HOME PAGE              A GUIDE TO BASIC GENETICS   
 

  Mention genetics to a number of people and they are just totally confused, however this need not be the case.
I will try to outline the basic principles :

Genetics can be split up into four groups as follows :

1.   Dominant  colour.

2.   Recessive mutation.

3.   Sex-linked mutation

4.   Compound mutations which can consist of  a combination of numbers 2 and 3 (above). 

  • An example of a Dominant colour is the original colour of a bird which you would find in its wild state such as a light green Budgie or green Ring-necked parakeet or normal coloured Golden Mantled Rosella.  

  • If you paired a normal green budgie to a blue you would not bred any blue ones unless both parents carried
    the     blue recessive gene. 

  • A recessive mutation cannot be split, an example of this is your normal blue Budgie or Ring-necked parakeet.  

  • An example of a sex-linked mutation is your Lutino variety of Budgie, Ring necked Parakeet or Redrump,
    this also goes if you substitute Cinnamon for Lutino.  

  • If you paired a lutino cock bird, for example a Ringneck, to a green hen you would breed lutino hens and
    green cock birds split for lutino, these young could be sexed in the nest as the lutino chicks would have red eyes. The same goes for the cinnamon mutation,     don’t forget hens cannot be split for a sex-linked mutation.    
             

  • One problem does arise as some varieties of birds have different Genetic make-ups. 
    An example of this is your Celestial Parrotlet, as the Lutino variety in this species is a recessive mutation
    and not sex linked like a budgie.

    • Both sexes of normal coloured birds in a recessive mutation can be splits.  

  • A compound mutation for an example is a normal,  cinnamon pearl,  pied cockatiel, this colour of bird is normal back ground colour (dominant) cinnamon and pearl (sex linked) and pied (recessive).

     

  • I hope this article may make sense to you as Xmas is now approaching there is an excellent book on the subject called A GUIDE TO COLOUR MUTATIONS 7 GENETICS IN PARROTS available from Hampshire Books who advertise in Cage Birds.

    • This book has nearly 300 pages with many coloured pictures some of the birds displayed, we actually saw on our last trip to Holland in September, in the aviaries of J Postema

       

  • If any of you are stuck or need help please do not hesitate 
       to contact me on         01228 541 497
       or email me at       alan@apennington5.wanadoo.co.uk

 

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