Cockatiel colour mutations
19 Cockatiel colour mutations, with the inheritance of each, how it looks, and whether a bird can be split for it.
| Mutation | Inheritance | Looks | Can be split? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pied (patched) | Autosomal recessive | Irregular yellow/white patches without grey feathers in them; preferably the face and back are clean. | Yes – the male and female can be carriers (split) without it showing |
| Anti-sexual-dimorphism pied | Autosomal recessive | Suppresses male traits, making it hard to tell the sexes apart. | Yes – the male and female can be carriers (split) without it showing |
| Lutino | Sex-linked recessive | Yellow-white with orange cheeks and red eyes. | Only males can be carriers; the female either shows it or does not carry it |
| Cinnamon (isabelle) | Sex-linked recessive | Grey becomes a warm brown; the chick's burgundy eye turns brown within 5–15 days. | Only males can be carriers; the female either shows it or does not carry it |
| Pearl | Sex-linked recessive | A pearl pattern (yellow/white edges) on the back and wing; males lose the pattern after the first molt. | Only males can be carriers; the female either shows it or does not carry it |
| Whiteface | Autosomal recessive | Eliminates yellow and orange: a grey bird with a white face and no orange cheeks. | Yes – the male and female can be carriers (split) without it showing |
| Pastelface | Autosomal recessive | Pale (peach) cheeks and diluted yellow. | Yes – the male and female can be carriers (split) without it showing |
| Albino (whiteface lutino) | Combination | Completely white with red eyes. | Depends on the component mutations |
| Pallid (platinum) | Sex-linked recessive | Partial silvery-grey dilution; a dark eye. | Only males can be carriers; the female either shows it or does not carry it |
| Dominant silver | Incomplete dominant | Silvery grey with a darker cap; the double dose is lighter. | No – appears with one dose (SF) and two doses (DF) in different degrees |
| Recessive silver | Autosomal recessive | Light silvery grey with red eyes. | Yes – the male and female can be carriers (split) without it showing |
| Bronze fallow | Autosomal recessive | Yellowish-brown grey with red eyes. | Yes – the male and female can be carriers (split) without it showing |
| Grey fallow | Autosomal recessive | Pale grey with red eyes. | Yes – the male and female can be carriers (split) without it showing |
| Dominant yellow cheek | Autosomal dominant | The cheek patch turns from orange to golden yellow. | No – if present it shows |
| Sex-linked yellow cheek | Sex-linked recessive | Yellow cheek. | Only males can be carriers; the female either shows it or does not carry it |
| Emerald / olive | Autosomal recessive | Diffuse yellow pigment with grey gives a greenish-olive color. | Yes – the male and female can be carriers (split) without it showing |
| Faded | Autosomal recessive | Very pale grey (West Coast silver). | Yes – the male and female can be carriers (split) without it showing |
| Defined dilute | Unknown | Mentioned in Wikipedia without an inheritance pattern. | Unknown |
| Recessive ino | Autosomal recessive | Lutino not sex-linked — rare. | Yes – the male and female can be carriers (split) without it showing |
The Zajel app has a genetics calculator that shows the expected chick colours of any pair before you pair them.