The difference between pastel vs dilute lovebirds

Answering a question from a reader about the knowledge of the difference between pastel and dilute lovebird mutations.

Given the limited characters in the comment section, I made this article so that everyone can read it. In genetic theory, pastel is a mutation that reduces melanin to 50%.

Dilute is a mutation that has a reduction between 80% and 90%.In some cases, the phenotype between reduced and diluted is quite difficult to distinguish. It becomes even more difficult when multiple combinations of mutations are present in a single bird.

Table of Contents

Like pastel euwing or dilute euwing. And it is even more complicated if it combines pastel and dilute in one individual.

Pastel colors will look tighter in color, whereas dilute colors are softer and more fluorescent. You can look up what I mean by fluorescent colors so that our understanding is the same.

Dilute will show many sparkles compared to pastel, which tends to be duller even in the same color, e.g., dilute blue vs. pastel blue.

Pastel and dilute differences in Agapornis fischeri

I will outline a few sections on pastel and dilute differences with images as your guide. Sorry for the limited image sources, the colour difference in the rump feathers is just a description. So let's Learn about the different characteristics of dilute vs pastel, from body plumage color, mask, and tail to genetic inheritance.

Pastel and dilute differences in body feathers.

However, in the BVA, standard pastels should be evenly colored. But in the aviary, you will find pastels with dark or striped areas. More than one feather may be darker in color. Whereas with dilutes this is not the case, dilutes will always be soft and more evenly coloured.

There might be a few darker-colored feathers, but it still has a dilute feel. The fur on a dilute will also appear slightly shiny compared to a pastel. Some people call this color fluorescent.

The difference between pastel and dilute is the color of the flight feathers.

Dilute will have a paler and more even-flight feather color. There is no edge pattern on this part; it matches from tip to tip. In contrast, the flight feather colour in pastel will tend to be darker and can also be brighter if combined with DEC or NSLino.

The wing edge pattern characteristic of the wild type is also present in the pastel mutation, although it is subtle. Sometimes, the pastel wing feathers will be slightly wavy grey to white in the center area.

The pastel mutation will definitely have three versions, including a blue breast with a blue back and a blue breast with a white-dominated back. Unlike the dilute, it will produce an even color despite being very light.

The difference between pastel and dilute is the color of the rump feather.

Pastels will always have violet-colored rump fur like the wild type. This is because there is no reduction or minimal reduction in this area. So, if you compare wild type and pastel, there is no change in the rump coat area.

Meanwhile, in dilute, the color of the rump feathers will be slightly bluish. This difference will be apparent in the blue and parblue series dilute. The nigrigenis dilute, and lilianae dilute will also be somewhat bluish. Even the wild type matches the color of the back feathers. The combination of dilute and pastel is not recommended at all.

You will only end up with poor, hard-to-identify chicks. And certainly far from the standard that the community demands.