Budgerigar how to distinguish a female. Recommendations from experts on how to distinguish a female from a male budgerigar using different methods. We distinguish by body structure

The royal bird has long been of interest to breeders. But before starting to breed it, the farmer must know a number of important factors regarding the breeding of birds. If a poultry farmer is interested in guinea fowl, you can learn how to distinguish a female from a male from the article, as well as from video materials. There are several signs by which the sex of a bird is determined.

We invite you to learn how to determine the sex of a guinea fowl

How to distinguish a male from a female guinea fowl?

Of course, there are many differences regarding the appearance of guinea fowl. And novice poultry farmers know nothing about them. Many differences can be seen even if you carefully study the photo. Unlike other birds, females are always heavier than males. But there are others important features:

1. The structure of the male's head is larger and more powerful.
2. The Caesar's beak is somewhat wider and thicker.
3. Males have redder and longer earrings compared to guinea fowl.
4. Caesars have a more shrill and powerful voice, which cannot be said about females.
5. Representatives of these birds have different head positions (females have a vertical head position, males move it slightly forward).

These are the main signs that will allow the owner of a guinea fowl to accurately distinguish a male from a female. Experienced breeders advise observing their behavior, walking and sounds, which will make it possible to determine the sex much faster.

Males have redder and longer earrings compared to guinea fowl. In the photo there is a male

Farmers savvy in this matter distinguish the sex even of chicks. After all, they have studied the habits of the bird well, its exterior features, so they cope with the task even when the birds are only a day old.

How to distinguish male from female guinea fowl, photo

For a novice breeder, sex determination can be a serious problem. Those who have encountered it admit that they were often mistaken. Experienced breeders say that you should carefully study the description of guinea fowl and look at the photo.

The guinea fowl has a smaller head and does not have long red earrings. In the photo there is a female

It wouldn’t hurt to learn about the gender differences in guinea fowl. It is by external sexual characteristics that one can determine gender accurately and the first time. And this applies not only to guinea fowl, but also to other poultry. The male genital organ is well developed, although it will only be possible to distinguish him from a female if he is caught. As you know, all representatives of the royal bird are quite shy. The presence of a small tubercle is clear evidence that this is a Caesar.

To distinguish a male from a female directly by gender, a poultry farmer will need time and experience. After all, in order to lift the tail and open the cloaca, you need to acquire skills. Breeders with experience share that this should be done extremely carefully. Otherwise, you can only scare the birds.

How to distinguish male from female guinea fowl, video:

You’ve decided to breed guinea fowl, but don’t know how to tell a female from a male? Then the advice of competent and experienced farmers given in the article, photos, videos will be especially relevant. To summarize, you should pay attention to the bird’s voice, its head structure and habits. Knowing these signs, even an inexperienced breeder can easily determine the sex of a guinea fowl.

External sexual characteristics will not help you figure out how to determine the age of a pigeon or how to distinguish a male from a female. This is because these characteristics are not clearly expressed. But understanding this is very important in order to correctly create pairs in a flock and get healthy offspring. The task of whether the dog in front of you is a “boy” or a “girl” can be difficult even for experienced breeders. To avoid mistakes, it is better to use several methods at once, which we will tell you about below.

Both experienced breeders and amateur amateurs find out how to determine the sex of a pigeon in several ways. These include body size and behavioral or anatomical features. The shape of the head or the color of the plumage matters.

The specifics of the breed must also be taken into account. In some lines, the males are larger and have bright plumage, but sometimes it’s the other way around: the external differences are almost invisible. Some amateurs find folk methods helpful. It is not clear how they work, but they claim that they work.

When purchasing, pay attention to the breed standard. Do not take too small or large individuals, otherwise there may be problems with laying and hatching eggs in the future. Behavior that is strange for a bird may be a sign of a genetic defect or hormonal disease. Below we will look at all the details, and although no one gives a complete guarantee, if you check the sex of the future pet in several ways, this will help to avoid surprises during breeding.

Size matters

Determining sex by external characteristics is not suitable for any pigeon breed.

Under normal conditions, a male wild or normal healthy domestic pigeon is usually larger than a female pigeon. The large head is firmly supported by a powerful short neck. A massive and wide forehead is also a characteristic sign of a “boy”.

The dove's head is neater and smaller. But pigeons can boast a longer and more graceful neck than that of a dove. They also have protruding, more expressive eyes. Their beak is smaller and narrower at the base. Males have a larger beak with a wider base.

But you have to be careful. Because these rules are not suitable for determining sex “by eye” for ornamental birds. Their males often look smaller than their female companions.

