FINCHforum

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!

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.

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?

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

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.

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

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

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

ken

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

A Florida Fancy

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

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

Thanks!

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

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!

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