Multi-colored parrot with a long tail. Parrot with a red beak. Factors and main colors

Birds of the parrot order cannot be confused with any other birds among other birds. The characteristic shape of the beak, bright plumage, and lively character distinguish representatives of the main families. The wide distribution of birds, the ability to communicate, and the ability to imitate sounds have made them very popular among pets.

Parrot names numerous. According to various classifications, ornithologists count 350-370 species in the families of parrots, cockatoos, Loriaceae, and Nesteraceae. Representatives of parrot-like individuals vary greatly in size, weight, body composition, color, but the lively intelligence of birds and external attractiveness are inherent in both majestic giants and miniature parrots. Studying different species reveals the extraordinary world of these birds.

Amazon

An ancient genus of parrots, known since the time of Columbus. Large birds up to 40 cm in length. They are attracted by their size, beautiful appearance, playfulness, and ability for meaningful communication. The predominant color of the plumage is green; there are species with bright spots on the tail, head, and wings. Peculiarities of color and habitat are reflected in the names of the varieties:

• blue-fronted;
• yellowneck;
• blue-cheeked;
• Venezuelan;
• Cuban and others.

Birds are known long-livers, having a lifespan of 50 to 70 years. In nature, they live in the Amazon basin, in the states.

They love the company of people. Keeping a pet requires mandatory education and training of the bird, which can be aggressive if it is not given time and is not occupied with toys and conversations.

Blue-fronted Amazon

Yellow-necked Amazon

Blue-cheeked Amazon

Venezuelan Amazon

Cuban Amazon parrot

Macaw

Parrots are larger than their relatives - some individuals grow up to 1 meter in length, although there are varieties 30-40 cm from the crown to the wedge-shaped tail. The plumage is dominated by bright colors, with rich green, red, blue, and yellow colors.

A characteristic species feature is in the non-feathered areas around the eyes and on the sides of the head.

The red-eared macaw is distinguished for its special ear for music. They perfectly imitate the sound of any instrument. They value different species of macaw parrots for the ability to participate in conversation. The vocabulary is inferior to its chatty relatives, but everything spoken is appropriate.

Birds, with sensitive paws, are good at detecting the approach of a person or animal by vibration. In the old days, parrots were kept as watchmen, screaming to alert the appearance of strangers.

Macaws are excellent fliers, covering a distance of 500 miles per day in search of food. The wings in flight look like huge multi-colored fans. Domesticated individuals are very attached to humans.

Soldier's Macaw

Green-winged macaw

Chestnut-fronted macaw

Blue and yellow macaw

Hyacinth macaw

Aratinga

Miniature parrots, approximately 20-30 cm long, with a cheerful and friendly character. In the home environment, they are called “sticky birds”; they are loved for their vivid emotions in communicating with birds and appreciate the ease of caring for them.

White-eyed, sunny, golden varieties captivate with the bright colors of their plumage. The only drawback is the sharp and loud voice of the parrot, which loves to communicate and makes itself known on any occasion.

Sunny Aratingas have a very friendly character.

White-bellied parrots

The name emphasizes the external feature of a medium-sized bird with a stocky build. The plumage of the wings, back, tail and head is colored: shades of yellow, green, orange are found in different variations. There are groups of black-headed and red-headed parrots.

The nature of the birds is sociable. Many note the special cunning intelligence of white-bellied parrots, which torment their owners with perseverance and intelligence in the search for food. In nature, they cause significant damage to rice fields.

Black-headed White-bellied Parrot

Red-headed White-bellied Parrot

Fan (hawk) parrot

The birds are medium-sized and variegated in color. Light-browed individuals with brown plumage on the sides of the head, green wings and a dark red neck and chest. Each feather in front is edged with a blue stripe. Dark feathers on the forehead of birds are very rare.

Parrots got their name from their ability to raise their feathers when excited. A kind of collar is formed around the head, in color and shape very reminiscent of the headdress of the American Indians.

The parrot increases its size in this way and shows the enemy a stern appearance, similar to birds of prey. The resemblance to a hawk at the moment of threat is reflected in the additional name of the birds.

At other times it is a quite friendly bird, an excellent companion in home games and entertainment.

fan parrot

Budgerigars

Known for their chattiness, the small birds are attractive in appearance. The natural grassy color served as protection from natural enemies. Characteristic purple and black spots on the cheeks distinguish representatives of the species.

The black undulation determined the name of the birds. As a result of breeding work, numerous types of budgies, which have become the most common ornamental bird. There are over 200 color variations, including individuals without the characteristic wavy pattern.

A long tail gives parrots slimness and grace. They fly beautifully and travel long distances in search of food. Young birds have a dark beak, but with age it turns yellow and acquires a greenish tint.

Passerine parrots

The inhabitants of mangrove forests near water bodies in America, Brazil, and Colombia are also as familiar to that environment as the familiar sparrows in urban spaces. Green, yellow, blue birds of the same tone decorate the natural landscape and any home.

The body is no more than 15 cm, a short tail, and a lively character are permanent characteristics of the species. Small parrots are brave and can even attack birds that are larger than them. Based on their color characteristics, they distinguish between Mexican, blue-winged, yellow-faced and other relatives.

Breeders believe that the species of passerine parrots is the most successfully amenable to selection. It is important that readiness for reproduction occurs from the age of one year.

Passerine parrot

Jaco

The parrot is recognized as the most intelligent bird, whose intelligence is comparable to the development of a 3-4 year old child. In addition to the reproduction of sounds, Gray determines the situation in which the semantic load and intonation of pronunciation are appropriate. The pet's character is considered complex, so it is recommended to prepare in advance for the acquisition of this beautiful and intelligent bird.

The size of the parrot is average. The length of the body is up to 35 cm, the tail is approximately 7-8 cm. The color of the plumage is found in two variants: mainly ash-gray or red.

Emerald parrot

Meeting a single representative of the species is very rare. These are social birds, living in groups of up to 16-17 individuals. Hungry times or bad weather bring small flocks together, then in flight they form large green feathery clouds.

Many birds seem to dissolve in the foliage of plants thanks to their emerald color. Parrots have strong legs with strongly curved toenails. The hooked beak seems to be adapted to constantly digging out small prey from the ground or searching for insects in the unevenness of tree bark.

Cockatoo

Various parrot species cockatoos due to their extraordinary appearance and large size. Large individuals reach 70 cm in length. The powerful beak resembles a wire cutter, with the help of which the bird opens the shells of nuts and can easily bite through the wire.

A funny crest is a remarkable feature of the appearance of a cockatoo. The color of the magnificent decoration most often differs from the color of the main plumage, which is dominated by pink, white, and yellowish colors. Dark colored birds are rare. Among the cockatoos there are many long-livers, 75-80 years old.

The cockatoo parrot is easily distinguished by its crest

Kakapo (owl parrot)

Ancient birds that have lost the ability to actively fly. The fan plumage around the head resembles the appearance of an owl. The soft plumage and tasty meat of birds was the reason for the mass extermination of parrots, which survived only on the remote islands of New Zealand.

Large birds, weighing up to 4 kg, have a loud voice, similar to the calls of a bittern, the cries of a donkey or the grunting of a pig. The color of the feathers resembles camouflage clothing - on a yellow-green background there are brown and black spots, like shadows of branches and leaves.

Kakapo live alone and prefer areas with high humidity. Under certain conditions, birds live up to 95 years.

Kakariki (New Zealand parrots)

Famous types of pet parrots, the most restless by nature. Small birds with long green tails. Cheerful mischief-makers know no rest. It is vital for them to be outside the cage for at least 4-5 hours a day.

Like small children, kakarikas require various toys and baths for frequent bathing. They are sociable, but show independence, avoiding affection. Real sneakers can get into any crevice.

Cockatiel parrot

Kea (nestors)

Ornithologists believe that the bird chose the name itself: the cry is very reminiscent of its name “ke-e-a-a-a”. The parrot prefers mountainous areas, over 1500 m above sea level, with winds, fog, and snow.

Kea is not afraid of hurricane gusts, like an acrobat, she performs tricks in flight. The olive plumage is offset by the red-orange rump and inner part of the wings. Blue stripes decorate the main feather outfit of nestors.

Kea is considered one of the smartest parrots

Ringed parrots

Graceful birds with a characteristic stepped tail. The average body length is 50 cm. Find out types of parrots in the photo you can wear a distinctive necklace around the neck or a dark transverse stripe in the form of a tie.

The predominant color is green. When climbing trees, birds use their beaks as support, since parrots' legs are quite weak. They live in packs. They quickly get used to people and live a long time.

The second name of the ringed parrot is Ozherelovy

Congo parrot

A rare species whose homeland is. Lives in the humid tropics. Small in size, 28-29 cm in length, the birds are calm, even serene in character. At home, they are quite comfortable when they just watch the owner.

Pets have great communication talents. They can not only imitate speech, but also whistle.

Congo parrot

Corella

It is no coincidence that the popularity of these parrots is comparable to budgies. The inviting plumage, ease of breeding, sociable nature of the birds, and ease of care attract bird lovers.

An elegant crest and a pointed, elongated tail distinguish cockatiels from their relatives. Subspecies of different colors have been bred: albinos, lutino, gray. The native species is dominated by olive-colored parrots with a yellow head and black feathers.

Corella parrots

Lorikeets

The plumage is distinguished by a special variegation of colors, a mixture of all the colors of the rainbow. The birds are small in size and active in nature. In nature they feed on pollen. They adapt well to home keeping and require spacious cages.

Lorikeets parrots

Monk (Quaker, Kalita)

The name was received for the similarity of the plumage color with the ancient cassock of Quaker monks. In their native South American places, birds are considered pests for destroying garden fruits. Monk parrots have adapted well to urban environments, although they prefer thickets of plants and palm groves.

Lovebirds

Parrots are similar in size to or. The stocky body, grassy color, thick, curved beak, and cheerful behavior make indoor birds the favorites of many owners.

Color variations including pink, blue, and red tones add brightness to the birds. Agile and agile birds lift your spirits and create an atmosphere of joy.

Lovebirds

Rosella

The parrot is valued for its calm disposition and unusual plumage, similar in color to fish scales. The variety of blue, red, yellow, and black tones attracts lovers of the exotic.

Birds adapt well to any conditions, master city parks and garden plots, and adapt to life in a home environment. Although many appreciate types of talking parrots, The popularity of rosellas is not inferior due to the melody of their voices and their passion for gentle singing.

Rosella parrot

Senegal parrot

A medium-sized bird with long wings, prone to circus tricks. Orange belly, green back, gray head - the main color of the rare species. It is difficult to tame a wild animal. The chick from the nursery does not create any difficulties, but in communication it often becomes attached to one person.

Senegal parrot

grass parrots

The species are united by their earthly way of life. The flights of parrots are low and short, they often live in dense grasses. Domestic specimens are unpretentious, their voices are melodic. Active pets run along the bottom of the cage according to their habits.

