Aussie Finch Forum

So, I just purchased 4 young birds earlier today.
When I picked out this male (?) It was because he had the rather unique lack of any male markings except for a faint chest bar and the red beak.

I was pretty confident in my belief that it was in fact a male, now I'm not so sure. No singing at all from him/her, even when the other male sings.
Now I know it could simply be from the stress of a new environment, but it makes me wonder, is there a mutation that could possibly cause a red beak on a female? After going through pictures of the other birds from their clutch, I did notice a very much female looking bird who also has a red beak.

TIA!

The bird in question: The other bird I mentioned:

I am definately not an expert on the light coloured birds. But no cheek patches and no chestnut under the wings would indicate 2 hens to me. May be wrong but.

finchbreeder wrote: ↑26 Jun 2023, 14:19 I am definately not an expert on the light coloured birds. But no cheek patches and no chestnut under the wings would indicate 2 hens to me. May be wrong but.

That's what I'm thinking too, but isn't testosterone largely responsible for the red on the beak?

I tend to agree fb
She does have an extraordinary red bill for a hen though. Maybe being young and not a breeding hen is why as I know breeding hens bills tend to go orange.

She is very red. But - I have found with many things finch.
The brightest hens and the dullest cocks - are frequently the same colour.
It is possible that it may mean she is gay - birds do do that too.
Just ask a very frustrated Budgie breeder mum of mine.

Tend to agree with 2 hens. The beak is very red but I have a number of hens with chest makings more prominent than the bird above.