Sex determination

[Albino]

Is it true that the gender of lovebirds could be determined by their tails ?
That the end of the female's tail is like half of a square and the male's pointed??
Its my first time to take care of a lovebird and my brother used to take me to his friend's house who had a flock but i dont really remember any thing about them..

[lemonypickett]

I believe that is a myth.

The old woman I bought Jimmy from felt the pelvis and thought he was a girl, but that is not accurate. I will be interested to see if she is right though.

The only true way to tell (if it is not a sex-linked mutation) is by doing a DNA test. They have at home kits that I just had done for two of my birds. Clipping a toe nail for a few drops of blood, or plucking some feathers.

I think Linda has a few secret tricks, but she is like the magic bird woman!

[Angelic vampyre]

I have heard a few different tail ideas. If the tail stays together it is male if it fans it is female. Some say you test when caught and not movement other say you flick, lift, drop them to get the result.

I have also hear it said there is a difference with the head, the pelvic bone, eye spacing, how they hold their wings....

Really I think DNA is the way to go but I can understand breeders trying these things as it could get expensive to DNA an entire flock

[momo]

I;ve heard that little rumour.. and the one about.. girls feet stand wider apart than boys do.. but as others have said.. DNA is the only way to go if you want to know 100%

[Enko_chan]

There are certain things like that which are characteristic of one gender or the other, but they are not fool-proof and should not be trusted as a means for determining sex.

[Pips mom]

I think lovebirds are one of the best at being able to fool us on their sex! I have been able to walk into a pet store and see a cockatiel and be able to say......that's a boy! just from his behaviour and how vocal he was. Tiels are easier and their behaviour is so different between males and females. With Pip, I am fairly certain I have a boy......he is big time humper, and it's the first thing he does when I let him out of his cage.....that and all the clickey dances he does for Ivy really has me convinced....but, then I look at how cage territorial he is and how bitey he is, which are more female behaviour in lovies. I figure if he reaches a certain age and I never see any eggs, than I'll feel a little more sure he's a boy, but for now.....I am certain enough to not have to DNA test him. Oh.....and Pip does have the pointed tail feathers! which I've heard too was a sign of a boy.