| Usually, a bird's gender is unknown to other | | | | veterinarian can determine the sexual maturity, |
| species of beings; it is a well kept secret for the | | | | any abnormalities and the possibility of |
| bird itself and its kind. When nature created the | | | | reproduction. |
| birds, it never took into consideration the human | | | | Even though this method is very accurate and |
| specie and the knowledge that this last one needs. | | | | quick, it may put the bird under a lot of stress. |
| In some birds, the gender can be identified by the | | | | Unlike the DNA sexing method, this one provides |
| individual's colors, wither completely, or, in some | | | | immediate results for the owner, in case this one |
| cases, only when they reach maturity. The | | | | is interested in breeding the bird. The procedure is |
| eclectus male for instance is green, while the | | | | quite safe, but, on some occasions, it may |
| female is red. At maturity, the nasal area (cere) | | | | generate some post - operative or anesthesia |
| of a parakeet male is blue and the female's one is | | | | complications. The primary concern was the |
| brow. However, there are still many species of | | | | injected anesthesia because it induced a long |
| birds that don't have different colors depending on | | | | period of sleep and vomiting. Researchers have |
| the gender. | | | | discovered new anesthetics for the birds, gases |
| The importance of knowing a pet's gender is | | | | that eliminate the side effects caused by the |
| represented by their owners' desire to give them | | | | injected ones. Those new anesthetics are |
| proper names or to know what pronouns to use | | | | considered by the experts to have negligible risks |
| when they are addressing or referring to the | | | | and the bird will wake up in a matter of minutes |
| animals. It also matters for the breeding of the | | | | after the gas mask is removed. |
| animals because some people know not to | | | | In the past, veterinarians used to tattoo birds |
| expect babies from a pair of birds of the same | | | | after their genders were determined through |
| sex. | | | | surgery. Males were tattooed under the right wing |
| Many methods were discovered so far to | | | | and females under the left one. More recently, |
| determine the birds' gender, some of them | | | | microchips or leg bands were used for marking |
| scientific and some of them, most of them, non - | | | | them. |
| scientific, discovered by common people in their | | | | The Blood Feather Analysis (BFA) method: |
| own houses. We will show and overview of the | | | | This method requires a blood chromosome test. |
| scientific methods of discovering the birds' sex: | | | | This test is performed on cultured tissue from |
| DNA Sexing, Surgical Sexing, Blood Feather | | | | the bird's blood feathers. If the bird has no blood |
| Testing and Fecal Analysis. | | | | feathers, some will be pulled out and in their place |
| Every method of testing has both negative and | | | | new ones will grow in two or three weeks. Those |
| positive sides and the best one is the one that | | | | feathers are put in a special container with cold |
| fits the owner's needs and the situation. | | | | packs and sent via priority mail to the laboratory |
| The DNA Sexing method: | | | | where their tissue is grown and researched under |
| In this procedure, a drop of the bird's blood is | | | | a microscope. The results will appear in around |
| required for a DNA testing. The DNA will show an | | | | two weeks. |
| image that will provide reliable information about | | | | As in the case of DNA sexing of the birds, this |
| the bird's gender. This method is very accurate | | | | method is accurate and safe; and it works on any |
| but it takes up to four weeks to be processed. | | | | bird regardless the age but the results are not |
| The blood is collected from a vein or a toenail by | | | | prompt. As negative sides of this testing method |
| the owner and placed in a prepared collection of | | | | are the higher costs for priority mail and the |
| vial. This way it can be sent to a lab even by | | | | impossibility of checking the sexual organs of the |
| using regular mail. This method is very easy to be | | | | birds in the cases of breeders. |
| performed and it is not stressful. | | | | The Fecal Method of gender determination: |
| A bird's DNA is unique and cannot be modified. So, | | | | This method is not as accurate as the others and |
| as in human DNA, a bird's one is the same since | | | | it depends on more than one factor. It consists in |
| the moment of birth until death. Those tests | | | | collecting fresh fecal samples from the bird in |
| performed on birds DNA can also be stored by | | | | special conditions and mailing them to the lab. The |
| the labs that own a data bank and can be later | | | | specialists will determine the gender by the |
| used for identification or matching. | | | | hormones (estrogen and testosterone) level from |
| This method is thus, very easy to be done, it is | | | | the fecal sample. This method can only be applied |
| not expensive and if the period of waiting for the | | | | on mature birds and it depends on the health of |
| results is not a problem, it may be the best | | | | the birds and on the conditions of the sample's |
| choice. This DNA test will show a bird's gender | | | | collection. |
| and not its capability of reproducing. | | | | The fecal method is not expensive, is safe and |
| The surgical sexing method: | | | | should bring the results in one week. |
| The second method of discovering a bird's gender | | | | Every person will choose the sexing method for |
| is the surgical sexing. This can be done only by a | | | | his or her bird as it best fits his or her needs. |
| veterinarian, through endoscopic surgery. The bird | | | | Probably, the breeders will choose the surgical |
| is put under anesthesia and through a small cut in | | | | method because of it's advantages, while those |
| the bird's skin, the veterinarian inserts a small | | | | who own a pet bird will choose DNA or BFA |
| metal tube with a light attached on, called the | | | | methods. |
| endoscope. This way, the bird's sexual organs can | | | | Read about amazon parrot , parrot care and |
| be seen and, along with the gender, the | | | | parrot cages . |