Is there an easy way to sex a cockatiel without spending$ for DNA?

Answer 1

yeah look at the markings on the bird.females usually have barring(like stripey lines) under their tail feathers and are less inclined to speak or mimic whistles.They are usually duller in the cheeks as well.

Answer 2

The most reliable method is to look at the patterns behind its tail feathers. Females have stripes along the back of the tail, while males have very fine spots. However, this method is not entirely reliable when you sex a YOUNG cockatiel. My cockatiel is a male (he has fine, even spots over the back of his tail) but at the time I bought him, he had several tail feathers with stripes.

Along with this method, you can also have a look at the face of the cockatiel. Male cockatiels have VERY bright face-coloring, especially the orange cheek patches. Females usually have distinctively dull faces.

By the way, how vocal or active your cockatiel is does not always determine its sex. I know this from my experience with budgies and cockatiels. My male cockatiel also behaves like a female when it is behaving sexually, so this isn't a good indicator of its sex either.

So, examine the back of your cockatiel's tail feathers carefully, and decide whether he is a male or female from the patterns. Of what mutation is your cockatiel? Because if it is Albino or Lutino, it would be much more difficult to do this compared to other mutations like the Normals. Have a try, though.

Good luck!

Answer 3

So, you're not willing to spend a dime on the birds, but, what, expect to breed them to death to turn a profit?

To answer your question, jerk, no you can't reliablily tell the difference without a DNA test.
They're only like $45. If you can't afford that, you shouldn't be breeding in the first place.

Answer 4

So basically you bought the birds just to pop out eggs for you to sell, but you care nothing for the birds themselves. That's a wonderful attitude to have. If you don't want to spend money caring for the birds properly, you don't deserve to own them.

Answer 5

females tend not to be so brightly colored around the beak area