Ready to Sing This shot shows Dan, the three-fourths dark green male at the top of the swing, getting ready to burst into song. In preparation for this, he has taken a high, solid perch from which there is a good view, sleeked down his feathers a little, and extended his neck to give his syrinx room to expand. This trait can come in handy when trying to tell genders apart, especially with younger birds. If you see a bird doing this, chances are pretty good it's a male - not one hundred percent, as some hens will do this too - but still, it can be a useful indicator.

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