Sexing Java's - Well, where do I start!
If you are new to keeping these lovely Java finches, this is the hard part for you. As I have mentioned on my breeding page, there is a 100% certain way of telling the cock bird from the hen, and that is to separate the birds into single cages for a week or so. Then look and listen for the singing birds. Only the cock bird sings. Put a coloured split ring on and make a note of the colour in order to identify them in the main aviary. Can I just say here that the hen Java is not mute! it will make a noise like a clicking sound, but the cock Java will sing.

The Eye Ring
There is another way of telling the sexes apart, but it is more uncertain. The cock bird has a slightly thicker eye ring than the hen, and it is a bit deeper in colour. I would not totally rely on this method as the eye rings vary according to the age of the bird with older birds having thicker eye rings than younger birds. If two birds are squabbling with open beaks, these are almost certainly cock birds. So we aren't getting very far with this sexing business, are we?!

Looking at the beak
Apart from the singing method, we can take a look at the birds' beaks. This is a good way of telling them apart - especially if you are in a shop full of Java's and not one of the little blighters will sing for you! (This happens to me all the time!) Let's start with the cock Java. His beak is a bit more distinctive that the hen's being bigger on the top mandible with more of a dome, or bulbous ridge. If you can view the bird from the top of its head, the beak is also wider than the hen's. The hen's beak is narrower and slimmer looking altogether.

When you have been working with Java's for some time using the methods I have described, you will soon begin to spot the difference a mile away. But if you want to be 100% certain, the cage and singing method is the only way.

Now you know what to do, let's look at some photos of my Java's to see if these can help you or at least give you some idea of what I am talking about.

Looking side on at the two Java's there is not much to tell them apart, in fact you would think the hen had the larger beak. Take a look at their eye rings, the cock birds eye ring should be deeper in colour and bigger than the hens, not so in this photo, the cock is not in the best of condition so the eye ring colour will not show as well, but the size of the eye ring on both Java's is the same. I find this method of identification very hard.

In these two photos I am trying to show the hen and cock's beaks side by side, look at the more pointed back on the hens beak and the more rounded blunt looking beak of the cock's bird, also you can see the swollen ridge. This is the best angel to sex Java's looking from the top of the heads. If the beaks look the same obviously you have two of the same sex

If you turn your Java over on it's back, so you can see under the beak, like I have shown on my Java's. This is another way you can tell the sex of a Java. Lets take a look at the hen's beak. First you can see how much more pointed the beak is from the cocks beak, and secondly where the back of the beak forks out on the neck of the Java its much slimmer than the cock Java and thinner. Have a look on the photos and see the difference yourself.

The cock Java's beak is much fuller and thicker and more robust altogether. Again pay attention to the back of the beak where it folks out see how much thicker and wider it is, from that of the hen's

This is one of the best photos I have to show the difference between the two

So next time you are going to buy a pair of Java's from a breeder or pet shop, asked to view the birds from the top and underneath also side by side, so you can see for yourself the difference. As I said before" after some time it will become much easier to spot a pair just by standing looking at a cage full of them.

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