- May 7, 2011
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I am with another here - a lot are interesting, none are a patch on the "real" thing.
It has also been mentioned that at some stage mutations may outnumber normals, and the ones that look like nature intended might get lost. Well, that has already happened in birds that have long been coverted for mutation colours - many Australian parrots and also rice birds/Java sparrows, are all but unobtainable in Europe in their natural colours and essentially extinct as specimens that breed true - essentially all carry mutated genes.
Someone else asked how these were made/created. There is one simple answer to that - they weren't and could never be - mutation of the genes is completely chance - a weird fact of nature. (The average humen gains 4 inheritable genetic defects in their life - though the great majority have no discernable effect, as most DNA is "junk").
Because captive gene pools are small in most of these birds, related birds get mated together and if they are related and both carry a copy of a mutated gene that alters colour, inherited from a common ancester, the mutation shows. Without inbreeding, these mutations are VERY unlikely to ever be seen, because the mutation is a chance in a 10000000000000000, and two copies of most of them are required for it to show, and the only realistic way that an individual can get 2 copies is from related parents, who got their copy from a common encestor - the individual who had the very first example of the mutation.
You cannot, outside of feeding dangerous chemicals to the birds, or irradiating them, generate mutations. It is down entirely to luck/nature. Because it is chance, most mutations have probably only ever happened once or twice, so all birds of any mutation colour (such as blue budgies)are very probably related.
Most of these birds are from captive flocks, but any bird showing white or pied, or even dilute colouration, could easily be affected by some kind of disease or defect that is not genetic. They just need some problem that interferes with melanin production or transport. Only breeding from them would show if it is genetic.
It has also been mentioned that at some stage mutations may outnumber normals, and the ones that look like nature intended might get lost. Well, that has already happened in birds that have long been coverted for mutation colours - many Australian parrots and also rice birds/Java sparrows, are all but unobtainable in Europe in their natural colours and essentially extinct as specimens that breed true - essentially all carry mutated genes.
Someone else asked how these were made/created. There is one simple answer to that - they weren't and could never be - mutation of the genes is completely chance - a weird fact of nature. (The average humen gains 4 inheritable genetic defects in their life - though the great majority have no discernable effect, as most DNA is "junk").
Because captive gene pools are small in most of these birds, related birds get mated together and if they are related and both carry a copy of a mutated gene that alters colour, inherited from a common ancester, the mutation shows. Without inbreeding, these mutations are VERY unlikely to ever be seen, because the mutation is a chance in a 10000000000000000, and two copies of most of them are required for it to show, and the only realistic way that an individual can get 2 copies is from related parents, who got their copy from a common encestor - the individual who had the very first example of the mutation.
You cannot, outside of feeding dangerous chemicals to the birds, or irradiating them, generate mutations. It is down entirely to luck/nature. Because it is chance, most mutations have probably only ever happened once or twice, so all birds of any mutation colour (such as blue budgies)are very probably related.
Most of these birds are from captive flocks, but any bird showing white or pied, or even dilute colouration, could easily be affected by some kind of disease or defect that is not genetic. They just need some problem that interferes with melanin production or transport. Only breeding from them would show if it is genetic.
