Male or Female Conure? How to Tell the Difference

Conures are active and playful birds. Native to South America, this species of bird is one of the most diverse groups of parrots. They are popular pets due to their attractive colors and fun-loving personalities.

With more than 100 different species and subspecies, these birds charm people with their fun and comical personality. Some of the more popular conures include the Sun Conure, Green-cheeked Conure, Pineapple Conure, Jenday Conure, and Nanday Conure. Each of these small and medium parrots has a distinct set of physical features.

Like other parrot species, it is difficult to determine the sex of a conure just by looking at it. It is not possible to distinguish between males and females unless you observe certain critical behaviors or do a DNA test.

Sun Conures

Scientifically referred to as Aratinga solstitialis, Sun Conures are amazingly colorful and interactive pet parrots. Originally from Brazil and Guyana, these lively birds are sometimes called sun parakeets.

Their bright plumage and ability to mimic sounds make them popular among pet bird lovers. Sunbirds are monomorphic birds. Therefore, males and females look almost identical physically, although there are some key differences.
Scientifically referred to as Aratinga solstitialis, Sun Conures are amazingly colorful and interactive pet parrots. Originally from Brazil and Guyana, these lively birds are sometimes called sun parakeets.

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Their bright plumage and ability to mimic sounds make them popular among pet bird lovers. Sunbirds are monomorphic birds. Therefore, males and females look almost identical physically, although there are some key differences.

How to tell the difference between a male and female sun conure

Here are some things you can look for to determine if your Sun Conure is male or female.

● Coloring
Sun Conures are known for their distinctive colors that consist of yellow, green, blue, and reddish-orange. You can use these colors to determine the sex of your bird. Males usually have more intense and vibrant colors on their bodies, especially on their faces and abdomens, than females.

Experienced breeders check the amount of red on the conure\’s face. If the two birds are born around the same time, they can tell the sexes when they first plumage.

When the birds are younger, the male\’s face has less color than the female\’s. As they get older, the red around the face and neck intensifies while the female\’s does not change.

This method requires that you have more than one bird for comparison. Therefore, it is unreliable if you only have one bird.

● behavior
Basic behaviors can help you determine whether your bird is male or female. Female sun conures tend to be social and likable; Therefore, they enjoy being touched. Also, because conures are known for their louder screams, females tend to be less vocal than their male counterparts.

In addition, males are very territorial to their favorite people in the family and their cages. You can only use this method of identification if you have more than one Sun Conure to compare.

● Laying eggs
If your bird lays an egg, whether it is sterile or fertile, this is confirmation that it is a female Sun Conure. These birds become fertile at the age of two years.

Females will also look different from males during the breeding period. Their stomachs will appear distended before they deposit their eggs.

● Tails
You can tell the sexes apart by looking at the tails. Male sun conures have tails that are longer than females, by a few inches.

While the tail of males is between 5.15 and 5.74 inches long, the tail of females can be up to 4.76 inches long. However, in some cases, some females may have longer tails.

● physical appearance
Male sun conures appear sturdier with thicker bodies than females. On the other hand, females have thinner bodies, smaller beaks, and are more slender.

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● sex organs
One of the most direct ways to determine the sex of these birds is to examine their genitals. This procedure is performed by an avian veterinarian who puts the bird under anesthesia and makes an incision on the left side of the body to examine the bird\’s organs.

If the bird has testicles, it is male and if there is an ovary, the Sun Conure is female. This method should be a last resort as it is very risky and can lead to complications from anesthesia or infection of the wound.

● Head
You can determine the sex of a Sun Conure by observing the appearance of the head. The heads of males are more angular and flat at the top, while their female counterparts have more rounded shapes.

● DNA gender
DNA samples are the most common method used to determine whether a bird is male or female. This procedure is less invasive than surgical methods because it uses a sample of DNA taken from the bird\’s feathers, blood, or eggshell. A professional breeder can help you obtain a sample for your bird.

An avian lab determines the sex of the Sun Conure by analyzing the sex chromosomes. This is the most accurate way to assess the sex of your bird.

Green-Checked Conure

How do you tell the difference between a male and female green checked conure?
● Feet
Most female cheeky conures tend to have pink feet, while their male counterparts have gray toes. This may vary from bird to bird. Therefore, to get accurate information, you must also incorporate other methods of obtaining the correct gender identity.

● Head
A conure\’s green checked head can also help you determine the sex. Females tend to have a rounder head, while males are flatter.

However, every bird is different, and some may be an exception. If this is the case, you should use other testing methods such as DNA.
● pelvic bone
Females tend to have a broader, rounder pelvic bone than male green conures. A pelvic test can be used to determine the sex of the bird.

● DNA gender
Physical monitoring methods are not usually 100% foolproof; Therefore, it is necessary to use a DNA test to be sure. The test is performed on a blood sample or a feather sample.

If you decide to use feathers, they should be freshly plucked and have enough texture for testing. You can pluck your feathers at home by following the instructions on the test kit.

You can easily get a test kit from either a pet store, online store, or vet. Once the feather is plucked, you must send the samples to a lab for sex chromosome analysis. For a blood sample, this procedure can only be performed by your vet.