The Blue budgerigar mutation is one of approximately 30 mutations affecting the colour of budgerigars. It is part of the genetic constitution of the following recognised varieties: Skyblue, Cobalt, Mauve and Violet.
The Blue budgerigar mutation is one of approximately 30 mutations affecting the colour of budgerigars. It is part of the genetic constitution of the following recognised varieties: Skyblue, Cobalt, Mauve and Violet.
The Blue mutation changes the colour of the body feathers, which are light green in the wild-type, to skyblue and the colour of mask and other parts which are yellow in the wild-type, to white. In the domesticated bird this mutation changes the Light Green variety into the Skyblue variety, the Dark Green into the Cobalt and the Olive into the Mauve.
The green colouration of the wild budgerigar is due to the combined effect of a yellow pigment and an interference effect similar to that which gives colour to petrol on water, which in the budgerigar produces a blue colouration. Yellow pigment is present in the outer layer (cortex) of the cells forming the barbs of all feathers of the wild budgerigar with the exception of the cheek patches, although it is very weak in the outermost flight feathers. The distribution of the yellow pigment is clearly shown in the Lutino. The Blue mutation totally inhibits the production of this yellow pigment, and as far as is known, it has no other effect.
The yellow pigment in young budgerigars is paler than in adults, which makes green budgerigars in nest feather appear duller and Lutinos appear paler. A brighter and stronger yellow colouration appears after the first moult.
| Variety | Pantone Code |
|---|---|
| Light Green | 375 |
| Skyblue | 310 |
| Cobalt | 2915 |
| Mauve | 535 |
| Violet | 2727 |
Parrot feathers contain red, orange, and yellow polyene pigments called psittacofulvins. Genome-wide association mapping and gene-expression analysis mapped the Mendelian blue locus, which abolishes yellow pigmentation in the budgerigar. The blue trait maps to a single amino acid substitution (R644W) in an uncharacterized polyketide synthase (MuPKS) gene. When the MuPKS gene is expressed in yeast, yellow pigments accumulated. Mass spectrometry confirmed the yellow pigments matched those in feathers. The R644W substitution abolished MuPKS gene activity. Furthermore, gene-expression data from feathers of different bird species suggest that parrots acquired their colors through regulatory changes that drive high expression of the MuPKS gene in feather epithelia. This formulates biochemical models that explain natural color variation in parrots. [1]
The Blue mutation provides a widely accepted division of domesticated budgerigars into two colour classes: the "Green series" and the "Blue series". Birds of the Green series exhibit yellow pigmentation, while birds of the Blue series lack yellow pigmentation. These names can be misleading, since some birds belonging to the Blue series, such as Albinos, are not blue; similarly, Lutinos belong to the Green series, yet are not green.
In combination with the Dark budgerigar mutation the body feathers become deeper shades of blue. A blue budgerigar with a single Dark factor is called a Cobalt, and one with two Dark factors a Mauve. The World Budgerigar Organization has established precise standards for budgerigar body colours using the Pantone Codes, as shown to the right.
The Blue mutation [2] made its first recorded appearance in 1878 [3] in the aviaries of M Limbosch [4] of Uccle, a suburb of Brussels, but this strain died out, it is believed, in 1881. Blues appeared independently in the Netherlands between 1881 and 1885, and a Mr Pauwels of Everberg, near Brussels, reintroduced them to Belgium from this Dutch strain. [3]
The first Blues to be seen in England were some exhibited by Messrs Millsum and Pauwels at the Horticultural Hall in 1910 and the Crystal Palace in 1911. [3] Mr D Astley owned Blues in 1911, [5] and it is recorded that C Pelham Sutton of Putney bred a Blue in 1912. [3]
Blues remained quite rare until the 1930s, fetching up to £100 per pair in Japan around 1928, about the cost of a car at the time.
The Blue mutation is recessive to its wild-type allele, so a bird possessing a single Blue allele (the heterozygote) is identical in appearance to the wild-type light green. That is, the presence of a single wild-type allele is sufficient to permit the full production of the yellow psittacin pigment. Among the budgerigar fancy such a bird is said to be a Light Green split blue, usually written Light Green/blue. In a bird which has two Blue alleles (the homozygote), the lack of the wild-type allele means the yellow pigment can no longer be produced, and so the body colour is blue—the Skyblue.
The locus of the Blue gene is situated on one of the autosomal chromosomes. The Yellowface Blue I mutation, the Yellowface II mutation form an autosomal co-dominant series of alleles with the Blue mutation. [6] [7]
The loci of the Dark budgerigar mutation and the Blue allelic series are situated on the same autosome, so the Dark mutation is linked to the Blue allelic series (see genetic linkage). The cross-over value (COV) or recombination frequency between the Dark and Blue loci is commonly stated to be about 14%, [8] but some experiments have found much smaller values (see Genetics in the Dark budgerigar mutation).
The science of budgerigar color genetics deals with the heredity of mutations which cause color variation in the feathers of the species known scientifically as Melopsittacus undulatus. Birds of this species are commonly known by the terms 'budgerigar', or informally just 'budgie'.