Grass parrots are small in size

Eclectus

Amazing birds with noble behavior. Openness, affection, spontaneity make him a true friend and companion. Delicate plumage, rich color, spectacular wings give the appearance an attractive appearance. Subspecies vary in size: from 35 to 45 cm in length.

Eclectus, tropical parrots, lovers of swimming

The world of parrots seems to have no boundaries and limits of diversity. The proximity to humans has forever brought birds and bird lovers closer together, so much so that almost all species have entered people’s homes as pets. But the true nature of birds, as in ancient times, requires space, freedom and natural conditions for development.

Currently, 32 primary mutations of the species, and more than 100 secondary mutations, have been officially registered in the color of budgerigars. There are differences even in the shape of the plumage. If crested animals are recognized and included in the general register of species, then individuals with curly feathers are considered a marriage, although they are obtained from purebred parents. The blue budgerigar is a rare color for the natural color of a bird. It has become the basis for breeding many species, including violet and lilac.

Spangles have an unusual marble color

Yellow and blue parrots have a uniform body color and marbled wings. Blue, purple and cyan wavy flowers have a white head. The stripes on the feathers of the wings are gray with white, light yellow.

The budgerigar species was bred in Czechoslovakia. For which they were briefly called Czechs. The breeders themselves, working on creating the species, call them Exhibition.

Czechs are slightly larger than their wild relatives. Their proportionate and slender body has broad shoulders; compared to other budgerigars, they look stocky and strong. At the same time, the Chekhovs have a proud posture, one might say royal. The color is predominantly white and blue.

In addition to their size, Czechs are distinguished by their lush crest and sideburns. They look like they are wearing a warm fur hat with ears hanging down on the sides of their cheeks and neck. The dark edging of the puffed collar at the front creates the illusion of a full jabot with black frills or a bright choker, depending on how the black-edged feathers are laid.

Czech parrots are larger than their relatives

Parrot lovers and ornithologists have noticed that Czechs learn to speak faster than other species of parrots. They can repeat words for a person not even during training, but simply heard in a conversation with other people. Unfortunately, even when receiving adequate food and nutrition, they live less than other types of budgerigars, only 4–5 years.

Translated from the language of the indigenous people of Australia, the name of the small green bird sounds like “flying food”. Budgerigars were named for the dark stripes on their wings, back and neck, which lie in waves. The colors of budgerigars are distinguished by several factors:

• presence and location of dark stripes;
• predominant color;
• location of the dominant color.

The first breeder to produce a yellow budgerigar. In natural wild conditions, ornithologists have recorded cases of the appearance of bright yellow individuals with stripes and pure color among green chirps. Such birds were far visible to predators and were the first to die. Sometimes they were killed by their relatives. The unusual color of the yellow ones irritated them just as much as the white albinos.

Due to its bright color, the yellow budgie was easily detected by predators

Based on the pattern of budgerigars, several types are distinguished.

1. The Standard has a dark wavy pattern, the same as that of wild parrots.
2. Yellowface has no stripes and is almost a solid color.
3. When black is replaced by brown, the design is called Cinnamon. The eyes of such birds are plum-colored.
4. Opaline color is created by mixing feathers of different colors. As a result, there are no stripes, the pattern resembles marble.
5. The pattern characteristic of Spangles is called star-shaped.
6. In Grey-winged parrots, regardless of the color of the breast and the entire body, the wings are gray.
7. Birds with uniform wings are called clear-winged. They are white in blue parrots, yellow in green parrots.

There are many varieties of colors. Variegated parrots are those that have strands of contrasting color anywhere, most often on the wings.

If you look closely at the color of wild parrots, you will notice that the black stripes have a purple tint. As a result, the base colors became:

• green with yellow;
• blue and white.

The saturation of color and its tonality depend on the presence of dark genes, which wild birds do not have.

In domestic wavy species, varieties were bred artificially as a result of the work of breeders. There are about 200 colors defined by the standard. The table shows the main colors and their digital codes according to the international standard.

The green row considers yellow to be a pure color. By analogy, for blue, white is considered the basis.

The green budgie has many shades

By localization of color, pieds are distinguished, with feathers of two colors scattered throughout the body. Harlequins have a clear boundary in the color of the belly and neck in one color. In penguins, the color division runs along the body; the head, wings, and back are identical.

As a result of selection, many variants of parrot colors were obtained. The most interesting half-breed is obtained by chance when crossing individuals with different colors; it is impossible to create stable heredity or calculate it by the presence of genes. The budgerigar is painted in two colors, the division is vertical.

Budgerigar blue and light blue are often found in combination with white. Variants of darker tones violet and lilac are rare.

Yellows can have green wings and be a solid clear color. Greens have yellow heads and chests.

Light blues and blues have a white head and breast and darker blue and purple stripes on the wing and neck feathers.

White Albino parrots differ from albinos in the light gray shade of the edges of their feathers. Their eyes are blue and plum.

Parrot Lutino has a slight lemon tint. It is common and popular among breeders. It is obtained by crossing two Spangles.

Parrot Lutino has a pleasant lemon tint

The pink parrot is rare. In fact, it is an Albino with purple feather trim. Purple, violet, and lilac are rare; their second color is white. The drawing is standard.

The influence of color on character and habits

The colors of budgerigars do not affect their character. All birds are sociable, cheerful, and remember words equally well. Girls talk less and reluctantly. The boys are talkative and sing constantly. The exception is albinos. They are more irritable and aggressive. But when maintaining their home, the differences hardly appear.

Color affects health and life expectancy. Green birds with yellow cheeks have good health and live longer. This is a natural color that has not been changed artificially. The rarest breeds: violet, pink, lilac, white live the least.

A new color is obtained through changes at the gene level using various mutations. Birds, accustomed to living in nature all their lives with one chosen partner, are crossed, breaking their habits. The colors of future chicks are calculated based on the number of dark and light factors in the parents. The further the color and pattern of feathers are from natural, the weaker the birds.

The budgerigar (lat. Melopsittacus undulatus) is a species of bird from the order Psittacidae, the family Psittacidae, the only representative of the genus of budgerigars (Melopsittacus).

The Latin name of the species is formed by 3 words: the Greek word “melos”, meaning “singing”, the word “psittacos” - “parrot” and the Latin word “undulatus”, which means “wavy”. Therefore, literally translated, the name of the bird sounds like a singing budgerigar. A number of ornithologists suggest calling the bird the wavy singer.

Budgerigar - description, appearance and characteristics.

All of the above names are absolutely true: budgies are really very noisy and talkative, they perfectly remember and imitate individual words and phrases, which they repeat many times, often without much meaning.

The budgerigar is a beautiful and slender bird, which, due to its long tail, looks much larger than it actually is. Body length a budgerigar excluding the tail reaches 17-19.8 cm with a body weight of about 40-45 g. Poultry participating in exhibitions often have a body length of 21 to 23 cm.

Wings Budgerigars, 9.5 to 10.5 cm long, are used by birds exclusively for flight and are completely unsuitable for support when walking or sitting. The flight is beautiful and arched, similar to the flight of a swallow, and when landing, the bird’s wings bend downward, like a quail’s. Thanks to this structure, the budgie flies quite quickly and is able to cover considerable distances in search of food.

The budgerigar has quite a long tail step-shaped, growing up to 8-10 cm in length, and in young individuals the tail is much shorter.

Limbs birds are developed and tenacious, ending in 4 long fingers: 2 of them are directed back, 2 look forward. This design allows birds to grab various objects and food with their paws, as well as deftly climb trees and walk on the ground. At the end of the fingers grow strong curved claws of dark blue, black or almost white. The budgerigar's feet can be colored grey-blue, reddish, bright scarlet and pale pink.

In budgies living in nature, eyes dark blue in color, and the color of the iris is yellowish or almost white. These birds are able to distinguish colors, and a sufficiently large viewing angle allows them to view 2 perspectives at once.

The budgerigar is distinguished by its strong beak, protected by a durable horny substance, and its curved shape resembles the beak of birds of prey. At the base of the budgerigar's beak, a cere with nostrils is clearly visible. The bird's beak is quite mobile, the upper jaw is not fused with the bones of the skull, but is supported by the ligamentous apparatus, while the lower jaw is much shorter than the upper. Due to its unique morphology, the beak of these birds serves as an excellent mechanism for tearing and crushing shoots, leaves and seeds of plants, and at the same time is a convenient tool for carrying objects, food and climbing tree branches. In the event of an enemy attack, the beak of a budgerigar acts as a reliable means of protection.

Budgerigars have a small, short and thick tongue, and its rounded tip is protected by keratinized epithelium. In almost all individuals, the inner surface of the beak is equipped with special horny teeth, which act as a file that sharpens the beak, help clean grains, and also pick and break fruits. The beak of the chicks is dark in color, but with age it becomes intensely yellow, with a slight greenish tint.

Thanks to their natural grass-green coloration, budgerigars are invisible to enemies against the backdrop of the natural landscape. Cheeks All individuals are decorated with symmetrical purple marks of an elongated shape, and below, on both sides of the crop, there are black spots - special signs inherent in all representatives of the species. As a rule, the markings partially overlap the throat spots.

Crop and scalp budgerigars living in nature are painted in an intense yellow color; in the occipital region, a thin and light dark brown waviness passes to the back, where it becomes much wider and brighter against the general yellow background. In young parrots, the wavy is not so noticeable and starts right from the wax, and as they grow older, it is replaced by a characteristic yellow mask.

Feathers budgerigars on the forehead of males have a unique feature: under the influence of ultraviolet light they fluoresce, due to which females in nature choose a partner for nesting. Moreover, the human eye can detect this radiation only at night, but budgies see the glow even in daylight.

Determining the sex of a bird is not difficult. To find out the sex of a budgerigar, you need to look at its cere, which is located at the base of its beak.

• Young males have a purple cere; in a young female it is intensely blue with a light border around the nostrils.
• In mature males, the cere is dark blue or purple (in albinos). An adult female can be distinguished by the beige-blue or brown color of the wax. By the way, the brown color of the wax in females appears during nesting.

Male on the left, female on the right

Types of budgies, photos and colors.

Today, the budgerigar is considered the most common and favorite ornamental bird for home keeping. Over many years of breeding work, more than 200 varieties of these birds with a wide variety of plumage colors have been bred, including recessive varieties that lack the characteristic waviness.

Photo from budgerigar.com

The yellow color of the budgerigar is the first mutation color and was created in Belgium in 1872, and subsequently all modern color variations based on a yellow or white base appeared. Below are some varieties of budgerigar colors:

• Natural, traditional color budgerigar plumage - light green(Light green color) with a glossy sheen that covers the breast, belly and lower back of the birds. The traditional mask is light yellow, the dots on the throat are black, and there are purple markings on the cheeks. The head, wings and back of the parrots are decorated with pronounced black undulation. The long tail feathers are dark blue, the supporting surface of the wings is colored black with a minimal light yellow edge.

