NORMAL GRAY:
This is the natural color of a wild cockatiel often referred to as “Wild type”. Every other color that deviates from this is a mutation. An adult gray is primarily gray in body color with white markings at the end of each wing. The gray body should be devoid of any other markings and/or coloration or it will be considered a pied, this can be seen on some markings/patches at the back of the head. They are dimorphic ( can be visually sexed). The face of the male is yellow extending up to its crest. Due to this base color, the cheek patch is often more prominent on the male specie. The female has a primarily gray face with some muted yellow and barrings apparent at the underside of its tail. The male has the same visual characteristics as the female before its first molt.
Eyes: Dark or black.
*** It is always assumed that the wild type is genetically the strongest of the species and has the near perfect immune system, with better breeding/parenting instincts. Thus to strengthen other mutations most are paired back to these original grays.
PEARL:
This is a case when the central gray pigment of the feathers is muted and the yellow/white pigment (psittacin) is replaced, resulting in a scalloped-patterned feather. Gradually, the male loses much of this pattern after its final molt which will take about a year, while the female retains them. Due to this it is easier to sex this mutation through behavior. Pearl chicks two weeks of age can be identified with spots and specks visible through its pin feathers.
Pied
The pied has lost its general pattern of color. Any spot of yellow, white or gray that shouldn’t be placed in a wild-type (or any other mutation) pattern is a pied. Due to this, it is unreliable to trust sexing through vision as the rules of pattern for dimorphism are erased. The distribution of these colors can be classified as light pied, heavy pied, reverse pied and clear pied.
Eyes: Dark
LUTINO
Identified with its missing Dark and Gray pigments allover its body.
This makes a stunning Cockatiel, made up of yellow/white body and a yellow face, the white face mutation combined with the lutino make up the commonly known "Albino" type, though it is merely a combination of two types of mutation, Albinos don't really exist in the Cockatiel.
PIED
The pied cockatiel has an irregular pattern of colors in its plumage, any dark blot, spot in a lutino cockatiel makes it PIED. There are two common forms: the regular pied and the heavy pied. The regular or normal pied has more dark feathers in its body while a heavy pied has more lighter( yellow or white) in its feathers. The prized standard is that of a balanced pattern of dark feathers between the back of the wing in a heavy pied bird.
There is absolutely no reliable sexing that can be done on a pied bird by simply looking at its plumage.
WHITEFACE
A mutation that can coexist with all other mutations except the pied. Resembles a missing cheek patch and a white face instead of yellow. When in visual existence with the Lutino, generates the pseudo Albino type.
Other High and rare mutations will be discussed individually during updates of this blogsite like the
Silver,Cinnamon& fallow, Pastelface, Platinum, olive, yellow cheek, Sable.
