Well here is something to consider Males as a whole tend to be cheaper medically speaking.
You can argue this all day long and tell me how you had a male that had all kinds of health problems. But speaking to more than few very good veterinarians that are well educated on bird dogs and a mix of my own experience have shown it to be true.
As far as smarts goes that is very very debatable. Looking back at some of the greatest Field Trials dogs the majority are males.
Preferring one over the other to me is a personal thing and nothing more. I have owned both. I don't have a preference really. I have had pick of the litter twice and I didn't make the pick, the puppy picked me both times. I figure its a pure luck of the draw anyways as there is no way to tell as puppies what their potential will be. So Play with them and the one that locks onto you is the one I pick every time.
