Red headed parrot finches

[Jason]

hi i have 2 red headed parrot finches and want to know if they are building a nest does this mean they are male and female?

[monotwine]

It could be, but nest building is not a guarantee that you have a pair.
One should sing and the other chirp more than produce trilling notes.

Males usually have a more extended face mask i.e. area of red behind the eye is thicker than hens, though this is not a 100% guarantee.
Also males usually have a few red feathers near their vent, though not always.
Best is to watch them carefully. If one sings and chases the other about to mate with (they tend to take their woman forcefully) then you probably have a pair. Fertile eggs in a few weeks would be the best indicator. They don't make it easy.

[wellingtoncdm]

My first two pairs of red throats were all males! They built nests and worked as a team and acted like two pairs but there were no eggs. I had no idea until I added two hens. Then I realized they were all males. All four trilled and attacked the hens killing one. Males make a long drawn out trilling sound. Hens do not trill they lay eggs. That is the easiest way to be positive. I also have never seen any hen carrying nesting material only males.

[Jason]

Thanx for the replies.Well the ones red does go more back then the other one and the one whose red goes more back does make more of a thrill and the other just sits and watches and makes a bit of a chirp now and then.but i am scared to look in the nest because the first nest they built,i looked in to much and they left it and started a new one 2 days latter.So i am not to keen on nest inspection.Well how long till after they built the nest do eggs get laid.when do u do nest inspection? Oh and the other reason i was not sure is because they also say the hen is duller but in my case they are both the same.