Esta ave or este ave

Question

I know ave is a feminine noun that takes the masculine article in the singular (because of the stressed a) but what if I want to say "this bird"? Would it be este ave or esta ave?

Answer 1

The change is considered necessary for the definite article, when and only when it directly precede the noun (and not if something comes between), as you are clearly aware (el ave). It is not so for the indefinite article, but most do it. It is done by some, if I remember correctly, for ningún and algún, but considered distinctly incorrect in those cases.

It is not done for anything else placed directly before, including adjectives that end in an a. And that includes Esta, so you would not change esta, or buena, or nueva or anything else you put immediately in front.

El ave, usually un ave, but esta ave, ninguna ave, or la nueva ave, etc.

http://spanish.about.com/od/adjectives/a/el_for_la.htm

Note about un and una: Most educated writers change una to un under the same conditions where la is changed to el. Thus, it is common to see constructions such as these:

• un águila (an eagle) • • un ama de casa (a housewife) • Although this construction is preferred by educated writers and many publications, and thus is considered correct grammar, its usage is not universal. Note that in everyday spoken language, this rule is irrelevant, because elision leaves no difference in pronunciation between, for example,un águila and una águila.

Answer 2

"este is for male, esta is for female " You also can say, "pájaro". But this one, is more common to be used with male. "Esta ave esta embarazada", this bird is pregnant. "Este pájaro está enfermo" this bird is sick.