difference between male and female

[Rachaelslp]

Just wondering if your experience is the same as mine. I have had male and female tiels. The male was more verbal (whistle, talking), while the females were more cuddly. My females also laid eggs. :( I really enjoyed having both, but when I see them out, I feel like I can tell if they are male or female just by their sounds!

[Mare]

I have what I think is a male cockatiel, Chip, never had him DNA tested but his face is brightly colored, he is also a big-time whistler. I've been told, though, that breeders have been producing cockatiels where the females are also sometimes brightly colored, so..this is my only experience :). What do you think about the color issue? [Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]

This is Chip!

[spiritbird]

It is usually the male cockatiel that sings and whistles. They also seem to peck at things more. They just act like a male bird to me. A total job to have in your home.

[Robyn]

Mare because it appears Chip is a normal grey yes he is male you could google pics for normal greys and see the difference in the face colors the females will have a grey face with orange cheek patches and the males will look like Chip. Now the one I can't tell what it is is Riley I will have to post more pictures down the line of her but currently she is terrified of me or atleast my hands I had my nails done yesterday and she won't let me touch her now and freaks out when I put my hands near her even though I can't avoid as if I don't feed her in morning she will go all day without food as I have to work but she likes to sleep in her food dish. I'm not sure if it's jut because I got my nails done or if it's because of the butterflies and flowers on them.

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

Are you sure Riley is a female? Complaining about you spending money on your nails rather than buying toys that don't get played with sounds to be pretty blokish (masculine)

[Robyn]

lol no I'm not sure and won't be til she finishes molting. She seems to have an awful lot of white on her face for a female but she is also my first white faced and I didn't spend money on my nails they were a christmas present that I was too sick to use until last week.

[Rachaelslp]

My little female Casey was really sweet. She seemed to have one cry, but when I lived in an apartment forever ago, I could hear her when my bus dropped me off outside!

[froggij]

Orsino is very vocal. I had the vet (not a certified avian vet, but I've seen him treat so many birds over the years where I used to work that I trusted him with mine) tell me that even females could learn to mimic that well sometimes, so that they're very vocal doesn't always mean much. However, he took one look at Orsino as he was whistling at me and singing to me (and completely ignoring the vet) and said that, if he was a female and this happy, he would have laid eggs by now. So he's a very happy little boy. But he does have a fairly expansive vocabulary from what I've seen of 'tiels in the past, plus he has big, bright orange, out there cheek patches, and hasn't ever laid a single egg ... so we're sticking with male on that one. Plus, he built me a nest out of a Kleenex box and started singing to me, and then tried to kill my boyfriend at the time .... pretty sure he's a possessive little guy.

[PBsmom]

Brighter males and more singing has been my experience also. I have heard that boys tend to be a bit sleeker in shape whereas females are a little rounder. Phelix is a classic male in every way. I never had him sexed but I've had him for 9 years and he hasn't laid an egg lol. He is pretty cuddly though. It really depends on his mood, but sometimes he likes to be on his own and sometimes he just sits on me for hours and wants head rubs and kisses. He's literally the easiest bird ever. He's not a big chewer and rarely gets into trouble. Really his only fault is his dislike of everyone else in the world and his plucking issue (he doesn't like being alone) but we're getting better with that and his little bald spots are growing in.

[Mare]

Phelix sounds amazing, Kendra..there's nothing like the love of our bird :). I think he's bonded with you, you are his mate. I have a male U2 that thinks I'm his mate and he can be quite a force when the men in my life come around us. I imagine a cockatiel being a better mate..a less complicated mate, maybe :)

The new cockatiel I brought home, Jellybean, the vet is fairly positive that she's a she. She doesn't have nearly the whistle capabilities of Chip but..she is young, so we shall see.

[spiritbird]

That is a wonderful photo of Chip.

[colbon2]

I've heard that male cockatiels whistle and sing.... They also lose the stripes on the tail as they age I've been told.

[Robyn]

Riley is a male the sweetest bird ever. He never has bitten anyone. He doesn't whistle or sing much just the usual times at sunrise and sunset. Carolina is assumed to be male as he whistles and sings and talks.