Cockatiel sexing

I have always assumed my pearl cockatiel was a boy due to coloration. I've had him/her only a few months and he/she is still young. Recently Chico has been holding his head down to the ground like he wants me to pet him. But when I do he will flutter his wings a bit and chirp. Also he is moving his tail up and down. Are any of you familiar with this kind of behavior?

How old is he? The coloration changes after about 11 months or there first molt. All cockatiels will look like females untill mature. Pearls can be difficult to sex, what feathers are you looking at? The behaviior sounds like female breeding behavior but both sexes can exhibit this behavior. If you haven't already you need to look at the tail and primary flight feathers under a strong light, if their is barring, (darker colored strips) visable under the light and the bird has already molted than you have a female, if there is no barring than you have a male. All cockatiels regardless of type can be sexed acuaratly this way. The cheek patches are not always acturate. Hope this helps.

hey it helps me.. i jst bought cockatiel 2days ago n i forgot to ask wat sex it ws hahahaha

NCS - Visually Sexing

Quote: (Originally Posted by cdfritz)

I have always assumed my pearl cockatiel was a boy due to coloration. I've had him/her only a few months and he/she is still young. Recently Chico has been holding his head down to the ground like he wants me to pet him. But when I do he will flutter his wings a bit and chirp. Also he is moving his tail up and down. Are any of you familiar with this kind of behavior?

Oh, yes!!!! Our cockatiel Mango, was supposed to be a boy. That's what we were told at the bird store. He/She is now 20 months old and just layed her 1. egg (2. came today for lunch) Mango exhibited the same behaviour that you discribed. We thought it was male mating behaviour..... That tells you how much we know about Cockatiels!

Zetar great link thank you for that.
Bird stores as a rule are ok to get birds from sadly a few stores dont know what they are talking about.
Some just say what you want to hear just to sell a bird.
Sad and miss leading.

I don't know about you guys. I am 17 years old and i have cockatiels since 1995. I don't know yet what sex EXACTLY is each one of him. Of course, when they come to touch, i know. The cockatiel who standing on the back of another is the male anf the other the female. I'll show you a photo to see my parrots. I know too that when the chick is an open colour is male, and when is somehow black is female but sometimes that's not sure.

wow thats alot of birds there !!!

.....and my husband thinks I am crazy for wanting just two more birds.......

WHAT? You surprised? In the previous summer, it was a total of 100++ birds and unfortunately i sale some of them because the cage is small for those all birds. But i kept a little more this time because i want to pass the total of 150+. It will be amazing. Is like a project...As far as my moms there keeping warming eggs, there is no doubt about it.