2007-03-20 16:31:21 · 5 answers · asked by linomill 1 in Pets ➔ Birds
It depends on the color you tiel is (aka a 'mutation'). Most tiels are easy to sex by the color of their face and tail. Males, including lutinos which are usually all white with a yellow head, can be sexed by their tails. Males will have a solid colored tail while females will have a striped one. In greys and (I believe) silvers, males will have a bright yellow head. Whitefaced males will have a completely white head minus the cheek patches. Don't bother using the cheek patches as sex indicators it gets really complicated. Some mutations, such as pastel face, the cheek patches are very pale. Males and females of Lutinos, Cinnamons and Fallows often sport bright yellow heads. More than once I've been convinced that I had a male only to have the darling lay an egg on me! Pearl cockatiels over the age of 9 months are almost always female. Male pearls will lose most of their splotching but retain the genes to produce the color.
Some colors can't be sexed at all except for DNA analysis such as the 'albino' and pied mutations.
Another handy way of sexing a tiel is to listen for singing. Males will have a lusty warble and they'll stretch their necks out as they do it. Sometimes they'll spread their wings out slightly, causing their back to look heart shaped. They'll also bang their beaks on everything in an attempt to woo the girls! If you're not sure, listen to the bird. Another bonus is that males NEVER SHUT UP >.< . I should know. I have four! **Grins**
2007-03-20 19:48:06 · answer #1 · answered by white_ravens_white_crows 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it depends on what color mutation your cockatiel is.
if it's a normal grey, then mature males will have a yellow head, while the females remain all grey. they both have the orange cheeks though.
in all the other colors (lutinos, pearls, etc) the only for sure way to tell whether it's a male or female is to have it surgically sexed by a vet or have it's DNA tested.
2007-03-21 01:41:58 · answer #2 · answered by booda1113 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yeah, in Cockatiels, the female will have spots under her wings, and the males don't. Hope this helps!
2007-03-20 23:35:30 · answer #3 · answered by iluvmydoggies 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The male it the most colorful of the species.
2007-03-20 23:39:09 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
When I bought a lovebird the lady felt its hole down there if its hole was little it was a boy if it was big it was a girl ,.......
You know to lets the eggs out
2007-03-20 23:35:27 · answer #5 · answered by jigadee 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