Gender identification: Lovebirds

[Zblurt]

I was wondering if there was any ways I could identify my lovebirds gender simply with behavior? If not, could anyone send me a link to a DNA testing I can buy online? Rico, my supposed male lovebird, loves tearing apart paper and stuff it in his feathers (like if he was preparing for a nest). While Coco, my supposed female, loves tearing apart paper, but way less than Rico (she also doesn't put the shredded paper in her feathers like Rico).

 

[Kiwi's Dad]

The only way to know for sure is a DNA test, but during spring males will most likely be humping things.
This is what I use: DNA testing
@Shezbug any ideas?

 

[Shezbug]

Some birds can be tricky to sex without a DNA test or eggs and chicks for a pair as birds will not always display female/male only traits- many experienced bird keepers wont rely on behaviours alone to identify the sex of their birds as it is not a definite way to determine sex.

Sexing by behaviours or appearances only is a guess at best and should not be relied on.

Depending on what country you are in will depend on what DNA testing facility would be best suited to you.

 

[Emma&pico]

DNA test is best
Do you want to know for a reason or just to know ?

pico who old owner said was dna male but didn’t have paperwork so not 100%
Clicks scratches humps things regulates to toys etc he will shred toys but ever puts them in his rump not cage aggressive pretty sure he’s male

indie breeder said he thought she was female from hip test shreds wooden sticks into perfect lines and sticks them in her rump takes them up high to flat surface then just leaves them she as made a psss psss sound and bowed forward to pico a few times and held position she’s very cage aggressive very territorial of her space she as regulated to pico a few times too

mango shreds wooden sticks and things but not yet put anything in rump only had her a month of Sunday so not really seen any other behaviours yet

But saying all this none of this is accurate enough to sex them only way I would know for sure is if I got them dna tested which I may in future but as it stands a minute I am not sure I am too bothered they are who they are I think only way I would is if they bonded non of my three are though

 

[expressmailtome]

Are those your lovebirds in your avatar? If so, one is an opaline which is a sex-linked mutation. If that is the lovebird that you are asking about, it may be possible to know the gender without a DNA test. For example, a male can only be visibly a sex-linked mutation if the mother is visible and the father is either visible or split to that mutation, while a female can visibly be a sex-linked mutation as long as the father is either visibly or split to a sex-linked mutation. Whether or not the mother carries the mutation is irrelevant for female offspring to have, and show, the sex-linked mutation.

 

[Zblurt]

Are those your lovebirds in your avatar? If so, one is an opaline which is a sex-linked mutation. If that is the lovebird that you are asking about, it may be possible to know the gender without a DNA test. For example, a male can only be visibly a sex-linked mutation if the mother is visible and the father is either visible or split to that mutation, while a female can visibly be a sex-linked mutation as long as the father is either visibly or split to a sex-linked mutation. Whether or not the mother carries the mutation is irrelevant for female offspring to have, and show, the sex-linked mutation.

Thanks for letting me know. I don't know the parents, but this may help.