• Dark green budgerigars (Dark green color) are especially elegantly colored; they appeared in France in 1915. The chest, belly and lower back of these parrots are dark green, the mask is light yellow, the spots on the throat are black, slightly overlapped by purple cheek spots, and the body has a characteristic waviness. The shade of the wing plumage is identical to the classic variety, but the tail feathers are darker.

• Olive green budgerigars (Olive green color) are descended from dark green individuals and were bred in France in 1919. The predominant plumage color of birds is olive green, the mask is bright yellow. Black waviness is contrastingly indicated on a yellow base. The wings of budgerigars are black with a green tint, the feathers on the tail are darker compared to dark green specimens.

• Sky blue The budgerigar (Skyblue color) was bred by the Belgians in 1878. The chest, belly and lower back of the parrot are blue, and the bird's mask is pure white. The characteristic undulation is clearly defined on a white base, the tail feathers are distinguished by a blue color, the primary flight feathers are black with a minimal white edge.

• Cobalt Budgerigars (Cobalt) were first shown at the London Exhibition in 1910. Their chest, abdomen, back and tail are distinguished by a blue color, the bird's mask is pure white, the bright wavy is well expressed on a white background. The wing color of a budgerigar varies from black to blue. The tail feathers are darker compared to sky blue parrots.

• Lilac budgerigars (Mauve color) appeared as a result of mixing 2 dark factors, giving a deep lilac color without the presence of a gray tint.

• Gray-green budgerigar (Grey Green color) is the fruit of the labors of Austrian breeders, which was obtained in 1935. The front, lower part of the body and lower back of these birds are distinguished by a very light mustard or gray-greenish tone. The parrot's mask is bright yellow, the spots on the throat are black, and the cheeks are gray, the distinct wavy contrasts well with the yellow background. The tail plumage is black, the parrot's primary flight feathers are black with a minimal light yellow edge.

• Gray Budgerigars (Gray color) appeared in Austria and England at the same time, in 1943. Representatives of the variety have a gray chest, lower body, cheeks and lower back, a snow-white mask, and black markings on the throat. The characteristic undulation is clearly marked on a white base, the tail is black and the wing feathers are black or greyish.

• Violet The budgerigar (Violet color) first appeared in Germany in 1928. The chest, abdomen and lower back of the bird are distinguished by a deep purple color. The budgerigar's mask is pure white, the throat markings are black, the tail is dark purple, and the primary flight feathers are black with minimal white edges.

• yellowface There are two types of budgies:
  • The first type, single-factor, assumes that the bird has a lemon-yellow mask, which rarely extends beyond the occipital region and onto the chest. A lemon yellow hue may cover the white tail feathers and other white areas of the bird's plumage. The yellow tint does not extend to the remaining feathers. In two-factor birds the yellow mask is absent.
  • The second type of yellow-faced parrot also includes two varieties: single-factor and two-factor. Both have a yellow mask. At the same time, the yellow color extends not only to the white feathers of the budgerigar, but also to the main plumage of the bird, turning it from light green to turquoise, from cobalt to dark green, from mauve to olive.

• Lutinos(Lutino) is a very unusual species of budgerigar with a bright yellow egg yolk color. These parrots have red eyes with light irises and pearlescent cheek markings. The feathers of the budgerigar's tail and wings are light. Males are distinguished by a pink or purple cere, while females have a brown cere. The birds' feet are red-brown or deep pink.

Albino on the left, lutinous on the right

• Albinos(Albino) were first obtained in Germany in 1932, by two amateur breeders. These budgies are distinguished by their pure white feathers and red eyes with a white iris. The cere and tarsi of albinos are the same as those of lutinos.

• Crested Budgerigars come in a wide variety of color variations, but differ in the type of crest. Some individuals are decorated with a pointed tuft of feathers growing on the forehead or crown. In others, the crest has the shape of a semicircle, formed by feathers that grow up to the beak in a kind of shield. The third variety of budgerigars is decorated with a double or round crest growing from 2 points, while the feathers are arranged symmetrically and can form crests of different shapes and lengths.

Where do budgies live in the wild?

Budgerigars live throughout most of Australia, Tasmania and other nearby islands and are the most common and numerous species of Australian parrots.

In natural conditions, budgerigars live in flocks of 2 dozen to several hundred individuals and spend their entire lives wandering around the mainland in search of food. Typically, birds stay in semi-desert and steppe landscapes with open forests, therefore they inhabit the entire eastern and western coasts, as well as the central part of the mainland, with the exception of the northern regions with dense forests.

The composition of a flock of budgerigars is constantly changing: individual individuals fly away, others join, small groups can gather into giant flocks of up to a million individuals, representing an unforgettable spectacle of beauty.

Birds usually wait out the hot time of the day in the shade, hiding on branches in the dense foliage of trees. At night, budgerigars sleep, and at the first rays of the sun they gather in small flocks and go to watering places and feeding areas located several kilometers from their roosting site. Some birds drink at the water's edge, others descend to the very surface and quench their thirst in flight. They are often accompanied at watering places by cockatoos and zebra finches.

What do budgies eat?

According to scientists, the basis of the diet of budgerigars in nature is the seeds of land plants, mostly the seeds of kangaroo grass. Due to human intervention in natural habitats, birds are forced to adjust their diet depending on changes in environmental conditions. Today, Australia's main cereal crop, grown everywhere, is, but the grains of this cereal are too large for small birds. In addition to grains, budgies eat young shoots and leaves of plants, various berries, vegetables and fruits, and occasionally feed on insects and other invertebrates.

Nesting of budgerigars in their natural habitat occurs all year round: the northern part of the population begins to breed immediately after the end of the rainy season, in the south nesting begins in November and December. Nesting pairs occupy hollows, stumps with crevices and any other hollow niches.

The mating games of budgerigars consist of various courtships, an important part of which is “kissing” and regurgitation of food by the male. In this way, he demonstrates to the female his ability to feed future offspring. In the chosen place, practically without any bedding, the female budgerigar lays from 4 to 12 white eggs, their incubation lasts about 3 weeks. Throughout the incubation period, the male budgerigar feeds the female, being nearby in a tireless search for food.

Budgerigar chicks hatch from eggs naked and blind, weighing about 2 g, the mother warms the offspring, and both parents do the feeding. 10 days after birth, the chicks' eyes open, at the age of 1 month they are fully feathered and can leave their native nest, although some young individuals remain near the nest for some time. At the age of 3 months, grown individuals are already able to reproduce.

Breeding budgies at home is a rather labor-intensive process. The male and female, unlike most birds, must grow up together and feel great sympathy for each other, and artificially created pairs, as a rule, do not produce offspring for several years.

How long do budgies live?

In nature, budgerigars live for about 7 years, and at home, with proper care, birds can live up to 10-15 years. The lifespan of some individuals in captivity can reach 22 years.

Budgerigars at home: maintenance, care, feeding.

It is better to stop choosing a feathered pet for home keeping at 3-4 month old individuals: at this age, budgies easily get used to their owners and their new home. But before you bring the bird home, you need to stock up on everything necessary for proper care and maintenance of your budgerigar at home.

A rectangular cage is considered the best option. The size of the cage for a budgie should be such that the bird can flutter from one perch to another without its wings touching the walls. To keep one budgerigar, a cage measuring 25x40x40 cm is sufficient. A cage with frequent vertical and sparse horizontal bars will ensure the unhindered movement of the bird and prevent slipping. The best material for the cage is unpainted stainless steel. If the rods are painted, the bird will chew on them and may eat paint particles.

When moving to cities, people still try to be closer to nature, growing flowers on the windowsill or having pets: cats, dogs. The desire to keep some kind of bird at home is no exception, because it is so nice to listen to singing, melodious chirping in the morning or when you come home from work. Parrots have become the most popular feathered friends that can be kept in apartment conditions. But there are so many types of them that it’s dizzying, who should you choose? In this article we will look at the most common breeds of parrots that are suitable for keeping at home, and their characteristics. Then you will understand which bird is right for you.

Parrots (breeds, species names) for home keeping

Scientists have estimated that more than three hundred species of parrots live on our planet. Of these, people made a significant part of them as pets. All parrots differ in some way from each other: in size, variegated plumage, peculiar singing, life expectancy. One species of these exotic birds will be more capable of talking, another will be more capable of beautiful melodies, a third will be more capable of performing tricks, and the fourth will be talented in various areas. In addition, each parrot, like people, has its own character, from friendly and unpretentious to aggressive and demanding. Therefore, you should take a responsible approach to choosing a bird and decide which criterion will be most important for you.

In this article we will look at such breeds of parrots as budgies, lovebirds, cockatiels, necklaces and Amazon parrots, cockatoos, grays and macaws. The list starts with small ones and ends with larger species.

Budgerigars

Perhaps everyone has heard about budgies. And this is not at all surprising. The popularity of budgerigars is determined by their low price, friendliness, small size, which allows them to be kept even in small apartments, and bright plumage: green, blue, yellow, white, motley. Of course, these are not all the colors that these parrots can be painted in. The natural color is green, but now you can find any combination, for example, a yellow head and a purple body or a lemon head, and the body is half green and blue. You can even hear such unusual color names as anthracite, pearl, turquoise, lilac, and rainbow.

Conventionally, we can say that there are two breeds of budgies - ordinary and exhibition. The latter are distinguished by larger sizes and more pronounced beads on the cheeks. From the name it is clear that exhibition budgies (or Czechs, as they are also called) are suitable for participation in exhibitions.

Budgerigars are flocking birds, this must be taken into account when getting such a feathered pet at home. Solo living is not recommended unless you can devote a lot of time to your friend. While you are at work or minding your own business, your parrot may simply get bored.

“Wagies” are excellent at learning to talk, imitate melodies, and learn tricks. There is a common misconception that only males are capable of all this, and only when kept alone. This is not so, females, for example, pronounce words even more clearly than males, and conversation can be taught even in a flock.

Perhaps the only disadvantages of this breed of parrots are the noise and debris that spreads around the cage. But there will be dirt from any living creature, and that’s why the bird is there to sing songs.

Lovebirds

These parrots get their name because they mate for life. It is very cute to observe the special devotion of these birds. You will always see them together, if, of course, you buy a couple: a female and a male.

Lovebirds make specific sounds, are very vocal, but are still considered quiet. The quietest of these parrots is the rosy-cheeked lovebird. These birds can be tamed, they make contact with humans, but it is not worth keeping them in the same cage with other parrots, since they are aggressive towards other species.

Corellas (nymphs)

If we talk about medium-sized species, the most popular breed of parrots is the cockatiel. They are also called nymphs. These are funny, smart birds with a funny crest and orange cheeks, they resemble cockatoos, only smaller in size.

Cockatiels also make contact and easily learn tricks, but they are not as capable of imitating a conversation as budgerigars, but you can still learn words with them. They emit a melodic whistle, but express their dissatisfaction with something with a shrill cry.

