The feathers of a monomorphic species of bird in
Devon have been DNA tested because humans are unable to tell the sexes apart.
Male and female Inca Terns, which have a red
beak and white moustache, can only be told apart by DNA as they look and behave
in the same way.
The feathers plucked from 25 birds at Living
Coasts in Torquay were tested by Avian Biotech, based in Truro.
The results showed a split of 70% males to 30%
females from this year's young.
'Breeding mix'
Clare Rugg, from Living Coasts, said: "You
have to pluck that feather directly from the bird so that you know for sure
which one it has come from.
"We take three or four feathers from each
bird, put them in a clear, sealed, labelled bag and send it away to Avian
Biotech in Cornwall."
Inca Terns fly freely under a 50,000 cubic metre
canopy at Living Coasts, a coastal zoo and aquarium.
Ms Rugg added: "It's about managing the
flock properly, having the right sex ratio and making sure the breeding mix is
good, so that no birds become over-represented genetically."
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