Recessive, Dominant & Sex Linked Color Mutations

Hi:

I have a question and if you have the time to answer I'll be glad to know your reply.

Are the parrotlets male have dominant genes like the cockatiels?

For example:

An albino cockatiel can produce albino babies and it don't matter the female mutation color. But an albino female cockatiel can't produce albino unless you pair her with an albino or split to albino male.

My question is because I have a green parotlet split to blue male (I think that is split to blue because both of his parents are green split to blue) and I want to buy him a mate that can produce blue or yellow.

Thank You,
Sheila

Thank you for your email Sheila. I have a page on my website at http://www.parrotletranch.com/mutbasics.html that I think you will find very helpful in understanding parrotlet mutations. First, remember that unlike cockatiels, there are several species of parrotlets and the one that has the most color mutations in the US are Pacifics. Also, all but one, dominant pied, is recessive. None are sex-linked as the only sex-linked mutation, the palid, to my knowledge, has not been imported. This includes lutino which is sex-linked in almost all other birds including cockatiels. Albino in Pacifics is not a true genetic albino but a combination of blue and lutino.

If you think of inheritance modes instead of colors, you should have absolutely no problems. After all, recessive in parrotlets is the same as all other birds including cockatiels, budgies, lovebirds and even chickens.

Hope this helps.