Twenty-two polymorphic microsatellite loci were characterized in the Cape parrot, Poicephalus robustus. Nineteen loci were newly isolated from two Cape parrot genomic libraries, and three loci isolated from other parrot species. Loci were characterized in 40 unrelated captive Cape parrots held by aviculturalists. The loci displayed between two and 24 alleles, with the observed heterozygosities ranging between 0.10 and 0.94. This locus set is suitable for identifying clarifying parentage (parentage exclusion probabilities of P(E1)  = 0.0004 and P(E2)  = 0.000001). Candidate parents for any Cape parrot individual can now be genotyped to distinguish between individuals, which are truly captive bred and those suspected of being wild-caught birds. Cross-species analysis found up to 31 loci to be polymorphic across 24 additional parrot species tested.

This study describes 12 microsatellite loci identified in the African grey parrot Psittacus erithacus . Eleven were polymorphic, with observed heterozygosities 42-94% (average 68) and exclusion powers of P E1 = 0.996 and P E2 = 0.999. Microsatellites have previously been developed for a number of other parrots but showed limited cross-species polymorphism. Here high levels of cross-species amplification were observed: 71% of 32 Psittacines (22 genera). At least seven loci, 58%, were polymorphic in other African parrots as well as Neotropical and Australasian parrots, which diverged from the African parrots c30.6 and over 41.4 million years ago, respectively.

A number of potential evolutionary and physiological factors may be involved in avian sex ratio bias so that under certain conditions a sex ratio bias may favour males or females within a population. In addition different factors may be important in manipulating sex ratio bias through the different life stages. In this study sex ratio bias was examined in a total of 16 570 captive parrots, representing 80 species, many of which are endangered in the wild, using database records originating form commercial laboratories that offer genetic sexing. Within the species examined 72% showed a male bias this was significant in three species, when adjusted for multiple comparisons. This preliminary study is limited due to lack of data on the age of the individuals sampled. However, the large dataset do suggest that this phenomenon should be further considered by investigators working at a species level where such data can be collected.