Sexing Lovebirds |

Sexing Lovebirds

Most common pet lovebirds, such as the peach-faced lovebird, look alike, meaning they are sexually monomorphic. The Abyssinian, Red faced and Madagascan are dimorphic, meaning they look different. Therefore sexing lovebirds can never be absolute unless either a DNA test or surgical procedure is carried out by a vet. For DNA testing the vet will cut a toe nail and collect drops of blood or pluck a few feathers and send them off to a lab for testing. Another way a vet can determine the sex is by surgical sexing, the vet will anaesthetise the bird and then make a small cut, incision, on the left side. If the bird is female the ovaries will be visible, this way or DNA testing is used for sexing Fischer’s lovebirds, Nyasa Lovebirds, Black-cheeked lovebirds, Masked lovebirds and Peach faced lovebirds.

Experienced breeders can carry out an anal inspection. Two bones called ossa pubes are located on the ventral side of the pelvis, in females these are spread further apart than in males.

However, there are signs you can look for which may indicate the sex which do not need the use of a vet.

Females are usually the more dominant bird and are heavier and sturdier than males, they also bite harder! Females are more active in nest building than males and will spend much of the day inside the nesting box, not the sleeping box. The females have a tendency to sit on the perch with their legs spread further apart than males. Female birds have tail feathers which are straight across.

Male lovebirds, cocks, are usually more intense in color than the females. They will sit outside of the nesting box during the day, and tend to sit more upright than females. During courtship males will feed the females. The tail feathers on males are slightly rounded. Once the chicks are born males may well abuse them. The easiest way to tell the difference in the sex is by watching them when they mate. The male will "mount" the females from behind and repeatedly do this many times a day over several days.

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Menu Home Lovebirds as Pets Baby Lovebirds Caring for Lovebirds Sexing Lovebirds Breeding Lovebirds Taming Lovebirds Hand Feeding Lovebirds Do Lovebirds Talk	Sexing Lovebirds Most common pet lovebirds, such as the peach-faced lovebird, look alike, meaning they are sexually monomorphic. The Abyssinian, Red faced and Madagascan are dimorphic, meaning they look different. Therefore sexing lovebirds can never be absolute unless either a DNA test or surgical procedure is carried out by a vet. For DNA testing the vet will cut a toe nail and collect drops of blood or pluck a few feathers and send them off to a lab for testing. Another way a vet can determine the sex is by surgical sexing, the vet will anaesthetise the bird and then make a small cut, incision, on the left side. If the bird is female the ovaries will be visible, this way or DNA testing is used for sexing Fischer’s lovebirds, Nyasa Lovebirds, Black-cheeked lovebirds, Masked lovebirds and Peach faced lovebirds. Experienced breeders can carry out an anal inspection. Two bones called ossa pubes are located on the ventral side of the pelvis, in females these are spread further apart than in males. However, there are signs you can look for which may indicate the sex which do not need the use of a vet. Females are usually the more dominant bird and are heavier and sturdier than males, they also bite harder! Females are more active in nest building than males and will spend much of the day inside the nesting box, not the sleeping box. The females have a tendency to sit on the perch with their legs spread further apart than males. Female birds have tail feathers which are straight across. Male lovebirds, cocks, are usually more intense in color than the females. They will sit outside of the nesting box during the day, and tend to sit more upright than females. During courtship males will feed the females. The tail feathers on males are slightly rounded. Once the chicks are born males may well abuse them. The easiest way to tell the difference in the sex is by watching them when they mate. The male will "mount" the females from behind and repeatedly do this many times a day over several days.
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Sexing Lovebirds