Update on *pallid* Agapornis fischeri

As with any possible new colour mutation, there are many opinions in the early stages. There are believers and non-believers. This is no different with this *pallid* Agapornis fischeri.

About seven months ago I asked a few breeders of these *pallids* to breed this phenotype in green. The first specimens we saw were combinations with (many) other mutants and that can give the wrong impression.

A few weeks ago we received the first pictures of what the green *pallid* should be. And the birds do indeed have all the visual characteristics that a pallid should have.

But we also receive reports that these *pallids* are just a combination of pale and pastel or pale and dominant edged. Others swear it isn’t.

Unfortunately, those discussions don’t help us any further and only test pairings can support or disprove these claims.
If the *pallid* phenotype is a combination of pale and dominant edged then a simple combination of *pallid* and green can prove or disprove this theory.

1. If the bird is a combination of DF dominant edged and pale, then all offspring must be SF dominant edged.
2. If the bird is a combination of SF dominant edged and pale, then 50% of the offspring can also be SF dominant edged.
   

If we do not have SF dominant edged birds during the first mating, we can already exclude this first theory, because if one parent is DF dominant edged all youngsters must be SF dominant edged.

If we have +20 youngsters and there is still no single SF dominant edged bird born, we can suspect that we can also exclude theory number 2.

If the *pallid* phenotype is a combination of pale and pastel then, also, a simple combination of a *pallid* and a pastel can prove or disprove this theory.
The best way to test it is to combine a pastel green male with a *pallid* green hen. If this *pallid* phenotype is indeed a combination of pastel and pale, all offspring must be pastel green, the males will be pastel green / pale

If you combine a *pallid* green male with a pastel green hen, all young hens will be pale and pastel, all males will be pastel green / pale.

If non of these combinations gives us pastel youngsters, we can also exclude this theory.
So the good news is that you can easily figure it out for yourself.

Please, realize that with us it’s all about finding the right answer. That has always been the case with us and always will be. Hopefully our DNA research can avoid these discussions in the future and a simple DNA test will give us the right answer then.

But even then…I think some will even discus. I believe it’s part of the hobby 🙂