Could this be a Mauve?

[Ring0Neck]

Silly Question ...but still i find it hard to distinguish between a Double Factor Grey and a Mauve..see pictures - notice clipped wing as it was handfed
http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll26 ... rkgrey.jpg

***I bought this from a farmer that sold out all his birds, it is an 07 unsexed bird.
I always thought it is a double factor grey till i saw the photo of a mauve on the net...link below
http://www.sunbird1.co.za/Mauve&Cobalt.jpg

My picture is awful, i will try to add better ones soon.

My second question is:If i can not figure out what color it is, what should i pair it up with to see what comes up? in such way to be sure what it is by the offspring.

[Jay]

Although Grey and Mauve look similar, Mauve would have some Bluish tinge to the bird. Also, Mauve is bred from two Cobalt parents. Cobalt in the US is worth over $1000 per bird and in Australia probably twice that. Having said that, it is probably not a Mauve as Mauves and Cobalts are extremely rare in Australia.

One can't visually distinguish a Single-Factor Grey from a Double-Factor Grey. This is one of the characteristics of Autosomal Complete Dominant mutations such as the Grey Factor.

To remove any doubt, pair your bird to a plain Blue bird. If it is a Mauve, you will only breed Cobalt babies. If it is a Double-Factor Grey, you will only breed Single-Factor Grey birds. If it is Single-Factor Grey, then you will get Blue and Grey babies.

Hope that helps.

[Ring0Neck]

Thanks Jay,

I have grey irn's and this is much darker then the ones i have or have seen as grey.
Also, it has a distinguished/different appearance to the rest of my IRNs
We call him Eagle as to how he looks and is slightly larger then the 07 IRNs
I will probably pair him up as you said and see what will hatch

[Jay]

Thanks Jay,

I have grey irn's and this is much darker then the ones i have or have seen as grey.
Also, it has a distinguished/different appearance to the rest of my IRNs
We call him Eagle as to how he looks and is slightly larger then the 07 IRNs
I will probably pair him up as you said and see what will hatch

Melanin production and distribution varies from individual to individual. Same reason why some humans of the same race are darker than others.

But if there is indeed a difference in the appearance between SF Greys and DF Greys, then the Grey Factor needs to be reclassified as Incomplete Dominant rather than Complete Dominant.