The Recessive Pied budgerigar mutation is one of approximately 30 mutations affecting the colour of budgerigars. It is the underlying mutation of the Danish Pied variety, aka Harlequin. It is believed by Inte Onsman of MUTAVI to be the same mutation as the Anti-dimorphic Pied found in some parrots. The Dark-eyed Clear variety results when the Recessive Pied and Clearflight Pied characters are combined.
The science of cockatiel colour genetics deals with the heredity of colour variation in the feathers of cockatiels, Nymphicus hollandicus. Colour mutations are a natural but very rare phenomenon that occur in either captivity or the wild. About fifteen primary colour mutations have been established in the species which enable the production of many different combinations. Note that this article is heavily based on the captive or companion cockatiel rather than the wild cockatiel species.
The Dark budgerigar mutation is one of approximately 30 mutations affecting the colour of budgerigars. It is part of the genetic constitution of the following recognised varieties: Dark Green and Olive in the green series and Cobalt, Mauve and Violet in the blue series.
The Yellowface I budgerigar mutation is one of approximately 30 mutations affecting the colour of budgerigars.
The Yellowface II budgerigar mutation is one of approximately 30 mutations affecting the colour of budgerigars. In combination with the Blue, Opaline and Clearwing mutations, the single factor Yellowface II mutation produces the variety called Rainbow.
The Dominant Grey budgerigar mutation, often called the Australian Grey or simply Grey, is one of approximately 30 mutations affecting the colour of budgerigars. It is the basis of the Grey-Green and Grey standard varieties.
The violet budgerigar mutation is one of approximately 30 mutations affecting the colour of budgerigars. It is one of the constituent mutations of the violet variety.
The Dilute budgerigar mutation is one of approximately 30 mutations affecting the colour of budgerigars. It is one of the constituent mutations of several recognised varieties: the Light, Dark, Olive, Grey and Suffused Yellows and the Grey and Suffused Whites.
The Clearwing budgerigar mutation is one of approximately 30 mutations affecting the colour of budgerigars. It is the underlying mutation of the Clearwing variety, often known as Yellowwings in the green series and Whitewings in the blue series. When combined with the Greywing mutation the variety is known as the Full-bodied Greywing. When combined with the Yellowface II and Opaline mutations the Rainbow variety is produced.
The Opaline budgerigar mutation is one of approximately 30 mutations affecting the colour or appearance of budgerigars. It is the underlying mutation of the Opaline variety. When combined with the Yellowface II and Clearwing mutations the Rainbow variety is produced.
The Ino budgerigar mutation is one of approximately 30 mutations affecting the colour of budgerigars. It is the underlying mutation of the Albino and Lutino varieties and, with Cinnamon, a constituent mutation of the Lacewing variety.
The Slate budgerigar mutation is one of approximately 30 mutations affecting the colour of budgerigars. It is the underlying mutation of the Slate variety.
The Dominant Clearbody budgerigar mutation is one of approximately 30 mutations affecting the colour of budgerigars. It is the underlying mutation of the Easley Clearbody variety.
The German Fallow budgerigar mutation is one of approximately 30 mutations affecting the colour of budgerigars. At least three types of Fallow, the German, English, and Scottish, all named after their country of origin, have been established, although none of these types is common. They are superficially similar, but adult birds may be distinguished by examining the eye. All have red eyes, but the German Fallow shows the usual white iris ring, the eye of the English Fallow is a solid red with a barely discernible iris and the iris of the Scottish Fallow is pink.
The English Fallow budgerigar mutation is one of approximately 30 mutations affecting the colour of budgerigars. At least three types of Fallow, the German, English and Scottish, all named after their country of origin, have been established, although none of these types is common. They are superficially similar, but adult birds may be distinguished by examining the eye. All have red eyes, but the German Fallow shows the usual white iris ring, the eye of the English Fallow is a solid red with a barely discernible iris and the iris of the Scottish Fallow is pink.
The English Grey budgerigar mutation is one of approximately 30 mutations affecting the colour of budgerigars. It appeared briefly in the 1930s but was lost shortly after and until recently was believed to be no longer extant. However, the appearance of the anthracite budgerigar mutation in 1998 with a seemingly identical appearance and identical genetic behaviour, insofar as can now be determined, suggests the mutation may have been regained.
The Anthracite budgerigar mutation is an extremely rare mutation that occurs in the budgerigar. The mutation, similar to the Violet budgerigar mutation, causes a difference in the coloring of budgerigars. Anthracites have black or very dark gray feathers, possibly with some white depending on the budgerigar in particular. The mutation is believed to have started in Germany, and tends to be local to that area. Currently, most owners wishing to obtain an Anthracite need to import these budgerigars from Germany.
The Clearflight Pied budgerigar mutation is one of approximately 30 mutations affecting the colour of budgerigars. It is the underlying mutation of the Continental Clearflight and Dutch Pied varieties. The Dark-eyed Clear variety results when the Recessive Pied and Clearflight Pied characters are combined.
The Australian Pied budgerigar mutation is one of approximately 30 mutations affecting the colour of budgerigars. It is the underlying mutation of the Banded Pied variety.