Male Courting Male

[LadyGouldianGirl]

This isn't so much a problem as just my own curiosity and interesting observation. Thought maybe it would be a good topic of conversation.

I have 2 male Gouldians (my little feathered children...no intentions to breed). I've noticed that they have been doing the "courting dance" for each other (I've heard it's breeding season here in the states). However there are no females around so I was surprised they would still dance. Is this normal behavior for males to court each other? They never turn aggressive and it always ends on friendly terms. It really is the most adorable thing to watch I'm beginning to think maybe they are doing it as a simple sign of affection and not necessarily to mate. Am I crazy? Are these tiny birds that smart? Additionally, how do they distinguish if other birds are male or female? I'm sure they didn't read the book on how to decipher Gouldian colors.

[Babs _Owner]

LadyGouldianGirl

Seems like your two males are happy and doing what males like to do...hopping and singing.

Juvenile males do this as well as they learning their songs and happily jump and trill for each other.

Trust me, these guys are intuitive about gender. Unmolted males can spot the unmolted females before they even color up.

[Madcat]

Yes it's normal. I saw two of my blue males hopping and singing at each other yesterday.

[Jen]

I have one male in particular that sings to other males...

[Zebrafincher]

My two cock Zebra finches like to jump on each other. The older one, Beaky, is not very happy with this, and will tell Itchy off, but in tern, he tries it on Itchy, or tries to get through the cage to my other finch, Merl.

Birds!

Kind Regards

Zebrafincher

[Stinch]

My societies do it all the time. It's adorable, them little squeaky beepers. :v

[Zebrafincher]

They are sweet! I call my birds "the flying golfballs" - dorky, beepers and meepers!

Kind Regards

Zebrafincher

[Chrismurdoch3]

I have a flight with a few pairs of gouldians and the males sing to each other quite a bit during the breeding season. From observation it seems that the males are singing to each other as a way to set their dominance with the other or (set a pecking order). Although it has never turned to aggression with the males it seems that this could be one of the reasons why they do this.