Budgies are dimorphic which means males and females differ in their physical appearance. Like in chickens, the male cock differs from the female hen in appearance. It is easy to determine the sex of a budgie by physically looking at them which means it is not necessary to spend large amounts on DNA testing to know the gender of the bird.
DNA sampling is necessary for those species which are monomorphic i.e. Love birds. They are identical in physical appearance. Only DNA testing is an accurate way to tell the gender of such bird species.
An experienced person can easily determine the sex of a budgie but if you are new below are some tips for you to tell budgie’s gender.
Determining the sex of a budgie by cere color
Cere is the nose area found at the top of the beak which surrounds the nostrils. Cere color is different and gender-specific which helps us determine the sex of a budgie. Reproductive hormones are responsible for cere coloration.
Mostly budgie’s cere is light pink when they are born. So it is hard to tell the gender of a baby budgie as both males and females have the same pink cere. But after a few months, they change their cere color specific to their gender
Identify male budgie
Mostly males have dark-colored cere. The cere of different blue shades including purple-blue, bright blue, light blue, and royal blue symbolize males.
Cere color is affected by reproductive hormones. Cere is darker during the breeding season because of more hormone production and tends to be light during the non-breeding season.
Sometimes your male budgie may have a brown cere because of some medical issues. Consult your vet in such a situation as early as possible.
Identify female budgie
When we talk about adult female budgies their cere is either white, pink blue, or pale blue. Female budgies also show some other shades during the breeding season, hormonal imbalance, and because of disease.
Female budgies express noticeable changes in cere during the breeding season. Mostly females have brown or tan shades while still, some have white or light blue cere.
They can build a scaly texture up to a centimeter thick which is a sign of their breeding.
Difference in behavior of male and female budgies
Male and female budgies indeed behave differently specific to their gender. Let’s have a look at some gender-specific behaviors which help us determine the sex of a budgie.
If you own some budgies you must have noticed some of them bobbing their head. It is a behavior of males in which they bob their heads and sing simultaneously. This bobbing and singing are used to attract the females. Males like to sing and tap their beaks on the bars and perches of the cage.
In wild, males are protective while female makes a nest. They also feed females and chicks during the breeding season.
Females are less active compared to males. They are less vocal and make short screeches. Females keep exploring the cage and like to chew. They will chew any type of wood they found either in the form of a perch or cage itself. Budgies make their nest by making a hole in trees with their beaks in wild and their chewing habit is a part of their genetics.
Females are aggressive during the breeding season. They fight to protect their nest and eggs.
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Difference in male and female budgie’s voice
Male budgies are more vocal and cheerful. They produce multiple sounds; spend most time of the day singing. While females are less vocal and have short high pitched chirps.
You can guess the gender of your budgie by carefully listening to the sounds he/she produces. This method is not always correct as both genders can produce the same sounds in some exceptions.
Expert opinion
If you are a newbie, consider asking for gender from some knowledgeable person. You can ask the dealer or breeder from whom you are purchasing the bird. Vets are also helpful and will tell you the gender of your budgie.
DNA testing
If all above method fail to determine the sex of a budgie you can try DNA testing. Some fancy breeds have identical cere color for both genders. Like in albinos, both sexes have similar cere color. Some breeds like pied and cinnamon may take one year to develop cere color.
Females also tend to sing sometimes which can be confusing to guess the gender.
In such circumstances, DNA testing is the most accurate way to tell budgie’s gender. Some cheap DNA kits are available in the market which helps to reveal the budgie’s gender.
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Conclusion
Connecting the dots, it is hard to tell the sex of baby budgies as they look similar. Wait until budgies change their cere color which will take from a few weeks to months.
Budgies with bright blue cere are usually male while those with light blue or white cere are females. Females may change cere color to brown or tan during the breeding season.
Hormonal imbalance is often a cause of odd cere color. DNA testing is the only verified method to tell the budgie’s gender.
