More in depth article for Peach Face Lovebird Genetics
If you read my previous page, this is a more in depth discussion on the genetics and mutations of the Peach Face Lovebird.
A true blue peach face lovebird does not exist, like it does in the eye-ring species of lovebirds. The Blue lovebirds in the Peach face species are more Aqua & the red face is greatly reduced leaving a creamy bib with a small band over the forehead, which is an apricot peach color. When they are babies their heads will be grey, at around three (3) months of age though they start molting and the grey fades away and the apricot color becomes more visible.
There are many types of mutations in the Peach Face species, they're actually right up there with the Budgies (aka Parakeets) when it comes to the amount of mutations they can have. I will go through these mutations below, on my previous page about mutations are some pictures with a description so I won't post pictures with this article.
Lutino: This is a Sex-Linked Mutation. Lutino removes all the dark pigment from the bird, leaving them with a bright yellow body, white (clear) flight feathers, a white rump, dark red face, and red eyes. as babies they do not get the dark 'baby' beak of other mutations.
Pallid: Also known as Australian Cinnamon, however that term is confusing since it actually has no cinnamon at all. This mutation is sex-linked. Pallid has a very pale yellow to green body, it is slightly darker than a Lutino, yet lighter than an American Cinnamon(aka cinnamon). Pallid babies are born with plum colored eyes , that darken as they get older , usually by 3-4 days old. The Pallid babies do get the dark "Baby" beak, however, it is not black, it is a more of a tan color, it is very noticeable though, so it's not too light that it blends in with the beak.
Lacewing: This mutation is Sex-linked. This mutation happens when a rare cross over which only has a 3% chance of occurring takes place. It happens when two(2) sex linked mutations are combined. Since both mutations occur on the sex determining chromosome, a female can only carry one(1) of the mutations at a time.
Though occasionally the rare genetic crossover will occur when the male bird carries one(1) of each of the sex-linked mutations.
Such as the Lutino & American Cinnamon(aka Cinnamon), or the Pallid(aka Australian Cinnamon) & the American Cinnamon. Lacewings have red eyes like the Lutino. Even though the name Lacewing would make one think the bird would have lacing, or edging on the wings they actually do not. Lacewings have light cinnamon colored flight feathers, a light blue rump, and cinnamon stripes across the tail feathers. The rest of the body appears to be Lutino, including the red eyes.
Though occasionally the rare genetic crossover will occur when the male bird carries one(1) of each of the sex-linked mutations.
Such as the Lutino & American Cinnamon(aka Cinnamon), or the Pallid(aka Australian Cinnamon) & the American Cinnamon. Lacewings have red eyes like the Lutino. Even though the name Lacewing would make one think the bird would have lacing, or edging on the wings they actually do not. Lacewings have light cinnamon colored flight feathers, a light blue rump, and cinnamon stripes across the tail feathers. The rest of the body appears to be Lutino, including the red eyes.
Opaline: This is a Sex-Linked mutation. Opaline have a complete read head, their tail feathers are red to orange, they have a lighter brighter body color, when they hatch they have thick yellow down.
Orange- Face: This mutation is recessive. Orange-Face is a newer mutation appearing for the first time in the late 80's. The Orange-Face causes a reduction in the red caratenoid pigmentation which causes the normal red face to be orange instead. It also causes the body color to lighten up slightly.
Since Orange-Face is a recessive gene in order to have any offspring that are visually Orange-Face both parent birds need to have the Orange-Face gene. Also since this is a recessive gene, either gender can be split to it. To get Orange-Face visually there is at least 3 ways to achieve this, the easiest way to accomplish this is if you had two(2) Orange- Face parent birds, this would produce 100% Orange-Face offspring.
The second way to achieve this would be to have one parent bird a visual orange face and one parent bird split to orange face, this would then give you about 50% Orange-Face offspring, and 50% non Orange-Face offspring But the non Orange-Face offspring would all be split to Orange- Face. The third way to achieve this is if both parent birds are split to Orange-Face, this would give you about some Visual Orange-Face offspring, some non Orange-Face offspring, and some that are non Orange-Face but are split to it. You would not know who is split to it though without test breeding to a Visual or another proven split to Orange- Face mate.
Since Orange-Face is a recessive gene in order to have any offspring that are visually Orange-Face both parent birds need to have the Orange-Face gene. Also since this is a recessive gene, either gender can be split to it. To get Orange-Face visually there is at least 3 ways to achieve this, the easiest way to accomplish this is if you had two(2) Orange- Face parent birds, this would produce 100% Orange-Face offspring.
The second way to achieve this would be to have one parent bird a visual orange face and one parent bird split to orange face, this would then give you about 50% Orange-Face offspring, and 50% non Orange-Face offspring But the non Orange-Face offspring would all be split to Orange- Face. The third way to achieve this is if both parent birds are split to Orange-Face, this would give you about some Visual Orange-Face offspring, some non Orange-Face offspring, and some that are non Orange-Face but are split to it. You would not know who is split to it though without test breeding to a Visual or another proven split to Orange- Face mate.
