The Gender-Confused Sparrowhawk

On the discovery of a bird of prey in North America which is displaying hermaphroditic characteristics. Male rose-breasted grosbeaks have some red-pink feathers while females' are yellow and brown. This one has a distinct centre-line running down its body which makes its starboard side and wing pink, while its port side and wing are yellow/brown. Zoologists are studying the specimen to try to find out, without undue physical invasion, if it is truly hermaphrodite. This is apparently a rare condition among birds and the first seen in a raptor.

Conversations and observations around the Discworld...

Überwald: "IGOR! Look, just because you can do something doesn't oblige you to go out there and actually do it!"

"Look on the bright thide, Mithtreth. There ith a matched pair."

Mono Island: "I'm so terribly sorry. I still don't think I've got this sexual dimorphism business completely correct yet. Mrs Whitlow, could you go through it again, please?"

The Falconry Mews, Lancre: "Bugger me, this is a new one on me. Problem is, your majesty, if I try to get any closer to take a look, she tries to peck me a third nostril."

Estressa Partleigh, Activist, Ankh-Morpork: "Well, obviously, this is a differently-gendered individual who is making heroic attempts to break out of the old, tired, oppressive, straightjacket of genetically predetermined gender! This brave bird is defining their own gender preference and the City Zoo should recognise that! Equal rights for differently gendered avians!"

Doctor Johanna Smith-Rhodes, Director of the City Zoo, interviewed for her opinion by the Ankh-Morpork Times, considered the submission by all-purpose activist Estressa Partleigh. Doctor Smith-Rhodes remarked that while she classes as an Expert and one whose opinion can therefore safely be dismissed, she doesn't claim to know everything about Zoology. Which is one reason why a Zoo exists, for academic study and to fill those gaps in knowledge about living creatures and, ultimately, what the Hells Evolution is likely to do next. (Doctor Smith-Rhodes did not elaborate on the suspicion that the God of Evolution has a lifetime free ticket to the Zoo, and that the God is reported to have asked her professional advice on things like zygotic exchange between male and female-gendered dimorphs). She pointed out that the Gender-Confused Sparrowhawk is being kept there for observation - most importantly, what the heck it is, in the larger scheme of things, for. She also considered the possibility that it might lay self-fertilised eggs is certainly there. Parthenogenesis is known as far up the evolutionary scale as lizards, and birds are evolved from lizards. "Improbable, but we cannot rule it out." she said. "And please remind Ms Partleigh about her perceptions concerning Dwarf Chimpanzees. She received instruction and Education there."