Is my budgie a boy or a girl?

[Ablan]

I have had my budgie for 4 years and have not been able to determine it’s gender. Usually your supposed to be able to tell by the cere, but it changes so often I’m not sure what to think?
Any advice you may have would be great.

 

[Owlet]

I believe they're male... but I'm not an expert

 

[Ablan]

I believe they're male... but I'm not an expert

Hey,

I appreciate your time my friend.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[Birdmom2a2]

Males have bright blue or purple ceres where the females have subdued color. It's hard to tell in the photos but it may be a female as the cere is not bright. I would suggest to do a search on the internet and compare available photos to your bird.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I have had my budgie for 4 years and have not been able to determine it’s gender. Usually your supposed to be able to tell by the cere, but it changes so often I’m not sure what to think?
Any advice you may have would be great.

Male recessive pied for sure! I've had several and their ceres never turn bright blue but never turn tan or brown either.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Male recessive pied for sure! I've had several and their ceres never turn bright blue but never turn tan or brown either.

On closer look I still say male for sure but recessive pied AND dominant pied combination. The eyes on recessive pied adults don't have white iris rings- they keep black baby eyes for life, and your bird has white iris rings. The green breast feathers on a recessive pied are usually only in the lower belly not the upper breast. Your bird's are high up like a dominant pied. Dominant pied adult males get bright deep blue ceres not lavender ceres. Your bird seems to have a combination of recessive pied features (cere color) and dominant pied features (green feathers high on breast and white iris rings) so it may be both a dominant pied and a recessive pied, but no question it's a male. Never seen an adult female budgie with a lavender cere!
The other recessive pied trait it has is pink feet but some dominant pieds have pink feet if has a yellow area very low on the body.

 

[Keet_Krazy]

Your budgie is a Male and I believe Double Factor Dominant Pied

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Your budgie is a Male and I believe Double Factor Dominant Pied

But I dont think a double factor dominant pied has a lavender cere. That's why I think there's something (recessive pied) going on too. Dominant and recessive pied are two different genes so they can coexist.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

But I dont think a double factor dominant pied has a lavender cere. That's why I think there's something (recessive pied) going on too. Dominant and recessive pied are two different genes so they can coexist.

I just looked it up and a double factor dominant pied male CAN have a lavender cere for life. Budgies have very interesting genetics.

 

[Keet_Krazy]

But I dont think a double factor dominant pied has a lavender cere. That's why I think there's something (recessive pied) going on too. Dominant and recessive pied are two different genes so they can coexist.

It's not lavender it's pied.
They technically can't really coexist, Dominant pied requires only one copy of the gene to be visual. Recessive requires two, hence why it's called recessive, if a budgie only has one copy of recessive pied they're split for pied not visual. I think it'spossible to be SF dominant and spilt for Recessive but that wouldn't show visually.

Help To Identify Double Factor Dominant Pied Budgies

Completely Pied, Or Mostly Pied With A Few Normal Markings

www.cutelittlebirdiesaviary.com

 

[DonnaBudgie]

It's not lavender it's pied.
They technically can't really coexist, Dominant pied requires only one copy of the gene to be visual. Recessive requires two, hence why it's called recessive, if a budgie only has one copy of recessive pied they're split for pied not visual. I think it'spossible to be SF dominant and spilt for Recessive but that wouldn't show visually.

Help To Identify Double Factor Dominant Pied Budgies

Completely Pied, Or Mostly Pied With A Few Normal Markings

www.cutelittlebirdiesaviary.com

My understanding of recessive pied and dominant pied iss that they are different genes and can coexist. Of course a budgie cannot be split for any dominant trait but many are split for recessive traits like blue or recessive pied.
When I say "lavender cere' I mean the color as we see it, vs bright blue, tan, white etc. Several mutations cause males to have lavender colored ceres for life like recessive pied, and the "inos".

 

[Keet_Krazy]

My understanding of recessive pied and dominant pied iss that they are different genes and can coexist. Of course a budgie cannot be split for any dominant trait but many are split for recessive traits like blue or recessive pied.
When I say "lavender cere' I mean the color as we see it, vs bright blue, tan, white etc. Several mutations cause males to have lavender colored ceres for life like recessive pied, and the "inos".

I am reading up on it now, I am finding no definite answer that "combination pied" are possible. What I am gathering though is it's not really possibly to know without knowing parentage AND test breeding.
Thanks for raising the subject though, I enjoy learning more about budgies.
But I still believe my first opinion on this particular budgie.

 

[MayMaroa]

Male for me!