What kind of Zebra

kdinkel · Post by **kdinkel** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 6:31 pm

I am completly new at this. My daughter had a pair of finches, and we recently swapped out the male. In my ignorance I let her pick one out before doing my research. I had no idea how many color variations there are available. While my understand of genetics is fairly solid (breeding fish and pigeons) I am completly lost with finches. The first this is what mutation is the finch we just got (this is not my picture, but it looks just like it) and how do I sex it? (I believe that I have mistakenly assumed it was a male because of the cheek patches). Thanks!

Crystal · Post by **Crystal** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 7:12 pm

From that photograph, the bird looks like a regular chestnut flanked white (CFW) male. Males of this mutation are the only ones who sport cheek patches. It is a sex-linked recessive trait.

kdinkel · Post by **kdinkel** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 7:28 pm

Thanks a ton. One more quick question. If you look at it head on, it doesn't look like the ones in the link below which where labeled CFW. Head on the chest is white and fades to a cream color as it gets lower. Is it just a different variation of the CFW?

Crystal · Post by **Crystal** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 11:59 pm

Do you have a picture of your bird? I'm not sure I'm picturing what you are describing correctly. There are combinations of CFW with other mutations, but I'm not sure that any of those combinations has a cream belly.

Does your bird have a black breast bar and teardrops? If not, it could be a florida fancy (totally different mutation). They have cream bellies:

http://www.efinch.com/species/ffzeb.htm

kdinkel · Post by **kdinkel** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 11:42 am

I don't, it is still very nervous. It does look exactly the same as the first picture. If you look close to that one it is all white except the cheek patches and just a hint of cream\off white (a light version of the cheek color) down on the lower chest. You can just barely see it the picture. Sorry to be such a pain.

kdinkel · Post by **kdinkel** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 12:24 pm

Sorry, I forgot to answer. No tear drops, and no chest bar.

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 12:37 pm

hi here is a link to a picture of a florida fancy zebra

http://www.efinch.com/species/ffzeb.htm

ken

kdinkel · Post by **kdinkel** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 1:59 pm

That is very close. Is there a version of that without the bright color under the wings?

tammieb · Post by **tammieb** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 2:10 pm

A Florida Fancy

kdinkel · Post by **kdinkel** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 3:44 pm

That looks alot like it only the cheek patches are cream. Do they come in that color? How do I sex it?

tammieb · Post by **tammieb** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 3:52 pm

As far as I know, if it has cheek patches it is male.

kdinkel · Post by **kdinkel** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 5:01 pm

Thanks!

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 6:45 pm

the cheek patches do vary in intensity of colour in the cock birds so wouldnt worry...if its got cheek patches it is a male

ken

kdinkel · Post by **kdinkel** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 11:44 am

Thanks a ton for all your help. He is finally acting like he is interested in the female and they have started building their nest (we took the old one out). Sorry to beat a dead horse, but I finally got some actual pics. Let me know if anyone knows what type this is. (I am not saying it is not a florida fancy, just seems lighter). Here are the pics:

Here is his tail, it doesn't have any markings!

tina · Post by **tina** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 4:15 pm

He looks most like the one in this link which says it is a Isabel Fawn Zebra.

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Vall ... lfawn.html