The Color Mutations I will first talk about individual mutation and later talk about the unique colors that can be attained by combining two mutations in one bird. In addition, I will mention what I consider color strains rather than mutations since it does not appear that certain shades are controlled by a simple single mutation. Chocolate color is considered dominant "wild type" and has NO mutations for color. In the wild this is true but in captivity it is most likely that chocolates are suppressed white and chocolate pieds. All all other colors, (perhaps with the exception of pearl, are "loss of function" mutations (i.e. they subtract an essential gene product resulting in a loss or modification of wild type color). European Black Browns are extra dark and are not technically chocolate. They have blood of other species in them and are not simply domesticated Lonchura striata. |
