Do adolescent lovebirds exhibit both male and female mating behavior?

[Mceryn]

My lovebird, Sage, has decided my son is the "bomb". Apparently, I am...the parent maybe? The hired help? She/he like me too but he is certainly Sage's favorite. At about 8-9 months Sage started bobbing his/her head as if trying to regurgitate and also mounting his hand. I am trying to determine if Sage is male based on this behavior? Any chance a female would also try this? Sage is a cinnamon but I can not be certain the parents did not both carry the cinnamon gene, so cannot tell that way. I am getting a male lovebird and am hoping the get along at some point, so am curious and cannot wait to find out. Also cant bear to pull feathers to dna. Sage is about 10 months old now. Thanks!

[linda040899]

Cinnamon is a sex linked mutation and only certain pairings will produce a male. If mom is not a visual cinnamon, then dad is carrying the gene and Sage is female. If mom is a visual cinnamon and dad is not, then Sage could be either male or female. Females cannot carry the cinnamon gene. If the mom does not show the color, the gene is not there. If neither parents show the color, dad is split for cinnamon and Sage is a female. If dad is cinnamon, Sage will still be a hen because mom could not pass the gene needed to produce a male. For a male, mom must be cinnamon and dad must either be a cinnamon or carry the gene.

The behavior you are describing is usually male but females have been known to do this, too. Feather sexing is painless. I've plucked chest feathers several times and have not gotten any pain reaction.