# Barring on tail



## Tacotielca (Dec 3, 2013)

I had the oportunity to look at tacos tail feathers today. She is a juvenile cinnamon pearl. I noticed 'one' "see-though" line on the underside of each(?) tail feather. Is this what is referred to as "barring"? I also noticed very fine textured lines going at an angle the whole length of the feather kinda like in an 'arrow feather', where the lines go in an angle at opposite directions from the middle (kinda like a 'V' shape)...is this barring? Hopefully someone can clarify this.

Since she hasn't had her adult molt yet, can this barring determine gender in a jenvenile cinnamon pearl?


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## Double Trouble (Nov 24, 2013)

is there any way you could post photos? i would be easier to give a more accurate answer this way


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## Darkel777 (Jun 7, 2013)

Yes, look at the green lines on Godric's back. These extend into the tail.









The bars should look different for the pearl mutation, arrow shaped as you pointed out but its the same principle.


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## Tacotielca (Dec 3, 2013)

Hope this pic works. The see-thru single bar is hard to see as it looks black instead of translucent in the pic. But it is one single curved line that does not stretch across the feather. It is really hard to see, but if you count the other middle black markings, it is just below the 3rd mark from the top, depending on how your computer shows the pic, as mine show the pic upside down when enlarged. so if the marksings are inshape of v, then its 1 down from top, if upside down v, then 3rd from top. The others that runs down the length of the feather is clearer and it is the same color, but textured diagonal lines (which shows on the front and the back of the tail feathers.







Any gender guesses?


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Unfortunately, since Taco is pearl, barring or absence of barring on the tail feathers doesn't determine gender. My Coco has plenty of barring and he is 100% male. Female pearls can have next to no barring, or even none. To make things even more complicated, every pearl's tail pattern is unique, much like fingerprints.


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## Tacotielca (Dec 3, 2013)

CharVicki said:


> Unfortunately, since Taco is pearl, barring or absence of barring on the tail feathers doesn't determine gender. My Coco has plenty of barring and he is 100% male. Female pearls can have next to no barring, or even none. To make things even more complicated, every pearl's tail pattern is unique, much like fingerprints.


May I ask at what age Coco started displayed male behaviour? Did he show them before his first molt? I know every tiel is different bit just want some reference. Thanks


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## Darkel777 (Jun 7, 2013)

Sorry Tacotielca, I misread your post. I thought you were asking if it was barring not if it could determine gender.


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## Tacotielca (Dec 3, 2013)

Darkel777 said:


> Sorry Tacotielca, I misread your post. I thought you were asking if it was barring not if it could determine gender.


Darkel: sorry to be confusing... I was asking if it is barring. I want to know what it looks like. Is it the 'many' textured yellow lines, or is barring the one line I am trying to show (but not coming out well in the photo). I then also threw in the question whether anyone can tell gender from this pic in a juvenile cinnamon pearl


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

The single line down the center is not barring, most tiels have this (except lutinos and pieds, their's is clear.) The barring everyone talks about are the angled lines you mentioned. Unfortunately, all babies look female til after their first molt and some look female even longer than that (Pied lol). Do you know what Taco's parents were? That may help determine gender since she's a combo of two sex-linked mutations.


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Tacotielca said:


> May I ask at what age Coco started displayed male behaviour? Did he show them before his first molt? I know every tiel is different bit just want some reference. Thanks


I believed Coco to be a hen up until he was almost 3 months old (I got him at 9 weeks old). He started trying to mimic and sing, and soon the beak-banging followed, and heartwings. His singing was very garbled to start with, but he gradually got better at it and his tunes became clearer, and now he's a pro singer, even more so than Henry.

His male behaviours came on extremely early though. Usually it will occur around the time of the first molt.


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