Kathleen Hunt wrote:

> Then we can pull a feather, hold it in a cage for a week till
> a new feather starts to grow in, pull THAT blood feather and send
it to a
> lab for DNA testing. Or well, hell, just lap it right there in
the Fill.
> Forget just enjoying the bird! I want to know what sex it is!
Confess,
> confess, little longspur...

Since bird blood is nucleated wouldn't it be possible to take a
blood sample and use that to determine sex. Assuming that biometrics
doesn't clinch it.

You don't need potter traps - a mist net and 20 seconds is more
than enough. However catching it for purely recreational purposes is
certainly bad for the bird, bad for banding and who really cares
what sex it is anyway ???????

Stuart
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