Evaluation of the applicability of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to sex identification in Eurasian blackbirds (Turdus merula)

Turdus merula is one of most common bird species in Europe. This study verified a method for its sex identification by PCR with P2/P8 primers, based on the CHD1 gene polymorphism, proposed in earlier studies as a universal tool for sex identification in most bird species. Although there are some reports that PCR cannot determine sex in Eurasian blackbirds due to a lack of differences in intron lengths of CHD1-Z and CHD1-W genes, our study showed that such a possibility does exist, so it can contribute to an increased understanding of the biology of this species.