I still find it pretty hard to tell in about maybe 40% of young budgies whether they are male or female. Apart from unusual types, adults are fairly obvious, and the other 60% of babies are pretty obvious too. But when the colour seems to be just on the border of being purplish and being quite pale, I'm not too sure. My experience tends to tell me that when in doubt it's best to guess that it is a hen, though.

 

I have seen the articles linked on here on how to sex a budgie, and one thing I've noticed is that as well as the colour, some people seem to use the shape of the cere... how flat or bulbous it is... to determine the sex.

 

I have never used this method myself and do not know how to do it. But from the pictures on these articles I found it really hard to tell the subtle difference.

 

How reliable do you think it is to tell the sex from the shape of the cere, as opposed to the colour? And, if it is at all reliable, can you please elaborate on how it is done? I have read the links but I'm still a little confused. Thanks

I dont use cere shape at all in determining the sex of budgies

I agree, I don't let it influence it at all... i go by colour

When they are young the cere shape is no different between sexes (well not that I've noticed). But when they are older, females tend to have a crustier cere that sticks out more. males always have a smooth cere.

i think the shape he is referring to SW is the more rounded shape of a cock as opposed to the more "sharp" of a hen... As bubs all have smooth Cere's

In the olden days ( heheheh ) they use to determine sexes by cere's

It isn't 100% accurate but i have seen differences that agree with this theory and then, i have seen ones that do not

 

Basically it goes like this Hens are flatter and cocks stick out ( )

 

But the timing needs to be right sames as sexing by colour of cere's the timing needs to be right too other wise

they will all look like hens