Lovebird breeders may already understand transmutation, but young breeders may need help to understand what
transmutation is.
Long before lovebirds became the myriad of mutations they are today, they were just wild
birds with certain characteristics, for which lovebirds were divided into several sub-species.
All
have characteristic
color patterns based on their sub-species, but the outline is green feathers/wild type.
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As the lovebirds spent years in captivity, a generation emerged with a different coloration from both parents, called a mutation.
What is mutation?
Simply put, a mutation is a genetically or phenotypically distinctive change in an individual that can be directly
observed as a difference in certain traits from its ancestors. For example, you have a pair of green wild-type
lovebirds. In the process of breeding from this pair, blue chicks appear; this blue is called a mutation
bird.
In a broader sense, mutation is a change or variation in an organism's genetic material, which can
occur naturally or be caused by environmental or human factors. This genetic material can be in the form of DNA or
RNA. Mutations can take many forms, such as substitutions (replacement of one nitrogenous base by another), deletions
(deletion of one or more nitrogenous bases), or insertions (addition of one or more nitrogenous
bases).
Mutations can have varying effects on the organisms that experience them, ranging from no impact to
causing significant changes in the organism's physical traits or physiology. In evolution, mutations are a major
source of genetic variation that fuels natural selection in creating new species.
What is Transmutation in African lovebirds?
Simply put, transmutation in lovebirds is the process of moving a particular mutation from one subspecies to another.
For example, if the blue
mutation is native to the Agapornis personatus subspecies, then breeders want to bring it to Agapornis
fischeri.
The transmutation process is more complex than moving or mixing colors in a glass of water.
Transmutation in lovebirds requires a long process, planned crosses, and many generations until a mutation in
lovebirds is close to the characteristics of the targeted sub-species.
Suppose you want to transmute blue personatus to Agapornis fischeri. At the first stage, or F1, of course, you will
get a hybrid generation. F1 will have a mixed phenotype between Agapornis personatus and
fischeri.
Agapornis personatus has a characteristic black mask, while Agapornis fischeri has a distinct
orange mask, so it is not surprising if you find F1 lovebirds with a black mask color mixed with redness on the
forehead.
The blue mutation is autosomal recessive, so you won't get blue chicks in the first generation.
You will work with green lovebirds but with a blue pedigree or "split."
Inbreeding is required at this
second stage. From this hybrid green x hybrid green cross, you will know which characters will be stronger in the
second generation F2. But certainly, from this cross, you will get 50% blue lovebirds that you have to select with
characteristics closer to Fischeri.
The third stage is strengthening the agapornis fischeri bloodline in
the F2 hybrid blue lovebirds. You need to cross with green agapornis fischeri.
Or you can cross back with
the ancestor of this F2, and then you will work with blue split birds that are more directed toward Agapornis
fischeri.
The process of transmutation in lovebirds is complicated and long; it requires patience and
consistency to arrive at the goal of avoiding creating hybrids of lovebirds that will damage the next generation if in
the hands of irresponsible people.