How to Determine If a Bird Is a Male or Female

Telling the difference between a male and female bird of the same species comes down to your ability to note variations in appearances and behaviors. In many species of birds across North America, the males have the more brilliant plumage. When the exception occurs, you will need to rely on your observation skills to determine if the bird engages in behavior common to the male or the female of that particular species. A field guide that covers the bird species within your region will be a great asset as you attempt to identify male and female birds.

Things You'll Need

  • Field guide to birds of your region
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Instructions

    • 1

      Note discrepancies in the sizes of birds of the same species. Sometimes you find that one sex is larger than the other, even if the difference is small. For example, according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology All About Birds website, the female great horned owl is slightly larger than the male.

    • 2

      Look for obvious differences in the color pattern of similar looking birds. For example, although male and female cardinals are the same size, the male possesses by far the brighter colors. Male cardinals are a gaudy red all over with black around the bill. Females are a dull brown with a tint of red on the tail, head and wings, with the same black face markings. Often the male has the brighter colors so it can attract a mate.

    • 3

      Examine birds for subtle differences in their markings. Many types of birds do not have the obvious diversity in color between the male and female of the species. In these instances, you need to look for much less apparent discrepancies between the sexes. A case in point is the pine siskin. The male has a brown body with brown streaks all over its whitish chest, as does the female. However, the male has a bit more yellow on its wing and its tail than the female pine siskin.

    • 4

      Listen for the singing of birds, which is often a clue to their sex. In many species, the male does the majority of the calling and singing. This is true with the song sparrow. Typically, the male will sit in a perch in small trees and sing, a behavior in which the female rarely engages.

    • 5

      Watch the nesting habits of birds to tell the males from the females. In certain species, one sex will build the nest and incubate the eggs, while another will stand guard. This occurs with the Canada goose. The female goose constructs the nest after she picks an appropriate spot for it. She then sits on the eggs until they hatch, with the male goose watching alertly for potential danger.