Lutino Cockatiel Girl or Boy? (pic)?

Question

I got a Cockatiel a little over a year ago, I've been to the pet store multiple times asking them if they could tell if he/she was a boy or girl.  They " felt" my bird up and from what they could tell they think its a boy  but ive had my bird for a long time now and if it was a girl she still hasnt produced any eggs..  I've done lots of research on Cockatiels and i've found that on Lutino Cockatiels it claims their tail feathers will have (Baring) on them  but its so faint you cant see them most of the time.  My bird also dosnt vocalize  very much,   Ive got my bird to wolf whistle and thats it. On top of that my bird wont whistle for a month or two and then all of the sudden will start for a week and stop again.  Which for some reason my bird only whistles at its toys.     So i got my blacklight out, and if i shine it over my bird you can see some type of baring only on a couple of his/hers tail feathers.  My bird has also molted its feathers about twice now, and is going through another right now.  So in my opinion i would think if the feathers are supposed to be barred, that all of them would be since they have grown in multiple new ones.  So here's the picture (  http://i627.photobucket.com/albums/tt355/BrandieeeX3/B2479B64-31E2-413F-9013-5D41009F694D-1103-0000010A7343792C.jpg  )
 as you can see its only on a couple of its top feathers over its tail & thats it.   If anyone could help me figure this out that knows maybe a little about this it would be great.   Also ive researched just about everything there is to know about cockatiels so i dont need anyone trying to tell me how to take care of my bird.  All i want to know about is its tail feathers & rather if someone can tell me if that makes my bird a girl or boy.  or if there is any other distinctions someone could tell me to try and sex my bird.    

(Also)  ive checked under my birds wings for the so called pearl spots that would be there if my bird was a girl & i dont see any.    So please someone help me.  it would be much appreciated, Thanks.

Goldy · Accepted Answer

As you bird is a Lutino. it makes it much more difficult to visually sex, as a breeder of over 50 years with cockatiels  I have always sexed them correctly . Take hold of your birds wing hold it up to a good light on the underside of the flight feathers ,if your bird is a female it will have what apears to be yellow spots these are sometimes hard to see but even if they a very faint ,it will be a female it will also have the faint bars on the tail feathers 
 A male bird does not carry  these features  once it has moulted after it's first moult.

Avian Care Consultant and breeder

Anonymous · Answer

As far as I know with lutino cockatiels its almost impossible to do it based on physical characteristics. Most cockatiels you can look underneath their wings and see if there are bars or not, but for that colour it doesnt work. The only way is to observe behaviour, see who lays an egg, or go get them dna tested for the y chromosome.

Brownie · Answer

Can't you ask your vet?

Anonymous · Answer

With the bird being a lutino it is a little more difficult to see the bars or spots under the main tail or under wings,but they will be there if it is a hen.A male will be clear,also a male in condition will whistle.

jon_mac_usa_007 · Answer

All the coloration guideline on sexing as just that, guidelines & guesses. A DNA test would be easiest, unless your tiel lays an egg you can only guess.  From my experience, only the males are very vocal,  like whistling loudly. My male occasionally runs his butt on his favorite perch for self pleasure, is all so very loud at times, and even talks rarely. My female has odd behavior,  like showing people her butt & cooing, usually doing this for a few weeks before laying her eggs.

Thea · Answer

You need a photo taken in bright white light and it is the underside that you need to view. It looks like the top of the tail feathers in the photo.

Anonymous · Answer

It seems the light you are using is colored. The light is tinted blue. You need a regular lighted photo to be sure. Color can also be used with telling the birds gender. You can also tell by the birds personality. Try this site: http://www.cockatielcottage.net/cockatiels3.html

Zoe · Answer

you have a girl, see this: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100516054353AAkIDb0

if you want to be totally sure, get a DNA test done - also only Female birds lay eggs, so if your bird never lays an eggs, you've got a boy, is it does you've got a girl - how old is your bird?

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Lutino Cockatiel Girl or Boy? (pic)?

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