Whiteface Lutino ("Albino") & Whiteface Lutino Pieds
Copyright © 2005 LINDA S. RUBIN
NCS Genetics Consultant/NCS Panel Judge
www.CockatielsPlusParrots.com
First published in the National Cockatiel Society March-April 2005 Journal
All Rights Reserved
Q. I have a Whiteface cock and a Normal Grey hen. The cock’s mother is a Whiteface Lutino
(Albino) and the father is a Pied. We are on our 3rd clutch with this pair and in each clutch all
the males appear Normal Grey and the females appear Lutino. Would it be safe for me to
assume that in future clutches all the males are going to be Normal Grey and all the females
will be Lutino? Where exactly is the Lutino mutation coming from?
Thanks,
SV
A. I have done the charting for you so that you will know precisely the full genetic makeup
(i.e., the genotypes) your pair can produce.
Because your Whiteface cock's mother is Whiteface Lutino, we know that your Whiteface cock
has to be split to Lutino, because mothers pass their sex-linked mutations on to their sons.
And, because your Whiteface cock's father is Pied, we know your Whiteface cock is also split
to Pied. Therefore:
Mating a Whiteface split Lutino and Pied cock to a Normal Grey hen =
cocks:
12.50% Normal Grey split Whiteface
12.50% Normal Grey split Whiteface and Pied
12.50% Normal Grey split Whiteface and Lutino
12.50% Normal Grey split Whiteface, Lutino, and Pied
hens:
12.50% Normal Grey split Whiteface
12.50% Normal Grey split Whiteface and Pied
12.50% Lutino split Whiteface
12.50% Lutino split Whiteface and Pied
The above gametes are the only possibilities because there are no other genes present to be
expressed in order for crossover to occur, unless your pair are carrying other mutations as
(heterozygous) splits in hidden form.
The good news is that you will produce Lutino hens that are guaranteed split to Whiteface with
a 50/50 possibility they may also be split to Pied. Save these Lutinos because they will be
useful in producing Whiteface Lutino (Albino) offspring when correctly mated to unrelated, or
distantly related cocks that also carry or display both the Lutino and Whiteface mutations.
Similarly, save your Normal Grey split to Whiteface and Lutino males as they too will be useful
in producing some future percentage of Whiteface Lutino (Albino) young when paired to
unrelated, or distantly related Whiteface, split Whiteface, Lutino split Whiteface, or Whiteface
Lutino (Albino) hens.
Any Normal Grey male offspring split to Whiteface, Lutino and Pied are also valuable in
producing a small percentage of Whiteface-Lutinos (Albinos) when properly paired. However,
you will need to test breed these males in order to confirm whether they are split to Pied. The
best pick would be any Normal Grey males showing evidence of white or yellow tick markings
about the head, crest, neck, back or breast area, which would indicate they are split to Pied.
Such test bred and proven Normal Grey males carrying Pied would also be guaranteed split to
Whiteface, with a 50/50 possibility of also being split to Lutino.
There are some aviculturists who feel that Whiteface Lutino Pieds are the best form of the
“Albino” cross mutation because some Pied bloodlines may help to eradicate the inherent bald
spot carried in many Lutino lines. In all probability, most high quality mutation bloodlines would
help in such an effort. The bald spot is considered a major show fault in Lutinos and Whiteface
Lutinos (Albinos). Whether cockatiels are bred for exhibition or simply as a hobby, it is
important to eliminate the bald spot and attempt to produce quality even in our pet stock. Most
exhibitors start out by breeding their pets, therefore we must always think of pet owners who
might turn out to be future aviculturists using our own birds in their breeding programs.
My advice would be to heavily cull (sell) any youngsters that show any semblance of a bald
spot behind the crest so that you do not mix them into your future Whiteface Lutino (Albino)
bloodlines. Try to sell these birds to good pet homes that are unlikely to breed these birds in
the future. This will help to prevent bald spots from appearing in your Whiteface Lutino
(Albino) bloodlines, as well as in others. LSR.
Learn more about genetics and mutations, view
Copyright © 2005 LINDA S. RUBIN
NCS Genetics Consultant/NCS Panel Judge
www.CockatielsPlusParrots.com
First published in the National Cockatiel Society March-April 2005 Journal
All Rights Reserved
Q. I have a Whiteface cock and a Normal Grey hen. The cock’s mother is a Whiteface Lutino
(Albino) and the father is a Pied. We are on our 3rd clutch with this pair and in each clutch all
the males appear Normal Grey and the females appear Lutino. Would it be safe for me to
assume that in future clutches all the males are going to be Normal Grey and all the females
will be Lutino? Where exactly is the Lutino mutation coming from?
