FAQ: what is de reason behind NSL ino birds (with red eyes) with coloured spots in the feathers or greyish spots in the primaries? Is this really NSL ino then?
Answer: These are indeed NSL ino birds. Now and then we see NSL ino birds with green spots (or blue spots in NSL ino blue birds), others have grey spots in the primaries. That is not that exceptional.
We must realise that NSL ino birds still can produce (mis formed) eumelanin. This type of mutation is therefore described by scientists as ‘imperfect albinism’. That is also something that we can see on the colour of the feet in NSL Ino birds. Even though this mutation blocks the production of dark eumelanin, in most birds, we still see a limited deposit of eumelanin in the feet. These pigment cells are likely stimulated by the effect of sunlight into protecting themselves that some tyrosinase activity is started in an alternative manner. The amount of produced eumelanin will depend from bird to bird, with the result that there will be some who will develop these spots.
