Anyone know what these are???

[tstcpc]

thanks leda!!! i guess i didn't word that quite right. is there a way to tell the males from females visually???

[monotwine]

Congrats on your new birds. Its wonderful that you have a society to help finches in need!

For reference re: Rayray description I attached pics of African Silverbills for comparison. male & females look similar and very difficult to sex without DNA or surgical sexing.
One breeder here has a knack of sexing by looking at the beak. Something like this: top & bottom of beak meet and form a line, if you imagine the line continuing some lines go through the eye, others go below the eye. each type of line denotes a sex. I have NOT got this method down pat. This guy has never been wrong. He just has the ability.
I wait for my birds to sing. Males sing females rarely.

[monotwine]

PS I find watching for singing birds easier than trying to see who is in the nest laying eggs

[Leda]

Duh!!! You are right Candice, males sing. I forgot about that!!! Must be to early in the morning and my brain hasnt woken up yet!!! LOL Or its the two Rum and mango drinks I had last night. Killed off some brain cells!!!

[Leda]

Anyway, tstopc, They are beautiful birds and thats wonderful you rescued them and are giving them a new home. Let us know if one sings and one doesnt.

[cindy]

I had received two silverbills from JohnBoy a few weeks ago. He watched both birds for about 6 days before sending them off to me and only one sang. As soon as I put the two into a cage the male sung right away and sings quiet a bit daily. After a week and a half here I heard singing again but it sounded different.

I looked up and both had their throats distended and singing their little hearts out. I love the song, it is soft and delicate like the Gold Breast. So I have two males, I don't mind one bit they are so sweet. The softness of the bird is so appealing to me.

There is one good thing though on the 29th I am going to get 3 or 4 new ones from my breeder. While they are in quarantine I will watch to see who sings...I hope to make at least two pairs. Now if they all turn out to males...hmmmm!!!! More song!!

[JohnBoy]

Cindy, they could form The Silverbill All Male Choir. Hopefully by getting 3-4 more I would hope you'd get a female for pete's sake.

[cindy]

John, I love their little songs. It doesn't matter to me if they breed, but I was thinking it was more for them to have a mate each. Hey the more the merrier!!!!!!