FINCHforum

loose the grey "wash" on top of their heads? How many molts will it take? My first clutch and now the second one is going through 1st molt. First cluth done and females still have grey heads. The parents are perfect in color and the female does not have any grey at all. If the babies keep any grey wash, does that mean that the parents may be split to grey even though it is a natural progression that females do go through the "grey stage".

My female Black Chee Continetal CFW (BC CCFW) have heavy black flecking on their head, as they molt some loose it completelyothers keep small amount of the flecking, it is very faint...it is part of the mutation as explained below.

http://www.efinch.com/species/cfwzeb.htm
quote:
"Female: Like the males, the females will have a white body with dark tear marks under the eyes. The tail will also be a diluted gray. Females often have more black flecking on the top of the head than do males. (click to view a Reg. CFW female)

Fledglings: The chicks, unlike most dilute varieties, do not show any change in body or beak color. They are dark bodied with black beaks. They can be identified as soon as the white pin feathers of the wings start to show. Young females tend to carry more dark feathering on their heads than the males and can be identified early."

Thank you for the explanation.

I have another question and I'm a bad girl to make an assumption on my brood too soon. My first and I guess I got all excited and sexed the babies.

I have 5 CWFs. Now I know for sure that 1 is a male singing his head off.

This is the question or situation: the other 4 (I thought were males because they have a breast color of black/brown, like the males do) but NO cheek patches. All have the teardrops. No side color but all have the lite stripped tales, no noise (singing).

Thought females didn't get the color on the breast like a male. The color actually looks like a brown wash. It's just a little, not the whole chest.

Now I think they are females. Feel like giving me a lesson anyone? I'd really appreciate it. Maybe I should do zebra regulars. Now those are no brainers. I hate always having to ask questions. I have read til my eyes bled. I still don't get alot of stuff when it comes to genetics.

Like the parents: female has NO teardrops, dad does but lightly. Every single baby ( 3 clutches) have teardrops. Will all babies always have teardrops? It is obviously a genetic thing?