Necklace parrots

They got their name because of the strip around the neck that resembles a necklace. Only males have it, females do not. Necklace parrots are found in green, blue, grayish blue and yellow colors.

These parrots are easy to care for, very intelligent, capable of conversation, behave carefully in communication, they are easily frightened by careless movements, and at the same time they are freedom-loving. Necklace parrots are interesting to watch. For example, when these birds climb over a perch or branch, they use their beak as another point of support.

Amazons (Amazon parrots)

If we consider breeds of talking parrots, it should be noted that Amazons are considered the calmest. They quickly get used to their new home and are friendly towards humans. These are capable parrots, but it is believed that the white-headed, yellow-headed and blue-fronted Amazons are the easiest to learn words and train. By the way, the natural color of these parrots is bright green with spots of yellow, red, blue and white.

Among the disadvantages of Amazons, one can note the musty smell from the plumage, which arises from poor care, as well as their loudness, which they begin to show only in old age. But all large parrots usually have this disadvantage.

Cockatoo

Most often you can find black-billed cockatoos on sale. This funny, lively bird will bring a lot of joy to all family members. The cockatoo loves to dance to music, while doing squats, bows and movements with its crest. This parrot may not learn many words, but it is very smart, easily opens the door in its cage and loves to repeat the movements of its owner.

The cockatoo's character is not sweet, especially if it is spoiled. If you don't give him enough attention, this parrot will scream loudly until he gets it.

Jaco

What other breeds of pet parrots are there? Jaco can become a full-fledged member of the family. It is believed that this large parrot has little intelligence, easily learns words, phrases, songs, and can even answer questions and imitate the voices of people or animals. There is an opinion that the red-tailed gray is more gifted in terms of learning human speech, compared to the brown-tailed gray.

This parrot requires a lot of attention, especially in its fledgling years, in order to raise it properly. If the owner has little time for Grays, it is better to get a couple; they do not tolerate loneliness well. Also, these parrots react sharply to any changes, for example, rearranging furniture can cause stress, leading to plucking. Grays express their dissatisfaction with a shrill cry, reminiscent of the croaking of a crow. Therefore, before purchasing this bird, you should consider whether you can tolerate such noise.

In fact, these are not all breeds of parrots that can be kept at home. Before purchasing one or another type, it is worth studying the literature in more detail, revealing the features and nuances of the content, so that there are no surprises later. And remember that we are responsible for those we have tamed.

The bright plumage of budgerigars contains only two pigments - black and yellow. Surprisingly, it is the combination of these two pigments that gives all the variety of colors of domestic parrots that have been bred today. It is not difficult to guess that the yellow budgie was born without black pigment.

Lutino: appearance

The yellow budgie lutino has a deep yellow coloration. The flight feathers of the wings and tail have a lighter shade. There is not a single dark spot to be found on the bird’s body. The markings on Lutino's cheeks are white, the paws and claws are pink, the eyelids are white and even red eyes, like albinos.

Lutino sex determination

Due to the lack of black pigment, there is sometimes some confusion when determining the sex of a parrot. Lutino males have pink cere, as do young females. Therefore, alternative methods must be used to determine sex in young birds. In an adult female, the cere is colored reddish brown color, acquires from the male purple tint.

The genetics of lutino color

Lutino is a recessive color mutation linked to sex, specifically the X chromosome. But in parrots it’s the other way around - the combination of XX chromosomes determines males, and XY females. That's why females with the lutino gene are always yellow, and males can be hidden carriers of this recessive gene. Only if a male parakeet receives the lutino gene from both parents will it be yellow. This happens quite rarely; most yellow lutino budgies are females.

Parrots with double star gene

Yellow dark-eyed

Budgerigars have other color genes that reduce the amount of black pigment in their feathers. One of them is the “spangle” gene, or star gene. Inherited in a single copy, this gene forms a reverse pattern on the bird's feathers in the form of thin black wavy stripes on a white background, and not the other way around as usual.

In birds with the double star gene, all the black pigment in the feathers disappears, resulting in completely white or completely yellow budgies with black eyes. In such parrots, the iris of the eyes brightens with age. The cere has the usual coloring for non-albino colors.

Yellow wavy parrot. What distinguishes him from lutino is, first of all, his black eyes.

Another combination of genes that gives a budgerigar yellow coloration and black eyes is recessive variegated and clearwing pied genes. These parrots have black and purple eyes throughout their lives. The cere does not change color as usual: in males it remains purple in maturity, in females it can be white or brown.

Pale yellow budgies

Yellow budgies can be dull, pleasant pastel yellow shade. This color is obtained by albinos who have inherited yellow face gene.

Yellow-faced albino (left) and golden-faced albino (right)

Yellowface coloration comes in varying degrees of intensity depending on the type of gene. Parrots with this color most often have a yellow mask and pale yellow shoulders, with a lighter yellow shade distributed throughout the rest of the body. Like ordinary albinos, yellowfaces have red eyes, pink paws and the cere does not change color in maturity.

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Breed Features

This breed is most often chosen by poultry lovers. These elegant and sophisticated parrots are very friendly and do not require special living conditions.

They are small, so the cage for them should be much smaller than for large breeds. This question is important especially for those who do not have much space to keep birds.

Parrot-friendly cage

Also, the budgerigar can confidently be called one of the most economical, since its purchase and care do not require large financial costs. You can buy a bird at your nearest pet store.

Bird's sense organs

These parrots see and hear perfectly, and distinguish colors even better than humans! The budgerigar has a strong beak, thanks to which it can get its food and live. Feathers are pressed tightly to the body. Parrots are very careful about their appearance, because they can spend hours cleaning their feathers, bathing and even looking at themselves in the mirror.

The parrot admires himself

But perhaps the most attractive feature of budgies is their extraordinary ability to imitate human speech.

If you properly care for these wonderful birds, they will bring joy to your family for at least the next 12-15 years, that’s how long they live.

Parrot in your house

Remember that when buying a budgie, just like any other parrot, you undertake to be responsible for its life and health. And if you think that it is enough to simply put a bird in a cage with food and water, then you are deeply mistaken. After all, we all need love and attention. And birds are no exception. They need comprehensive care.

Parrot walking around the apartment

Have you heard the popular expression: “Like a bird in a cage”? Indeed, not a single bird can live in captivity. Therefore, do not forget to let your parrot fly for at least half an hour every day. But be careful! After all, these birds perfectly sense a source of fresh air, and if you are negligent, they can fly out the window. And the likelihood that you will be able to get your pet back is very low.

Flock of birds

Also keep in mind that budgies cannot live healthy lives without company. Therefore, get him a friend, and better not one, but several. In addition, these birds consider you to be part of their family, therefore, you simply must devote your precious time and attention to them.

Parrot cage

Perhaps this is the first thing you should think about when buying your future little friend. It should be quite spacious and at the same time multifunctional.

Completed cage

As for the size of the cage, it cannot be smaller than the wingspan of the bird. And ideally, the parrot needs to fly at least a little in the cage itself and jump on the bars.

When choosing a cage, please pay attention to two very important details - the roof and the floor. It is best if the top is rectangular and flat, because thanks to this, in a stressful situation, the parrot can easily hide in a corner, and it will also be easier for you to attach various kinds of swings for your favorite bird. The floor should be solid and not made of twigs, since the parrot’s legs can get stuck in the holes, which will greatly harm him.

Location

When deciding where to place a cage with parrots, keep in mind that birds like a place that is sufficiently lit, but protected from drafts, because they can catch a cold and even die. The best option is if the sun shines on the birds, but in the summer it is still worth shading them a lot. The temperature should be between 20 and 25 degrees.

Under no circumstances place the cage near electrical appliances!

Purity

You will have to keep order in the parrot's house every day. Wash the cage, feeder and water bowl thoroughly, add new sand, food, and fresh clean water.

Cage cleaning kit

Parrot bathing

You can try placing a bath of water in the cage. After all, most budgies love to swim and will be grateful to you.

However, do not force them to do this under any circumstances. These birds are very vulnerable.

Eating a budgerigar

Since parrots are granivorous birds, their main food is millet and oats. However, their food should be varied and filled with a sufficient amount of nutrients. Therefore, it is best to buy a ready-made cereal mixture at the pet store.

Parrot food

But this does not mean that such nutrition can completely replace natural food. Therefore, also include fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs and sprouted grains in your pet’s diet.

Education - teach your parrot to talk

If you have dreamed all your life that your parrot will learn to speak, then consider several factors:

• First of all, start the learning process at an early age. After all, the parrot must get used to you and realize that he is a member of the family;
• It is usually easier to train a male than a female. But don’t be upset if you bought a girl, because she will reproduce what she hears much louder and more clearly;
• Tame your parrot before training. After all, otherwise he will not be able to trust you, much less imitate you. At first, it will be better if only one family member conducts classes - the one for whom the bird was bought. The study area should be quiet.

Tamed parrot

Remember that boredom prompts a parrot to talk. And the more fun he has throughout the day, the less likely he is to talk. Your activities should be a fun and exciting game for him, but only for a certain period of time, for example, half an hour. And then leave him alone with himself in the cage, let him “digest” the game. Only in this case will your efforts be rewarded within two to three weeks when your pet is 3-6 months old.

Teach your parrot patiently and with love, and then your efforts will bear fruit; their singing is very springlike all year round.

Reproduction

Once they reach the age of one and a half years, your parrots will gain the ability to reproduce.

10 days after mating, the female lays the first egg, and then another one every day. She sits on the nest most of the time, and the male carefully feeds her. And after about 20 days, your wavy chicks will hatch.

Chicks

They grow quite quickly, and after a couple of weeks they are covered with small, still prickly, feathers. And on the 30th day after birth, the chick can no longer be distinguished from its parents. He becomes a beautiful young parrot. But do not transfer the baby to another cage until he learns to feed on his own, and this will happen in at least one and a half to two months.

Truly, caring for and training a budgie will bring you and your children vivid emotions and memories for many years to come. Do not doubt the correctness and fidelity of your decision to purchase this wonderful budgie!

And remember - we are responsible for those we have tamed!

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Blue

First of all, it must be said that, surprisingly, the color diversity of budgies is a man-made phenomenon.

As a result, today blue parrots can be found, perhaps, even more often than green ones. These are welcoming and friendly creatures, and if you consider that the blue bird is a symbol of good luck, It is not surprising that this color is so popular among bird lovers.

Blue budgerigars were bred in France at the beginning of the twentieth century, although 25 years earlier Belgian breeders had already encountered similar mutations in the birds' colors.

Greens

It is not surprising that this color is the standard for an exotic bird. In the wild, budgerigars live in Australia, which, as you know, is called the green continent. No other colors will give small, defenseless birds a more reliable chance to get lost in the abundant tropical greenery and not become an accidental victim of a predator, and parrots have quite a lot of natural enemies, and they are quite dangerous.

A parrot has practically no chance of escaping from a kite or falcon, so the best way to protect itself is to remain unnoticed.

