New Sexing Method for Diamond Firetails

Includes Species Profile
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vettepilot_6
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1st photo both look like hens according to new way of sexing...then photos 2 n 3 right bird looks like the cock...where I would think left bird would be?? Bigger Head etc
but if you go by cheek colouring both are hens?...got me confused lol
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SamDavis
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vettepilot_6 wrote:1st photo both look like hens according to new way of sexing...then photos 2 n 3 right bird looks like the cock...where I would think left bird would be?? Bigger Head etc
but if you go by cheek colouring both are hens?...got me confused lol
Well, at least I'm not alone!
I'm leaning towards 2 hens based on lack of singing. Although, to further confuse the issue, they've built a few nests but no eggs that I'm aware of.
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BENSONSAN
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I know this pictures been up for awhile but sam youve got me stumped aswell. if you kind of go by the broken lines the bottom picture looks like 2 cocks :notsure: :eh: :?
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thewaxbill
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Just found this topic, about 2 years back i was shown photos of birds took using a highly sophisticated ultra violet lens, and the photos were amazing, birds that looked identical to the human high were totally different viewed through ultra violet . The photographer was Gerhard Hoffman a german birdkeeper who now lives in the U.K With one of these lens you could sex anytning, problem is they are around £10,000 in sterling to buy and they are only manufactered once every now and then as they are only required by research centres/universities etc.
Regards Bob
Last edited by thewaxbill on 05 Jan 2013, 19:54, edited 1 time in total.
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Myzomela
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Very interesting Bob.

It just shows how often we underestimate nature...or overestimate our ability to understand it.

Of course, you could just get them DNA sexed for a thousandth of the cost of a UV lens, but the photos would be so much more interesting!
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peterrebecca
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What a fantastic amount of useful information regarding the sexing of Diamond Firetails.

A great start to allow one to test one's own observations prior to DNA results to confirm or dismiss the belief's.

Thanks to all.
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