Sexing to Bird
Certainly the first item on a successful breeding agenda is to be sure you know the sex of your bird(s). This might sound funny, but for many birds, especially the larger psittacines, the sex can’t be reliably determined by physical appearance.
Most small psittacines, finches, and canaries can be sexed using physical appearances and/or characteristic behavior. For instance, male budgies can be differentiated from females by the color of their ceres. The male budgie has a dark blue to lavender cere, whereas the female will have a pink or tan cere.
Similarly, male cockatiels can usually be identified by yellow and orange markings on the head, in contrast to the grayish coloration of the female. Cockatoos can often be sexed according to the color of their eyes; males have black eyes and females have red-brown eyes. Male zebra finches can be identified by characteristic red-orange patches on their cheeks and sides.
Not all finches can be differentiated sexually by their coloration. For instance, both male and female society finches look similar. However, behavior can be used to identify male society finches, which will often sing and dance in the presence of a female. The same holds true for male canaries, which can be distinguished by their unprecedented singing ability when spring is in the air.
For larger psittacines such as conures, macaws, African Grey parrots, and Amazon parrots, special lab tests and/or surgical procedures are required to accurately determine the sex of these birds. One such test veterinarians can use is called a fecal steroid analysis, which tests for sex specific hormones within the bird’s feces. This test is noninvasive, easy to perform, and fairly accurate.
Another sexing method that is popular and can be used to actually view and identify the reproductive organs within the bird’s abdomen is called endoscopy. With this method, a bird is placed under light anesthesia and a tiny incision is made in the bird’s side, into which a fiber-optic device can be inserted. Once inside, the endoscope can be used to visualize the ovaries or testes. One big advantage endoscopy has over other methods of sexing psittacines is that while the endoscope is inside the abdomen, the veterinarian can also assess the overall internal health and breeding condition of the bird in question. For example, endoscopy can be used to detect excessive fat within the abdomen, abnormally developed reproductive organs, and infections, all of which can affect breeding performance. The disadvantage of this procedure, of course, is the risk associated with using anesthetics, although this risk is generally quite low in the hands of an experienced veterinarian. It is up to each individual bird owner to weigh the benefits and risks of having an endoscopic procedure performed. Also, it is a good idea for potential bird owners who are purchasing birds specifically for breeding purposes to arrange with the seller to have the procedure performed as part of the prepurchase exam, if it has not already been done.
( source vet-zone )
Most small psittacines, finches, and canaries can be sexed using physical appearances and/or characteristic behavior. For instance, male budgies can be differentiated from females by the color of their ceres. The male budgie has a dark blue to lavender cere, whereas the female will have a pink or tan cere.
Similarly, male cockatiels can usually be identified by yellow and orange markings on the head, in contrast to the grayish coloration of the female. Cockatoos can often be sexed according to the color of their eyes; males have black eyes and females have red-brown eyes. Male zebra finches can be identified by characteristic red-orange patches on their cheeks and sides.
Not all finches can be differentiated sexually by their coloration. For instance, both male and female society finches look similar. However, behavior can be used to identify male society finches, which will often sing and dance in the presence of a female. The same holds true for male canaries, which can be distinguished by their unprecedented singing ability when spring is in the air.
For larger psittacines such as conures, macaws, African Grey parrots, and Amazon parrots, special lab tests and/or surgical procedures are required to accurately determine the sex of these birds. One such test veterinarians can use is called a fecal steroid analysis, which tests for sex specific hormones within the bird’s feces. This test is noninvasive, easy to perform, and fairly accurate.
Another sexing method that is popular and can be used to actually view and identify the reproductive organs within the bird’s abdomen is called endoscopy. With this method, a bird is placed under light anesthesia and a tiny incision is made in the bird’s side, into which a fiber-optic device can be inserted. Once inside, the endoscope can be used to visualize the ovaries or testes. One big advantage endoscopy has over other methods of sexing psittacines is that while the endoscope is inside the abdomen, the veterinarian can also assess the overall internal health and breeding condition of the bird in question. For example, endoscopy can be used to detect excessive fat within the abdomen, abnormally developed reproductive organs, and infections, all of which can affect breeding performance. The disadvantage of this procedure, of course, is the risk associated with using anesthetics, although this risk is generally quite low in the hands of an experienced veterinarian. It is up to each individual bird owner to weigh the benefits and risks of having an endoscopic procedure performed. Also, it is a good idea for potential bird owners who are purchasing birds specifically for breeding purposes to arrange with the seller to have the procedure performed as part of the prepurchase exam, if it has not already been done.
( source vet-zone )
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