[cat]

Was wondering if there is a way to tell the sex of my baby pearl cockatiel.The breeder said both parents looked like normal greys with a little yellow on them. My avian vet said I have a pearl pied. It is just 12 weeks old now. I know the only true way is by dna. Heard something once about if the mother was a pearl then the baby would be female or male, or if the mother wasn’t a pearl then the baby would be one or the other but I can’t remember where I saw it at and was wondering if that is even true? Thanks!

 

[mlgortt2015]

pearl is sex linked. if father is split, then daughters have possiblites of showing. male babies will be split. females done share sex link mutations to babies. I don't see any pearling. males after their first molt will lose most of their "pearls". yours to me, looks like a normal pied. wont know the sex till first molt.

 

[tielfan]

The bird in the picture is pied but not pearl, and it sounds like both of the parents may have been pied. It's usually impossible to visually sex a pied bird that doesn't have any sex-linked mutations, but when the baby is older you may be able to figure it out based on behavior.

If the mother of a pearl baby is not pearl, then the baby is definitely female. If the mother is pearl, the baby could be either sex. Keep in mind that other mutations may prevent you from knowing whether the mother is pearl or not, for example if she is also lutino or clear pied.

 

[cat]

. the picture that u were seeing is a pied. She is my oldest. The pearl is just 12 weeks old. I tried to upload but am having issues. The parents both I was told were normal looking grey with some yellow on them. Neither the mother or father looks like a pearl but was told that they have have had pearl babies before. My bird vet said I have a pearl pied. What do you mean male babies will be split?Sorry I don’t understand all the sex mutation and split information. I did finally get it to attach. Here is my baby! Any info would be appreciated. I’m trying to learn all I can about this. Thanks again. Please see attached Pearl Baby. Sorry it ended up sideways but at least I got it to attach. Lol

 

[tielfan]

The new picture is definitely pearl, and I think I can see some pied wing and tail feathers. If mother is not pearl, then this baby is definitely female.

Male pearls lose their pearl markings when they get their adult plumage. So dad might be a visual pearl who has lost his markings, or he might be split to pearl. Either way is enough to get pearl daughters. But there won't be any pearl sons because mom is not pearl.

If dad is visual pearl, then all the girls will be pearl. If dad is only split to pearl then only some of the girls will be pearl.

 

[cat]

Thank you so much. So really since both parents I was told look like normal grey cockatiels with yellow on them, which I’m guessing they r pied, it is hard to tell if the baby is female or male. Correct?

 

[tielfan]

If the baby is pearl and mom is not pearl, it means that baby is a girl. But if you're not sure whether mom was pearl or not, then we can't be sure what sex the baby is.

 

[cat]

No sounds like both parents were pieds. Ok thank u!

 

[frozengirl]

If the baby is pearl and mom is not pearl, it means that baby is a girl. But if you're not sure whether mom was pearl or not, then we can't be sure what sex the baby is.

Can females be split to pearl or impossible?

 

[tielfan]

Females can't be split to pearl. If they have the gene at all they will be visual pearl, and if they aren't visual pearl it means that they don't have the gene. But males can be split. The reason is that pearl is a sex-linked mutation. The inheritance rules for that are complicated, but if you're interested I have an article here: http://www.littlefeatheredbuddies.com/info/breed-sexlinked.html

It's possible for a female to be genetically pearl, but have something else going on genetically that prevents the pearl markings from appearing. But this is the exception not the rule. We don't know why pearl markings occasionally fail to appear, but incomplete pearling is more common than a complete absence of pearls on a bird that really should have them.

It's also possible for other mutations to interfere with pearl markings. For example there are no markings on a pied feather, so a clear pied that is also pearl won't have any visible pearl markings. It's very hard to see markings on most whiteface lutinos, so you aren't likely to see pearling on a bird that's whiteface lutino pearl.