Aussie Finch Forum

Can any body tell me how to sex red faced parrots.Would it be true to say that the male has a greater area of red around his head.Bought them from a place where i doubt if they knew themselves?

At this time of the year they can be sexed the same as canaries as the males date points up and the hen point back behind her..............just blow on the vent area and its pretty obvious.........hopefully that makes sense!!!
With mutations and the likes mixed through them the red on the head can be a tad variable.

Fincho
You are 100% correct.
Apart from DNA sexing, vent sexing during breeding season is the best way.
If they are in an aviary and have distinctive leg rings you can be reasonably sure that the bird continually chasing another around the aviary is a male and the female is being chased. I have hen Red Faced here that no one would buy as hens because of too much red and too intense.After all of that I would still take a punt and say more than a match stick width of red behind the eye means a male.
If you buy on that you will be correct or get a good hen when you find out.The major trip up is that there are some very poor quality reds out there and a washy red head doesn't mean a hen bird.

How about a pic??

or you could have a large / larger than normal cock bird and make a normal sized bird look like a hen . I have this with sea green at the moment. like E orix i have a hen that has way to deep a red in the face . but once you have kept a few you willl find it becomes easier.....pete

just to back up fincho162 theory heres some pics ...pete I would also like to add I didnt have fun trying to take these pics , it wasnt easy to hold a bird a camera and you know the rest to take the pick....hope this is of help ...pete

Brilliant photos Pete! would this work for all finches in breeding condition? I'm wondering about all those monomorphic ones I have so much trouble with. Of course my next question is how do you ensure they are in breeding condition especially if you have the misfortune to have 6 male munias?

Good on ya Poit!
It was worth the hassle for the rest of us, I cant say Ive ever checked the vent before,
Although occaisionally surprised when a cockbird RFPF lays eggs.
cheers mate

mate it made me look closer I am telling you, you have to be persitant with it as at first the boy looked like a girl , to many feathers and the hen squealed while being handled, which i think fincho says they can do, but bugger me the male had a good time trying to bite me, of all the finches and neophemas I have had over the years the parrot finches try to bite the most...But now is the time to tag pink or blue as its only window of opportunity during the breeding season......pete

OK, you can test the theory on Sat and compare it to the magnetic gizmo. Great photos by the way!