How to Tell Male and Female Pigeons Apart? A Few Practical Methods for You

The pigeon is a very common bird, a general term for hundreds of species in the order Columbiformes, family Columbidae. They are widely kept around the world. In daily life, pigeons are highly alert and very sensitive to stimuli around them. Flashes of light, strange sounds, moving objects, unusual colors and so on can all cause a flock of pigeons to stir and take flight. Now let us take a look at how to tell male and female pigeons apart!

How to tell male and female squabs apart?

1. Cloaca identification: When squabs are 4 to 5 days old, the upper edge of the male pigeon's cloaca covers the lower edge and protrudes slightly. In the female pigeon, the lower edge protrudes and covers the upper edge.

2. Feeding identification: Among squabs in the same nest, those that compete to be fed by the parent pigeons are mostly males. Those that do not are mostly females.

3. Behavior identification: Among squabs in the same nest, males grow faster and are larger in body size, while females grow more slowly. When you touch a squab's head by hand, males react sensitively, raise their feathers, and are lively and aggressive; those that do not are mostly females.

How to tell male and female young pigeons apart?

1. Look: The male pigeon has a broad, large head shape, a large but short beak, a large and prominent cere, and large, thick shanks. The female pigeon has a more compact body shape, a small, round head, a smaller cere, a long and narrow beak, a thin and soft neck, and short, thin shanks.

2. Grasp: When you grasp a young pigeon by hand, the male resists strongly and can make a “coo coo” call. The female is more docile.

3. Feel: Feel the abdomen and pelvis by hand. The male pigeon's keel is relatively thick and long, the distance between the pubic bones is narrow and tight, and the shanks are thick and round. The female pigeon has a relatively wide distance between the pubic bones (about 4 to 5 cm), a slightly shorter keel, and thin, flat shanks.

4. Examine: When the male pigeon's cloaca is closed, it bulges outward; when opened, it is roughly hexagonal. When the female pigeon's cloaca is closed, it sinks inward; when opened, it is cauliflower-shaped.

5. Feathers: Observe that the male pigeon's feathers are glossy, and the tips of the primary wing feathers are relatively pointed. The female pigeon's feathers are less glossy, and the tips of the primary wing feathers are relatively blunt.

How to tell male and female adult pigeons apart?

1. Male pigeons often chase female pigeons, and the male pigeon's neck crop swells, the neck feathers and back feathers puff up, and the tail feathers spread out like a fan. The female pigeon is gentler and frequently accepts the male pigeon's courtship.

2. Because male and female pigeons court and mate, the male pigeon's tail feathers are relatively dirty, while the female pigeon's back feathers are relatively dirty.

3. When kissing, the male pigeon opens its beak, and the female pigeon extends her beak into the male pigeon's mouth. After kissing, the female pigeon naturally crouches down and accepts mating from the male pigeon.

4. Incubation times differ. The male pigeon mostly incubates from 10 to 16 o'clock each day, and the female pigeon incubates at other times.