Color Mutations
Mutation Dominance
* (If you see a green star next to a color mutation it means I breed that specific color mutation.)
Dominant Mutations:
Green: There are three types of green budgies light green, dark green and olive green. Depending on how many dark factors a bird has depends on what shade your bird will.
Clear flight pied: Clear flight pied birds have clear flight feathers. Sometimes the second row of feathers will be clear as well. Some birds can also have small patched of clear body feathers around their neck and a spot on the back of their head.
Dominant pied: There are two types of dominant pied. There is single and double factor dominant pied. Single factor dominant pied birds have a band of clear feather on the bottom of their wings. This band can be small only the flight feathers or can take up 70% of the wing. single factors also have a band of clear feathers along their bellies. This line can be very thin and broken up or can take up more of the belly. Now double factor dominant pied birds have almost no patterning on them at all. They may have a couple spots on their wings or no patterning at all. They also have a small patch of body color on their back and belly. All dominant pieds develop light irises when they mature. this is a sure way to tell a dominant pied from a recessive pied.
Spangle: There are two types of spangle single and double factor spangle. Single factor spangle is when the pattern on the wings is reversed. The pattern of a spangle birds wing feathers are mostly clear with a small stripe of black on the edge of the feather. Opposed to the normal large black stripe and a small clear stripe on the edge. Spangles body color can also spread into the neck as well. Double factor dominant pieds have all clear feathers and are either white or yellow depending on their base color. Spanlges irises lighten when they mature.
Yellow face: There are two types of yellow face. Type 1 and type 2. In both types the yellow can be very bright yellow to a very soft yellow. Birds with type 1 yellow face have a yellow face. Sometimes this yellow spreads to the tail feather as well. The body color is normal and the yellow doesn't mix with the body color. Yellow face type 2 birds have a yellow face and tail just like the type 1 birds. But after a type 2 birds first molt their body feather develop a yellow tint to them. For example in a blue bird the body color would change to a sea foam green color.
Gold face: Gold face is when the yellow of a yellow face bird is very bright yellow. This mutation can be either yellow face type 1 or 2.
Grey factor: Grey factor is a color adding factor. This means it is a additive color. Grey factor is very strong overwhelming the original body color.
Dark Factor: Dark factor is a color adding factor. This means it is a additive color. A bird can either have 0 dark factors 1 dark factor or two dark factors. Dark factor basically darkens the body color. In blue budgies a bird with 0 dark factors is called sky blue. A blue bird with 1 dark factor is called cobalt. A bird with 2 dark factors is called mauve. A green bird with 0 dark factors is called light green. A green bird with 1 dark factor is called dark green. And a green bird with 2 dark factors is called olive.
Violet factor: Violet is a color adding factor. This means it is a additive color. Violet comes in either single factor or double factor. You might have a violet factor bird and not even know it. The true violet color only shows up with cobalt or sky blue white based budgies. It is very hard to tell if a yellow based bird has a violet factor. You may be able to detect the violet factor if you look at the vent of the bird. These feathers show off the most vibrant violet color. The body color of a bird with single factor violet will only a tingle of violet in their body feathers. A bird with double factor violet will be more violet than blue.
Anthracite: Anthracite birds have a black or very dark grey body color. The cheek patches are also a black or dark grey color. There are two types of anthracite single and double factor anthracite. A single factor anthracite will look like a bird with 1 dark factor, such as a dark green or cobalt bird. A double factor anthracite will have a black or very dark grey body color.
Recessive Mutations:
Blue: There are three type of blue skyblue, cobalt and mauve. Depending on how many dark factors a bird has depends on what shade your bird will.
Greywing (dominant over dilute): There are two types of grey wing. Regular grey wing and full body color grey wing. Regular grey wing budgies have grey markings on their head and wings instead of the normal black. their body color is also diluted about 50%. Full body color grey wings have grey markings on their head and wings as well. Their body color is bright and doesn't get diluted like the regular grey wings do.
Clearwing (dominant over dilute): Clear wing budgies have either no marking on their wings or very light grey markings on their wings. Their body color is bright.
