12 replies to this topic

[Still Waters]

www.phenomenica.com said:

In a rare and a first-of-its-kind phenomenon, a Silver Pheasant, a bird belonging to the peacock family, has changed its sex from female to a male.

Confirming this and terming it a kind of “sex dimorphism”, zoo director Renu Singh told IANS that the phenomenon had surprised most of the staff in the zoo.

The change was noticed by her some time back when she found the female in the bird enclosure shed not only her diminutive shape and size but also change her dull brown colour to a more vibrant colour of a male, which is often used by the polygamous male to win over female species.

Read more...

[I Am Not Resisting]

To me, it seems it's far easier for a female to change into a male than the other way around.  I have my own theory in my head, but I still wonder why.  

[SlippySlug]

I've raised pheasants since I was little.  The older silver hens would sometimes change color to look like the males.  I assumed this wasn't a rare phenomenon and just some sort of bird menopause.

[Simbi Laveau]

SlippySlug, on 10 April 2012 - 10:14 PM, said:

I've raised pheasants since I was little.  The older silver hens would sometimes change color to look like the males.  I assumed this wasn't a rare phenomenon and just some sort of bird menopause.

That makes a whole lot more sense than a sudden sex change of a mammal.
Maybe plumage has to do with amt of certain hormones.

[Darkwind]

SlippySlug, on 10 April 2012 - 10:14 PM, said:

I've raised pheasants since I was little.  The older silver hens would sometimes change color to look like the males.  I assumed this wasn't a rare phenomenon and just some sort of bird menopause.

You need to write the zoo and tell them your experience. I am sure they would be interested.

[OiVey]

New species... caster semenyaticus

[The___Piper]

Not resisting, what's your theory?

[OverSword]

Maybe it should enter the Miss Universe contest.

[Mog]

Clearly a hormonal issue. The bird was either exposed environmentally to hormone like molecules or the bird has a genetic defect leading to steroid resistance which could manifest after puberty at a time when hormone production is ramped up.

[I Am Not Resisting]

The___Piper, on 11 April 2012 - 11:48 AM, said:

Not resisting, what's your theory?

Well if you think about it, it seems it would be much easier to grow a peen than to have it sucked in and create a cavern.  

I know...not very articulate or mature of me.  But it really does seem like a valid answer to me.  

[Knight Of Shadows]

some frogs does that .. i guess .. and fishs
but a bird .. maybe has something to do with the vet medications they used on it ? i don't know

[Paracelse]

Do they taste the same after the change???  

[Leah G.]

SlippySlug, on 10 April 2012 - 10:14 PM, said:

I've raised pheasants since I was little.  The older silver hens would sometimes change color to look like the males.  I assumed this wasn't a rare phenomenon and just some sort of bird menopause.

I was raised on a farm and I've seen this happen when there was no rooster, one of the chickens would take over the roll of rooster. I thought it was very common....