The way of telling the gender of adult Grey Butcherbirds is by the amount of
white in the face. In males, there is a well defined large white spot on the
lores. In the female, a white line extends from a similar white loral spot
backwards under the eye. I have a feeling that this distinction is enhanced
with age. Having seen that, you will notice that the colour tones in the
male are more intense; blacks are blacker, whites are whiter and the grey is
cleaner. I cannot determine the sex of young birds (which are polymorphic),
until they are over one year old. Neither I nor my wife can tell them apart
by call. If you wish to feed them which is great fun, they like pet mince
bought from a butchers. Each individual has its own perch from which to
solicit food as they are fed only on demand. We have been doing this for
over twenty years and they do not become dependant and may be absent for
weeks at a time as they were this spring. That was because birds breeding in
our garden especially Little Wattlebirds, gave them such a hard time! But
they're back now with a new youngster and one of last years still hanging
on, now identifiable as a female. In previous years it has been a male that
wouldn't leave home.
Mike Carter
30 Canadian Bay Road
Mount Eliza VIC 3930
Tel (03) 9787 7136
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