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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Environment
Graham Readfearn

‘Mind-blown’: scientists discover sex reversal in kookaburras and lorikeets with cause unknown

Two rainbow lorikeets
A study suggests sex reversal is more common in wild birds such as rainbow lorikeets than thought, raising concerns about the potential impact of chemicals. Photograph: Michael Willis/Alamy

About 5% of common Australian wild birds including kookaburras and lorikeets could have undergone a “sex reversal” where their genetic sex does not match their reproductive organs, according to a new study.

The study is thought to be the first to find widespread sex reversal across multiple wild bird species, but the cause of the phenomenon is not yet known.

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