Boy or girl budgie? Reading the cere

This guide explains what the cere is and how its colour can offer a clue to whether a budgie is male or female, while noting when appearance is difficult to interpret.

Finding the cere

The cere is the fleshy patch above a budgie’s beak. The nostrils are held in this patch, so it is the area to look at when using colour as a clue to sex. The cere’s appearance can be useful for a general indication, but colour alone does not always give a clear answer.

When looking at a budgie, focus on the patch above the beak rather than the beak itself. The colour patterns described here apply to many adult budgies. They are clues, not a certain test, and young birds or some colour varieties can be harder to read.

Colour clues and certainty

In many adult budgies, a blue cere points to a male. A pink, tan or brown cere points to a female. These patterns are not equally easy to interpret in every bird: young budgies and some colour varieties can be harder to read, so the cere may not provide a clear indication.

If you need a certain answer, appearance is not enough. The only certain test is DNA sexing by a lab or an avian vet. The colour clues can help with a general reading, but they should not be treated as confirmation when the bird’s age or colour variety makes its cere harder to interpret.