Color differentiation

Another way to distinguish a dove from a dove is by the color of its feathers. It is believed that the male usually sports darker colors. Caesars are distinguished by reflections of pink or green with a metallic tint on the chest. Gray females are not so clearly colored.

This method is more likely to be suitable for breeds with autosex lines, in which male and female individuals have a gender-specific appearance. For example, Texan chicks (a meat breed native to Texas) at birth are distinguished by the presence (girls) or absence of feathers (boys).

Adult birds are easy to distinguish by color. The male has light, sometimes speckled, plumage, and the female has dark, often gray or brown tones.

If you have been breeding pigeons for a long time and remember exactly the color of the parents, then you can say that the yellow chicks took after the same “father”, and the girls inherited the same color from the gray-feathered dove.

We distinguish by body structure

Determining the sex of a pigeon by the structure of the pelvic bones is one of the most reliable methods. To do this, take the bird in your hands and feel the bones under the bird's chest, in the area of ​​the tail.

A male representative will have virtually no gap between them. In a female pigeon, they will be located two to three (per phalanx of your finger) centimeters from one another.

The method has one drawback. It is only suitable for adult females who have already laid eggs at least once. The pelvic bones diverge only during oviposition and then do not close again. It will not be possible to find out the gender of a young dove this way.

Another error is also possible. When buying birds from unverified breeders or secondhand, you always run the risk of mistaking a pigeon for a dove. Unscrupulous sellers may offer a male who has previously suffered from rickets. Due to lack of calcium, his pelvic bones will be wide apart.

Old-fashioned way

Several time-tested, but not scientifically explained methods.

There is an opinion among breeders that you can determine the sex of a pigeon by pulling the bird's nose. The females will tolerate it, but the males will be indignant and try to escape.

According to another belief, try lifting your pet under its wings with one hand and stroking its chest with the other. The indignant “boy” will pick up his paws out of indignation. The “girl” will remain calm and will not make any sudden movements.

Some pigeon breeders claim that the sex can be determined almost accurately using a pendulum. To make it, take a rope or fishing line from the tip of your finger to your elbow. Tie a piece of metal to it and hold the pendulum over the bird's tailbone. If it is a female, then it will begin to describe circles, if it is a male, it will sway back and forth.

Planted in one cage

The way a pigeon behaves in a confined space is an indicative criterion for establishing sex. It is often used when purchasing or displaying.

If the gender of one pigeon is known for sure, and it is necessary to find out what gender the newcomer is, they look at behavior and communication. But this method also has its drawbacks. Sometimes the behavior of a bird depends more on character and upbringing than on gender.

If you bring two (presumably) males into one cage, then expect a conflict. The pigeons will begin to figure out who is stronger, who needs more food and space. Two lovebirds will peacefully share their home and coo quietly about girlish things.

A dove and a dove, planted together, very often begin to flirt. But if a male begins courting a dove that already has a mate, the annoying gentleman will be given a tough rebuff.

Mating dances

The difference in behavior is especially pronounced in the spring, during mating games. Watching birds, you will immediately understand how to distinguish female pigeons from males.

A feathered man tries to impress his future girlfriend. To do this he:

• straightens and spreads its tail;
• tries to appear larger by protruding his crop;
• circles around the female and tries to hug her with his wing;
• convinces the dove of his irresistibility by cooing.

If the female is pleased with the courtship, she begins to coo in response, bow and squat on her tail.

But this method does not provide a complete guarantee. The behavior may not be as pronounced due to the nature of the bird or stress from changing living conditions.

Signs of age

A good pigeon breeder takes into account the age of his pets in his work.

A pigeon at home can live up to 15-20 years. His appearance, breeding value, flight qualities change with age. Individuals of decorative breeds reach their peak shape by the age of three and maintain it until they are five or seven. Then the tone weakens, and by the age of ten they are no longer suitable for producing offspring.

Pigeons of flying breeds reach their peak in the second year of life and show their best results within three to four years.

This age is also best time for the reproduction of healthy chicks, future beauties and champions.

It is almost impossible to determine the exact age of an adult pigeon, so experienced breeders put a ring with the date of birth on the pigeon’s paw.

If you buy a chick, or raise pigeons yourself, a table of age changes will help you:

As can be seen from this information, it is only possible to determine age based on known characteristics only approximately. Accuracy is only possible in the case of a ring on the paw, where the date of birth of the bird is indicated. However, to get your bearings, it would be a good idea to read the article, which describes in detail all the periods of feather formation in representatives of the pigeon family.

