Mutation 7 - Pearl (continued) The Japanese informally classify pearl quality into ratings of "A", "B", "C" and "D". My photos are of "A" and "B" type birds although what is considered "A" is changing with each year. "D" type pearls show almost no silvering at all but are an interesting variation of chestnut self. We have been told that "A" birds are more likely to give better pearl offspring but that "B", "C", and "D" birds can produce an "A" baby. So you can see, this is one tough gene to work with and therefore excellent "A" pearls still command prices in Japan of 200 US dollars even though the mutation was discovered in the 1980's in a Japanese pet shop. It was found in a pied bird and worked into a self over many years. The Japanese should be commended for their efforts. Pearls can be combined with any of the frilled types mentioned below as well as the "gray" gene to give a gray pearl. The gray pearl is pictured later in "combined color mutations". |
