Breeding

I don't know if other shama breeders in Singapore are experiencing the "problem" that I have this year.  Usually, the ratio of male and female offspring is about equal.  So far this year, the ratio for me from 4 pairs is almost  90% males.  This is no doubt a happy problem but I would like to know if there is a rational explanation for the disproportionate number of males this year.

It could be the somewhat freak weather conditions that we are experiencing nowadays.  In previous years, I would see the mynahs in my garden look for nesting material from early January.  This year, while the mynahs still come to my garden, they don't appear to be courting and looking for material to build their nests.  My guess is that the unpredictable violent storms in the first quarter of this year must have resulted in the repeated destruction of many nests and this has upset the hormonal cycle of the mynahs.

I mostly breed my birds in outdoor aviaries and due to the uncertain weather conditions, I only started pairing my shamas in March.  Nowadays, I am not in a hurry, knowing that there is more than sufficient time to take several clutches from the birds from March to August and beyond if I want to.