Is HE a SHE?!

[doryful723]

Hello!

So I have this lovebird named Chex. My lovebird is wonderful. Besides some occasional nips and bites, we are so happy. Beautiful bird, great personality, so smart...

The breeder when we got Chex told me that he is a boy. I personally wouldn't know one way or the other... but recently things have made me suspicious. No eggs, but I'm curious..

Chex is just over a year and a half. Recently, he has been taking bits of paper and wood and tucking them into his tail feathers. I remember reading something that said that this was primarily a female behavior. Is this true? Could Chex actually be a GIRL?

Any info/guidance would be very much appreciated!

xoxo
Emily

[Chantilly]

Hello doryful and little lovie! I see theat I missed your first post on the forum, so welcome

There are some members here who currently have lovebirds, however I do not nor do I have any lovebird experience, so I will have to leave the answer to another member
Best wishes to you and your little boy... or girl

[Wolf]

I don't have lovebirds, but I found this for you.

Nesting Behavior: One of the characteristics of an adult female lovebird is that they will tuck nesting material under their wings (please refer to image below) and carry it into their nest box. Males, or young females, will also try to do it, but usually the nesting material falls out very quickly. I have heard of the odd male who has mastered the art of "tucking and carrying" -- but I have never witnessed one myself. I have only seen adult females who were able to do that. It is a pretty good way of sexing a lovebird -- with accuracy maybe up to 80%.

Hope this helps.

[Pajarita]

Welcome, Emily and lovie!

Unless the breeder DNA'd tested the bird, in which case, you would have received a certificate stating this issued by the avian lab that did the testing (you would have also paid much more than the 'normal' going price for baby lovies), there is now way anybody can tell. Breeders pretend to be knowledgeable and some of them say that they can tell by the separation of the pelvic bones but it's bunk.

Females do tuck paper, straw or any other nesting material they consider suitable in their rumps but some males do it, too, so, although it is, usually, a female behavior, it's not 100%. Females also tend to be a bit bigger and more aggressive than males but, again, this is not really useful in sexing a single bird.