Male or Female?

[Sunny_the_tiel]

I am looking at purchasing a cockatiel from a guy, he says that this is a female but looks male to me. Any help? He said the cheek color isn't reliable.

Well, having issues uploading the URL... My photobucket account is omgdoubletacos

It should be the first pic in the library. The second is of another female he has.

 

[cthulhus_minion]

Generally the more yellow on it the higher chance of it being a male. Not sure if he is right about the cheek color.

Sent from my Nokia Lumia 920

 

[Sunny_the_tiel]

That's what I thought. I also have a lutino. We believe to be a male. I do believe there is a picture of him on there as well. If you can tell with him, do you think male or female? I know Lutinos are harder to tell. But he seems male to me.

 

[MikeyTN]

I tried to look up your photobucket account, it says no result. Could you re-type it please?

I would have to agree on don't go by the cheek cause one of the babies that recently left me to go to a new home, prior to them, another lady wanted a boy and was so sure that it was a girl because of the cheek color. But I told her that I think it might be a girl but it might not be. Before he left me he started to sing, the beginning stages of a male cockatiel learning how to sing, I was sitting in my computer room listening to it, I was thinking to myself, that don't sound like my boys singing. I peek in, he stops. He's done it many times. Now he's in his new home, they have confirmed that he is singing away since he is their only bird. Girls can sing, but nothing like the boys! I can spot when a boy sings. IF I can pinpoint their parents' genetics I can be more sure but they throw me a curve ball with a new color once in awhile and throws me off course. Go watch some YouTube videos and you'll hear how the boys actually sing. The girls are nothing like them!

cthulhus_minion, your judging from a regular grey stand point with more of the yellow head and bright orange cheek pads. It doesn't work with color variations!!!!

 

[cthulhus_minion]

From my understanding I thought they were referring to a normal color phase?

Sent from my Nokia Lumia 920

 

[Sunny_the_tiel]

These are the regular grey tiels, at least from what the guy has told me.

 

[Sunny_the_tiel]

Mikey: could you possibly include a link for a male singing?

 

[Sunny_the_tiel]

Omgdoubletacos on Photobucket | Photobucket

 

[LoveMyParrots]

Which photo? The first and second looks like male, and the third one I'm sure its a female. Male would have a yellow face.

 

[Sunny_the_tiel]

The first is the main one. It posted twice for some reason. Did you see the lutino on there? We're pretty sure it's a male. Any idea?

 

[Sunny_the_tiel]

The guy said he is hand feeding a baby right now if I wanted it. Do you think I should get the handfed for a better bonding chance? The others are not hand tame.

 

[cthulhus_minion]

Yes!!!! I had one that was a little older and he was a nightmare. Luckily I was able to exchange him for a younger one and have been super happy with the younger one. He adjusted better and has taken to me alot better.

Sent from my Nokia Lumia 920

 

[MikeyTN]

I'm confused which one your asking, is it the grey one your asking? If its past a year old then it is a female for sure. When young male greys are babies, they look just like the females until they molt.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EiriZVj_kY&feature=youtube_gdata_player"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EiriZVj_kY&feature=youtube_gdata_player[/ame]

 

[Sunny_the_tiel]

I am asking about the more colorful one, the first picture. I know the other is a female.

I was also asking if you could tell if my current bird, the lutino in my library, is a male.

 

[MonicaMc]

If you are talking about the image below, I would say that it appears to be a young male. Being that the bird is a pied, you can't visually sex via the head method, and he may have a grey face for his entire lifespan.

For comparison, here is a picture of my pied hen, Tomi Girl. She's also a light pied like the male, but she has slightly more pied to her than the male.

And a photo of my cinnamon pearl pied hen, Casey, aka a "saddleback" pied.

As far as your lutino, we need more information. Age? Any other mutations? Do you have any clear photos of the wings and tail feathers?




As far as the older male vs the chicks? Why don't you go and meet the birds before deciding? Maybe the older on would make a great companion!

 

[Sunny_the_tiel]

I'll be taking a 2 hr drive for it. He said the pied has had a a clutch of eggs. Soi guess it is a female. Lol and I guess I'll see their temperaments before I purchase one.

 

[Sunny_the_tiel]

And the lutino is around 8 months old. I'll try to get some pictures up of his wings and tail.

 

[Sunny_the_tiel]

Oh I I think he may be a pearl lutino.

 

[MikeyTN]

At 8 months old, if it's a male, should be singing away already long ago! What's the reasoning for the owner to rid the pied female? Be real careful when a breeder tries to get rid of their own breeders! A lot of times it's either the female is infertile, breeding issues, baby killer, old age, etc. that's IF you intend on breeding her....

 

[Sunny_the_tiel]

Well, the lutino I have, Sunny, is a very vocal bird. Would you be able to link me to a video of a male singing? Most of the videos I see are birds talking.
And I'm unsure the the guys reason for getting rid of her. He said the chick he is feeding right now is one of hers. So she's still good for breeding. But I plan on asking him her age next time he emails me. I'm wanting a younger bird.
I'm hesitant about getting the chick, because he said it will still need a couple more weeks of hand feeding. I work, so I'm not sure I would have time for feeding it as often as needed.