Budgerigars are distinguished by their inquisitive and sociable disposition; their popularity as feathered pets is very high. However, bird lovers are often unable to determine the sex of their parrot, and not only the name of their beloved creature depends on this, but individual features conditions of his detention. Today in this article we will tell you how to determine the gender of a budgerigar using various signs.

At what age is it easiest to find out the gender of a budgerigar?

Male and female parrots are so similar that it is difficult for non-specialists to determine the sex. But bird breeders begin to make assumptions about the sex of chicks from three weeks of age - based on the color of the cere (the supra-beak formation where the nostrils are located). Before this period, the color is similar in both sexes and varies from light pink to dark purple. Typically, as the female gets older, white circles will form around her nostrils. In males, white outlines are not observed, and the beak has a more intense color.

As the parrot grows older, the color of the wax changes and acquires its final result by the time the parrot is four months old. Other signs of gender also appear, because the female and the male are ready for reproduction, their bodies are formed, their behavior is subordinated to sexual desire, the color of the beak has acquired a stable shade. Thus, the most accurate determination of sex is possible only in parrots whose age has reached four months.

Did you know? Parrots do not have vocal cords and make sounds using their mouths. Some of them can be heard at a distance of more than a kilometer.

How to distinguish gender: boy or girl

The absence of the first molt, the presence of fluff on the head, the presence of eyes resembling dark buttons - these signs indicate that the chick is not yet four months old.

During this period, the results of sex determination based only on the color of the cere are not accurate. These come to the rescue distinctive features, like the shape of the head and body, the color of the legs, spots on the cheeks, and the behavior of the bird.

By cere

In most cases, all parrots have beaks of a similar yellowish hue, but the color of the wax is not the same among different individuals. Before puberty (but not earlier than 3 weeks of age), the beak of males has a uniform bright purple, pink or pale purple color.
The cere of females is colored pink, blue, pale purple, but not uniformly, but with alternating light, whitish circles around the nostrils. In isolated cases, circles can be found near the nostrils in boys, but they have a bluish tint.

Later (by 4 months), the above-beak formation turns blue in males, and turns brown in mature females. In rare cases, the female remains with a slight admixture of blueness with very noticeable white peri-nostril circles.

In summary, the main determinants of orientation are color uniformity and peri-nostril circles.

Did you know? Parrots can see all colors. In one second, a budgerigar can distinguish 150 images, and a representative of the human race can only distinguish 16.

According to the shape of the head

The shape of a parrot's head will also tell you the gender of the bird. But this method is inaccurate and subjective; it is more suitable as additional source information when resolving the issue of gender.

The differences are that the female’s head has a pointed shape and a flattened nape, while the male’s crown is flatter and larger in size.

By paw color

Nature has endowed males with a brighter, more attractive appearance, in contrast to female budgerigars. One has only to visually compare representatives of different sexes. It is difficult for the average bird lover to make comparisons without at least two birds in hand.

There is an opinion that males have pink paws, while females have blue ones. However, the method does not guarantee the correct result.

Important! The normal temperature of a budgie is 41° C. In this case, a temperature below 41 degrees is considered low, and above 42 - already high.

According to body shape

The body structure of males and females has its own characteristics.

Females have:

• small hump on the back;
• parting in the middle of the tummy;
• rounded body shape in a calm state (resembles a ball);
• a wide tail with a somewhat disheveled appearance;
• widely spaced paws;
• a wide crest consisting of 5–6 long feathers, others are not much different from them.

Males, on the contrary, have:

• flat back;
• toned body shape;
• a narrow tail at the base with multi-colored feathers;
• paws placed close to each other;
• a narrow crest consisting of 2-3 long feathers, the rest are short and of equal length.

And yet, the position of the pelvic bones becomes a more reliable method for determining gender. By placing your finger under the parrot's tail on the area located just above the cloaca, you can feel two protrusions - the pelvic bones.

During the process of maturation in males, the protrusions move closer to each other (close). In females, these protrusions move apart to facilitate egg laying; the tip of the middle finger is placed between them.

The accuracy of the results increases with the onset of sexual maturity of the parrots.

Did you know? Budgerigars are either right-handed or left-handed. Pay attention to which paw they hold food in.

By spots on the cheeks

Breeders observe light purple spots on the cheeks of female parrots, and dark purple spots on male parrots. However, often this difference is barely noticeable, so accuracy and reliability this method does not possess.

By behavior

The behavior of males is characterized by increased playfulness, prolonged singing, chirping, and courtship of the opposite sex. The male constantly hangs around the female, offering her tasty morsels, and when mating or simulating sexual intercourse, he is always on top. He loves to show off in front of other pets at home, he can start a fight, an argument over anything.

