[NymphicusHollandicus]

I'm wondering if my cockatiel is a male or female and also what type s/he is.
S/he acts like a male. In Spring s/he gets territorial and 'divebombs' when someone opens a cupboard door. S/he used to whistle, sing like a blackbird and say hello but seems to have forgotten how to. I got her/him from an aviary where there were loads of cockatiels. The person caught her/him and said s/he was a male. I've never been sure if they said that because they didn't want to catch another. S/he was in a group of whiteface and one female cinnamon.
S/he has a slightly barred tail and sometimes sits in the seed bowl as if s/he was incubating some eggs.

Barred tail.

Splodge on back of neck.

 

[Misstiel]

That is a whiteface pied cockatiel, and pied are very hard to visually sex so I would say to just DNA it. Since you said it has barred tail feathers, then that would normally mean female or baby. Pied is the one mutation that contradicts everything though. Pied males can keep barred markings and pearls if they have any so DNAing it is the best option.

 

[NymphicusHollandicus]

Thankyou! I think then he is a male because he acts like one and does the little hops that they do. S/he's about three and as you say that males have the bars sometimes, s/he's probably a male. Thanks for telling me the species! Also getting territorial - well that probably means they're a male!

 

[Misstiel]

Yes, that does sound like a male. He is very handsome! 🥰 I've always loved the whiteface mutation the best!!

 

[NymphicusHollandicus]

Thankyou! Thant's been a real help!

 

[NymphicusHollandicus]

Would one of his wings help? I think on this one s/he is displaying?
I know sometimes the wings give it away.

 

[Misstiel]

I would have to look at the inside of the wings unfortunately to possibly determine if he/she is indeed a male or a female. Do you know how old he/she is?

 

[NymphicusHollandicus]

About three years??

 

[Misstiel]

Right, I forgot, sorry. The only way I might be able to tell is if I see the inside of the wings; otherwise, I would just DNA it.

 

[NymphicusHollandicus]

Ok I'll try to get a photo of the bottom of the wings.

 

[Misstiel]

Here is a link about pied cockatiels if you want to check that out:
Chapter 10 – COCKATIEL MUTATIONS, A Bounty of Color

 

[NymphicusHollandicus]

Ok thanks!

 

[mel&sydney07]

id say white- faced pied, and could be a female, some can sing but that is rare.

 

[NymphicusHollandicus]

Thankyou, I'll try to get an underwing photo.

 

[NymphicusHollandicus]

Here's a photo I got of his/her underwing. I took the background off. @Misstiel @mel&sydney07

 

[Misstiel]

I don't see any spots so I would assume male, then. Also by what you had said earlier, it sounds like a male.

 

[NymphicusHollandicus]

Ok! Thankyou!

 

[NymphicusHollandicus]

@Misstiel @mel&sydney07 I forgot to tell you that I made a "bird-box" out of cardboard with a hole at the front. S/he found the box, and did a lot of work on the hole, making it much larger. Now s/he has finished changing the hole and goes in and out quite often. S/he attacks when people get to close. S/he also sits out in front of it singing, seeming like s/he is calling another cockatiel to view it. Thankyou.

 

[Misstiel]

He/she is hormonal right now because you added a box. When birds get hormonal, they become quite aggressive because they want a mate. If you aren't going to breed him/her, I would suggest removing the box so it doesn't encourage him/her to want to mate. If by chance, there are eggs in there, you know that you have a female because males do NOT lay eggs! Usually, it will be the male that chews up the box until he thinks it is ready to be used, so I'm pretty sure you do have a male. Also, males will sing after the box is 'ready' so as to tell the female that it is now okay to lay eggs in which leads me again to thinking your cockatiel is a male.

 

[NymphicusHollandicus]

@Misstiel Will two males fight if they are with one female?