Instructions
Order a DNA testing kit specifically for birds. There are several companies that provide this service, or you can work directly with your avian veterinarian. You will need one kit per bird.
Collect a sample two ways: from plucked chest feathers or a small blood sample from a clipped toenail. Clipping the toenail should only be performed by a veterinarian or an experienced bird owner who understands where the quick, or blood vessel, is located. Clipping a toenail will cause unnecessary stress and pain to your bird. Removing chest feathers is a more humane way to test parrot DNA and is just as accurate as a blood test.
Follow the instructions included with the kit to properly return the DNA samples and ensure the accuracy of the test results.
How to Tell a Male Green Cheeked Conure From a Female
The green cheeked conure is a type of parrot in the same family as the macaw, cockatoo, lorie, lorikeet, parakeet and others. Conures are long-tailed, small to mid-sized New World parrots that come from South and Central America and Mexico. The green cheeked conure belongs to the genus Pyrrhura and are smaller than some other varieties of conures. Characterized by scalloped chest feathers, wide eye rings, black beaks, brown eyes, dark green bodies, red tail feathers and pink feet, the green cheeked conure is a beautiful bird. Males and females have similar physical characteristics and are nearly impossible to tell apart for most bird owners.