traditional dark head, white cheeks etc. So my question is this, how long before Javas start showing their true colours?

Cheers.

hi geordie
well they do have to molt out from their normal browny colour from when they are born,and with the dark bit being at the end of the beak they sound as if they are weaned but should not be considered old enough to breed ,but i dont know whether you know or not there are lots of different coloured javas now even blackheaded ones i still prefer the normal grey colour but i have fawns,isabels,whites,pieds so they may have been a colour variation you had not seen before

ken

Your probably right, cheers Ken. I have a silverback with a dark head and have seen other variations before, but I just couldn't see these as being Javas. I think I need a bit more experience as I am still a relative newbie to this. I can post pics if you want, although not very clear but a seasoned pro can probably tell if they are Javas

hi geordieby all means put the pics up and i will try and identify them for you i like a challenge

ken

Cheers Ken,

I am going back to the store today because they emailed me and said they have got some new birds in but I will take some pics of the aforementioned birds while I am there.

Geordie,

Baby Java Sparrows vary in coloration, depending on the colors they get as adults. White Java Sparrows are mostly white when young but may have some gray markings. Fawn Java Sparrows are a light beige when young. Normal Gray Javas are brown when young, with dark beaks. Java Sparrows only have juvenile coloration for 3 - 6 months after they are born.

These photos show the same two Java sparrows - the first photo shows my normal gray Java in juvenile plumage.



Now here are the same 2 birds (obviously in swapped positions) a few months later:

Thats great, I will take some pics of mine when they wake up in the morning and post them, both are 2 months old, one is a "dirty" white colour and the other is brownish with a bit of black in evidence on the wings. Beaks are dark with bits of red showing through.

Love that Felix the Cat clock you have, don't your birds get scared

Hello again Ken, been absent for a while, my Javas have been in and out of hospital with various infections, which were likely picked up from the shop I bought them from, but they are doing really well know and both are starting to change colours a bit, the fawn is developing pure black patches on the head right now, looks a bit silly actually, not really sure what going on with the silver, I don't think it is sure if it wants to go silver or white at this moment. But both beaks are turning redder everyday. I think they are the same sex because they do a lot of bickering.

Anyway at about 3 months old, Riff now weighs a healthy 28gms and Raff who was the sicker of the 2 is now catching up at 26gms. Raff has had some mold but that seems to be clearing up nicely now after changing the feed and adding vitamin supplements. Riffs eye problem cleared up in a matter of days after I gave him antibiotics and eyedrops everyday.

I am going to wait until Raff is a bit more presentable before posting pics, because his head really does look silly at the moment.

Geordie

hiya geordie
nice to here from you again,i am sure that when it has finished its molt your fawn java will look like most do very sleek!...cant wait for the pics you should put some before and after photos up so we can see the improvements

ken

Here they are, pics taken yesterday. They are very hard to get pics of, they hate the camera and always fly away just as we are about to take a pic. If there is no sign of a camera they usually bounce all over us.

Not good pics because we have to take them very quickly otherwise they are off

Anyway, Here is Raff:



And here is Riff:

hi geordie
i bet you are glad to have them back with you again,after them being at the vets .they are both looking good anyway

ken

wow you can actually make your birds sit on your hand

They prefer my hand more than anything else, but they are very polite and fly up to my head when they need the bathroom

Seriously, no problem at all handling them, their favourite games is "steps", where I use my hands to make stepping stones and they love jumping from hand to hand, I speed it up after a while and they absolutely love it, it's hard to get them back in the aviary after that because they want more