Aussie Finch Forum

So I'm having some issues with one of my birds. I'm pretty sure its a hen but not 100%. Picture quality is pretty poor but I think first picture is fairly likely a hen.


This second picture I would say male as colours are pretty vibrant in comparison.


Would you all agree on this looking at the pictures or am I off?

hen,cheers garyh

I was 99% certain it's a hen but the patches of more vibrant colour and the behaviour was throwing me a bit.

Top pic is female black head Gouldian
Bottom pic is male black head Gouldian.

As they get older the black on the male's beak will fade completely. When males are mature and in breeding condition they get a red tip to the beak and the females get a black tip.

Sorry I thought I'd made myself clear but the pictures are of the same bird. Left side is vibrant colours like a male. Right side is the more subdued colours of a female. You can just make out the change in the top picture where the purple and yellow are starting to darken. Sadly the pictures are terrible as the moment the birds see the phone come out they take off so I have to shoot from a distance and zoom. I'll try for a front on picture so I can show the split in colours.

I didn't even think to keep an eye on the beak tip. Thanks for pointing it out.

I'd put my money on its a hen

This is a more recent and hopefully better quality picture. I think you can see the change in colour better in this picture

There is a visible line where the colour becomes more vibrant. Looking at the beak its a hen but I don't think it will be viable. Seems to be more aggressive than the other hen and neither male will give her the time of day. Just have to keep an eye on it.

First time keeping Gouldians so it's all new to me.

I would be inclinded to think a bright hen. But this is where human selection is a problem. The brightest hens and the dullest cocks can be much of a muchness. Gouldians breed best in single pairs or groups of 3 or more pairs. So maybe add another pair? Or once the prefered lady is on the nest take this bird and the gent who did not win the lady and put the 2nd pair in a different avairy?
LML

Sadly I have no room for another aviary or I would have already shifted the birds around. I'm also not in the position to add any more birds for at least another year nor any more cages/aviaries.

Thanks everyone for the input. Still kicking myself for overlooking the tip of the beak. I knew that hens beaks turned black and still didn't think of it. Guess I couldn't see the forest for all the trees.

Rarely birds of mixed sex appear, 1/2 male 1/2 female.
Perhaps you have something like that.

Cheers
Brett