Thanks,
SV
A. I have done the charting for you so that you will know precisely the full genetic makeup
(i.e., the genotypes) your pair can produce.
Because your Whiteface cock's mother is Whiteface Lutino, we know that your Whiteface cock
has to be split to Lutino, because mothers pass their sex-linked mutations on to their sons.
And, because your Whiteface cock's father is Pied, we know your Whiteface cock is also split
to Pied. Therefore:
Mating a Whiteface split Lutino and Pied cock to a Normal Grey hen =
cocks:
12.50% Normal Grey split Whiteface
12.50% Normal Grey split Whiteface and Pied
12.50% Normal Grey split Whiteface and Lutino
12.50% Normal Grey split Whiteface, Lutino, and Pied
hens:
12.50% Normal Grey split Whiteface
12.50% Normal Grey split Whiteface and Pied
12.50% Lutino split Whiteface
12.50% Lutino split Whiteface and Pied
The above gametes are the only possibilities because there are no other genes present to be
expressed in order for crossover to occur, unless your pair are carrying other mutations as
(heterozygous) splits in hidden form.
The good news is that you will produce Lutino hens that are guaranteed split to Whiteface with
a 50/50 possibility they may also be split to Pied. Save these Lutinos because they will be
useful in producing Whiteface Lutino (Albino) offspring when correctly mated to unrelated, or
distantly related cocks that also carry or display both the Lutino and Whiteface mutations.
Similarly, save your Normal Grey split to Whiteface and Lutino males as they too will be useful
in producing some future percentage of Whiteface Lutino (Albino) young when paired to
unrelated, or distantly related Whiteface, split Whiteface, Lutino split Whiteface, or Whiteface
Lutino (Albino) hens.
Any Normal Grey male offspring split to Whiteface, Lutino and Pied are also valuable in
producing a small percentage of Whiteface-Lutinos (Albinos) when properly paired. However,
you will need to test breed these males in order to confirm whether they are split to Pied. The
best pick would be any Normal Grey males showing evidence of white or yellow tick markings
about the head, crest, neck, back or breast area, which would indicate they are split to Pied.
Such test bred and proven Normal Grey males carrying Pied would also be guaranteed split to
Whiteface, with a 50/50 possibility of also being split to Lutino.
There are some aviculturists who feel that Whiteface Lutino Pieds are the best form of the
“Albino” cross mutation because some Pied bloodlines may help to eradicate the inherent bald
spot carried in many Lutino lines. In all probability, most high quality mutation bloodlines would
help in such an effort. The bald spot is considered a major show fault in Lutinos and Whiteface
Lutinos (Albinos). Whether cockatiels are bred for exhibition or simply as a hobby, it is
important to eliminate the bald spot and attempt to produce quality even in our pet stock. Most
exhibitors start out by breeding their pets, therefore we must always think of pet owners who
might turn out to be future aviculturists using our own birds in their breeding programs.
My advice would be to heavily cull (sell) any youngsters that show any semblance of a bald
spot behind the crest so that you do not mix them into your future Whiteface Lutino (Albino)
bloodlines. Try to sell these birds to good pet homes that are unlikely to breed these birds in
the future. This will help to prevent bald spots from appearing in your Whiteface Lutino
(Albino) bloodlines, as well as in others. LSR.
Learn more about genetics and mutations, view
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| WHITEFACE LUTINO ("ALBINO") & WHITEFACE LUTINO PIED Copyright © 2005 Linda S. Rubin All Rights Reserved |
| ORIGINAL BOOK REVIEW by Dr. Rainer R. Erhardt "Well, there is help on the horizon and anyone seriously interested in color genetics should take a look at Linda Rubin's book: COCKATIEL GENETICS MADE EASY! Though this book is primarily directed to breeders of cockatiel mutations, there is enough information in this little volume to teach anyone the secrets of dealing with recessive, sex-linked, and dominant mutations..." ACBM, Vol. 65, No.12 CLICK TO READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW! 112 pages, 15 chapters, glossary & more! |
Copyright 2007 Linda S. Rubin
| c.2006 Suzanne Ravaillion (click on thumbnail for larger image) |
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