Male or Female???

**Kings** · 08-23-2019, 05:02 PM

I have a 6 year old Lutino Cockatiel who’s name is Kinga they thought she was a girl when we got her. But because she is so vocal I was wondering if she was a male. If I leave her alone for a long amount of time. Like a couple hours or if I just walk away from her she squeaks and squeaks and squeaks. It gets really annoying. It seems she is just attached to me because when she is around me she is fine. She also likes to run back and forth along one of the perches that reach across her cage.
We do clip her wings (I was taught by the professional that used to clip her feathers but it just got a little to expensive) it was a decision as a family as our past Cockatiel (a Grey he passed at the age of 12) liked to fly out of the cage and fly out of the house if we opened the door for a second or even crash into window screens.
She has pretty much free reign. Her cage is almost always open she has a ladder to get to the ground and a ladder to the table behind her cage.
She is also very attached to my father as whenever he walks pat her cage she runs out and stands on the door at the very edge and hunches down and ducks her head for head rubs. She does this for me too.
We got her at 6 months old and I do believe she impinged on me but I was wondering if this behavior was more male or female.

**maxollie** · 08-24-2019, 10:21 AM

Uusually, males are very vocal, learning songs, words, whistles, and often you see them spreading their wings in the shape of a heart. They also mimic sounds like that of dogs or cats. I once had a male who made the sound of the punching numbers into cell phone.

Females do make sounds such as the ones you hear from your bird. Has your bird ever shown nesting behavior. Some females lay eggs, even though they have no mate.

It is quite normal for your bird to flock call, or to want to be with a family member all the time. They consider us their mate. From what you write I tend to think you do have a female. If she has not laid eggs, you are very fortunate. Single hens can have all kinds of challenges with laying eggs. Some can become chronic egg layers, meaning they lay eggs all the time, which can ruin their health. Females are very loving, and docile. Males are very active and are loud, and macho.

**Kings** · 08-24-2019, 02:01 PM

She has not layed any eggs and she doesn’t really show any nesting behavior and the only time she goes down to the bottom of the cage it to eat the leftover millet after she rips it all off the stick.

**maxollie** · 08-25-2019, 08:13 AM

I am happy for you that she has not laid eggs, and is very happy with you all. One side note is that a hen can begin laying eggs anytime in her life. But, hopefully, that will not happen. If it does, post it, and we will respond to your questions or concerns.

**Pipers Mom** · 09-06-2019, 08:34 AM

From reading the original post, I too think you may have a female instead of a male. Females can be vocal, but in past experiences, females are more social than males. Especially when she puts her head down for rubs. You also mentioned that you adopted your tiel when she was about 6 months old. Just as a precaution, when she reaches about 18 months of age, try to refrain from petting or rubbing her. It will stimulate the hormones and hormones can lead to eggs. Usually tiels get hormonal a couple times of year. I don't know what part of the globe you are at but in the U.S,A., mine is usually in the spring and right before fall. As Ellen mentioned, not all females lay eggs but many do and she is well experienced on egg laying hens. Keeping the hormones at bay will also help with the future egg laying.

**Stray_mind** · 08-26-2020, 12:17 AM

Hello. I have the same question about mine. I bought him as a boy, but he is not too vocal, just doing a flock call over and over. I have heard him singing and mimicking the budgies in the pet shop though, so idk. Maybe he is just stressed out still. He does have a linear marking on the bottom side of his tail, but his cheeks and the yellow part of the face are rather bright. I guess i will know once he gets used to the environment more.