Light green

The main color of the "natural" budgerigar's plumage is that of young glossy grass, darker on the back and lighter green on the underparts, chest and belly. The bird has a light yellow mask on its head, six black spots on its throat plus two purple spots on the sides of its cheekbones. The entire back from the head itself and the wings are decorated with a motley black pattern in the form of wavy lines (hence the name of the bird). A special highlight is the dark blue central feathers on the wings and tail with a metallic tint. Sometimes the tail feathers are blue and the flight feathers are black or dark green. The paws are greenish-gray.

However, as a result of domestication and long-term selection a huge number of different types of shades of green budgies have been bred, little resemblance to their original colors.

Dark green

Thus, at the beginning of the last century, dark green “wavy birds” were bred in France, which differ from their “natural” counterparts in a brighter and “festive” color, which in natural conditions the bird simply cannot afford to have.

In general, the distribution of colors in such parrots looks the same as in light green ones, but the main color of the plumage is darker, the yellow mask is a more saturated color, and the tail feathers, on the contrary, are of a less bright blue hue. The spots on the bird's throat are more purple than black.

Olive green

If dark green parrots are obtained by adding one dark factor to the natural color, then olive is formed by exposing a dark green bird to two dark factors at once. This is perhaps the most beautiful variation of all shades of green..

It’s difficult to describe it; it’s better to see it once: all the transitions, spots and waves are present, but their contrast is especially bright, and the main color is surprisingly saturated. The black color of the flight feathers has a distinct olive tint.

yellowface

Yellow "face" for a budgie- a natural feature, but blue birds with a yellow head are usually called yellow-faced, or simply yellow. If the natural color of a bird, as we said, contains yellow and black colors, which amazingly give the illusion of green, then in order for yellow to become the main color, it is enough to simply remove the black pigment from the color. However, many breeders believe that yellow-faced parrots are not green birds without yellow, but blue birds with yellow, and discussions on this matter continue to this day.

It is customary to distinguish three main types of yellow-faced budgies: type 1 and type 2, as well as golden-faced, sometimes called Australian.

European with normal pattern

This type of color has been known for more than 135 years. The bird has blue plumage throughout its body and its head is a pale lemon color. In the first type, the yellow color is practically absent from the body or occurs in the form of small, almost imperceptible streaks, sometimes visible in the feathers of the wings and tail. A separate variety is a bird with a very light yellow mask that looks almost white.

The second type of yellow-faced parakeet is characterized by the presence of a lemon tint throughout the body, wings and tail. The main color of the feathers is at first bright azure, but during the molting process it increasingly approaches green. In this same variety, there may be an uneven proportion in the distribution of yellow and blue, resulting in the underparts of the bird appearing blue and the breast aqua green.

Australian normal

While European yellowfaces are characterized by shades similar to lemon, Australians associate it more with egg yolk. It is this tone that replaces white throughout the plumage: it is present on the flight feathers, in the tail, and on the body, as a result of which the bird looks green. As with European yellowfaces, in this case it is also possible to have a variation of uneven coloring of yellow and blue, as a result of which the lower part of the parrot is blue, and the upper part of the body is green.

In fact, the Australian coloration (golden-faced birds) is something intermediate between blue and green, and therefore this color is called “parblue” (partial blue), however, sometimes this term is also used in relation to European yellowfaces.

Blue (cobalt)

Another mutation from the blue series - cobalt. These are blue parrots, in the selection of which there is one additional dark factor. These birds look much brighter and more elegant than the usual blue “wavy birds” and are much more reminiscent of a fairy-tale blue bird.

Gray

Adding a gray factor allows you to get several shades of gray. Depending on what color the bird is taken as the basis for breeding (green or blue), we get gray or gray-green individuals.

Gray(they are also called dominant or Australian greys) budgerigars can come in various shades, but one of the rarest and most beautiful colors of this series is anthracite. The plumage of this bird is so dark that it appears black, sometimes with white splashes.

This coloring owes its appearance to German breeders, although in fairness it must be said that back in the 30s of the last century, gray parrots of a very dark shade were bred in England, but, unfortunately, this variety was not preserved (mainly due to the fact that that the dark gray color acted as a recessive factor in the genotype and was thus lost when crossed with any other individual).

Gray-green

Gray-green budgies come in a variety of shades- from lighter to darker (brown).

Due to its close proximity to the natural color, this color was bred in the homeland of the “wavy”, in Australia. This happened in 1935. The birds have a mustard tint to the main plumage, the mask is a standard yellow color, and the black spots on the throat add a gray tint. The wavy stripes along the body are black and very contrasting, the flight feathers are green or black, the tail is black.

Gray-blue

The result of the work of French breeders is gray-blue budgies. Interestingly, this color scheme is one of the oldest; it was established back in 1924. These birds differ from ordinary gray ones in that the main color of the front and rear lower parts of their body is distinctly blue with a pinkish or purple tint. The mask on the head is not yellow, but white, the black waves and dots are the same as those of blue parrots, and the tail is dark blue.

Perhaps this is one of the most beautiful colors of a budgie. The bird looks surprisingly gentle and harmonious. Despite the fact that at first glance it appears to be light gray, in fact there is no gray tint in the plumage. Almost the entire body is evenly painted with a delicate mauve color without any streaks or inclusions. Under the beak there is a white mask with black dots, above the beak up to the forehead there is also a white area, turning into a series of black transverse stripes on the back of the head. There should be no other color splashes or patterns on the head.

Purple

The owner of a purple budgerigar can cause no less envy among neighbors. German breeders managed to obtain this color in the late 20s of the last century. It is based on the gray gene, which is dominant. Variations in plumage shades are also possible here - from violet as such to the delicate color of Persian lilac (the presence of a dark or blue factor, as well as the amount of violet - single or double) plays a decisive role.

According to approved standards, in budgerigar colors There are three shades of purple, although in reality there are at least six times more!

Lightened parrots

Above we said that a variety of colors of budgies was achieved by adding a dark factor to the main color and then “playing” with the various resulting combinations. But there is also a reverse method of selection - lightening the natural color.

There are several classifications of bleached “wavy”. Thus, it is believed that a bird whose color is approximately 80% lighter than the classic color should be called lightened, and this applies not only to the main plumage, but also to the wavy stripes, which are usually black.

The bleached parrots also include grey-winged, grey-winged full-colored and clear-winged birds. In the first and second cases, the “waviness” is indicated by gray rather than black, but in full-colored birds, as one might guess from the name, the main color is normal, not lightened. Clear-winged parrots have almost no “wavy”, since the corresponding stripes are either very light or completely indistinguishable.

Lightness is always recessive, which is why this type of plumage is much less common in birds. But if a parrot is a carrier of this gene, when crossed with the same carrier, a bleached chick can be obtained (those who are familiar with genetics can easily calculate the probability of such a combination - it is 25%).

In conclusion, it is worth noting that breeding work with budgies has been going on for so long and successfully that the various breeds of these sociable and cheerful birds differ not only in color, but also in other criteria (for example, there are crested "wavy" Moreover, the shape of the crest can be different - round, semicircular or in a bunch).

But the classic light green budgerigar remains the healthiest and most viable - this is exactly how nature intended this bird. Therefore, when purchasing a parrot of a particularly rare and beautiful color, be prepared for the fact that your pet will be less active, weaker and will live much shorter than its “ordinary” brother.

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STEAM (FALLOW)
? Description of the standard

There are several varieties of Steam. Mutations are named according to the country of origin German, English, and Scottish steam

The main feature distinguishing these three varieties is iris ring adult birds. Representatives of all varieties have red eyes, but each variety has its own peculiarity:

German Fallows have deep scarlet eye color, like representatives of the Eno mutation, but of a darker shade, with the usual white iris ring in adult birds.
English Fallows have barely visible irises and their eyes are a solid, bright red color.
Scottish Fallows have a pink iris ring.

Standards recognized English and German steam form.

The mutations of German and English Fallows are very similar. Also, both of these varieties are similar to Cinnamon, but differ from them significantly less intense body color, with a mustard tint on the chest, turning into green on the rump (blue in birds of the Blue series).
The depth of green or blue varies among individual birds, but the color is always more intense in the area of ​​the cloaca and on the rump.

Throat spots, head and neck waves, wing markings medium brown color.

Zygomatic spots a lighter, duller shade of purple than Normals.

Males are more greyish-burgundy than the usual blue cere.
Legs Steam's are pink, and beak orange color.

(Dominant Pied) German Fallow Green Row:

German Steam Blue Series:

The most obvious difference from Cinnamon is the red color of the eyes.

After hatching, English Fallow chicks have red eyes, like representatives of the Eno mutation, and German Fallow chicks have plum-colored eyes, similar to the eye color of Cinnamon chicks.

The dark factor darkens the body color of Fallows, but the differences between Light Green, Dark Green and Olive Fallows are much less than the differences between Normal Light Green, Dark Green and Olive. Olive Fallows have a “beautiful rich orange-gold hue, the chest plumage is a deep yellow-olive color, a truly delightful color,” writes Mr. Cyril Rogers in the book Fallows.

Gray and Grey-green Fallows have darker wing markings. Opaline lightens the body color of Fallows, and in combination with Cinnamons results in birds very similar to Lacewings (i.e. Cinnamon Enos), with virtually no body color showing.

When German Steams are combined with Cinnamon and Clarified, the resulting Cinnamon Clarified German Steams are very similar to Ino representatives.

Genetics of Fallows

Fallow - autosomal recessive mutations.

It has been suggested that German Fallow and Non-sex-linked Ino are mutations of the same a+ gene, and are therefore given the symbols abz and a respectively, but in fact there is little evidence for the existence of this allelic series.
In the absence of conclusive evidence, others determine that German Fallows have their own fg+ locus for the wild type, with the symbol fg for the mutant allele.

There is no generally accepted genetic symbol for the English Fallow locus. The symbol fe+ is used to designate the wild-type allele, and the symbol fe is used to designate the mutant allele of English Fallows.

Allele of Fallows recessive relative to its wild-type allele, and thus a bird with one Fallow allele (heterozygous) is identical in appearance to the wild-type Light Green. Thus, the presence of one wild-type allele is sufficient for the production and normal distribution of the black pigment melanin. Such a bird is called the Light Green Normal Split Fallow, and is designated in writing as follows: Light Green Normal / Fallow.

In a bird with two Fallow alleles (homozygous), the absence of the wild-type allele means that the normal black pigment melanin cannot be produced. It is replaced by brown pigment, resulting in brown markings instead of black.

The structure of the German Steam feathers was first examined under a microscope by Mr. Dr. H Steiner. He found that the changes caused by the German Fallow gene were significantly different from the changes caused by the Cinnamon gene. Pigment granules are smaller and more numerous in both the cortex and medullary cells of the first order barbules, and they are often grouped into "large drops or flakes". They also have a different color - it is more of a reddish brown-yellow rather than the pale brown of the Cinnamon. These changes cause a reduction in the intensity of the blue color, resulting in paler birds in the Blue series and brighter yellow birds in the Green series. The pigmented zone is narrower in the breast feathers than in the rump feathers, and it is this structural change that causes the change in body color intensity between the breast and rump areas.