Fallow: This is a recessive mutation. Fallow is still rather rare in the United States, it is often confused for a Pallid (aka Australian Cinnamon). Since the rump of the Fallow is also blue, though the give away is the eyes of a Fallow as they are red, like a Lutino, also they have white(Clear) flight feathers just like the Lutino.
Since this is a recessive mutation, both parent birds need to have the gene to create any visual offspring, again this can be done with either both parents being visual Fallow, one parent being visual and one being split to Fallow, or both parents being split to Fallow. And since both the Pallid and Lutino are sex linked, this is another way to tell if your bird is a Fallow.
Since this is a recessive mutation, both parent birds need to have the gene to create any visual offspring, again this can be done with either both parents being visual Fallow, one parent being visual and one being split to Fallow, or both parents being split to Fallow. And since both the Pallid and Lutino are sex linked, this is another way to tell if your bird is a Fallow.
American Yellow (Dilute): This is a recessive mutation. This is one of the older mutations among the peach face lovebird species. It was first known in the late 60's they were imported by David West and all of the American Yellow's we have today are decedents of those birds.
American Yellow reduces the melanin throughout the bird, which results in a yellow bird with a very pale blue rump, which can vary from a slight blue to an almost white rump. Often times they will have dark edging to the feathers, that give a vague sculptured look.
American Yellow is often times mislabeled due to so many names it has been called which included " Golden Cherry", "Cherry Head", "Dilute Edged Yellow", and "Green Pastel" to name a few. American Yellow is not a very popular mutation, as most people, breeders included are more into the Lutino mutation, due to it being a brighter colored bird. If the American Yellow is combined with the Dutch Blue they are called "Silver", or "American White", they are pale grey in color with the characteristic edging on the feathers, with a slightly blue to grey rump, they have the same face as the Dutch Blue.
American Yellow reduces the melanin throughout the bird, which results in a yellow bird with a very pale blue rump, which can vary from a slight blue to an almost white rump. Often times they will have dark edging to the feathers, that give a vague sculptured look.
American Yellow is often times mislabeled due to so many names it has been called which included " Golden Cherry", "Cherry Head", "Dilute Edged Yellow", and "Green Pastel" to name a few. American Yellow is not a very popular mutation, as most people, breeders included are more into the Lutino mutation, due to it being a brighter colored bird. If the American Yellow is combined with the Dutch Blue they are called "Silver", or "American White", they are pale grey in color with the characteristic edging on the feathers, with a slightly blue to grey rump, they have the same face as the Dutch Blue.
Dark Factor: This is Semi-Dominant (aka Partial Dominant) and not an actual Mutation.
Dark Factor is more of a color adding factor of sorts. It is partially dominant so only one(1) parent needs to carry this, to get any offspring, when only one(1) parent carries it is then called Single Dark Factor, if both parents carry it, it is then called Double Dark Factor. The Double dark factor looks a lot different than a single dark factor does.
This "mutation" does not effect the birds feather pigment at all though. It works the feather structure allowing more light in, and making the feathers appear darker.
On most Peach Face Lovebirds it is easy to detect if the bird is a single factor, double factor, or has no dark factor at all. To accomplish this we examine the birds rump. If the bird has no dark factor the rump will be a bright turquoise blue color, while on a single factor dark the rump will be a dark royal blue to a navy blue color, and on a double dark factor bird the rump is extremely dark it will be grey. The dark factor can be combined with all the mutations the Peach Face Lovebirds have, this is including Lutino, however, like I've stated before Lutino masks all other mutations so without test breeding you wouldn't know if your Lutino had a dark factor or not.
Dark Factor is more of a color adding factor of sorts. It is partially dominant so only one(1) parent needs to carry this, to get any offspring, when only one(1) parent carries it is then called Single Dark Factor, if both parents carry it, it is then called Double Dark Factor. The Double dark factor looks a lot different than a single dark factor does.
This "mutation" does not effect the birds feather pigment at all though. It works the feather structure allowing more light in, and making the feathers appear darker.
On most Peach Face Lovebirds it is easy to detect if the bird is a single factor, double factor, or has no dark factor at all. To accomplish this we examine the birds rump. If the bird has no dark factor the rump will be a bright turquoise blue color, while on a single factor dark the rump will be a dark royal blue to a navy blue color, and on a double dark factor bird the rump is extremely dark it will be grey. The dark factor can be combined with all the mutations the Peach Face Lovebirds have, this is including Lutino, however, like I've stated before Lutino masks all other mutations so without test breeding you wouldn't know if your Lutino had a dark factor or not.
Violet: This mutation was developed in the late 80's in Denmark. It is Semi-Dominant. When the Violet Factor is present there is a strong violet suffusion throughout the body of the bird, the rump color shifts from the turquoise blue of a non violet mutation to a vivid purple.
