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The Pastel Black Masked Lovebird
Remember those little pale blue babies I had for sale awhile back? Most folks had no idea what the
y were nor how to go about breeding more. They were pastel blue black masked, or pastel blue personatus. Pastel is a mutant of the non sex linked ino gene and inherits recessively. It would need to come from both parents to produce it visually in offspring. Since these were siblings, breeding them together is really out of the question, their mates need to be from different parents.
Mates that were at least split for the pastel mutation for first generation visual or not, leading to visual in second generation. Off to the left you can see the pair that produced those little cuties. The male is a blue black masked that is split for pastel and the female is a pastel green black masked that is split for blue. Breeding lovebirds isn’t always in what the parents look like, it’s looking behind the scenes and knowing what’s possible!
Posted in Lovebirds, Mutations
Tagged black masked, blue, breeding, lovebird, mutation, pastel, personatus, sex linked
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A Necessary Reference For Lovebird Breeders
For those that are trying to figure out the lovebird mutations and having a hard time, this is the book for
you, Lovebirds: Owners Manual and Reference Guide by Dirk Van den Abeele. This is the only book out there that is even remotely up to date on lovebird mutations. There is a new German edition available that is even more up to date and if you read German, I suggest you get that version. Here in the States this book is available from Avian Publications.
This more than 300 page hardbound book discusses all aspects of keeping and breeding lovebirds from feeding to placing bands as well as all lovebirds species and subspecies. It explains the genetics of breeding lovebirds from the modes of inheritance to sex linked mutations. You’ll learn how the feathers get their colors and why some mutation are good to mix and others are not. Van Den Abeele discusses each existing mutation in depth and offers many examples of combinations for desirable crossings. You’ll learn what what makes a good breeding combination and which combinations should be avoided and why. All this makes this book indispensable for those already breeding or looking to breed lovebirds…and the approximately 500 color photos don’t hurt!
Anyone confused about my pastel masked lovebirds…they’re in there =)