A few years ago people started talking about a new mutation in Belgium. I contacted the breeder at that time but he couldn’t give me more information about the birds and their inheritance. However, he did give me some pictures. At first sight it was difficult to understand which mutation we were dealing with, or if in fact it was a new mutation at all.

The birds shows a lighter body colour than we know in normal birds (about 25% dilution). Years later, after examination of the feathers it seems to be a “Misty”, a mutation that we have already seen in other parrot species.

The Misty is incomplete-dominant and shows itself in single and double factor birds. It is still difficult to see the difference in single factor birds but in double factor birds they have a much paler body colour.

I visited the breeder again, and  Mr. Gino De Geest told me that the Misty birds have a bluer cheek patch than the normal birds and combined with the Cinnamon factor the legs of the Misty are much darker than those of a normal Cinnamon.  In the Grey series birds, you can only see the difference in the body colour.

Today he is trying to breed the Cinnamon factor out of the birds to become “normal” Misty birds, inf act it is better to lose the Cinnamon factor in the Misty birds because a Misty Cinnamon is difficult to determe from a normal Cinnamon.

Perhaps not a bird for the show bench, certainly the single factor birds but with the double factor birds there is a chance.

Misty can be combined with all existing mutations although it would not be clearly visible in all of them.

Pairings :

Misty EF x Normal = 50% Normal + 50% Misty

Misty EF x Misty EF = 25% Normal + 50% Misty EF + 25% Misty DF

Misty DF x Normal = 100% Misty EF

Misty DF x Misty EF = 50% Misty EF + 50% Misty DF

 Misty DF x Misty DF = 100% Misty DF

*DF = Double Factor
*EF = Single Factor

© Didier Mervilde 2000/2001/2002/2003/2004
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