Sexing Indian Silverbills

[flrancho]

I visited the flea market yesterday and ended up buying another finch to replace the one that had died the week before. I ended up getting an Indian Silverbill, as I already had a single one. I know my single one is a male because he sings, albeit infrequently.

When I was about to buy the bird, the man selling them asked if I wanted a male or female. Since I knew the one I already had was a male, I said I wanted a female, if possible. The man claimed to be able to tell the difference visually between male and female silverbills by looking at some sort of pattern on their tail. I'd always heard that sexing them visually was very difficult and could only be done for sure by listening to wether the bird is singing. I was skeptical on wether he could really tell the difference visually, but accepted the "female" bird that he caught out of the cage.

S/he is doing very well since brining her home, but I've noticed she is making a noise. Its not singing, not the singing I heard from my male. Its a soft chirping noise that sounds like a highish pitched "chirp" or "cheap". Certainly not the song I've heard my male sing before, but s/he is making noise.

Will females call out with a "chirping" noise, or will they be completely mute?

They don't seem overly interested in each other right now, when I first put her in the cage he tried to mount her a few times, not sure if this was breeding behavior or a display of dominance, though the rest of my observance of them he would always peck at her and she would fly away whenever they were in close proximity.

[cindy]

I to have heard the same thing regarding sexing by tail shape...females shorter blunt, males longer pointed.

http://www.waxbillfinchsociety.org.uk/p ... ml#african

http://www.avianweb.com/africansilverbills.html

This is another article claiming you can tell by head and beak size/shape: http://www.hawkesburyfinchclub.com/afri ... bills.html

[Rayray]

there's no visable difference between male and female , only the male sings ... easiest way to find out is seperate them a few days and than put them together , wait see and hear !!!

good luck ..

[cute finch boy]

from my experience with the ISB is that "song sexing" is by far the best...

but also looking at the size and shape difference in the male and female can also be reliable...

the males head when views from above should be larger and broader. the beak should be shorter and wider at the base... as well as protrude more.(like a java)

the females beak and head will be narrower and a bit longer...

it does take a trained eye to see it!

hope i helped some!

[Jan]

the most reliable method is to place the colored split bands on them & sit back and watch.. Everything else is iffy.. If one or both of the birds is young these other methods go out the window

[cindy]

As I found out...the tail was rounded and shorter on one and as the bird matured, the tail grew and she...I mean he sang!!!

[cute finch boy]

like i said... with a trained eye you can tell by looking... i have even sexed very young birds this way.... it all depends on the person i guess...

[Jan]

Seems like I showed you how to sex them this way a few years back and told you then that the tails & beaks were not fully developed at a young age
As we would say here in Texas, "All Hat & No Cattle"

[cute finch boy]

awwww now jan behave.... i dont think yet another public post is the place for all this...

no one needs a pedestal...

and p.s. you never taught me how to sex ASB or ISB....

[Jan]

Wasn't trying to be ugly, sorry if you took it that way

[cute finch boy]

THANK YOU for the apology!

long time no see buddy!