My daughter purchased the budgie below yesterday. I'm pretty sure it's a dark green spangle, but the wing markings are very faint. Could it also possibly be a clearwing? Apologies for the poor picture quality - I'll try and get a better photo soon.

 

It is a spangle, but I think it is also opaline because that pattern occurs in the wings when I have opaline and spangle. I think it has to do with opaline putting body colour in the wings, then the spangle reversing it?

okay - that might explain it. Thanks Squeak_Crumble.

yes spangle opaline - he is a nice bird.

It is an Opaline Spangle.

 

Lets try and clear up a myth here. The Spangle markings are NOT reversed as is written and subsequently passed on as fact by others.

 

The spangle markings are close to the edge of the feather. There is still a yellow or white edge. The melanin present is reduced to leave line of varying degrees of thickness and depth of colour. In fact the Spangle mutation can be classed as a type of pied.

 

The spangle gene does not reverse the Oplaine marking either. The Opaline effect is were it should be, it is just more evident due to the lack of markings.

Edited January 13, 201114 yr by RIPbudgies

RIP - so what you're saying is that the amount of melanin (or lack thereof) that creates the 'spangling' effect? And also that the opaline has no effect of the visual 'spangling' of the wings?

 

So in the 'Colours for Beginners' thread (http://forums.budgie...?showtopic=9447) the following about Spangles isn't correct? : In the Green series they have a bright green body colour, however, the wing markings differ from Normals in that the black and yellow wing markings of the Normals are reversed in the Spangle, they are yellow and black instead.

Edited January 13, 201114 yr by The Black Doctor

so what you're saying is that the amount of melanin (or lack thereof) that creates the 'spangling' effect? And also that the opaline has no effect of the visual 'spangling' of the wings?

yes that is correct Black Doctor.

 

That thread was copied from what Jim Hutton wrote.

So is Jim Hutton incorrect in what he says or was his use of the term 'reversed' merely a simplification of the visual aspect of spangling, due to the fact his explanation is directed at 'beginners'?

 

Anyway, back to the melanin issue. So I presume the amount of melanin produced in a spangle is much less than in a normal and the ground colour 'fills' where the lack of melanin occurs (which I presume is only on the wings)? I guess then in say, a greywing, the level of melanin present is the same as a normal - it's just diluted and is grey instead of black (or brown in the case of a cinnamon)? And the spangle's melanin is reduced to the extent that it remains in a unique pattern around the edges of the wing feathers? Am I close or way off track?

 

So, is it then a fault if a spangle has to little or too much melanin? The bird my daughter bought appears to have very little melanin compared to the other spangles I have.

Hi There i agree opaline Spangle, not clearwing, but i suspect there may be a violet factor there as well but it is had to tell from the picture. He looks lovely

So is Jim Hutton incorrect in what he says or was his use of the term 'reversed' merely a simplification of the visual aspect of spangling, due to the fact his explanation is directed at 'beginners'?

 

 

I think that Jim Hutton was simplifying the visual aspect of spangling to make it easier for "beginners", as you have suggested. When writing a book, you need to cater for all levels, so if you write in too much detail or utilise too much scientific jargon, you will alienate soem people. Thus why I think he wrote it as he did.

 

This of course is my point of view, and the only way to know the truth is to ask Jim Hutton.

 

Kaz, have you interviewed him yet?

it is my view as well Dave, many people (even myself) have stated it like this to simplify it for starters.

 

There are poorly marked spangle that have faint/ very thin lines. That would cause issues with judging in showing i believe. Reading the standards for that might help more. (not a show breeder)

Hopefully RIPbudgies can fill us in on that Nerwen.

spangles are by show standeds ment to have

6 full bulls eye spots meaning a spot with a hole like donuts (mm donuts)

and good strong body colour with either white or yellow wings depending on colour variation

and crisp deep thick spangling lines with no fading or black feathers interfering with the marks :}

even in cinnamon and greywing verigations

The problem with simplifying things is that you run the risk of introducting incorrect terminology which leads to further inconsistencies and confusion down the track. The use of the term 'reverse' is one such problem. Take a normal feather feather and a spangle feather, put them side by side, where can you see the black striation has been been reversed. It has not.

 

Opaline only affects the spangle feather in so much that the centre section that would normally show black or in some normals it will be a bluish black or greenish black will be missings and is then replaced by the body colour blue or green. The melanin is reduced because of the spangle effect.

 

Jim Hutton has made the same mistake as everybody else by saying the markings are reversed. Keep in mind few articles are written in which the content is the author own observations but rather regurgitated from other writings without thought as to the validity of the information. It is easy to write articles and/or books. You don't need a degree. You don't even need to be right!