In modern literature, in connection with research in the field of plumage pigmentation, other names are proposed for Fallow mutations. See table below:

Please pay attention to the appearance Australian Steam in the Table of Steam Mutations. Most budgerigar breeders believe that this is the same allele as the German Fallow allele. Modern breeders describe German Fallows as birds whose plumage contains grey-brown melanin.
Australian Fallows have pale brown melanin markings and Australian breeders are reluctant to call them "taupe". This may be an allele at the German Fallow locus, or at its own locus (Mr. Inte Onsman believes that both of these loci may be alleles at the NSL ino - (Non-Sex Linked Ino) locus).

Another suggestion is that the combination of the Gray and Fallow alleles causes melanin to appear darker and more grey. It is clear that further research is needed on this issue.

Also please note that the third recognized vapor mutation is Scottish Steam not included in the Table because it is considered extinct.

When writing this article, materials from Wikipedia were used, as well as materials from the site:
http://birdhobbyist.com/parrotcolour

Articles:
A little about the history of the appearance of the variety of steam budgerigars
Some questions about breeding steam parrots (interview with breeder of steam budgerigars Frank Molt (FM))
Red-eyed budgies
Lace wing or steam?

Illustrations (photos):
Steam

parrots.ru

Habitat halo of yellow parrot

In Australia, budgerigars are mostly green in color, due to the fact that this is a natural color, and due to this color, the parrots become invisible in the foliage, which saves them from predators. The color of the parrot is not one color, there are also the following colors:

• black;
• yellow.

The presence of black plumage is present on the wings of the bird, and yellow feathers on the head and near the beak. The parrot's head is a yellow spot, with a small purple color, which is located on both sides of the bird's head. Thanks to such an interesting color, parrots have excellent camouflage capabilities.

This type of parrot does not sit in one place; they are very active. As soon as the sun rises, they fly to look for something to eat, looking for plants, berries and grains. They fly out in search of food only after the sun begins to set, since before then the heat is unbearable. Parrots wait out the sun, sitting in trees, in noisy groups.

Their length does not reach 20 centimeters, their weight is 50 grams. This type of parrot is considered a real tomboy; they never sit still. Sometimes the thought arises that they chat incessantly, all day long, with a break only during snack time. It’s not without reason that our feathered friends began to be called budgies.

In Latin, their name is Metopsittacus undulatus, which means singing budgerigar. Wavy is not an easy name, it is a characteristic pattern on the back of a parrot. It was from the waves on the back that the name budgerigar appeared, a very cute name.

How to breed feathered friends

One traveler from England made a note about an unusual species of birds that lived in Australia, this was in 1805. After this note, more and more facts became known about this exotic bird, and demand for them began to appear. Many tried to bring this type of bird to Europe, but the result was sad; the birds died during transportation.

Some still managed to smuggle in a parrot, and they became feathered pets. Later, budgerigars became a common type of pet, and breeders began to conduct experiments. Thanks to experiments, more than 200 species of feathered friends were bred, which had different colors, different patterns and different shapes of wings. Each species was individual and completely different from other species.

But, unfortunately, when the breeder was chasing the unique appearance of the parrot, it became known that through selective breeding, parrots acquire a weak immune system. Despite this sad nuance, demand did not lose momentum. The budgerigar, yellow in color, was also bred through selective breeding. What makes it unique is that it does not have a black pigment.

Lutino is a cute bird for the home

This interesting name, lutino, was given to a parrot with bright yellow feathers. The bird has all degrees of yellow color intensity. The presence of white color may also be present, usually they are found only on the cheeks of the parrot.

The only problem that a person who has decided to make such a feathered friend may encounter is not knowing who you are getting, a female or a male. The thing is that in other budgies there is a significant difference between a boy and a girl, but in young lutinos they look the same, whether a boy or a girl. When the parrot becomes an adult, it is possible to determine the sex by the cere. Over time, for a girl it turns red or brown, and for a boy it turns purple.

If you become the happy owner of such parrots, and they are still small, then it will not be possible to determine the gender. If you urgently need to find out the sex of a bird, then only a DNA test will help in this matter. Most of this species of parrots are females. The thing is that it is lutino girls who are carriers of the gene. Yellow males are born only if there are two parents with yellow plumage.

This type of parrot in most cases is acquired by creative individuals; they are the ones who love everything unusual and bright. A yellow feathered friend is a symbol of warmth and comfort; looking at a yellow parrot, you position it with the warm yellow sun.

nashiptichki.ru

History of the appearance of color variations[edit | edit code]

The natural color of budgies is grassy green. The first mutation color was yellow. She was bred in 1872 in Belgium. There, five years later, a blue budgerigar appeared. Soon, by crossing green and blue individuals, parrots of dark green and dark blue colors began to be obtained. In 1910, blue budgerigars appeared at an exhibition in London. In 1915, dark green birds were bred in France. There, two years later, parrots with a blue tint were first bred, and in 1919, in the city of Toulouse, olive-green birds were obtained at budgerigar breeding enterprises. Subsequently, gray-blue species were bred in France. In 1916, white budgerigars were obtained. In 1927, blue grey-winged parakeets first appeared in Austria. In 1930, parrots with a light wavy pattern were bred simultaneously in the USA (California), Denmark and Germany. In the same year, birds with variegated plumage were obtained for the first time in Denmark. German amateurs Fischer and Boehm bred albinos in 1932. At the same time, the English fanciers Porter and Codecot received budgies with an opaline pattern, and the Australian Terill managed to get offspring from a bird of this color. In 1935, purple budgerigars appeared simultaneously in England, Australia, Denmark and Finland. In the same year, Australian ornithologists bred grey-green parrots. In 1939, the first crested parrots were obtained in Canada. In 1943, gray budgerigars were bred simultaneously in England and Australia. In 1948, white and yellow birds with dark eyes appeared in Belgium, Denmark and Holland. In 1972, a mutation was developed in Australia called “spangle” (from the English spangle - “brilliant, decorated with sparkles”). And in 1974, the first speckled parrots were obtained. In 1978, an amateur from Texas (USA) Paulik bred the first ringed (with a stripe around the neck) budgies. In 1984, saddlebacks (from the English saddlebacks - “back under the saddle”) appeared in Germany. In addition to mutations, there are also numerous modifications of the pattern of budgerigars, for example, multi-colored birds in which one half of the body is colored green and the other blue. Modification, unlike mutations, is not inherited.

Factors on which the color of the plumage of budgerigars depends[edit | edit code]

• Dark factor
• Gray factor
• Purple factor
• Lightening factor

Light green[edit | edit code]

The light green color of budgies (or simply “green” in other words) is a natural, classic color. Wild parrots have exactly this color; the absence of the dark factor gives them a special, rich, bright green color. The basic color of the plumage of the belly, chest and lower back is light green, glossy. The mask is bright yellow, with black throat marks on the neck, with the outer throat marks partially covered by purple cheek patches. There is a wavy pattern on the head, neck, back and wings. The tail feathers are dark blue, the flight feathers are black or dark green.

Dark green[edit | edit code]

They were developed in 1915 in France. One dark factor (based on yellow) in a green wavy forms the dark green variety. The main color of the plumage of the chest, belly and lower back is dark green. On the neck there are black throat marks partially overlapping with purple cheek patches. The “mask” is bright yellow. There is a wavy pattern on the head, neck, back and wings. The flight feathers of parrots are dark green or black, the tail feathers are dark blue, but lighter than those of light green birds. The color of dark green budgies looks especially bright and elegant.

Olive green[edit | edit code]

They were bred in 1919 in France from dark green individuals. Two dark factors (based on yellow) wavy form the olive variety. The main color of the plumage of the chest, abdomen and lower back is olive green. The “mask” is bright yellow, decorated with black throat marks on the neck. The outermost ones are overlapped by purple cheek spots. On the head, neck, cheeks, back and wings there is a black wavy pattern sharply separated from the yellow base. The flight feathers are black with a greenish tint, the tail feathers are dark blue, much darker than those of the dark green parrot. As soon as the olive green color was developed, these birds immediately won the sympathy of many pet bird lovers.

The dark factor is semi-dominant. Normal is recessive.

2 dark factors

Blue[edit | edit code]

A parrot of this color appeared in 1878 in Belgium. For the first time such an individual was grown in 1910 in France. The color of the chest, belly and lower back is bright blue. The mask is white, the throat spots are black, partially covered by purple cheek spots. The wavy pattern is black, located on the head, neck, wings and back, clearly separated from the white base. The tail feathers are dark blue, with a turquoise tint, the flight feathers are black or blue.

Blue (cobalt)[edit | edit code]

This color is given by one dark factor. The main color of the plumage of the chest, abdomen, lower back, and long tail feathers is dark blue. The “mask” is pure white, decorated at the bottom with black throat marks. The extreme marks are partially overlapped by purple spots on the cheeks. On the head, cheeks, back and wings, a black wavy pattern stands out sharply against a white background. The flight feathers are black or blue.

The body is blue along its entire length. The mask on the head is bright white. There are 6 evenly spaced black spots on the neck. The two outer spots are slightly hidden by purple teardrop spots.

There is a black wave pattern on a white background.

The central tail feathers are dark blue.

The colors of this series include the grey-winged color. The main color of the plumage of parrots of this color is blue or gray, the mask is white, the symmetrically located throat spots are gray, the cheeks are gray or light purple. The wings have an ash-gray wavy pattern.

1 dark factor

Mauve[edit | edit code]

(1920) Two dark factors give a deep bluish-gray color (more gray than blue); this variety is called "mauve." Within each dark factor level there is a gradation of varying degrees of darkness.

2 dark factors.

Gray-green[edit | edit code]

Gray-green budgies were bred in 1935 in Australia. The chest, belly and lower back are a pale gray-green (mustard) color. The mask is bright yellow, the throat marks are black and slightly covered by gray cheek patches. The wavy pattern on the head, neck, cheeks, back and wings is black, sharply separated from the yellow base. The tail feathers are black, the flight feathers are black or green. Gray-green budgies may have one or two factors or none at all. The gray factor can be supported both unifactorially and bifactorially.

Gray[edit | edit code]

This form of budgerigar was obtained almost simultaneously by Australian and English ornithologists in 1943. These parrots are distinguished by the gray color of the plumage of the chest, belly and lower back. The mask is bright white, the throat marks are black and partially covered by cheek spots that match the base color of the body. The wavy pattern on the wings, neck and back is black and contrasts with the white base. The long tail feathers are black, the flight feathers are black or gray. Similarly with gray-green parrots, among gray ones there may be individuals with one or two factors, or even without them at all. The gray color is maintained by one or two factors.