Important! Budgerigars are monogamous creatures. Once they choose a partner, they stay together forever, so they should not be separated.

Females have a balanced, calm character. They make less noise and do not enter into conflicts over any issue. Often the female begins to gnaw on the bars of the cage: this is her way of saying that she needs to make a nest, because under natural conditions she builds a hollow for nesting using this method.

Boy budgies are easier to train colloquial speech, onomatopoeia. This does not mean that female parrots are not receptive to training, but the female does not show much interest in this type of activity. The accuracy of determining sex by their behavior increases with the age of the parrots - before the first molt, it is taken into account as an additional sign.

Laying eggs

The most accurate way to determine sex is by laying eggs: without any doubt, only the female can do this. Sometimes health problems or forced starvation prevent the female from enjoying motherhood - in these cases, review the diet and improve the living conditions of the pets.

Parrots breed all year round. The clutch size is usually 12 white eggs. Naked, blind newborns weigh 2 grams, and after a month say goodbye to the nest.

Even if after a certain time you realize that you made a mistake in your choice and the pet is of the wrong gender, do not despair. Your parrot, boyfriend or girlfriend, will love you and communicate with you no matter what.

How to determine the age and sex of a budgerigar: video

Guinea fowl are rarely bred in the backyard, although poultry lovers are increasingly turning their attention to this interesting individual. Guinea fowl provide healthy meat, eggs, and are also an excellent decoration for the yard. But in order for the business of breeding them to be profitable, it is necessary to be able to distinguish a male from a female - these are the basics that every breeder should be familiar with. How to distinguish a male from a female guinea fowl will be described below in the article.

Why be able to distinguish between males and females?

Do you even need to be able to determine the sex of guinea fowl? After all, the main thing is to feed the birds correctly and keep them in normal conditions! However, if the breeder does not know for sure how many female and male guinea fowl he has, how will he control productivity?

So, for example, a lack of eggs may not be caused by poor conditions or disease, but simply by a lack of females. Yes, there can be a lot of birds (20-30 in a poultry house), but if there are only 3 of them females, then they will never produce many eggs. But it's not only that. Why does a breeder need to know the gender of a guinea fowl?

1. It is possible to control productivity (as indicated above).
2. It becomes possible to control the number of birds. All excess males or unproductive females can be slaughtered.
3. The breeder can significantly increase the productivity of the birds. It is known that guinea fowl lay eggs best when there are 5 females per male.

Well, besides, it’s always nice to buy something you’re confident in. They often deceive in the markets, trying to sell guinea fowl faster. Sellers rarely think about the gender of the bird, and more about profit, so each buyer must independently select chicks of the gender he needs. But how to distinguish a male from a female guinea fowl?

Physical characteristics of male and female guinea fowl

Also check out these articles

The first thing that catches your eye when you see a guinea fowl is its appearance. There are several differences between male and female guinea fowl based on physical characteristics.

• Weight. Usually males are larger than females, this is typical for most poultry species, but not in the case of guinea fowl. Guinea fowl are usually about 15-20% smaller than guinea fowl. And this is easy to see if you put two different-sex individuals of the species next to each other. This feature is inherent in all breeds of guinea fowl, but sometimes it can be expressed stronger or weaker. However, differences in weight appear only after the 5th month of the birds’ life, and before that they have approximately the same body weight.
• The crest of males is slightly different, but it should be noted that these differences may be difficult for a beginner to notice. It is slightly larger than that of the female, has a slightly curved backward position and is raised at the base of the head. So you can distinguish a male from a female guinea fowl by its comb, if you get the hang of it.
• Beak. You can also distinguish between male and female guinea fowl by their beaks. In females it is smaller, more elegant, neat, the nostrils do not puff up, and the beak color is uniform. There is almost no tuberosity at the base of the beak - the beak smoothly passes into the head. In males, the beak begins to grow and stand out strongly from 4-5 months. The color is very bright, the nostrils are large, the skin growths around the beak are large and noticeable, they protrude forward, forming tubercles.
• Earrings. The shape and color of the earrings of male and female guinea fowl are different. The earrings of females are neat and beautiful, the color is calm, red, pink or orange, but not saturated. In males, the earrings protrude to the sides and strongly resemble mustaches - this is an element of the bird’s strength and fighting spirit. The color is always bright, noticeable from a distance. This difference is inherent only in young individuals, since with age the color of the earrings may fade, and they sag a little in both males and females.

How are the voices of male and female guinea fowl different?

