Most male budgies these days are split to opaline. That is most male budgies bought from petshops. Both my oldest petshop males are split to opaline.

When I was studying the biology of the cell, we were told one very interesting thing. It was that: Recessive genes do actually express them selves even when hidden by a dominant gene. For instance in sickle cell anaemia, when the genotype is (I'm not sure of the actual letters they use) Dd, the person will not get anaemia, but the express both normal red blood cell and sickle shaped red blood cells. This suggest that even though the recessive gene may not be seen overall in the phenotype of the animal it is still expressed.

Thus in an instance where say a budgie is split to ino. It's genotype would be Ii. It would appear normal. The little recessive ino gene is still making a defunct protein, however the normal dominant gene makes enough pigment to cover the body and the effects of the defunct ino protein. When there are two ii ino alleles, both alleles are making the defunct pigment protein and thus no melanin is made as the protein made by the ino gene doesn't produce pigment. Just like the sickle cell anaemia in humans.

 

Now getting on to opalines. I have noticed with both of my males that are split to opaline, small amounts of their body colour are evident on their wings. It does not cover their whole back, but in little patches they have body colour. One of their sons however has now body colour on his back at all. I would assume that he is not split for opaline.

My previous two examples involving the ino and sickle cell anaemia gene, makes the point that in a male budgie split to opaline, his genotype would be Oo. The recessive opaline o allele is making some body colour appear in the wings, but the dominant normal O allele is making enough no pigment protein in most of the feather to cover it up in most areas. However yo will notice that the body colour tends to appear closer to the black line of the back and wing feather, this is most likely due to the fact that the black line is the area of pigment and is the barrier or pigment and no pigment and thus this barrier would most likely break down here.

 

Thus I theorize that males split to opaline will tend to have patches of body colour in their wings, because the hidden opaline gene, still expresses itself even though it is covered up by the normal gene.

 

Your thoughts please.

 

I have noticed also that the coloured patches tend to only be in the V and saddle area of the wings and head like it would be in a full opaline.

 

 

Well here are some pictures of my males that are definately split to opaline and you can definately see the small amounts of body colour in their wings:

 

 

This picture you can especially see the blue on Izzy's shoulder:

 

 

 

Here Arkady's green shows up alot on the back of his head:

Edited April 27, 200718 yr by Sailorwolf

Thats really interesting Sailorwolf. I'm not up to par on the genetics side of things, but I find your simplified version plausible. I will look at some birds tomorrow and see if I can see the very thing you are talking about. Often the "split to" opalines also have a bigger abundance of spots. It's a very interesting topic for you to have brought up.

Edited April 27, 200718 yr by Kaz

That is really really interesting.. I have a dom pied that has colour on his wings/neck v area, and I have often wondered if he had some sort of opaline in his bloodline. guess I can only wait and see what other people's results are from split opaline male.

Most male budgies these days are split to opaline

 

Well, that bit I don't agree with However, it is very interesting. I shall have to look to see if any of my budgies that I am pairing display any hint of opaline. Certainly food for thought.

 

 

Feathers.

I remember seeing budgies with colors through their wings but being told if they had the V that is what would make them the opaline not the coloring in the wings. Interesting theory.

These guys that are split for it, only show, a little hint of colouring, patches of it, or colour outlining their black stripes.

This is Marine (split opaline since he has produced two opaline hens):

 

 

and feathers- it's hard to find a male these days not split for something.

Edited April 27, 200718 yr by Nerwen

and feathers- it's hard to find a male these days not split for something

 

I have at least 8 that I know don't have splits and one that is split for ino. But they have not been bred in budgie farms, they come from registered show breeders. For sure, there are a lot of splits around, but to say most are split for opaline was a bit of an exageration.

 

 

Feathers.

Ive have wondered that before now as my cock birds that are split do have a slight tinge here and there of body colour, and they have been proven split. Most of my birds are split something whether it be blue, opaline, rec pied. etc

I remember seeing budgies with colors through their wings but being told if they had the V that is what would make them the opaline not the coloring in the wings. Interesting theory.

 

Opaline has the 'V', but they also have the colour in their wings. and those especially stand out to me are the opaline spangles.

Ive have wondered that before now as my cock birds that are split do have a slight tinge here and there of body colour, and they have been proven split.

 

 

It is just a really interesting observation. Thanks Sailor for bringing it up... I am going to be checking all my cocks tomorrow...

 

 

Feathers.

Edited April 27, 200718 yr by feathers

thats does make sense. Never thought of it, i always thought that split genes are not visible seen.

Sorry Salorwolf, the condition is called opalesance. It is caused by the opaline gene but the bird need not carry it.

 

Eg. a normal/opaline cock to an normal hen. Will give Opaline hens, normal hens, normal cocks and normal/opaline cocks. Any of these chicks can have the opalesance and need not be split to Opaline.

 

It is a fault on the bench.

Opalesance that's the word I was trying to recall before

Sorry Salorwolf, the condition is called opalesance. It is caused by the opaline gene but the bird need not carry it.

 

Eg. a normal/opaline cock to an normal hen. Will give Opaline hens, normal hens, normal cocks and normal/opaline cocks. Any of these chicks can have the opalesance and need not be split to Opaline.

 

It is a fault on the bench.

 

 

So basically you're saying that if a cock bird has opalesance, it means that there's a 50% chance that it can be split to opaline right? I guess that's an okay % to guess what your bird is split for. :ausb: hehe

Just from my observations so far, all my birds showing it have had opaline babies.

I will be breeding again next year and we will see whether this theory holds true for my other birds that have opalescence. :ausb:

 

I would say too, that birds showing more opalescence would be more likely to be split for it than others showing minimal opalescence.

Though on that noe. Arkady has produced two babies so far, one opaline violet female and one cobalt yf full body colour grey wing spangle male called Robbie. Robbie shows no opalescence what so ever, just like his mother. None of my none opaline female budgies show any opalescence whatsoever even though they have opalescent brothers fathers.