How to tell if a cockatiel is male or female

January 15, These birds can be sexually dimorphic, meaning that sexing a cockatiel is often possible just by looking at it. But what should you be looking for?

Pet Keen is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more. Cockatiels are serious contenders for being one of the most popular birds to own as a pet. And no wonder! They are beautiful birds with gentle and loving personalities.

How to tell if a cockatiel is male or female

Last Updated: August 19, Fact Checked. This article was co-authored by Hayley Heartfield. Hayley specializes in pet bird care, behavior, training, and breeding. About Birds carries many species of birds and offers grooming and boarding services as well as bird care products. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,, times. Cockatiels are a native Australian bird, cousins to others such as the Galah and black cockatoo. Adult cockatiels with the "normal grey" coloration, a grey body with yellow head, are relatively easy to distinguish based on their plumage. Other cockatiel colorations can make this more difficult, but there are enough behavioral differences and subtle visual cues that you can often make a good guess. Try to rely on several pieces of information, rather than just one attribute, as individual cockatiels have a great deal of physical and behavioral variation. If you are looking for more accurate results, talk to a vet and ask for a DNA test. To tell if your cockatiel is male or female, look at its head, since males usually have vivid orange spots and a bright yellow face, while females generally have lighter spots and grey or faded yellow faces. If you have a grey cockatiel, check its plumage, since males tend to have darker grey feathers and females tend to have lighter grey ones. You should also pay attention to how much your cockatiel talks, since males generally speak a lot, while females are often quiet and favor hissing or screeching to talking.

Lutino breeds, or pale yellow and pale white birds that still have cheek circles, can be identified by the female's yellow spots under the wings and yellow marks under the tail. Share yours! Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 2.

Dying to know the sex of your new bird? This article will help you identify the sex of your cockatiel — male or female. If you are planning to get a cockatiel, you might be curious about how to differentiate between males and females. Now, sexing cockatiels can sometimes be a little tricky. However, some of the cockatiel mutations have little or no difference between the males and females. Major visual cues in this regard include:.

Hepper is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more. Paola Cuevas. Whether you currently have a cockatiel or are considering adopting one, the topic of gender may come up at some point. Keep reading to learn how to use coloring, personality, vocalizations, and reproductive behaviors to determine the gender of your cockatiel.

How to tell if a cockatiel is male or female

Most animals are easy to tell their gender by observing specific parts of their body. Fortunately, cockatiels are not completely monomorphic and have various ways to differentiate their genders. So, how do you tell if a cockatiel is male or female? In most breeds, males have yellow faces with brighter orange cheek marks than females.

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Most experienced bird owners have noticed a bird rubbing its vent bottom on perches, objects, or even its owner's hand. Reed, N. All put together, we have over half a century of experience in the birding space. Thank you. Try to rely on several pieces of information, rather than just one attribute, as individual cockatiels have a great deal of physical and behavioral variation. Cookies make wikiHow better. My lutino cocktails babys tail is full of yellow color… Reply. Thank you for your feedback. In certain cockatiel breeds, only the males get a new facial appearance by molting. Edit this Article. The males also lack spots and barring on the undersides of their wings and tail feathers, which the females do have. Hayley specializes in pet bird care, behavior, training, and breeding.

Are you thinking of adopting a cockatiel into your home? If so, you may be wondering if you should adopt a male or female cockatiel.

Featured Articles How to. If you have a lone cockatiel, it may even identify you as its mate. Finding this site helped us tremendously. Does the amount of noise your new pet makes matter? It sounds like you have a very sweet bird regardless of if it is male or female. Not Helpful 25 Helpful When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. I can be vacuuming his cage or around it, it will not be afraid of it, on the contrary, it wants to come near. Fresh eggshell or toenails may also work; the instructions will specify this. Comparison Chart. In normal grey cockatiel breeds, the male typically has more striking facial feathers, with vivid orange spots standing out from a bright yellow face.