Colour differences in fledglings

[Diane]

Is it the red under his chin that determines it?

For me that is what makes it a certainty, the cock's have the red, the hen's don't.

[Myzomela]

Sam,

It goes along with the theory that hens which mate with brightly coloured cocks produce more cocks than hens because the brighter coloured cocks are more likely to be successful at attracting a mate. Conversely, hens paired to poorer coloured cocks tend to produce more hens.
I can't remember the passerine species that this study was conducted on but Mike Fidler used the theory to even up the sex ratio in his Peter's Twinspots.

It would be interesting to see if this proves to be the case with the red-fronted painteds.

What are your thoughts Tiaris?

[Tiaris]

Mine have been very even over time with ever increasing redness so it hasn't worked that way for me. Last few rounds were actually more hens but the current round have a bit more of a red look about them as youngsters so they're evening up again.

[Tiaris]

Yes the red down the throat gives him away. some really good hens have red on the chin too but not far away from the bill.

[flap]

Well, had some other guy yesterday telling us the bird is a hen! Apparently that is because there isn't much red around the face (doh! the bird is still coloring up!!!!) and apparently the bird has already undergone a moult according to this dude. He was one of those time wasters who came to look at a bird for sale with no cage.... Just wanted to have a look at yellow stars apparently but wanted red ones Now I am starting to understand why some of the ads say "no time wasters!"

[flap]

Remember my question re the emblema fledgelings? Well we kept the one with the brightest flash of red. He has just about coloured up, this is what he looks like, and I have added a photo of his dad as a comparison.

[vettepilot_6]

He is a Handsome fellow...Well done I am in a caravan while house being built...and have a pair (one of my favorites) of them in a budgie open style cage...and blow me down they have decided to nest in there....

[finchbreeder]

Looking good Flap. Both father and son. Wish mine would settle down. They have built 6 nests so far and she laid in the first 2, 2 eggs each time without result. Dont know what the problem is, as both are fairly young birds will wait patiently.
LML

[flap]

I can relate to that FB. We have had that with our stars. She has been sitting on and off but I really don't t think there is anything happening in the nest. As for the painteds the parents have tried to nest a few times but getting disrupted (we are overstocked while we wait for some of our gouldian fledglings to colour up), so not sure if they are finally having some success. Got a mate for the young cock but they don't seem to have taken to each other. so might wait for Redwing's fledglings to come out and see if I can get him a mate that way. BTW both your cinnamon quails have clutches on the way

[Redwing]

Pretty sure I've got a female in this last lot Flap.