ºù«Ӱҵ

The team in ºù«Ӱҵ has identified markers for the genetic sexing of over 150 species of birds (Dawson 2005, , ) and supported multiple studies involving bird sex-typing.

We have assessed the utility of published sex-typing markers (Dawson et al. 2016)  and created a web-based database (see below) of the most suitable methods to sex-type different species.

We have also developed new sex-typing markers:

• Marker Z37B is suitable for sex-typing birds from degraded samples and samples of low quantity ().
• Marker Z43B is able to sex species that have been problematic to sex with other markers ().
• Markers Z002A, Z002B, Z002C, Z002D, Z002E (Dawson 2007) - a suite of 5 markers based on the ZSWIM6 gene that are able to sex most birds.

Database

We have assessed the utility of two commonly used published sex-typing markers () and ).

In addition to the species we have sex-typed here at ºù«Ӱҵ, data was very kindly contributed from many researchers - we added all this data, along with the published original data, to the database.

The Bird sexing database Dawson, 2005 (MS Excel, 124kB) includes a list of ~130 bird species (non-passerines and passerines) which have been sexed and the sexing primer sets which were used. The database and details of the technical methods and protocols used are provided in this document (Word, 32kB).

Potential sources of error when sex-typing birds

We would also like to draw attention to the potential sources of error in misinterpreting molecular sexing data caused by the presence of Z allele polymorphism, such as that identified in auklets (Dawson et al. 2001) and other species () leading to real males being misassigned as female. Heteroduplexes are rarer but can also occur, and lead to sexing error (). Also see the review of error in bird sexing by .

References

Dawson DA, Darby S, Hunter FM, Krupa AP, Jones IL and Burke T (2001)  (Aves: Alcidae, Laridae). Molecular Ecology Notes, 1, 201–204.

Dawson DA, Brekke P, dos Remedios N, Horsburgh GJ (2015) . Conservation Genetics Resources,  7, 337–343 [Open Access].

Dawson DA, dos Remedios N, Horsburgh GJ (2016) . Zoo Biology, 35, 533–545. [Open Access]

Bruford MW, Hanotte O, Brookfield JFY, Burke T (1998)  In: Molecular Genetic Analysis of Populations: A Practical Approach, 2nd edition, (ed. Hoelzel AR), pp. 287-336. IRL Press, Oxford.

Dawson DA (2005) Bird sexing database: Identifying suitable sex-typing markers for over 100 bird species. 

Fridolfsson AK and Ellegren H (1999) Journal of Avian Biology, 30, 116-121.

Griffiths R, Double MC, Orr K and Dawson RJG (1998) . Molecular Ecology, 7, 1071-1075.

Casey AE, Jones KL, Sandercock BK, Wisely SM (2009) . Molecular Ecology Resources, 9, 61-65.

 

Robertson BC & Gemmell NJ (2006) Conservation Genetics 7 (2), 267-271.