Budgies are one of the most common pet birds these days. If you heard the word budgie, it is usually accompanied by the word parakeet. Don’t get yourselves confused. These 2 are technically the same. Parakeet is the popular name of this bird within the United States, but for any other country, it is usually called budgies or budgerigars. Other people may say that they are different. But if you get to look at their taxonomy, you will see that it is identical.
If you are looking for a pet, it is normal that you check for the gender. We all do. With a budgie, it is difficult to check the gender. They have small reproductive organs, and it is covered by a massive number of feathers. With that said, it is hard to check their gender. There are some ways, though, on how you can know the difference.
How to check the gender of your budgie?
Don’t worry. There are some signs that you can watch out for, which can determine if they are male or female.
Color
A budgie’s color is one of the best indicators of its gender. There is one problem, though. To judge them based on the color, these birds need to reach a certain point of maturity. You would need to wait at least 8 to 12 months before the gender colors show up.
The mark is visible on their cere. It is the skin on top of their bills. If you see a shade of bright blue or a radiant violet, it is a male budgie. The female birds can be distinguished once you see shades of brown on their cere. There are instances when the cere’s of a female budgie would turn blue. No need to worry, though. It is pale in color, and you can still pin-point which is the male from the female.
The color indication is not limited to a budgie’s cere. If you look at their legs, there is a difference too. Male species have blue legs while the females have brown with a slight shade of pink.
Behavior
The gender of this bird can also be determined via their behavior. You might be wondering if this is 100% accurate. The answer is not exactly but, avian experts have this confirmed that it is a substantial determining factor.
Male budgies are socially active. You will often see them singing and head bobbing. They are also more playful even inside their cages. These budgies get along well with other birds as well as people. The female ones are quite scary. They have a bossy attitude, and it makes them look not so friendly with others. You can also hear strong vocalization but, the moment you heard it, you can easily tell that it is not meant for singing.
Baby Tints
This is a good indicator if only the tint would show up if your birds are less than a month old. Take a look at your budgies. You will see that there is a ring that surrounds their nostrils. Unlike the colors, these tints show up fast or as early as 1 month. A female budgie should have a white ring on their nostrils while the males can either have a pink or purple shade.
Biting Tendency
You read that right. Who would have thought that a bird’s biting tendency can determine their gender? It is not a hundred percent accurate but highly probable. If you are playing with a baby budgie and it bit hard refusing to let go, it is a feisty female. This is their way of showing who is boss at an early age. A baby boy budgie, on the other hand, settles for a subtle nibbling. Even at their age, their social behavior is already showing up.
Egg Laying
This is a very obvious indicator. Of course, when you see eggs on the cage, you got a female budgie. No questions asked. However, don’t be too complacent to assume that you have a male budgie if there are no eggs. It’s because the females don’t lay eggs often.
The problem with this determining factor is you cannot check it ahead of time. There are instances that you don’t want your birds to breed unexpectedly. If you rely on this indication, then it will all be too late. The eggs are already laid, and you got a female bird.
Cheek Spots
It is not one of the most accurate factors in determining the gender of your bird. There are instances when you cannot have any visible spots to check. But if they do have, it is an easy tell. You can see dark purple spots on a male budgie while females can have light purple freckles.
DNA
Among all the gender indicators, DNA testing is the most accurate. Your veterinarian can get a blood and feather sample and have it sent to a laboratory for gender testing. Yes, it will cost you, but it gives a 100% assurance for your budgie’s gender.
The vet will need a blood sample for the test. But they can also opt for a freshly plucked feather if they think getting a blood sample can be traumatizing to your budgies. Fallen feathers cannot be used as the procedure requires fresh feathers.
If your baby budgie just hatched, the eggshells that broke can be used for testing. It also holds a DNA sample from your budgie. It should be tested within a couple of hours, though upon hatching.
Fun Facts
You can place 2 male budgies together. It should not be a cause of worry because of their social behavior. They will be fun to watch as you can see them serenading each other.
Putting a male and a female budgie together is alright. There is no need to worry if they will get along. You have to be ready, though, for possible breeding.
Don’t even think about putting 2 female budgies in one cage. Both have a bossy attitude and have territorial tendencies. If you put them together, it is going to be a war waiting to happen.
If your budgie loses about 10 to 12 drops of blood, it needs to be checked immediately by a vet. Losing this amount of blood can already be fatal to your feathered friends.
Be ready to clean. Budgies are known to release droppings every 20 minutes.
Budgies have incredible eyesight. A budgie can register 150 images per minute when humans can only do a maximum of 16.
Budgie Conclusion
Next time you see a budgie, use these indicators to determine if it is a male or a female. It should not be hard as there are different options that you can choose from. Be observant, and it will surprise you on how easy it is to check the gender of a budgie. A male and a female budgie may have contrasting personalities, but they are both adorable. Also, it doesn’t matter what is the gender of our pets. Whichever it is, we still need to give them proper care and attention. It is just good to know what their gender is. This way, pet owners can be prepared and avoid possible reproduction.
