Mutation 7 - Pearl In 1998 we imported the first pearls into the USA from Japan (see story). The pearl mutation is the most unique color mutation that has ever been discovered in society finches. In good pearls, the head is silvery the neck spotted with silver and the wings and tail are silver. The rest of the body resembles a chestnut self. Photographs do not do the mutation justice. These are not gray markings but a silvery sheen like a pearl. It is unclear if this is a pigment mutation or a feather structure mutation. My guess is it is a combination of both. My first offspring indicate that this mutation is highly influenced by the background and pearl siblings from the same clutch can vary from great to not so great. It is a difficult mutation to work with in and only careful breeders achieve good results. There are good pearls (rarely) and bad pearls (more commonly) and this mutation will test a breeder's skills. But the reward is a wonderful bird as you will see by moving on to the next page. |
