Help determining sex

[shan__p]

hi, i bought a couple of cockatiels from a store, but need help determining the sex of one of them. i dont know the age of these cockatiels. the guy told me this is a male. please help also it has a yellow patch on the back of its neck so might be a pied split.

 

[MosaicMadness]

Without knowing the age, I can't really say. If it's an adult, that's a female, if it is still a baby who hasn't molted into its adult feathers, it may be a male. If you can get a picture of the barring under the tail feathers, it might help too.

 

[shan__p]

Hi, it still has prominent barring on the tail and spots under the wings on all feathers except the last one, the guy i bought this from told me that these arent reliable and large red cheek patches are key to determine sex.

 

[Reyana]

Hi! I'd say it's a girl. Of course red cheek spots do not determine sex. My male for e.g. has quite pale red spots. One old breeder told that he determined sex upon the shape of cocatiels' crest (females' crest stands staight when lifted, looks like a crown, while male's crest has more curved shape). Also females have horizontal stripes on inner side of tail feathers (young males sometimes have them, but after moulting the stripes disappear). Another way to determine sex is to watch the cocatiel's behaviour (my males are extremely curious, less agressive than females - girls sometimes bite stronger))), males also sing while females never do it.
Anyway, mistakes occur.

 

[MonicaMc]

If we knew what mutation the mother is, that could also possibly determine the gender of this bird...


I have two females with "large red cheek patches". Very nice and clear. Both lay eggs.