How to tell if my indian ringneck is male or female

Indian ringnecks are a type of ringneck parrots from India, as their name suggests. They are brightly coloured, medium-sized parrots, making them an easier choice for a pet, as far as space is concerned. Indian ringnecks are very intelligent, though, and have strong personalities, so they require a lot of obedience training. Unlike some other parrot species, Indian ringnecks can be sexed visually. Whether you want to know more about your pet, or you're looking to start breeding, take a few simple steps to determine gender.

Hire a parrot sexing company to determine the gender of your bird using DNA sexing. This method is particularly useful for bird owners with birds that are young, as Indian ringnecks do not reach sexual maturity, and therefore do not display gender differences, until they are about 2 or 3 years old. These DNA sexing companies will request a sample of the bird's feathers, and will then test them to determine gender.

Observe your Indian ringneck's behaviour if you own a mature bird and have decided to determine gender based on visual differences. Male and female ringnecks display differently. Male birds will fan their wings, opening them somewhat in a shape like a bow. Females display by tilting their heads back and clucking. You can encourage this displaying behaviour by placing a mirror in front of your bird.

Look at the bird's body. Male Indian ringnecks usually have slimmer bodies than females. The male Indian ringneck's head is also somewhat squarer or blockier than the female's. Females have rounder heads with beaks that are slightly smaller or less prominent than the male's.

Look at the length of your bird's tail. Male Indian ringnecks often have longer tails than their female counterparts. You may have to look at pictures of other Indian ringnecks to make the comparison if you only have one bird.

Observe the colouring of your bird. Male Indian ringnecks have a bright band, or ring, of colour around their necks, from which they get their name. Indian ringnecks are traditionally green, and on green birds this band will show up as a black stripe, with pink along the bird's nape. Other ringneck body colours, such as yellow, blue, and grey, may produce a differently coloured ring. However, this ring will always be bolder than the female's, which if it's present at all, will be a dull, nearly invisible band.

Look at the colouring of the bird's face. Male Indian ringnecks generally tend to display brighter plumage colours on their cheeks and head.