Gray-blue[edit | edit code]

(1924, France) Budgerigars of this color have gray-blue (with a transition to a pink or purple tint) lower back, belly, chest, white mask, black throat marks, purple spots on the cheeks, dark blue tail feathers.

The black wavy pattern is found on the back, wings, neck, head and cheeks.

Purple[edit | edit code]

(1928, Germany) A budgerigar of this color has a purple color on the lower back, belly, chest, cheeks, symmetrically located throat spots are black, flight feathers are also black, with a bluish tint, tail feathers are blue-green, the mask is white .

The black wavy pattern is found on the wings, back, head and cheeks

Yellow-faced Europeans with normal patterns[edit | edit code]

(mentioned in 1880; there are 2 mutations)

Yellowface Australian normal[edit | edit code]

They have the same color as a light green budgie, but instead of green plumage they have yellow plumage.

Lightened parrots[edit | edit code]

1. Normal yellow

(1872, Belgium)

1. Normal whites

1. Opaline yellow
2. White opalines
3. White yellow-faced opalines
4. Greywings of the green series

1927, Austria

1. Greywings of the blue series
2. Grey-winged and yellow-faced grey-winged opalines

Inos[edit | edit code]

1. Lutinos[edit | edit code]

(mentioned in 1880)

The plumage is bright yellow. The cheek spots are pearlescent. The eyes are red. The flight feathers and middle tail feathers are light in color. The cere of males is pink or purple, that of females is brown. The paws are bright scarlet in color.

2. Albinos[edit | edit code]

In 1932, the first albinos were bred simultaneously from two amateurs, Fischer and Boehm, in Germany.

The plumage is pure white. The eyes are red. The cere of adult males is pink, and that of females is brown. The paws are painted bright scarlet.

3. Birds with light wings, green row[edit | edit code]

(1930, Australia, Sydney)

The main color of the plumage on the back, belly and chest of these parrots is green, while the back, wings and neck are bright yellow, the wavy pattern is completely absent.

The mask is yellow, the throat marks are usually light gray, but they may not be there, the cheeks are purple.

4. Birds with light wings, blue row[edit | edit code]

Imported in 1933 from Australia to England.

The main color of the plumage on the back, belly and chest of these parrots is blue, while the back, wings and neck are white, and the wavy pattern is completely absent.

The mask is white, the symmetrically located throat marks are usually light gray, but they may not be there, the cheeks are purple.

5. Opaline with light wings[edit | edit code]

(1960, Germany)

6. Australian Lightwings[edit | edit code]

(Germany)

Cinnamon[edit | edit code]

1. Cinnamon light green

(1931, England)

1. Cinnamon blue
2. Cinnamon gray-green
3. Cinnamon gray
4. Cinnamon dark green
5. Cinnamon dark blue
6. Cinnamon Yellowfaces
7. Cinnamon opalines
8. Cinnamon opaline light green
9. Cinnamon opaline blue
10. Cinnamon opaline gray-green
11. Cinnamon opaline gray
12. Cinnamon opaline gray-green
13. Cinnamon opaline dark blue
14. Yellowface Cinnamon Opaline

Opalins[edit | edit code]

1. Opaline light green
2. Opaline blue
3. Opaline gray-green
4. Opaline gray
5. Opaline dark green
6. Opaline dark blue
7. Opaline violet
8. Yellowface Opaline
9. Lace wing yellow
10. Lace wing white
11. Lacewing opaline yellow
12. Lacewing opaline white

Recessive pied budgerigars: Recessive pied budgerigars are found in both the green and blue budgerigar series. The main color of the plumage is 50% yellow or white and 50% primary color. Depending on whether they belong to the green or blue series, the “mask” of parrots is yellow or white, decorated with symmetrical round spots, the number of which can be from 1 to 6. A pair of external throat marks is partially covered by cheek spots, which can be purple, silver or a mixed color. The wavy pattern is yellow or white, unevenly distributed on the body and wings. The parrot's eyes are dark, without an iridescent ring. The male's wax is pink, the female's is faded. The paws are colored red-brown.

1. Recessive Variegated Light Green Parakeet: The basic plumage color is the same as that of normal colored light green birds. The “mask” is bright yellow, decorated on the neck with black throat marks (birds of the brown series and brown opaline birds have brown throat marks). The extreme throat marks are overlapped by cheek spots, which are violet or silvery-white. Birds' flight and tail feathers are yellow. The green and yellow colors of the plumage are distributed unevenly. In the lower part of the body and rump, the predominant color is green, and in the upper part of the body, on the back and wings, yellow. The wavy pattern is missing.
2. Recessive Pied Blue: The basic plumage color is the same as that of Opaline Blue Parrots. The “mask” is white, sometimes decorated on the neck with black throat marks (birds of the brown series and brown opaline birds have brown throat marks). The extreme throat marks are overlapped by cheek spots, which are violet or silvery-white. The flight feathers and tail feathers are white. The blue and white colors of the plumage are distributed unevenly. The predominant color in the lower part of the body and rump is blue, and the predominant color is white in the upper part of the body, on the back and wings. There is no wavy pattern; sometimes there are separate dark spots on the head, neck, back and wings.
3. Recessive Pied Gray-Green: The color of the parrot's plumage is gray-green on the lower part of the body and rump, and yellow on the rest of the body. The “mask” of the recessive variegated grey-green parrot is bright yellow, decorated with black throat marks on the neck (birds of the brown series and brown opaline birds have brown throat marks). The outer throat marks are partially obscured by gray or white cheek patches. The flight feathers and tail feathers are yellow.
4. Recessive Pied Gray: The basic plumage color of the budgerigar is the same as that of gray and opaline gray birds. Gray color predominates on the lower part of the body and rump. The rest of the body is white. The recessive pied budgie has a bright white "mask" that may be decorated on the neck with black throat marks (brown series and brown opaline birds have brown throat marks), partially overlapping with gray or white cheek patches. The long tail and flight feathers of parrots are white.
5. Recessive variegated dark green parrot: The main color of the plumage of the lower part of the body and rump is dark green, the upper part of the body, back and wings are yellow. The colors are clearly demarcated. The bright yellow “mask” may be decorated on the neck with black throat marks (birds of the brown series and brown opaline birds have brown throat marks), which are partially covered by violet or white cheek patches. Birds' flight and tail feathers are yellow. There is no wavy pattern. Sometimes there are separate dark spots on the head, neck, upper chest and wings.
6. Recessive Pied Dark Blue: The main color of the plumage of the lower part of the body and rump is dark blue, the upper part of the body, back and wings are white. The colors are clearly demarcated. A white “mask” may be decorated on the neck with black throat marks (birds of the brown series and brown opaline birds have brown throat marks), which are partially covered by purple or white cheek patches. The flight feathers and long tail feathers of dark blue recessive parrots are white. There is no wavy pattern. Sometimes there are separate dark spots on the head, neck, upper chest and wings.
7. Recessive Pied Yellowface: The Recessive Pied Yellowface is found only in the blue series and is a combination of the Yellowface and Recessive Pied mutations. Recessive variegated yellow-faced parakeets are also called tricolor harlequins.

Australian Pieds: These parrots are found in both the green and blue rows. Australian motleys were bred in the 50s of the 20th century by Australian ornithologists. They differ from the well-known Danish and dominant continental parrots in the features of their pattern: their flight feathers and parts of the wing are lightened, the “mask” does not reach the chest, but ends in the front of the neck. The color of the plumage of the back, chest, sides and abdomen is variegated: yellow, green and white colors replace each other chaotically, but do not merge, but are clearly demarcated. Depending on whether they belong to the green or blue series, Australian pied parrots have a yellow or white “mask”, which is decorated with 6 symmetrical, equally spaced round black spots (brown birds have brown spots). The outer spots overlap the cheek spots. The parrot has a light spot on the back of its head. Tail and flight feathers, depending on whether they belong to the green or blue series, are yellow or white. The color of the paws is bluish or flesh-colored. The eyes are dark with a light iridescent ring. The male's wax is blue or bluish-pink, the female's is whitish.

1. Australian Pied Light Green Parrots: The basic coloring of the wings, belly and lower back is the same as that of the light green opaline birds. The “mask” is bright yellow, decorated on the neck with black throat marks (birds of the brown series and brown opaline birds have brown throat marks), partially covered by violet or white cheek patches. The tail and flight feathers of parrots are yellow.
2. Australian Pied Blue Parrots: The basic coloring of the belly, lower back and wings is the same as that of Blue and Opaline Blue Parrots. The “mask” is white, decorated on the neck with black throat marks (brown row parrots and brown opaline birds have brown throat marks). The outer throat marks are partially overlapped by purple or white cheek patches.
3. Australian Pied Grey-Green: The main plumage coloration on the wings, belly and lower back is consistent with the coloration of grey-green and opaline grey-green birds. The “mask” is bright yellow, decorated on the neck with black or brown throat marks, partially overlapping with gray or white cheek patches. The long tail and flight feathers of Australian grey-green parrots are yellow.
4. Australian Pied Parakeets: The basic coloring of the belly, wings and lower back plumage is the same as that of the dark green and dark green opaline birds. The “mask” is bright yellow, decorated on the neck with black or brown (in birds of the brown series and brown opaline) throat marks. The tail and flight feathers of parrots are yellow.
5. Australian Pied Grays: The bird's basic plumage coloration is the same as that of gray and opaline gray birds. The Australian Pied Gray Parakeet has a white "mask" decorated with black throat marks on its neck (brown series and brown opaline birds have brown throat marks). The outer spots are covered with gray or white cheek patches. The tail and flight feathers of parrots of this species are white.
6. Australian Pied Dark Blue: The basic coloring of the belly, lower back and wings matches that of the Dark Blue and Dark Blue Opaline Parrots. The parrot's "mask" is white, decorated on the neck with black throat marks (birds of the brown series and brown opaline birds have brown throat marks), partially overlapping with purple or white cheek patches. The flight feathers and long tail feathers of parrots of this species are white.
7. Australian Pied Violet: The basic coloring of the wing, belly and lower back plumage is the same as that of the Violet and Violet Opaline Parrots. The Australian pied violet parrot has a white "mask" decorated with black or brown throat marks on its neck. The outer throat marks are partially obscured by purple or white cheek patches. The long tail and flight feathers are white.
8. Australian Pied Budgerigars: This species of parakeet is found only among the blue series birds and is a combination of mutations of the yellow-faced and the Australian pied parakeet. Australian Pied Yellowfaces are divided into 2 types. In type I birds, yellow is present only on the “mask” and tail feathers. In type II birds, in addition to the “mask” and tail feathers, the entire body is also yellow.

