# Showing off some of my babies



## littlestar (May 11, 2005)

Hi Everyone,
I thought I'd show off a few of my fids. They are all molting right now losing last years stars and getting new ones in everyday, and boy do I have feathers. I think I have enough feathers to make a a good size pillow. Speccy is doing great and molting right now. He's lost almost all his baby feathers on his body and now has the adult feathers along with his new tail and wing feathers. He's losing his neck feathers now and shortly will be losing the feathers on his head. I can't believe how fast they grow. Well here are some pictures of a few my babies. 
The first three picture is Speccy with most of his new feathers



























The rest are a few of my other starlings.
This is Chirp, he's over two years old









Mary Ann


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## littlestar (May 11, 2005)

Here are the rest of them.
The rest are a few of my other starlings.

This is George the talker and is over a year old.









This is Baby, such a sweetheart.









This is Ravvie, my famous starling.










Mary Ann


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## karla (Jul 8, 2006)

They are ssssssoooooooo cute!
Thanks for sharing Mary Ann 
Karla


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## Amber_uk (Aug 27, 2006)

arhhh how cute are they how old r they thanks for sharing xxxxxx


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Your birds are just adorable.  

I love their stars and their names!

Tell me about the molting thing...., I guess pigeons aren't the only ones then, My homers are heavy into it this week, beginning last week, I could really make some lovely down comforters..  HAH....just what we need in this hot weather.


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

And to think these are called trash birds!  

Mary Ann, They are just gorgeous. You already know that I love starlings dearly and if every person had a chance to raise one they would have a completely different opinion of them - same as with pigeons.

I wish the feds would put them, sparrows and pigeons under protection. All species have been in the US long enough to be over the "introduced" ranking. Sure would solve all bird lovers' problems, wouldn't it.

Thank you.


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

They are so beautiful. 
You have some really lovely birds. Thank you for the great pics.

Reti


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

They are just gorgeous, Mary Ann! Thanks for sharing your beauties with us!

Terry


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## littlestar (May 11, 2005)

Thank you so much everyone and your welcome. I'm really glad y'all like the pictures of some of my babies.

Treesa, My other two starlings are named Littlefeathers and Trouble. All birds molt when they are babies and when they are adults, it usually starts when they are about 8 weeks old and takes 90 to 100 days for them to get all their adult feathers. It also takes the same amount of time when they are adults. I make sure that they eat the right food because that will cause them to not molt right or have healthy looking feathers. Starlings molt once a year and can get quiet and moody and eat less or go through it acting normal. I also give them vitamins with amino acid during molting which helps with stress, I sprinkle it on their food and don't put it in their water because if it sits in the water bacteria can start. My pijjies are in the molt right now too. I have saved all their feathers since day one, I just can't throw them out. I think I could make a comforter too, but where I am it would be to hot to use.

Maggie, Yes I do know. I hate the names that starlings, pigeons, and sparrows are called, their not rats with wings nor are they pest or trash birds. I think if people even had the chance to be around they would change their minds about them. These guys have so much love to give, and only want to be loved back. They do teach us things many people have forgotten, which is how to love one another. I took my starlings many places and educated people about them, and many had change their minds about a starling after they got to know them. At night I sit and watch as they sleep and can't understand how people could be so mean to all these beautiful, it really breaks my heart so much and makes me cry. I wish too that the Fed would protect them, pigeons, and sparrows, but the one problem is most of us wouldn't be able to have them as a pet. They are all native birds now being they were born here and I do what I can to protect them because I have a lot of love in my heart for them, and maybe someday things will change for the better for all these guys. I'm just so proud of all my babies. I couldn't see my life without them.
Mary Ann


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## Garye (Feb 20, 2005)

I couldn't agree more with you. If people would stop and take the chance to get to know these birds (pigeons, starlings, etc.) they'd see them as lovely friendly birds. Just because they don't sing like the song birds doesn't mean they don't have a lovely voice. They're beautiful birds in their own right.


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## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

Mary Ann,

They are just beautiful....thanks for sharing them with us.

Linda


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## littlestar (May 11, 2005)

Thank you so much and you welcome.

Garye, That's the problem, people won't stop to take the time to get to know them and it's ashame. It's people like all of us that take the chance to get to know them. I had people that seen my starlings didn't know what kind of birds they were and said what beautiful looking birds. Then I told them what they were and the people would say I never saw a starling up close. What I love is when kids come over to them and ask me if they could put their hand over by them and tell them go ahead, and that's all you heard is kids laughing. Then I would hear kids ask their parents if they could get a starling, I know they won the hearts of children and hopefully it will make a difference for birds and how their treated. We can't change the minds of adults and how they think, but you can with a kid, so maybe there's a chance yet. I have to laugh because while I'm typing this my white Dove is still awake and is laughing, she is such a sweetheart. 
Mary Ann


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Those are great pictures, Mary Ann!   

Strange, I kept thinking Starlings were a brownish color. Are there different types of Starling?


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

mr squeaks said:


> Strange, I kept thinking Starlings were a brownish color. Are there different types of Starling?


They are kind of a dullish brown when they are juveniles, but when the stars come out .. WOW!

Terry


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