| ORIGINAL BOOK REVIEW by Dr. Rainer R. Erhardt "Well, there is help on the horizon and anyone seriously interested in color genetics should take a look at Linda Rubin's book: COCKATIEL GENETICS MADE EASY! Though this book is primarily directed to breeders of cockatiel mutations, there is enough information in this volume to teach anyone the secrets of dealing with recessive, sex-linked, and dominant mutations..." ACBM, Vol. 65, No.12 CLICK TO READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW! 112 pages, 15 chapters, glossary & more! |
Copyright 2006 Linda S. Rubin
| Multiple Bird Households by Linda S. Rubin |
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| DETERMINING AGE & GENDER in Young Normal Greys Copyright © 2002 LINDA S. RUBIN CF Genetics Consultant/Panel Judge www.CockatielsPlusParrots.com Selected Q&A's "From My Mailbox" This article first appeared in: BIRD TIMES magazine December 2002 and CAGE & AVIARY BIRDS August 17, 2006 Young cockatiels are plentiful through pet stores, bird fairs, breeders and exhibitors. The key, however, is in determining your cockatiel’s precise age and gender, and whether or not it has been handfed or parent-raised. Baby cockatiels that are newly weaned can be easy to identify. Young chicks have that “big, black-eyed baby” appeal, and may have slightly shorter tail and crest feathers that have not fully grown in yet. Healthy cockatiel youngsters have an innocent demeanor and are usually friendly, inquisitive, and eager to explore their surroundings. Handfed babies – those that have been spoon or syringe fed by human foster parents – when lovingly treated show no fear of humans. They are eager to step up on an extended finger with little coaxing, ride on a shoulder for an extended period of time, and calmly investigate their environment. Never purchase an unweaned baby cockatiel, especially if you are inexperienced in feeding, or you run the risk of losing the bird Parent-raised chicks can be just as tame as handfed cockatiels, provided they are handled everyday in the nest. It is not the act of handfeeding that tames the birds, but rather the art of gentle handling. Handfeeding merely forces the busy breeder to handle the chicks at least several times a day so they will become tame. Young cockatiels that are not handled, or handfed cockatiels that were not given the TLC and gentle handling while being fed, may be more weary and cautious. They will take a little more time to train, but their youth is a bonus because young birds can be won over with patience. Always ask the age of a bird, because the older the cockatiel, the more difficult it will be to train. Wing-clipping, performed by a professional handler or avian veterinarian, will help facilitate the training process, because birds cannot fly far and will become more dependent upon you. Newly weaned cockatiels that are ready to be placed in a nursery flight are between 7 and 8 weeks of age. Some breeders prefer to hold onto chicks, not releasing them until 9 to 10 weeks old, to be certain the chicks are all feeding themselves and fully independent of their parents. The ideal age to obtain a cockatiel is between two and three months, when training is still relatively easy. It may be difficult to determine the gender of a Normal Grey cockatiel under the age of four to six months. All hens and youngsters look identical in appearance, sporting orange cheek patches, with yellow spottings on the undersides of flight feathers, and yellow tail-barrings on the underside of tail feathers. After the onset of the first juvenile molt at approximately four months, males begin to acquire more yellow in the face. Upon the completion of their initial adult molt, around one year of age, males will acquire a full, bright yellow facial mask, deep orange cheek patches, and lose the yellow spotting and tail-barring on the underside of flight and tail feathers, respectively. Females maintain a less colorful appearance; their orange cheeks patches are more subtle in color and they maintain only a few spots of yellow on the face, found under or over the beak, in the lores (the region between the eyes), or on the forehead. Some adult females have yellow tipped, “thrush markings,” on the ends of some grey chest feathers. Both genders, and all young, carry the half-inch, white wing- bar, which runs along the edge of each wing when the wings are closed. The white wing-bar is more prominent and particularly noticeable when the cockatiel is in flight. If a precise age cannot be determined, observing behavior may prove insightful. Young males may begin to show some courtship display as early as four to six months. Preliminary courtship behaviors include: hopping, strutting, holding the wings open at the shoulder joint in an exaggerated sway while singing a continuous, warbling song, rapidly tapping shiny objects or cage bars with the beak, and tapping or singing inside the nest entrance hole for its echo effect. Most healthy males become interested in breeding by the completion of their full adult molt, at one to two years of age. Adult hens may become quite broody by 10-18 months, and start to burrow under cage litter, or find a dark, hidden place to lay a clutch of eggs (with or without a partner). If no males are present, the eggs will not be fertile. Although females can be taught to talk, they usually do not sing as well as males. Females may learn to whistle a little, but their natural voice is a two-syllable “eek-eek” call. When ready to breed, a female will back up in a corner, or lay low on the perch, with their tails raised high in the air, while emitting a continual “piteous cry,” to invite a male to mate. Whether young or old, male or female, with time, patience, and love, most any cockatiel can be tamed and trained. Now that you know the gender of your Normal Grey, all that remains is to give him, or her, an appropriate name, and your special care. |
| DETERMINING AGE & GENDER IN YOUNG NORMAL GREY COCKATIELS Copyright © 2002 Linda S. Rubin All Rights Reserved |
c.2007 Nancy Johnson-Mello
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