Other color mutations[edit | edit code]

1. Light green row
2. Lightened blue row
3. Lightened opaline
4. Dominant continental pied birds of the green series: The color of the plumage is green in the lower part of the body, but there may be yellow areas. At the same time, the colors are sharply differentiated. There is a yellow spot on the back of the head. The base color can be light green, dark green, gray-green and olive. The “mask” is yellow. it is decorated with 6 round black throat marks, partially overlapping with purple cheek spots. The wavy pattern on the head and neck starts from the yellow areas. Sometimes it is also present on the wings.

The flight feathers and tail feathers are yellow. There are light spots on the wings, which according to the standard should be symmetrical.

1. Dominant Continental Pied Bluebirds
2. Yellow black-eyed
3. White black-eyed
4. Crested Budgerigars: Crested Budgerigars come in all colors. They differ in the shape of their crests. In accordance with this, there are 3 types of crests: pointed; semicircular; round. Among birds, there are often species with a mixed crest shape, as well as with two or more crests. Often smooth-headed chicks obtained from crested parents carry the crested trait, which is passed on to subsequent generations. They are used for mating with crested individuals. If, when crossing, both birds in a pair are crested, then the offspring will not be very viable, and there will be few chicks in the brood. A crested bird can also be mated with a simple smooth-headed bird that does not carry the crested gene, but in this case the percentage of crested chicks will be much lower. When two smooth-headed birds that have the crested feature mate, the percentage of crested chicks is also small. Crested birds require more attention and care. There are various deviations from the norm in their nesting behavior, which complicates the process of reproduction and breeding of this species of budgerigars. The percentage of unfertilized eggs is very high; in many fertilized eggs, the embryo dies at an early stage of development, and newly hatched chicks often die. All these features make breeding work with crested parrots very difficult. Nevertheless, breeders are working in this direction and getting interesting results.
5. Clairbody
6. Saddlebacks

en.wikipedia.org

A Brief History of the Color Genetics of Budgerigars

Through long-term selection, at present, in the colors of budgerigars, there are about 32 primary mutations, which in turn give more than a hundred secondary ones. It took scientists many years so that today we can enjoy the incredible variety of colors of budgerigars. Thanks to the laws of inheritance, breeding a particular color is now possible even for ordinary bird lovers.

In 1872, as a result of long work, breeders managed to breed a yellow budgerigar. And only in 1878. Belgian scientists introduced the blue budgerigar to the world, but offspring of this color were obtained only in 1910.

Photo of a blue budgerigar:

Thanks to the blue wavy, dark blue and dark green parrots were born.

Photo of a white budgie:

White budgerigars were bred in France in 1917, and 7 years later albinos appeared in Germany, and parrots of variegated colors appeared in Denmark. We owe the purple and brown colors to England.

April 1, 1994 The World Budgerigar Breeders Organization (WBO) was created, which prescribed standards used both at exhibitions and in everyday life to guide the genetic colors of budgerigars.

WHOVP Standards

We will look only superficially at the classification of wavy colors, since this is a whole science and for a more in-depth study it may take much more time. A person who has never delved into the genetic characteristics of colors until now may simply get confused in the variety of groups and subgroups of budgerigar colors.

Groups of budgies	Photo group representative
Normal green budgerigars
Opaline budgies green and blue row
Cinnamon budgies of the green and blue row
Opaline cinnamon (Opaline Cinnamon) green and blue budgerigars
Lutino and albino (Lutino, Albino)
Clearwings Yellowwings and Whitewings
Crested variety
Spangle (Spangle) budgies of the green and blue row
Pied budgerigars of the green and blue series
Yellowface
Greywing budgerigars of the green and blue series
Fallow budgies of the green and blue row
Clearbody budgerigars of the green and blue series
Saddleback budgerigars of the green and blue row

There are “Normal” colors and patterns. Scientists decided to call Normal color, the light green coloration of the first parrots introduced to Europe. Normal drawing parrots are the standard black waves that accompany the original appearance of budgerigars.

The group of Normal green budgerigars includes: Light Green, Dark Green, Olive Green, Greygreen, Skyblue, Cobalt, Lilac (Mauve), Violet (Violet), Gray (Grey).

Future color of the offspring of budgerigars

In order to at least slightly predict the color options of the chicks from your pair, you need to determine what the main color of your wavy is.

Green parrots have a natural base color of yellow. Blue parrots have white.

There is also a Parblue species between the Green and Blue rows of parrots - these are the Yellow-faced and Golden-faced parrots.

The color of green budgies is dominant during breeding.

Parblues are dominant to Blue parrots, but recessive to Green parrots.

Blue budgies are recessive to other colors.

Interestingly, the part of the spectrum in which parrots see each other is ultraviolet and their colors are much brighter than a person can see. Moreover, if you look through the eyes of a parrot at another budgerigar, you can see that the radiance of the bird is provided not only by the color of the plumage, but also by the wax and paws, which are cast in an azure color. The budgerigar's cap also attracts the eye with its unusual shine.

During mating and courtship, birds try to show themselves in all their glory. The brightness of the male's plumage plays a decisive role for the female.

popugai.info

Genetics

The natural color of a “wild” budgie is green, like grass. Since the male and female in the wild have the same coloring, the offspring are similar to them. Sometimes, due to genetic predisposition, two naturally colored parrots may produce a chick with a different plumage color. Unfortunately, such a bird does not live long. She either dies from the clutches of predators, or the flock does not accept the “stranger”.

Domesticated budgies have a completely different story - calm and very bright, with many different colors of plumage. They got their unusual coloring thanks to selective breeding. People have created all the necessary conditions both for obtaining the next color and for the comfortable existence of birds.

Domesticated budgies have two main colors: a white base, such as blue or gray, and/or a yellow base, such as green or grey-green.

Thanks to a century and a half of painstaking work, scientists were able to develop about thirty-two main colors of parrot plumage. These are the so-called primary mutations. By combining the main colors, secondary mutations were obtained, which, in turn, were divided into stable and unstable variants of color mutations.

A brief history of the appearance of plumage colors and patterns in budgerigars:

• 1872, Belgium - yellow;
• 1877, Belgium - blue;
• green color crossed with blue, resulting in dark green and dark blue;
• 1910, London - blue;
• 1915, France – dark green;
• 1916, France – white;
• 1917, France - blue, later - gray-blue;
• 1919, France, Toulouse – olive green;
• 1927, Austria – blue grey-winged;
• 1930, USA (California), Denmark, Germany – light wavy;
• 1930, Denmark – motley plumage;
• 1932, Germany (fan Fischer, Boehm) – albinos;
• 1932, England (amateurs Porter, Codecot) – opaline waviness;
• 1935, England, Australia, Denmark, Finland - purple;
• 1935, Australia - gray-green;
• 1943, England, Australia – gray;
• 1948, Belgium, Denmark, Holland - white, yellow with dark eyes;
• 1972, Australia - “spangle” (mirror waviness).

There are also many modifications of colors, for example, half-colored: one side is painted one color, the other - another. The modification is not a hereditary trait, unlike a mutation.

Factors and main colors

The green budgerigar is the first representative of the breed with normal plumage color. It is generally accepted among breeders that the normal pattern of a parrot is the standard black wavy lines that always accompany the natural appearance of these birds.

Future coloring of parrots depends on the influence of four factors: dark, gray, purple, lightening. Thanks to the existence of these factors, breeders have the opportunity to obtain many other colors from the standard color.

Gradually, in addition to the green color, the group of standard (normal) colors also began to include the colors that budgerigars often have:

• light green;
• dark green;
• blue;
• olive;
• cobalt;
• gray;
• grey-green;
• lilac (mauve);
• purple.

Additional colors in these birds are obtained using random or specially planned combinations of genes. Let's take a closer look at what colors they come in.

Gray factor

A dominant primary mutation that affects the change in the basic body color of the bird. Under its influence, natural colors turn into gray-green, and blue turns into gray. Under the influence of dark and lightening factors, light, medium and dark gray or gray-green colors are obtained.

Violet factor

The basis for obtaining all purple “wavy”, that is, the primary mutation of the normal color. It appears only if the parrot carries this factor in its genes. Its influence is not as strong as that of the gray factor.

Eighteen combinations consisting of three mutations are visually different: single or double violet factor, the presence of a dark factor, and the blue gene. The level of color change will depend on what exactly the bird carries in its genes.

Purple color is part of the blue range of budgerigar colors, officially registered by the WBO. Moreover, the organization recorded only three visually distinguishable combinations with the help of which this mutation is obtained:

• single factor cobalt violet;
• two-factor cobalt violet;
• purple blue.

Steam (fallow)

This mutation affects the coloring of the bird's feathers and the color of the waviness. All young parrots have a similar appearance, but adults have differences in eye color. Steamed parrots are divided into three types:

• German: dark scarlet shade of eyes, iris – white;
• English: bright red solid shade of the eyes, the iris is almost invisible;
• Scottish: plum-colored eyes, pink iris.

The WBO has officially registered two forms of parrots: English and German, which are very similar both to each other and to the cinnamon varieties of these birds. However, these two vapor forms differ from the latter species in the blurred color of their plumage.

Due to the visual similarity of budgerigar mutations and species, two budgerigar enthusiasts, Inte Onsman and Terry Martin, attempted to classify them together:

• bronze steam - German mutation;
• gray-cinnamon fallow – English mutation;
• plum-eyed fallows - Scottish mutation;
• pale, beige or pale cinnamon fallows are an Australian mutation.

Cinnamon

This mutation changes the color of the waviness. Typically, parrots have black or dark gray line patterns, while cinnamon species have a light brown or brown wavy color. Moreover, the female has a less saturated shade of waves than the male.

In the presence of a cinnamon mutation, the intensity of the coloring of the parrot's body and cheekbones is reduced by almost half compared to the normal color. Cinnamon parakeets also have long tail feathers that are a lighter shade. Cinnamon pastel colors give the budgerigar's plumage a delicate and silky look, which is what attracts people to this bird.

Cinnamon chicks are born with deep plum-colored eyes that have a red-brown sheen, while normal parrots have black eyes at birth. This phenomenon can be seen even before opening your eyes. Gradually their shade darkens, reaching black. Normal chicks have gray down, while cinnamon chicks have white down.

The skin of cinnamon chicks has a red sheen. As the bird matures, this reflection remains on its legs, giving them a pink tint. Normal birds have blue-gray feet. The beak is also different - in cinnamon it is orange.

Ino (ino)

Lutinos (lutino) and albinos (albino) - these are the parrots that were created thanks to this mutation. Under its influence, the green colors of parrots turn into a variety of lutino: with yellow contour feathers, with white (pale yellow) spots on the cheekbones. From the blue species of birds, under the influence of a foreign mutation, white parrots - albino - appeared.

Lutinos and albinos have red eyes with a white iris. An orange beak, juicy pink paws, gray-burgundy, and not the usual blue color of the wax in males - all these are signs of lutino and albino parrots.

A striking feature of lutino and albino chicks is snow-white down (usually the down is pale gray). Lutino and albino babies also have two lines of hairless patches on the sides of the spine. In these places, fluff does not grow, and over time, feathers immediately begin to sprout.