Zebra hen cheek patches

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desertbirds
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Awhile ago i mentioned that the wild zeb hens have cheek patches, there were a few doubters out there. I mananged to get a few close up pics this morning.Some hens have far more visible patches than others .
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jusdeb
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Yep thats a cheek patch :thumbup:
Accept that some days you are the pigeon, and some days you are the statue.
David Brent
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AMCA26
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To me a Red Breasted Grey Hen. 2nd and 3rd photo anyway. Reds in hens will have a light coloured cheek patch.
Breeding Show Zebra Finches, Blue Gouldians, Pied Orange Breast.
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desertbirds
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AMCA26 wrote:To me a Red Breasted Grey Hen. 2nd and 3rd photo anyway. Reds in hens will have a light coloured cheek patch.

It has a grubby fawn front - it is a wild bird.The three photos are the same bird. I have seen the same hens way out bush and not close to town, i think with the wild zebs there is natural colour variations, not mutations but the odd bird with more noticable cheeks and a "dirtier" front colour.There is just not that many people out here keeping zebs that our wild birds would be carrying mutation genes.Most of the hens here carry that colour, if i go 100 ks in any direction is see the same hens.
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AMCA26
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Hows that then. If it wasnt wild you would say its a Red Hen.
Breeding Show Zebra Finches, Blue Gouldians, Pied Orange Breast.
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desertbirds
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Im not sure AMCA but i like the cockbirds too, amazing detail on the barring. I think the hens use cheek patches as a display or a form of dominant behaviour. Moments later you would struggle to pick that hen from any other in a box , ive tried differnt angles and lighting ect, the colour on the cheeks seems to come and go. ?
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