Please ID Cordon Bleu

[lea]

what type of Cordon Bleu is this female? i have two red cheeked bleus, but they aren't interested in her, they always sits together, and don't look at her.

[Sally]

I'm not familiar with Blue-breasted Cordon Bleus, so can't say if she is that, but I would say she is not Red-cheeked, she has a bit of blue on the top of her head. My RCCB hens don't have any blue on top of their heads at all. But this would not explain why your RCCB males don't have anything to do with her, as they will cross readily.

[JohnBoy]

Perhaps the two males have bonded. You may want to try pairing her with one of the males and getting another female.

[BigBear0007]

It's a RCCB hen.
It looks just like mine.
Don't worry about a little blue on the head.
Her head will get darker.
Put her in with one of the males before the two boys
file paper work on domestic partnership. Lol

Jerry

[annague]

It's a little difficult to tell from the picture but is there a possibility that you picked up a Blue Cap CB female? Many of my BCCB females have blue on their head but their beaks are bright fuschia compared to a pinky tan that the RCCB females sport.

[lea]

Her head will get darker.

she is 2008 hatchling, it written on her ring, any possibility it'll get darker?

It's a little difficult to tell from the picture but is there a possibility that you picked up a Blue Cap CB female? .

i don't really know i bought her in Hungary, the local seller don't know english at all. i was searching CB's for a year and then i saw it, i don't really care.

red cheeks i bought in the same market, but from other seller, but now then i looked at them, they are different, one cheeks are paler and beak longer, is it mean anything?

[Jayburd]

sorry guys that's a blue cap.
all blue cap hens have a blue forehead. no red cheek hens do

[Sally]

Thanks for the confirmation, Jayburd. My BCCB hens look like this hen, they have rounder bodies, shorter fuschia-colored beaks, and a bit of blue on the top of the head. My RCCB hens have slimmer, sleeker bodies, longer lighter-colored beaks with dark tips (sometimes most of the beak is dark), and the tops of their heads are brown. I have no idea what a Blue-breasted Cordon Bleu looks like.

lea, do you have a photo of the two RCCB males together? They can vary with the shape and intensity of the cheek patch from one bird to another, but if the cheek patch is lots smaller than the other, it could be a hybrid. My hybrid RCCB/BCCB males have cheek patches that are only about half normal size.

[lea]

so for the assurance, i should pair that female with one of my boys, and look to their juveniles? i have listen CB's songs, and my female song is more like blue caped one

Sally, i'll try to catch them together

[Jayburd]

hybrid BC/RCs have an intermediate sitting position. You'll notice blue caps always sit almost vertical on the perch, especially males. Red cheeks more horizontal. Intergrades in between.

[Sally]

hybrid BC/RCs have an intermediate sitting position. You'll notice blue caps always sit almost vertical on the perch, especially males. Red cheeks more horizontal. Intergrades in between.

Wow, thanks for that bit of information! I ran right out and watched a cage of male BCCBs, with one male RCCB included, and there is a definite difference in sitting position--never noticed! Of course, I am not the most observant person anyway. I have a cage of hens, BCCB with one RCCB, and later today, I'll watch them and see if I can pick out the RCCB hen without looking at her leg bands. Also check the four hybrids I have. The male hybrids are very easy to spot, they have cheek patches that are only half the size they should be, so they stand out, at least for me.

Lea, I know you don't want to hear this after searching for Cordon Bleus for a year, but if you have two RCCB males and one BCCB hen, the best thing would be to try to find an RCCB male and two BCCB hens, if you can. If you pair this hen with one of those males, you will get fertile hybrids, which dilute the pure bloodlines when they are mated with pure mates.

[lea]

Jayburd, thanks, now i see who is who
Sally, yeah, i know what is the best,
and i'm planning to go to market in Hungary on autumn,
if i find any CB, i'll buy them for sure

[Jayburd]

that's ok guys, glad to help
also, I don't know if this book is available overseas, but if you can order yourselves copies of the new book by Russell Kingston - it's called "the finch... a breeder's companion". best book on finches ever written to date!

[monotwine]

Yes great book! Well worth the cost.

[JohnBoy]

$165.00 EEK!I will have to ask Santa to bring me this one.

http://www.avianpublications.com/items/ ... tem605.htm