It's difficult in some cases, but there are ways to identify the sex of a cockatoo.
Cockatoos are beautiful birds, but determining the sex of some species can be a challenging task. The color of beaks, feathers and irises often come into play. Some bird owners resort to having DNA tests performed. There are a few tips to help you identify whether your cockatoo is a male or female.
Instructions
1. Check the beak. If you have a black cockatoo, inspect the beak to find identifiers. The male beaks are black and the females' are white or horn-colored.
2. Check the irises of a large cockatoo. A male will have dark-brown or black irises, while the female's will be light-brown, reddish-brown or burgundy. It may take three to four years to tell the gender with this method as female irises develop colors as they age.
3. Inspect the feathers. Gang-gang cockatoo males may have orange, white and red feathers on the lower abdomen. Females are identified with dull-orange feathers in the same spot and no red on the head. Feathers around the eyes of some cockatoos are also indicators. On a bare-eyed cockatoo, the female typically has more feathering around the eyes.
4. Request that your veterinarian conduct a DNA test. This is a fool-proof method for determining whether the bird is a male or female. This can be done on cockatoos of any age.
5. Watch for eggs. The sex of your cockatoo is obvious if you find an egg in the cage.
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