Aussie Finch Forum

Yes, the trill is usually only a male thing.

I was thinking the same as tiaris but without seeing cannot definitively say you have a true pari. I dont give linseed, i try for more greens less sunflower, linseed etc, however your feeding arrangements seem fine.I dont feed mealworms daily, every second day until they have nested.

If they are a true pair maybe young birds still learning,however I still think something might disturb them at night, mice, possum, cat???
I also blow their vent area females have a bigger bum, sorry to offend the females.

the male can be vicious when mating,another sign of the hen is missing feathers on the back of their neck.

In the end if you are happy with their looks then enjoy them and maybe patience will bring you some luck.

Were they mature when you obtained them? If so, age may also be an issue.

Sometimes if they are overweight....it is drastic but you may need to pluck a few feathers round the cloacal and vent areas.....I just give my birds less fatty diet and lots of flying area...

Thanks for all your replies and ideas, that's what I like about this forum. I have since spoken to the person whom I bought them from,they are
a pair and have fledged young before. I think my problem has two parts, the birds are too fat and perhaps an age issue with the cock bird.
Hard to give them less food when they are in a mixed aviary. I could put them into my
holding aviary and cut down on the food for a while and perhaps introduce a young male to stir things up.Meanwhile I will keep enjoying then
and decide which way to go.

Cheers Greg

How do you do it by tailfeathers and eyebrows, Vettepilot?
I have also heard that you can do it by the relative lengths of toes, but have no idea which toes hold the clues.
Anyone else heard of this?

mattymeischke wrote:How do you do it by tailfeathers and eyebrows, Vettepilot?
I have also heard that you can do it by the relative lengths of toes, but have no idea which toes hold the clues.
Anyone else heard of this?

If you look at 2 mature birds....Tail feathers (middle ones)on hen are usually rounder on the tips...males feathers are slightly pointed...also eyebrows on hens usually finish just at rear of eye...males will go straight past...I use these 2 observations together....99% correct so far.....This is from my experience

Thank you, VP.
Gotta love AFF....

Have heard also that if you catch up a parrot finch and it squeals?? it is a hen....Males do not do this apparently...

Males also tend to be more bity (but some hens will bite too)