It helps to observe mating behavior to determine the sex of finches.
The zebra finch or chestnut-eared finch is an attractive little seed eater from Australia. These finches are particularly social and form large groups of up to 100 birds in arid and grassland areas across the Australian continent. Zebra finches are popular aviary birds and are regularly bred by enthusiasts. These tiny finches are dimorphic, meaning that adult males and females are colored differently. The bold colors and striking beak of the male make him easily noticeable, so hobbyists should have little trouble in sexing their breeding zebra finches.
Instructions
1. Observe the finches in your aviary and look for any physical differences between the birds, particularly color and pattern differences.
2. Look for zebra finches with a red beak. These individuals also possess orange cheek patches and a pattern under their chin. They also have a black bar across their chest and chestnut-colored flanks with white speckles. These birds are males.
3. Look for individual finches without any of these markings and with much lighter colored beaks. The beaks of these individuals look orange. These birds are females.
4. Observe mating behavior if you want to confirm that you have sexed the finches correctly, using color as a guide.
5. Notice the bird that puffs out its feathers and points its tail toward another bird. This individual is a male.
6. Listen for the sound of singing. The finch that is pointing its tail at another will also be the bird which is singing. This bird is the male.
7. Continue to observe the mating ritual to confirm that you are sexing the birds correctly. The second finch will tilt its body, until the tail is pointing into the air. This bird will also fan out its tail feathers and will begin cooing. This finch is a female.
8. Wait for the actual mating to be absolutely sure that you can identify between the sexes. The finches will typically mate while on a perch. One bird will be grasping the perch and sitting in a horizontal position, with its tail raised. This bird is the female. The second finch will be hovering vertically behind the first bird. This is the male. With both color and behavior differences between male and female zebra finches, it is not difficult to correctly sex this species of bird.
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