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Recent ArticlesThe mutations of Agapornis personatus
(Masked Lovebird)
(Masked Lovebird)
There are many mutations of personatus, the most common is more than likely blue. This mutation shares the same noticable white eyering as the wildcolour green and has a deep, dark black mask. In the blue mutation we see that all psittacin has been removed from the plumage of the bird and it inherits recessively. The is predominantly a greenish-blue with a turquoise underside. The collar and upper breast is white. Feet and nails are not effected but the beak is no longer green, but now a pinky colour. The blue personatus has been identified in their native habitat and the first wild-caught blue masked lovebird was imported into England in 1927.
The pastel gene (also reffered to as 'dilute' in the US), a co-dominant mutation, then appeared giving us pastel greens and blues. NSL Ino (non-sex-linked ino) was transmutated from lilianae (the nyasa lovebird) to personatus, resulting in lutino’s (yellow) and albino’s (white). NSL ino inherits in a recessive manor also. Pastel is an multiple allele of NSL ino, meaning it's basically a modified version of the NSL ino muation, both are located on the same locus. Combinations of pastel and NSL ino result in a bird with a colour somewhere inbetween the 2 mutations, known as PastelIno.
Dark and violet factors came by due to changes in the internal structure of the feathers and are present in single and double dactor (SF and DF). In incomplete dominant there is a noticable difference beween birds in single and double factor. Both mutations are incomplete dominant, meaning only 1 parent needs the gene to produce young with 1 dark factor. If both parents have 1 dark factor gene each, then young with 2 dark factors can be produced. A green bird with 1 dark factors is refered to as D green and a green bird with 2 dark factors is refered to as a DD green. The same goes for the blue series. In violet, 1 violet factor is known as SF violet (single factor) and 2 violet factors are refered to as DF violet (double factor). Combined we talk of SF violet D green for example. Both inherit complete dominant, birds can never be split to dark or violet. They either have it and show, or they don't.
Some time in the late 80's (i think?) a fallow was discovered, in the USA and said to be bronze fallow. The mutation is weak and it's difficult to produce bronze fallow specimens, this is possibly why the mutation is so rare today.
Dominant pied and Dominant edged were transmuated from Fischeri (fischers). Dominant pied inherits dominant and although it comes in both single and double factor, there are no visual differences between the two. Dominant edged inherits incomplete dominant, and just like dark and violet factors, there is a visual difference between SF and DF.
DEC (dark eyed clear) also originated in fischeri and was transmutated to personatus. Not a common mutation yet so beautiful. Green DEC appear all yellow, with black black eyes, red beak, blue rump and grey nails and feet. In blue series the bird is completely white, with black eyes and a very light blue almost white rump. Some people call these white bulls. DEC is co-dominant and also a mutiple allele of NSL ino. When the 2 combine they produce a colour somewhere in between, just like PastelIno. These are known as DECIno. Pastel and DEC combined gives PastelDec young. Combinations of these should ideally be avoided in order to preserve the purity of the 2 mutations involved.
Slaty is another mutation transmutated from fischeri. At first there was confusion regarding this mutation, believed to be either grey or slate. Slate is a sex-linked mutation found in the Budgie, could this be the first sex-linked mutation to be found in the eyering species? It was not meant to be, research proved it to be neither of the 2 mutations, and the name Slaty was chosen tp set it apart. It inherits dominant and birds are found in single and double factor, with no visual difference between the 2.
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