Can birds really tell if you're a man or woman?

triordan

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Sep 1, 2010
1,042
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Maryland
Parrots
Remington~ GW Macaw
Ollie/Olivia~ CAG
I see all these ads stating "only likes men" or "only likes women" are birds really that smart?? Or are previous owners going by their own experience with the bird..??This might sound crazy but I was especially thinking about transgendered people, wonder what a bird would think?? I think I would love to do a study on this~
 

Pedro

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Dec 15, 2010
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Australia
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2 Budgies, 3 Cockatiels, 6 GCC'S, 2 Crimson Bellie Conures, 9 Sun Conures, 2 Major Mitchells, 12 Eclectus parrots of various ages, 2 BF Amazons, 2 Hahn's Macaw's, 1 Red Tail Black Too
Personally i don't think a parrot cares one way or the other what gender you are. I do believe they choose the person they feel most comfortable with. I really think they know who are birdie people & who aren't.
 

coral1

New member
Sep 27, 2011
44
0
ohio
Parrots
Blue headed pionus parror
well idk if its the long hair or facial strucutre ect. but my parrot actually attacks women that come near his cage but just puffs up when a man comes in. he doesnt react to childern. im not sure what it is but he hates all women except for me and will actually chase them out of my room! idk if its marty or what but im intrested in what other people have to say about this.
 

Featheredsamurai

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Aug 24, 2011
4,172
19
California
Parrots
African Greg
2 cockatiels
My parrot adores men, and hates women, I'm the only girl she likes lol And I've met so many birds who have a gender they prefer. :D
 

brighteyes

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Aug 24, 2011
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on a farm in south vic Austrailia...
Parrots
The very proud owner of a new baby sun conour !
I think it is very possible they can tell the difference as birds are very smart .
I also have found horses can tell if you are male or female !
Having worked with stallions l know they can small the difference , also l wonder if many women wearing perfume that is a sure give away .
Cheers..
 

freya

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Sep 6, 2011
25
0
Parrots
Basil CAG
I saw a parrot on one of those TV shows the owner was a woman and her parrot would attcak any male who came in ..They tried re-training it by getting her to dress as a man...

As regards transgender...I had a foster child living with me who was transgender..I didnt have Basil at the time only the dogs but they didnt mind wether it was her or him that came in and the only time one of them freaked was when she took her hair off!

Again its dogs but my old dog never rode legs he just wasnt interested...except twice and both time he did it was to a gay man????

If birds are more intelligent than dogs who knows what they can and cant tell....
 

henpecked

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Dec 12, 2010
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NC/FLA
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Jake YNA 1970,Kia Panama amazon1975, both i removed from nest and left siblings, Forever Home to,Stacie (YN hen),Mickie (RLA male),Blinkie (YNA hen),Kong (Panama hen),Rescue Zons;Nitro,Echo,Rocky,Rub
My wife and myself have a house full of rehomed amazons, alot of people tell us things like"he only likes women" ,but i'm best buds with alot of these birds now. Both my wife and i can handle these birds and while i think it's true that many prefer one gender over the other most except us both over time.I think" prefer" is a better phrase than "only like" and is based mostly on the birds past experiences ,which are subject to change after meeting a "bird person" of a different gender. IMO
 

Spiritbird

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Aug 20, 2009
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The Phoenix Landing people have said in class they do not think birds really care, it is just what they experience with the gender. When they do adoptions they do not specify man or women must adopt. Good question.
 

mtdoramike

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Jan 18, 2011
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Mt. Dora Fl./central Fl.
Parrots
11 month old Senegal Parrot - 3 year old SI Eclectus
I've heard that it doesn't matter, but you will never convence me of that. I have seen WAY to many birds that preferred either gender and wouldn't have anything to do with the other.

My Senegal & Eclectus gets along with both sexes. But my Senegal prefers my wife over me. My Eclectus prefers me over my wife and was also the same way with his previous owners.
 
OP
triordan

triordan

New member
Sep 1, 2010
1,042
1
Maryland
Parrots
Remington~ GW Macaw
Ollie/Olivia~ CAG
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very interesting, makes me want to find out more! anyone else want to chime in??
 

coral1

New member
Sep 27, 2011
44
0
ohio
Parrots
Blue headed pionus parror
oh i forgot to metion this, when my boyfriend was staying with me for a few weeks marty became very attached to him and would actually try to attack me like he does to other women even though he knew who i was and was bonded to me! it was crazy and i was so upset and jealous he got along so well with andy after 2 days and it took me months to establish our relationship! it was so frustrating lol!
 

TeakwoodBirdHouse

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Sep 20, 2011
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Largo, Florida
I have fostered many birds, some who I was told like women better, and found that they responded slower to me (male), than birds that liked men. I believe it has to do with their early bonding with people. Or if they've had bad experiences with men or women. Birds are very intuitive, and respond to subtle actions and characteristics. That may play a part in this. Deeper voices, softer skin, things like that.
 

Pinkbullets

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Aug 23, 2011
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Southern California
Parrots
Luna: solomon island eclectus
Evie: red-sided eclectus
Do they actually recognize sex? I am not sure.
But can they differentiate physical features? Sure.

It's more of a correlation.
 

nofearengineer

New member
Sep 8, 2010
575
1
Parrots
Gandalf - CAG (1997-2010) R.I.P. my baby boy.
Bitty - CAG (2 yrs old? and working on spoiling her rotten)
I think parrots have behavior preferences, and not gender preferences.

It just so happens that like the old saying goes, "boys will be boys, and girls will be girls." Most of us do fit the stereotypes to some degree.
 

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