Plumage Dimorphism

Females Look And Sing A Slightly Different Tune

Female feathered friends bring joy, hope in preserving future to their species, reminding us at dawn or dusk to celebrate the world as it is meant to be.

Love is joyous song, replying in slightly altered tunes, at times more complex less robust testing males from tree tops, no sleek dress-up required, it is the males who must jump through hoops to mate with females.

Southern Masked-Weaver (Ploceus velatus) - Female/nonbreeding male, difference to female is visual effect, she does not carry the predominant black face mask.

Fluffed up hiding from the cool chilly wind in a spot well sheltered not batting an eye-lid with me emerging to stand directly in front of her for a couple of portraits. Yesterday afternoon capture.

Red-billed Firefinch (Lagonosticta senegala ) - Female tends to have red flash at tail and slight red head marking still a pretty little 9g girl when capturing her on this day her male partner was close giving me a great opportunity to see the two together. Taken during September when starting to get together.

Egyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca) Definitely not much difference between the two, although here I am sure where the female is. Mating most year round this was taken at the beginning of October.

She is known to be more vocal, what is interesting is they have different calls between the sexes with female honking in triumphant trumpeting, males hiss and wheeze, he is no competition against the female.

Bums up I'm out of here, I think is the White-throated seedeater (Serinus albogularis) calling it a day from inside her hideout, playing hide and seek with me between the branches.

No flashing bright plumage when resting on a nest, camouflauge is required between the trees or on the ground, female birds appear less dressed up for good reason, first testing integrity and strength of the males, no place for uncertainty.

Female birds will work hard selecting a male, will also attack other females once finding the right guy, not too shabby I say!

Thanks for visiting Feathered Friends, Entry to #SMAP No. 161 - Bird Contest with host @nelinoeva FEMALE BIRDS

Feathered Friends Community gratitude to @melinda010100 for sponsoring the contest. Our talented artist @barbara-orenya for on-going creative support and curation reports.

All photography and stories are my own, photography taken out and about, thanks for reading and visiting here.

Thought for Today: "A leopard is chasing us, and you are asking me, "Is it a male or a female?"" - African Proverb

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