Male or female cockatiel based on feathers?? HELP!!

[pepsix]

Hello

Two weeks ago I bought a around 10 month old cockatiel from a local aviary where 6 years ago I bought budgies from. I requested a male cockatiel and I saw Pepsi and I couldn't take my eyes off him! I asked if he was indeed a male as he seemed to have really red cheeks and a sort of yellow head/crest (heard only males really had them), but very pearly feathers (seen below). He assured me that he was indeed a male so I went by that, but now I'm starting to have serious doubts.

If any of you would be able to help me with Pepsi's gender by looking at him in the picture below I would appreciate it!
Thanks

 

[Zara]

Welcome to the Avenue Nuala and Pepsi!

Wow! That is one stunning ´Tiel!

@Monica

 

[Monica]

10 months old and fully pearled.... I'd say there's a small chance that Pepsi is a male! Much higher chance of her being a girl! When I say a small chance, I mean that if Pepsi goes through a molt within the next 2-4 months (if she hasn't already molted) and starts loosing her pearls, then you have a male! At 10 months old with not a single "lost jewelry", I'm saying probably female!

Cheek sexing isn't very accurate in mutations.

I have a female now that has very clear cheeks and a bright head (she's cinnamon pearl pied), another hen that has a mostly bright yellow head and clear cheeks (pearl, like your cockatiel - but not a "heavy" pearl like your girl - smaller pearls, barred tail feathers rather than "clear" tail feathers) and I've had a previous hen that also had clear face/bright cheeks (pied) that could wolf whistle! Males don't lay eggs! (didn't need eggs from her to know she was a hen though!)


Welcome to the forum!

 

[sunnysmom]

Welcome! Your tiel is very cute.

 

[Tara81]

Pepsi is probably a girl since she hasn't lost any pearls yet, has she molted and lost lots of feathers? . If you know the mother's mutation of pepsi, that could give us a clue if she is not pearled like her baby. Females can and mostly will have yellow/white faces in the pearl and pied mutations. If Pepsi is a boy, he is going to lose his pearls eventually .. Sorry !

 

[tielcharm]

Pepsi is probably a girl because she still has her pearl pattern. But if she loses them it's a male, however she will stay like that if female. But there are some rare cases of boys keeping theirs so maybe you can do a sexing test in the far future in needed