In addition to external features, guinea fowl can be distinguished from guinea fowl by their voice. Often, before distinguishing a male from a female guinea fowl by external or genital characteristics, breeders simply listen to them. Unlike many poultry species, guinea fowl do not scream or make ferocious noises like geese, chickens or ducks. They “sing” and always in a pleasant, melodic voice. But it is different for males and females.

Males usually sing at length and have a characteristic crackling sound in their voice. Females do not have a crackling sound, but simply a thin, melodic ringing of their voices. It is difficult to distinguish at first, especially if you listen to a whole tribe, but over time the difference becomes obvious. True, the difference in voice is observed only in young and adult individuals, and in small chicks it is not heard.

How to distinguish guinea fowls by their primary sexual characteristics?

If you need to buy small individuals, you should carefully consider the purchase so that the tribe does not have more than the necessary Caesars. The problem is that it is very difficult to distinguish a male from a female guinea fowl when the bird is not even a month old. In any case, behavior and external features will not help here. This can only be done by examining the genitals of the chicks. So, how to distinguish a male from a female guinea fowl based on primary sexual characteristics?

It is important to note that the procedure should only be carried out with gloves and washed hands. If it is difficult to cope on your own, you should call help.

Do female and male guinea fowl behave differently?

In addition to the methods listed above, you can distinguish a male from a female guinea fowl by behavior. The first difference is in the position of the head. When walking, females always keep their head directly above their body, while males move it forward, slightly extending their neck. If you watch the birds a little while walking, this will become obvious and immediately begin to catch your eye. However, this behavior is characteristic only of adults.

The second way to distinguish a male from a female guinea fowl is still in the same habits, namely gait. Guinea fowls always stand out for their proud disposition and movement; they show off in front of the guinea fowls, fluff their tails, and lift them up. This is a kind of marriage ritual, only manifested in everyday behavior. Females do not need this; they are always relaxed, calm, behave modestly, and never raise their tail.

VIDEO - How to distinguish male and female guinea fowl

You have already bought a cage, food and toys for your future feathered friend and you know who exactly will live with you: a boy or a girl, a couple or a flock. Having solved the problem of how to determine the sex of a budgie, you can safely begin choosing a bird.

Most often, future owners of parrots try to buy young ones, and this is absolutely true: the chances of taming and even teaching a baby to speak are much greater than an adult parrot, which has a formed character and already has experience communicating with people (unfortunately, not always positive). You can instill good manners and your lifestyle in the chick.

How to distinguish a female from a male budgerigar

The sex of parrots is determined by the color of the wax, provided that there are no hormonal problems. The cere is an indicator of the hormonal background of the bird, but in most cases this concerns sexually mature females. It is quite easy to distinguish a female from an adult male.

Mature males have a bright blue color of the wax, but with the female the situation is a little more complicated. If the hormonal forms are normal, then the girl’s cere first brightens, as if fading and gradually becomes light beige, even white, and later brown. The rich brown color and roughness of the cere in the female indicate increased hormonal levels and readiness for nesting; pale color and smoothness indicate a decrease in hormones.

In albinos, budgerigars of white color with red eyes, lutino - yellow birds with red eyes, as well as mixed yellow and white plumage - in males the color of the cere may remain bright purple or pink, while in females the usual classic color appears, like in girls traditional colors.

Very rarely there is a non-standard spotted color of the wax, in which case it is necessary individual approach to sex determination and assistance from professional breeders.

Boy or girl?

In order to distinguish a boy from a girl under three months of age, pay attention to the uniform color of the wax - in baby boys it is an even mauve or lilac color, and in girls it is light blue or pale pink, rich white circles are clearly visible around the nostrils, similar to lightened areas. During adolescence, the shade of the wax may lighten or darken a little during the day, this is normal. There is also an opinion that the sex of parrots can be distinguished by the shape of the head: in females it is more elongated, and in males, on the contrary, it is rounded, but this is not the rule, but rather the exception.

There is also a method for determining the sex of budgerigars using photographs. After viewing a certain number of photographs of males and females specifically and comparing them, it will become easier for you to discern the difference between boys and girls.

If you have purchased a chick, but still have doubts about whether this is a boy or a girl and you decide to ask experienced breeders on the forum about birds, you should not limit yourself to just one photo of Kesha or Glasha. Don't be lazy to take a few pictures in different time days, with and without flash.

Professional breeders recommend not limiting yourself to one parrot, but over time, buying a pair. Most often this is what happens: birds win our hearts, but there is too much room for one parrot, and we go to buy birds again and again. Therefore, do not be upset if you suddenly find out that your parrot is not the gender you wanted; over time, as you gain experience, you will acquire a second one!