Male star finch - full adult color by 1st or second molt?

anne22 · Post by **anne22** » Sat Nov 29, 2008 10:52 am

I just purchased a male star finch to go with my female who had lost her mate. The red color on his head is on the lighter red side and feather color is scattered with the green in some areas. He is singing so I know he is a male. He came from a pet store that said he had been there about 5-6 months. From his appearance he strikes me as a young bird though. Does a male stars head color come in fully on the first molt or may it come in better yet with the second one as in Gouldians?

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 9:22 pm

Interesting question. I didn't know Stars might have an intermediate moult. I presumed that like Gouldians - they would moult into their adult colours by 6 months of age (typically). Is that not right?

I have a juvie Star now how has just started to moult. S/he has 2 'stars' on the right side of his/her face and a couple on his/her backend just above the base of the tail. I hope it's just one moult to get to the adult colours.

gomer · Post by **gomer** » Wed Dec 03, 2008 7:00 am

Anne when you say second moult.I assume you refer to the second season.I think older birds do appear brighter than one year olds.
Sounds like a honest shop to tell you its been there for 6 months.

anne22 · Post by **anne22** » Wed Dec 03, 2008 10:08 am

Yes, I guess I would mean their second season molt then. I had bought a Gouldian in the past that had gone through its first molt but did have much of its red head coloring yet until it went though another molt. I see some little patches of red feathers on my male Star finches head back a little further than the area that is fully red now. That made me wonder if this Star finch will likewise have a more fully colored head after its next molt.

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Wed Dec 03, 2008 10:10 am

Yes it should fill in with red so that he has a solid red cap.

anne22 · Post by **anne22** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 9:30 am

My little Star Finch male has now just about finished up a new molt and his red head coloring has expanded going back farther now above his eyes and also along the sides of his head too. His white star pattern has also improved with this molt too.

I am guessing that he is about a year old now. He was the replacement male that I bought when my first male died, just after getting him from the pet store. His female mate then died then just after her guarantee was out, about a week after I bought this new replacement male. The store still did refund her cost though. Anyways, this replacement male id doing just fine though!

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 9:34 am

I'm glad to hear he's doing so well for you. Isn't the red colouring amazing?!

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Male star finch - full adult color by 1st or second molt?

Male star finch - full adult color by 1st or second molt?

molt head coloring

Another molt and head color much better now!