Dilutes: Dilutes color is about 80% diluted all over. They have very light grey markings and very light body color.
Recessive pied: The wing feathers are normal at the bottom of the wing but at the top the feathers are either clear or half clear half black. A recessive pied bird can also have splotches of black stripes on their heads and face. They also have a splash of color on their backs and their belly. You can tell a recessive pied from other pied mutations by looking at their eyes. They don't have colored irises, meaning their
eyes are always black. Male recessive pieds ceres never change when they hit maturity. This makes it hard to tell a male from a female.
Fallow: Fallow budgies have brown markings on their head wings and tail. They also have pink eyes. Some have pink irises and some don't. Their body color is diluted at their head but gradually darkens. Their body color is more vibrant near the birds vent. Male fallows ceers never change as they mature and stay light purple or pink throughout the birds adult life. Female on the other hand do change to the normal tan as they age.
Saddleback: A saddleback budgie has grey marking on the neck and top of the wings. The grey gradually turns to black at the bottom of the wing. unlike an opaline bird the body color doesn't appear in the neck.
Black face: Black face budgies black stripes on the head extend all the way into the face and cheeks as well as the chest and back. The body color is darkened as well.
Sex-linked Mutations:
Opaline: A bird with an opaline mutation has a higher white ratio than black ratio on the feather of the neck. The bars look grey instead of black. Their body color usually runs through their wings as well. And if you look at their tail feathers the shaft of the feather is usually black and the feather is light.
Cinnamon: Cinnamon birds have brown markings on their head and wings instead of the normal black makings.
Opaline: A bird with an opaline mutation has a higher white ratio than black ratio on the feather of the neck. The bars look grey instead of black. Their body color usually runs through their wings as well. And if you look at their tail feathers the shaft of the feather is usually black and the feather is light.
Cinnamon: Cinnamon birds have brown markings on their head and wings instead of the normal black makings.
Lutino: Lutino budgies are all yellow with no markings except white or yellow cheek patches. Their eyes are red. Male lutinos ceres don't change to blue as they mature. Female lutinos ceres do change to the normal tan as they mature.
Albino: Albino budgies are all white they have no other markings at all. Their eyes are red. Male ceres don't change to blue as they mature. Female ceres do change to the normal tan as they mature.
Clearbody: clear body budgies have black markings on the top of their wings that fades to light grey at the tips of the wings. They also have diluted or clear body feathers. The diluted type have an even diluted body color as the other type has some body color near the vent and back. The dilution can be up to 50% but no higher than that.
Slate: Slate is a color adding factor. This means it is a additive color. Slate is a lot like a mix of grey and violet factors. This mutations only shows in blue birds. Making the body color a dark grey blue. Slate can be present on green birds as well but only shows up as a darkening affect.
Multiple Mutation Genes:
Rainbow: Rainbow is a mix of multiple mutations. To be a true rainbow a birds needs to show opaline, clear wing blue body color and yellow face type two.
Creamino: Is a mix of albino and either yellow face type 1 or type 2. They have red eyes like an albino but they have yellow on their head and body depending on what yellow face type they are mixed with. Male ceres don't change to blue as they mature. Female ceres do change to the normal tan as they mature.
Lacewing: Is a mix either albino or lutino and cinnamon. If you have mixed an albino and cinnamon the bird will have an all white body and light brown head and wing markings. If you mix lutino and cinnamon the bird will have yellow body color and light brown head and wing markings. In bothtypes the cheek patches show up violet. both also have red eyes. Male ceres don't change to blue as they mature. Female ceres do change to the normal tan as they mature.
Dark eyed clear: is a mix of recessive pied and clear flight pied. The bird is either all yellow or all white with no other color except for white cheek patches. Their eyes stay all black their irises never lighten. This is the only way you can tell a dark eyed clear from a double factor spangle who's irises lighten and a albino or lutino their eyes are red. Male ceres don't change to blue as they mature. Female ceres do change to the normal tan as they mature.
