002 Five-coloured Mannikin

Sep 23 2015

Walter Burgess: Sexing 101 - species # 2 - Five-coloured Mannikin or - Lonchura Quinticolor:

 

Cocks broader bill across, also more bluish when viewed from the top. Crown also warmer brown than hen (cock on left)

 

In side profile cocks bill is more thick-set. Notice colour difference not that obvious in side profile. Cock also slightly warmer brown in the ear-covert area.

 

Cocks also much cleaner white on the chest and belly. In the pure imported birds the cocks were all white in front, the hens had bellies equal to that of the cocks, but the chest area had a beige ting to it. Now the cocks look like that with the hens a much "dirtier" colour. This leads me to believe that our SA strain has been poluted with Chestnut blood (probably due to the fact that the birds were first sold as Chestnut and Whites, creating the false concept that they are perhaps a mutation of the Chestnut)

 

Slight difference in the depth of black around the ventral region when viewed in good sunlight. Cock on left.

Read 1850 times Last modified on Jun 20 2016

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