Sexing Buff-banded Rails

[MadHatter]

A freind of mine who keeps Buff-banded Rails beleives the birds can be sexed by the way they hold their tails - Male: tail up, Female: tail down. I have not read this anywhere in the literature and cannot help but wonder whether there is anything to it or whether the tail posture might have more to do with dominance than sex.
Can anyone out there with experience in this species shed some light?

[vettepilot_6]

Have you noticed that Cocks in finches tend to sit more upright then Hens as well? Dominance again?

[Tintola]

I have a pair and the one that I think is the hen flicks it's tail a lot whereas the other one doesn't. Will let you know soon, as I'm expecting DNA sexing results on Friday.

[arthur]

Can't dig up anything on sexing

But by the sound of it, if you have two in an aviary they would be a pair

According to one source, in the wild, "They ate just about anything organic, including the losers of territorial squabbles"

One problem with DNA sexing is that the lab doing the sexing has to have a sample to compare yours with

Some one . . Tintola(?) . . will know

All I know about them is their fiercesome reputation of being 'finch killers', so was never game to give them a go

Then again they may be just what is needed to sort the !@#!@ geckoes out

PS Sorry T. . . You posted as I slowly typed

[arthur]

BBR TIE.jpg

Won't help the sexing dilemma but all the go with the wide membership Buff Banded Rail Breeders Association

PS . . I don't think the image is copyright

[Tintola]

"Buff Banded Rail Breeders Association" With a global membership of how many?

[Pete Sara]

We have about 5 wild pair (at least that amont)at work have seen tail bobing on a few of them, they come right up to you looking for insects, but the minute you make eye contact they are out of there, lovely looking birds.

Dont they roost up in the trees/ perches at night? that to me would be more of a problem for finches than anything especially if the roost right on a nest with young in it....pete

[Jayburd]

they have a pair here at the Canberra zoo... Might give me an excuse to go back and watch them fir a bit

[arthur]

"Buff Banded Rail Breeders Association" With a global membership of how many?

Can't quite recall the actual number of certified members . . but the ties cost nearly $70 ea

Obviously keepers of BBR's are extremely wealthy folk


PS . . wonder what 'certified' means in this context

[Tintola]

I just received the DNA results back. They are a pair, the only visual difference is that the male is a bulkier and taller bird.
This might only be applicable to this pair and might not be a common trait with sexing rails.