Aussie Finch Forum

Nice one Koen,

My litte fellas seem to have a fairly distint 2nd Bar, not really any inbetweens, because my aviary is fairly populated I cant see which ones are which and sure as hell cant catch any of them I wait until they snuggle together, 1 always has a noticeably bigger set of bars than the other.

Got four of these and I cant tell which one is which other than from the leg bands. From my seat here I can hear at least one making the mewing sound...the male? But it seems like at least of a couple of them make a peeping sound.

Jayburd wrote:that's it, I reckon. there isn't a way to difinitively sex them without DNA or surgical methods.

Has anyone tried the "Bird Sexer" available from the Finch Society? It is a small bi-metal strip on a length of string which is held over a bird (preferably the vent, whilst the bird is in the hand) For me the sexer swings back & forth for males & round in a clockwise circle for females - admittedly you have to catch them up first or better still, do it before you actually release them into the aviary. Other people have found that the sexer swings differently so it's best to practice on some mature birds for which the sex is clear ie plumheads, cordon bleus, strawberry finches etc. Once you get the hang of it you can sex even the youngest birds with almost 100% accuracy.

ExpatinOz

Expatinoz wrote:

Jayburd wrote:that's it, I reckon. there isn't a way to difinitively sex them without DNA or surgical methods.

Has anyone tried the "Bird Sexer" available from the Finch Society? It is a small bi-metal strip on a length of string which is held over a bird (preferably the vent, whilst the bird is in the hand)

ExpatinOz

There's a whole controversial topic on this very thing. see link to topic below.
viewtopic.php?f=48&t=7748&hilit=ring+testing" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks for the link Buzzard. I didn't know it was such a very controversial subject, but, so far, it works for me & I haven't had any birds returned as the wrong sex.

Shhhhhh not that I would admit it here but I use it as a part of determining sexes, so far with good results.

You sex double bar finches by the whitness of the chest which in the males is alot cleaner, the amount of black on the crown and how big the head is in both the males are bigger.

Old mate reckons he tells them by the black on the top of the head .

I guess knowing your birds is the best way but until that happens looks like eeny meeny miny mo.

I wish I could get close enough to check out anything other than a brief glimpse of the chest bars! They are so fast! On a more positive note Ive seen a nest being built in the wine rack next to the emblema and obs. As the others in that aviary are a pair of gouldians currently raising a clutch (due to fledge any day) and a pair of BFPF (babies just fledged yesterday) Im assuming/hoping that the nest belongs to the owls although I have never seen them in it or building it, but it gets bigger every day!

Being the social little fellows they are...I think I can remember them building roosting nests as well?? I could be wrong it was a long time ago...