Star Finches are attractive, friendly, and peaceable birds named for the twinkling white spots that give them a sparkling appearance. A medium-size finch, measuring just under 5 inches, the Star is predominantly light olive-green, with a red face and white spots on the neck, chest, sides, and base of tail. The belly is yellow, the tail rusty, the bill orange, and the legs yellow. Although both males and females look very similar, they are actually quite easy to sex, especially if you can see them side by side. The colored area on the male's face is larger and brighter than on the female, and the female's plumage is generally a little duller in color. Stars are easy to keep, making them suitable for beginners, and they pose enough of a breeding challenge to interest experienced finch lovers too.

Stars get along well with other small finches, and make excellent additions to a mixed flight or aviary, but keep in mind that larger and more aggressive birds may take advantage of their shy and peaceful nature. Another reason to keep them with fewer or less boisterous companions is so you don't miss the male's melodious song, delivered sotto voce. Stars are generally higher-priced than many of the more easily-bred finches since they can no longer be imported from the wild, and in captivity frequently demonstrate somewhat lackluster parenting skills (more below).

Star Finches are sociable birds that should never be kept alone; keeping one or more pairs will satisfy their need for social contact and allow you to observe them behaving more as they would in a small flock in the wild. Star Finches are members of the Estrildidae bird family, and are one of a group of Australian grassfinches that also includes the Diamond Sparrow and Bicheno Finch. In the wild, look for flocks of Star Finches in tall grass, bushes, or trees near wet grasslands or irrigated areas. Often, they are found near rice or sugar-cane fields. Interestingly, Stars can drink without raising their beaks to let the water run down their throats-perhaps an evolutionary adaptation that lets them take advantage of meager water sources, and spend less time on the ground exposed to predators. There are two naturally-occurring forms:
* The familiar Red-faced Star Finch, Neochmia ruficauda clarescens, locally common across the north of Australia.
* The extremely rare Eastern Star Finch, Neochmia ruficauda ruficauda, similar to the Red-faced but lacking the yellow underparts. Found only in isolated areas in eastern Australia, this form is considered endangered (due to habitat destruction), with very few reported sightings in the last 50 years. In 1983, during a two-month study supported by the Royal Australian Ornithological Union to develop a recovery plan for the species in northern Queensland, no birds were found. As far as I can tell, this form is not represented in aviculture. Working from the Red-faced Star Finch, breeders have developed yellow-faced and bronze-faced mutations. These birds are identical to the red-faced variety, except for the color of the feathers around the face.

With Stars (as with most other finches), the roomier the cage or flight, the happier the birds will be. If you house your Stars in a cage, choose one that's at least 30 inches long so the birds can fly freely. Also, make sure it's designed for finches, not cockatiels or small parrots-the spacing between the bars should be no larger than one-half inch. Since Stars can be shy, providing some plants (real or otherwise) will help make them feel more secure, and give them places to hide. True to their grassfinch heritage, Stars more than almost any other finch appreciate the opportunity to perch on upright stalks or branches rather than horizontal perches. Stars generally do not sleep in a nest, preferring the highest perch possible. One successful breeder says that his female will stop brooding the young as soon as possible so she can leave the nest and sleep on a branch. Since they don't sleep in a nest where they can keep each other warm, you'll need to provide a sheltered sleeping area if you house your Stars in an outside aviary, to protect them from the cold and damp even during the warm season. Whether you keep you birds inside or out, don't expose them to temperatures of less than 55-60:F (12-15:C) for more than brief periods. To keep their unique plumage in top shape, Stars absolutely require frequent opportunities for bathing. Several sources also indicate that without some natural sunlight, the feathers become dull and faded. If you keep your birds indoors year-round, this requirement perhaps could be addressed through careful balancing of artificial light sources. Star Finches will thrive on a typically varied finch diet-a good basic finch seed mix, fresh greens, grated fresh or cooked vegetables, mashed hard-boiled egg, soaked seed, spray millet, and cooked rice. Many Stars will accept meal worms. Provide a cuttlebone for calcium and grit to aid digestion. Like most finches, Stars love fresh seedheads (crabgrass is a good choice, and commonly available). You might try leaving the stalks long and fastening them in an upright position, so your Stars can feed in true grassfinch fashion by climbing up the stalks to pick out the fresh seeds.

The frustrating thing about breeding Star Finches is that although they're often more than willing to build nests and lay eggs, their parenting skills sometimes leave a lot to be desired-one Star lover calls them "good breeders, but poor feeders". They may refuse to incubate or feed, or throw their chicks out of the nest, so many Stars are fostered using Society Finches-they are supposedly among the easiest of finches to foster. Some breeders report no particular difficulties in breeding Stars, but do recommend a spacious cage and a high-quality protein supplement.

The male Star Finch courts the female with song, often sitting very close to her and peering into her face as if to ensure she gets the message. Other Stars may cluster around the singing male to watch and listen. The male also performs a mating dance, swaying from side to side with a little up and down motion, in a slower version of the Gouldian Finch's hop dance. While he dances, the male almost always holds a feather or piece of nesting material by the very tip, waving it from side to side to indicate he's ready and able to join in the tasks of building a nest and raising young. Breeding season is probably the only time when a male Star will get at all aggressive or territorial, and then only in the immediate nesting territory.

A pair will frequently build their own round nest using various grasses, shredded paper, and other nesting materials; some pairs will accept a large basket or half-open box. The female lays 3-6 eggs, then both partners incubate the eggs for about 14 days. The babies are fed in the nest by both parents for about a month. In the wild, the rearing diet is primarily insects. To raise young successfully in captivity, Stars require a rich bill of fare throughout the breeding season-greens, seeds, insects, egg food, and a commercial rearing mixture alternatively they can be fostered by the ever helpful Bengaese Finch.

Once out of the nest, young Star Finches are strong flyers, and after only a few days will join their parents at night on the top-most branches. Stars are unusual in that they pass through a distinct sub-adult plumage when they look similar to the adult, but show no spots or red feathering on the head. They start showing some red coloring at about three months, and can take up to nine months to reach the full adult plumage.

Thanks to all the Feathered Flyer Message Board Breeders who contributed their experience.

Laurance Trigwell

My email:laus@mac.com