I also explain how the various mutations are inherited, which is a complete guide to learning. To date, mutations in lovebirds have evolved a lot over the years, and new mutations are being discovered worldwide by consistent and organized breeders.
Table of Contents
Geneticists with proper technology and knowledge will then study the mutation to determine whether it is a mutation or just a modification. This is an update of an article I wrote in 2018 because it may no longer be relevant this year.
Lovebird mutation group
It takes a long time to research how this suspected mutation reproduces, how it is inherited, and what alleles affect one phenotype of this suspected mutation. Until all these conjectures are consistently inherited, they can be included in the mutation group that I will describe in the following article.
Lovebirds mutation group based on melanin pigment
Melanin mutations in lovebirds (Agapornis) generally refer to genetic changes that affect the production, distribution, or type of melanin in bird feathers. Melanin is the pigment responsible for dark colors in bird feathers, such as black, brown, and gray. Melanin mutations can produce various unique colors and patterns in lovebirds. Here is a group of lovebird mutations that refer to melanin changes:Mutation Melanin Reduction
The Dilute mutation reduces the melanin in the coat evenly, making the color brighter. For further explanation, you can read my article discussing the characteristics of the dilute lovebird mutation I published previously.Pale Fallow mutation Reduces melanin significantly, resulting in a very light coat color, such as pale yellow. The main feature of this mutation is pink eye color due to partial loss of melanin in the eyes. Similarly, the Dun Fallow, Bronze Fallow, Pale, Pallid, and Faded lovebirds have varying characteristics and levels of melanin reduction but remain in the same category.
Melanin Elimination Mutations
The albino mutation removes all melanin from the plumage, resulting in a white bird with red eyes. This is the most extreme mutation regarding melanin removal, while the Lutino mutation removes melanin in green feathers, resulting in bright yellow birds with red eyes. These melanin-removing alleles are also similar in the NSLino aqua and NSLino Yellowface lovebird mutations.Melanin and Pigment Interaction mutations
Pastel Mutations Reduce melanin and other pigments, resulting in softer coat colors. For example, a paler, less intense coat color. This allele also influences the phenotypes of DEC(dark eye clear), pastelino, DECino, and combinations at the "a" locus. Young hobbyists will be confused when distinguishing between pastel and dilute as these phenotypes are similar.Partial Melanin Reduction Lovebirds
Dominant edge mutation reduces melanin at the feather edge only, giving a lighter color effect in the center and darker at the feather edge. This allele also affects the phenotype of the recently discovered SL-dominant greywing. The Misty mutation causes a decrease in melanin, resulting in a misty effect in the plumage color, making it appear more faded than normal birds.Eumelanin Wing lovebirds mutation
Euwing (eumelanin wing) is the effect of a melanin mutation that causes eumelanin to be concentrated in the feathers of the wing area. This has the effect of forming a "V" pattern on the mantle area.Leucism Lovebirds mutations
Dominant pied is one example of a leucism mutation, a genetic condition that causes partial or complete loss of
pigment in the feathers, resulting in their lighter appearance. In the dominant
pied, some random feathers are completely white for the blue series and yellow for the green series. While in
par blue and Aqua, the absence of melanin results in some cream-colored feathers.
This allele also affects
the recessive pied mutation. Although still in the leucism category, the effects shown are slightly different and more
evenly distributed, not random as in the dominant pied. Although the mode of inheritance is unpredictable, mottle pied
is also in the leucism mutation category, and the reduction pattern is also random, as in dominant pied, but seems
modified.
Lovebirds mutation group based on Psittacine pigment
Psittacine is a pigment or dye responsible for the appearance of red, yellow, and a combination of both colors. Sometimes, there is also an imbalance in one particular pigment color that has a different effect from previously discovered mutations.Psittacine is a unique coloring pigment because psittacine pigments only exist in parrots. The name psittacin itself is taken from one type of parrot, Psittacidae. Psittacine only affects the color of the feathers and does not affect the color of the beak, feet, and eyes. To date, there are only two types in this category.
Complete psittacine reduction (CPR Mutation)
The Psittacine pigment cognate mutation group includes blue1, formerly called "blue", and blue2, formerly called "broken parblue". Both phenotypes completely reduce the yellow Psittacine, resuPsittacinelue on the body feathers, and white on the mask.Partial psittacine reduction (PPR Mutation)
In addition to these two mutations, some parblues used to be called "American parblue", Aqua, sapphire, and yellowface. The difference is in the reduction intensity factor. So, the yellow and red pigments are not totally reduced as in blue1 and blue2 but only partially. So that it appears on the phenotype cream. The mask feathers also still have traces of Psittacine, so the thPsittacinenge is yellow.
