Genomic DNA sex identification in pet red whiskered bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus) in Thailand

The red whiskered bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus) is a common pet bird in Thailand. Accurate and sensitive sex identification is necessary for breeding. This study developed a sex identification method using duplex PCR with a combination of a female-specific gene and 18S ribosomal RNA gene primers. EE0.6 sequences were used as primers for the female-specific gene. The results of this method were the same as mating observations for 117 known-sex red whiskered bulbuls. Amplification limitations of genomic DNA were 0.1 ng/μl and 0.08 ng/μl for males and females, respectively. These findings are more sensitive than the results from PCR of CHD1 gene reported before. Thus, this assay is an accurate, sensitive and suitable method from molecular sex identification in red whiskered bulbuls.