“Like the other two genes, Smoky will darken the underwing coverts. However, it will also produce a lighter skin color and a light to Ivory colored beak. Sooty and Dirty will not have these lightened beaks, eye ceres nor white skins as does Smoky. In other words, while Smoky will darken the base color it also tends to lighten both the skin and beak color. In addition, Smoky will eradicate the albescent (whitish) strip on the outer tail feathers of both brown and blue base colored pigeons. When this white albescent strip is missing on either a brown or blue then it is a Smoky. Smoky, like so many other modifiers, is not as evident when carried on an ash red.
Smoky squeakers are quite easily identified by the dark band at the end of their beak, and their mask-like appearance. Smoky is useful in almost any combination where a clear beak is desired on a dark colored bird. If you're able to produce this Smoky phenotype on pigeons in your loft, then both parents were carrying the Smoky gene. If only 25% of the young show it, then both parents are heterozygous (sy//+). If 50% show the effect then one of the pair is heterozygous and the other is homozygous or pure (sy//sy) and should also be seen as a Smoky or Slate. A simple check of the bird’s tail for the presence of the albescent (whitish) strip will tell the story of which parent is or is not Smoky. If its missing, its a Smoky.”
The strip is grey instead of white and she has the ivory skin, circe and dark band at the end of her pale beak. =o
“"Sooty" (so) will show small dark flicking on the wing shields. It's what Racing Pigeon flyers here in the US often call Pencil on a blue bird and Strawberry on an Ash Red Mealy. In the UK this same mutation is often called dapple. Both dapple and pencil are local common names but the use of pencil in this case is being misapplied. Why? Well simply because there is another gene called Penciled (pc) but that gene has no resemblance to this factor correctly known as Sooty. True Pencil is rarely found in racing homers, Sooty; however, is very common within the breed. A homozygous combination of this gene for Sooty factor will smudge up the wing shield pattern. It causes barred birds to look like poor checkered ones. Sooty can be used as a darkening factor to improve color. I find it very attractive on dark check blue and ash red mealy bars
It has many names such as light or dapple check on barless and or bared pattern birds, dark pencil or dapple on checker patterns as well as Strawberry when seen on ash red. In reality, all such birds are carrying the same Sooty gene. Their differences in appearance is the result of Sooty effect being combined with the various pattern genes. In other words, it is simply being displayed over differently marked patterns with in turn changes the birds appearance.
Sooty is a recessive gene. However, it was originally reported to be a dominant mutation but has since been reclassified as a recessive. It takes two factor for it to show. If a bird doesn't show it, then it may be a carry of it. Therefor two non sooty birds can produce a sooty youngster. However, for that to happen both parents must also be carriers(heterozygous) for one sooty gene each for it to display on their sooty offspring. Normally, on the juvenile plumage, sooty is not displayed but molts in with their first adult molt. Often young birds with black lacing on their wing shields are mistakenly called sooty. This form of lacing is different from the true sooty mark which is a darkening of the center of the wing shield covert feathers as shown on the blue sooty above. There are various factors that will cause this black lacing on juvenile birds but most will disappear with their adult molt. Sooty is just the opposite as it can increases with age.”
The dark blobs on her wing shields are in the centre of her feathers just like with a sooty, so she is likely going to get darker with age.
Source ^^
He don’t care how big you may be, ya gotta show him respect or he’ll nip ya back. Now they are chilling together peacefully.
... In first reading, I had an assumption that Squabbles was your first found pet.. Now there is evidence that you are a Genetics Guru of information about pigeon genetics.
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