Lovebirds mutation group based on feather structure
This group of mutations affects structural changes in the barbs and modules. So coat structure mutations do not directly affect melanin Psittacine; these Psittacine only change the structure by widening or narrowing the barb zone. The phenotypes affected by coat structure are the Dark Factor, Violet Factor, and Slaty alleles.Lovebirds mutation group based on pigment distribution
These alleles redistribute pigment throughout the coat, both melanin and psittacine pigments. The only phenotype affected by this mutation is Opaline.Lovebird Mutation Chart by mode of inheritance
Inheritance traits in lovebirds refer to how certain genetics are passed on from one parent to the next generation. Understanding this inheritance is crucial for breeders who want to produce lovebirds with planned colors and mutations. The inheritance of color mutations in lovebirds can be grouped into several categories:Autosomal Dominant lovebird mutation
Autosomal dominant inheritance refers to a pattern of inheritance where a certain color or trait mutation in lovebirds is enough with one dominant gene inherited from one of the parents to manifest the characteristic in the offspring.So, you only need one mutation factor in the lovebird
pair to get the mutation as intended. Pairs that have an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance include:
Dominant piedDominant yellowDominant
reduceSlaty
Autosomal Recessive lovebird mutation
Autosomal recessive is a mode of inheritance in which a mutation or trait will only appear and be observable if a lovebird inherits two identical copies of the mutated allele, one from each parent. The trait will not appear if the lovebird has only one copy of the mutated gene; in this case, the bird is referred to as a carrier in the lovebird, more commonly said (split).So, if you plan to get the mutated phenotype in
the first generation (F1), then both parents must have identical alleles. If you are working with (split) birds, there
will be a cross back with the mutated allele parent. Siblings with autosomal recessive mode of inheritance include
:
BlueBlue1blue2Blue1blue2AquaTurquoiseYellowfaceTealNSL inoPastelDEC-Dark Eye
ClearBronze fallowPale fallowDun fallowFadedDiluteMarbledDM jadeRecessive pied
Autosomal Incomplete dominant lovebird mutation
(incomplete dominance) In lovebirds, it is a mode of inheritance in which certain traits or mutations of lovebirds that have a single copy of a single-factor mutated gene (heterozygotes) display characteristics that are a mixture or transition between two traits.In other words, lovebirds that are heterozygous (sf) for this mutation will show a different appearance from lovebirds that are homozygous (df) dominant (two copies of the normal gene) and homozygous recessive (two copies of the mutated gene).
So, you only need one mutated parent in the lovebird pair, and the F1 will have a mutation similar to that of the mutated parent. In the dominant incomplete mutation group are :
Orangeace RoseicollisPale headed-RoseicollisDarkfactorVioletGrey factor-RoseicollisMistyDominant edgedEuwing
Sex-linked recessive lovebird mutation
In lovebird genetics (Agapornis), a sex-linked recessive mutation is a mutation that is bound to the sex chromosome and is recessive. This means the mutation gene is located on the X chromosome, and its recessive nature makes it invisible except under certain circumstances.To express a recessive mutation, a male must inherit the recessive gene from both parents (one from each Z). If the male carries only one recessive gene on one Z chromosome, the mutation will not be visible as it will be masked by the dominant gene on the other Z chromosome.
Females have only one Z chromosome, so if that Z chromosome carries a recessive gene, the mutation will be immediately visible, as there is no other Z chromosome to cover the gene. Mutations that belong to the recessive sex-linked group are:
Cinnamon-RoseicollisSL inoPalePallidPlatinumPearlyOpalineYellow cheekSlatePewterSL DOminant Greywing-sex-linked incomplete dominant
Multi-factor lovebird mutation
This is a class of mutations whose actual mode of inheritance cannot be predicted or planned, hence the multi-factorial category. Mottle is one of them. This mutation usually occurs periodically or progressively and has a pattern like dominant pied. The second is Crested; this mutation has a crested effect on the coat of the back of the head.Thus, the complete guide article on lovebird mutation and breeding that I can write will hopefully be useful and inspiring, allowing us to become more selective when planning the breeding of lovebirds in the future.