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

The Yuanbao pigeon is a type of fancy pigeon and belongs to the American King pigeon (exhibition-type King pigeon). Its chest is round like a ball, it is broad and sturdy, walks steadily, and is not good at flying. It can be kept free-range in a small home courtyard just like raising chicks. The so-called "Yuanbao" refers to its unique "V"-shaped body, which resembles the shape of an ancient Chinese gold ingot with both ends turned up. Now let us take a look at how to tell male and female Yuanbao pigeons apart!

Body Shape Observation Method

[Male pigeon] Larger in body size, the top of the head slightly flat, broad forehead, large cere, large and slightly loose eye rings, thick, short and relatively hard neck, majestic bearing, thick and strong legs, often chases other pigeons.

[Female pigeon] Compact and graceful body structure, slightly rounded top of the head, slightly smaller cere, eye rings tightly attached, long and narrow head, soft, slender and slightly longer neck, gentle temperament, fond of quiet and not fond of fighting, thin and short legs, generally does not approach other pigeons outside the mating period.

Feather Identification Method

[Male pigeon] Neck feathers thick and with metallic luster, loosened into a circular shape during courtship, tail feathers spread out like a fan, the tips of the primary flight feathers are circular, tail feathers dirty.

[Female pigeon] Neck feathers fine and relatively soft, metallic luster less brilliant than that of the male pigeon, the tips of the primary flight feathers and the tips of the chest feathers are pointed, tail feathers clean.

Cooing Identification Method

[Male pigeon] When cooing, it makes a loud "gu gu, gu gu" sound, the neck feathers loosen and rise, the air sac on the neck expands, the back feathers bulge, the tail feathers spread out like a fan, and it sweeps its tail while cooing. When cooing, it often follows the female pigeon around, holds its head high and chest out, and keeps nodding up and down.

[Female pigeon] The cooing sound is small, short and thick, only making a small, low "gu gu" sound. When the male pigeon chases and coos, the female pigeon nods slightly.

Skeleton Identification Method

[Male pigeon] The cervical vertebrae are thick and strong, the sternum is long and slightly curved, the distance between the end of the sternum and the egg bone is relatively short, the pelvis and the two pubic bones are relatively narrow apart, and the leg tibia is thick and large.

[Female pigeon] The cervical vertebrae are slightly thin and soft, the sternum is short and straight, the egg bones are relatively wide apart, the distance between the end of the sternum and the egg bone is also relatively wide, and the leg tibia is slightly thin and flat.

Kissing Identification Method

[Male pigeon] When a paired pair of pigeons kiss, the male pigeon opens its mouth, the female pigeon extends her beak into the male pigeon's mouth, and the male pigeon will make the motion of feeding the female pigeon just as it feeds a squab.

[Female pigeon] After the paired pigeons kiss, the female pigeon naturally crouches down and accepts mating from the male pigeon.

Artificial Fake Kissing Method

[Male pigeon] Hold the pigeon with one hand and hold the pigeon's beak with the other hand, move both hands up and down at the same time (as if the pigeons are kissing); the one whose tail hangs downward is the male pigeon.

[Female pigeon] Hold the pigeon with one hand and hold the pigeon's beak with the other hand, move both hands up and down at the same time (as if the pigeons are kissing); the one whose tail turns upward is the female pigeon.