Questions on Combining Traits

[Brazil&Zealand]

Hello! I know that in Green Cheek conures, the Yellow-sided mutation and the cinnamon mutation are both sex-linked. When they combine, a pineapple is produced. How does a female green cheek show multiple mutations together when she only has one 'Z' available? And how can a normal-looking bird be split to multiple sex-linked traits? This is all very new and confusing to me. Thank you for reading and/or responding!

 

[Lightning57]

The science behind how to get different color variations is beyond me. I know very little about it. I do have a question. I'm hoping to get a parakeet in the near future. I know I do not want a female and I'm reading up on how to tell between the two genders. Are there certain color mutations (? not sure of the terms) that only result in one sex over the other?

 

[Brazil&Zealand]

If you are talking about budgerigars, when they are adult, the females will have a slightly wrinkly tan cere (nose). The male will show a blue or indigo cere. I'm confused about your question, but as far as I know (I could be wrong) there's no mutation that only one gender can get. However, with some (mainly sex--linked) mutations, one gender obtains it more easily

 

[Monica]

The short answer is is that the two mutations do not appear on the exact same location on the chromosome. This isn't accurate, but imagine that one mutation occurs at the top of the Z, and the other occurs at the bottom of the Z. Therefore, a female can have both mutations and be visual.

A male can be split to multiple mutations in the same way - the genes do not occupy the same location on the chromosome. If you have a normal male paired to a pineapple hen, the male would be normal split X2 pineapple (opaline cinnamon). If the male was cinnamon (X1) and the mother opaline (X2), then the normal male offspring would be split X1 cinnamon, X2 opaline.


This is a basic beginners guide to understanding genetics.

Beginner Guide to Genes, Mutations and Hybrids: Part 1 | Feisty Feathers

 

[Lightning57]

Thank you Monica, but as I said, The science behind how to get different color variations is beyond me.

 

[Monica]

This was in response to Brazil&Zealand's question!


If you are willing to learn though, it's pretty fascinating! Confusing, of course, but fascinating!