What Is The Difference Between Male And Female Parakeets?

Parakeets are one of the most popular pet birds in the world. They can be found in many colors, and with a lot of different personalities. Parakeet owners often have questions about their pets' sexes, so we want to answer this question for you!


Male parakeets make great pets because they are social animals that enjoy attention from humans and other birds. Female parakeets also make great pets because females tend to be more docile than males which makes them less likely to bite or attack people who may have allergies. If you're considering adopting a new feathered friend, don't forget to check out our blog post on how sex affects your pet's personality with things like talking!

A parakeet is small-bodied, with the sexual organ covered by a lot of colorful feathers, making it even more difficult to determine gender based on anatomy. So, you are left with these main methods to determine the sex;

•          Analyzing the cere color

•          Analyzing the feet

•          Analyzing the bird’s behavior

•          Having your vet carry out a DNA test on the feathers

Note also that in some instances, a female parakeet could lay eggs which would make gender determination easier. Unfortunately, you will need to wait for the parakeet to mature sexually, and still, not all of them will lay eggs. Read on as we explore these three ways of determining the gender of your parakeet.


What Is The Difference Between Male And Female Parakeets?

At what age can you tell a parakeet’s gender?

With parakeets, most methods of determining the gender require the bird to be at least a year old according to Pet Informed. At this age, it is easier to tell the differences apart as they have matured enough, even behaviorally.

In addition to the age, you also ought to remember that a parakeet is a sensitive creature, thus your sexing process needs to be least stressful as this can cause sudden death. Thus, determining the gender needs to be least invasive and if possible, should not alter the bird’s routine so much.

How to know if a parakeet is male or female

When your bird is of age, here are the best ways you can determine the gender, also called sexing the parakeet. We will use the variations below to answer your question ‘What Is The Difference Between Male And Female Parakeets?' in greater depth.

Observing the cere color

If you look at your parakeet closely, you will notice a band of raised skin above the beak that includes the nostrils. This is the cere, and in most cases, the color of the cere is different for male and female parakeets.

For mature male parakeets, the cere is usually a bright blue or rich violet color, but this could rely on the bird’s natural color. If your bird does not have other conditions such as albinism, that could dilute the natural color of a male parakeet. 

For mature female parakeets with normal feather coloration, the cere color can range between brown, a tan color, or whiteish or blueish color.  According to Pet Informed, this cere coloration depends on the parakeet’s estrogen levels.


Analyzing the feet

You can also determine the gender of your parakeet by analyzing the color of the feet. Hormones that make the cere color vary also do have visible effects on the skin, thus why you could pay closer attention to the feet. Usually, the color of the feet changes with age and might even resemble the shades of color present on the cere.

A mature male parakeet’s feet will have shades of blue while a mature female parakeet will develop a pink or brownish color on the feet.


Analyzing behavior

Male and female parakeets tend to behave very differently, and it will take some close examination from you to spot the differences. Naturally, parakeets are very social, and will easily bond with you and other birds.

However, if you are looking to determine gender, you can tell the difference by how active the bird is in the cage, and how aggressive or bossy it is towards other birds.

A male parakeet tends to be more active inside the cage compared to a female parakeet. You will notice more singing and head bobbing, and general calmness around other birds in the cage.

A female parakeet, on the other hand, tends to be a bit more aggressive and bossy when vocalizing and co-existing with other birds in a cage. And, while a female is louder than a male parakeet, it will refrain from singing.

You have one advantage of using behavior to determine the gender of a parakeet; you can notice the differences from a young age. When very young, a female parakeet will bite harder and refuse to let go easily, a behavior that later manifests as bossy in the cage.

A baby male parakeet will also be very playful, and more active in the cage.


Using a DNA test

As mentioned earlier, sexing your parakeet is not easy especially when it is young. Thus, if you need to know the gender before the bird is 12 months old, your best option is to perform a DNA test, preferably with the help of an avian veterinary.

For the test, you will need a blood or feather sample and send these to a good laboratory. At the laboratory, they will be able to test against specific markers for gender and other underlying diseases and provide you with the most accurate gender results.

You might need a professional to obtain the DNA samples without upsetting the bird. Generally, parakeets can easily stress, which is very little time could raise adrenaline levels resulting in fatal consequences. Thus, a vet is best suited to get the blood or feather samples without disrupting the bird’s routine too much.


Analyzing other features

Some other features, like egg-laying, can help you easily determine if your parakeet is male or female.

In addition, you can also study the body structure to determine the gender. However, this method could only be accurate if you have more than one bird, with better chances of having both genders to help you distinguish between them. Generally, a male parakeet will have a broader body and even weigh more than a female.

Are female parakeets more aggressive?

Female parakeets can be more aggressive compared to male parakeets. This is usually because of more fluctuating hormonal changes.

Aggression manifests in getting louder and domineering of other birds in the cage or room. In some instances, a female parakeet will also bite you, but it is an attempt for more attention.

When trying to tame your female parakeet, it could help if you understood her mood changes to understand when she is irritable.

Which is better male or female parakeet?

Both male and female parakeets make great pets. When getting one, you need to understand how to treat each gender.

Naturally, while more active, male parakeets are less aggressive compared to female parakeets. As such, a male is easier to tame, but a female is also better to bond with as it could demand more attention.

Do male or female parakeets talk more?

Male parakeets may talk more than female parakeets. A male is naturally more active, loves playing and singing, and thus, learns to talk at a much faster pace. Female parakeets are also louder than male parakeets and are easy to teach words when younger.

That said, it also depends on how much time you spend training your parakeet to talk or communicate. In some cases, you may find a female parakeet who is more active than a male parakeet if the owner spends enough time playing with it.

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