In early 2000, Dr Terry Martin BVSc, published his book “A Guide to Colour Mutations and Genetics in Parrots” containing a list of colour mutations in Psittaciformes. Most of the information on which this list was based came from the online Genetics-Psittacine list.
It was the first time in the history of aviculture that an index of (possible) colour mutations was drawn up. It was also the first attempt to associate colloquial/local names for mutations with ‘International names’. The first agreements / guidelines had already been drawn up for this.
Now more than twenty years later, the international guidelines have already been updated a number of times and Ornitho-Genetics VZW has now taken the initiative, in collaboration with Dr. Terry Martin to update the list of colour mutations in Psittaciformes.
This list will be available online via MutaBase and is accessible via https://mutabase.ogvzw.org.
Mutabase will provide bird breeders and scientists access to a database on known primary colour morphs in birds.
So far, the database contains only colour mutations within a few genera, but we will complete it with other species / taxonomic orders in the near future. We want to do that in collaboration with specialized breeders and/or societies, using Dr Terry Martin’s 2001 list as a basis.
We also collaborate with Mr. Martin Rasek from Gencalc.com. This online calculator will also be updated with our recently gathered info on colour mutations.
We will update this database species by species and start in the upcoming weeks with the list of colour mutations in Cockatiels [Nymphicus hollandicus ] which was published in the ABK Cockatiel book – Cockatiels and their Mutations as Pet and Aviary Birds (2007), written by Dr. Terry Martin and Diane Anderson
More info to follow.