Since it is semi-dominant , only one(1) parent needs to carry the gene, and like the dark factor above, Violet also has single factor and double factor. This works the same way if one (1) parent is a Single Factor Violet , some babies will be non violet, some will be Single Factor, If both parents are Single Factor Violet then you will get some that have no violet, some single factor violet, and some double factor violet; If one(1) parent is a double factor and the other has no violet, you will get 100% single factor violets. If one(1) parent is a Double factor and one(1) is a single factor you get 50% single factor and 50% double factor.
Since it is semi-dominant , only one(1) parent needs to carry the gene, and like the dark factor above, Violet also has single factor and double factor. This works the same way if one (1) parent is a Single Factor Violet , some babies will be non violet, some will be Single Factor, If both parents are Single Factor Violet then you will get some that have no violet, some single factor violet, and some double factor violet; If one(1) parent is a double factor and the other has no violet, you will get 100% single factor violets. If one(1) parent is a Double factor and one(1) is a single factor you get 50% single factor and 50% double factor.
Pied: Technical name is American Pied, this pied is dominant. The pied gene removes the melanin from selected parts of the feathers, which will then either make them yellow or a lighter shade of green than the normal green lovebird.
No two pied are the same, think of them like they were a snow flake. Some can be almost all yellow similar to a Lutino, while some can be all green similar to the normal green lovebird. however, most show both yellow & green splotches of sorts.
Since the American Pied (pied) is a dominant gene, only one(1) parent needs to carry the gene, and it will be visual because a bird can not be split to any dominant gene. If both of your parent birds look non-pied but you end up with some pied babies, then one of your parent birds is in fact a Pied. The best way to figure out which one it is, is by test breeding, this means to put both parents to different mates, mates that you know 100% for sure are not pied, then which ever clutch gives you pied that is the one that is visually a pied, even if he or she doesn't resemble a pied lovebird.
You can have pied in any of the mutations that are out there for the peach face lovebirds, this includes Lutino, but you wouldn't know the Lutino is a pied unless you bred it to a for sure non pied, and got pied babies. Because the Lutino gene masks other mutations, so it's not noticeable on a Lutino.
No two pied are the same, think of them like they were a snow flake. Some can be almost all yellow similar to a Lutino, while some can be all green similar to the normal green lovebird. however, most show both yellow & green splotches of sorts.
Since the American Pied (pied) is a dominant gene, only one(1) parent needs to carry the gene, and it will be visual because a bird can not be split to any dominant gene. If both of your parent birds look non-pied but you end up with some pied babies, then one of your parent birds is in fact a Pied. The best way to figure out which one it is, is by test breeding, this means to put both parents to different mates, mates that you know 100% for sure are not pied, then which ever clutch gives you pied that is the one that is visually a pied, even if he or she doesn't resemble a pied lovebird.
You can have pied in any of the mutations that are out there for the peach face lovebirds, this includes Lutino, but you wouldn't know the Lutino is a pied unless you bred it to a for sure non pied, and got pied babies. Because the Lutino gene masks other mutations, so it's not noticeable on a Lutino.
* Side - notes*
Co-Dominant (aka Partial dominant) works similar to Dominant, where as only one parent needs to carry the gene to give it to their offspring. When that happens with a Co-Dominant gene it's known as Single Factor, when both parents have the co-dominant gene it is known as Double Factor.
Sex-Linked genes are a bit more complicated, since these are recessive genes and are carried on the genetic chromosome that also determines the sex of the bird. Birds genes are the opposite of mammals in birds the female is who determines the sex of the offspring. Normal sex testing such as DNA, or Surgical Sexing, typically doesn't need done on a sex-linked mutation, if only the male bird had the sex-linked mutation then any visual offspring he produces will be female. If only the female carries the Sex-Linked gene there will be no visual of the mutation in the offspring, but all the males will be split for it.
However, If both parents carry the Sex-linked gene then you will get offspring that are both males and females visual of the Sex-Linked mutation.
Sex-Linked genes are a bit more complicated, since these are recessive genes and are carried on the genetic chromosome that also determines the sex of the bird. Birds genes are the opposite of mammals in birds the female is who determines the sex of the offspring. Normal sex testing such as DNA, or Surgical Sexing, typically doesn't need done on a sex-linked mutation, if only the male bird had the sex-linked mutation then any visual offspring he produces will be female. If only the female carries the Sex-Linked gene there will be no visual of the mutation in the offspring, but all the males will be split for it.
However, If both parents carry the Sex-linked gene then you will get offspring that are both males and females visual of the Sex-Linked mutation.
Red-Suffusion Firstly this is not genetically inherited, Red Suffusion is considered a "color changer" and may be referred to as a "red pied", it is not a true mutation though.
Red Suffusion has not yet been recreated through breeding. Red Suffusion usually appears as red spots, most think it is caused by a poor diet, or even liver problems while the feathers were being developed .
Red Suffusion is typically seen in young birds before they have had there first molt, it has also been seen in very old birds.
Red Suffusion has not yet been recreated through breeding. Red Suffusion usually appears as red spots, most think it is caused by a poor diet, or even liver problems while the feathers were being developed .
Red Suffusion is typically seen in young birds before they have had there first molt, it has also been seen in very old birds.