Hi Andrew
No, it is quite correct and there are a number of recorded instances.
In birds (in contrast to mammals) the male is the dominant sex and if
anything like a tumour turns off the left ovary and its hormones, the
primordial right gonad can enlarge and in about 90% of cases it is
testis-like but areas of active spermatogenesis are rare.
This gives rise to the interesting old English ditty which I tell to my
students (after asking "Can any of the females here whistle?" and
getting a cacophony of whistles)
"A whistling maid,
And a crowing hen,
Are good for neither
gods nor men."
The "crowing hen" is obviously a case of this gender reversal.
Apologies to the ladies on b-a.
Peter
-----Original Message-----
From:
On Behalf Of Andrew Thelander
Sent: Thursday, 6 July 2006 1:53 PM
To:
Subject: Birds changing gender
Hi all
A break from all the serious stuff about GH lapwings ... today's online
Swedish newspaper, Dagens Nyheter, has a story about a Swedish hen
(named Astrid) who has suddenly become a rooster (now named
Karl-Astrid). A veterinary specialist is quoted as saying that it does
happen from time to time from such causes as a tumour producing hormones
or damaged ovaries.
Or is some journalist trying to embarrass me? ((-:
Andrew
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