Rosy-faced (Peach-faced) Lovebird colour mutations
22 Rosy-faced (Peach-faced) Lovebird 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? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dutch blue (aqua) | Autosomal recessive | A blue-green (sea) body and a pale peach face. | Yes – the male and female can be carriers (split) without it showing |
| Turquoise (whiteface) | Autosomal recessive | A turquoise-blue body and a white/very light pink face. | Yes – the male and female can be carriers (split) without it showing |
| Aqua-turquoise | Co-dominant | Intermediate between aqua and turquoise. | No – the two alleles show together |
| Dark factor (jade/olive) | Incomplete dominant | SF: jade or cobalt; DF: olive or mauve. | No – appears with one dose (SF) and two doses (DF) in different degrees |
| Violet factor | Incomplete dominant | Gives violet on the blue series. | No – appears with one dose (SF) and two doses (DF) in different degrees |
| Lutino | Sex-linked recessive | Yellow with a rosy-red face and red eyes. | Only males can be carriers; the female either shows it or does not carry it |
| Creamino | Combination | Creamy white with a peach face and red eyes. | Depends on the component mutations |
| Pallid (Australian cinnamon) | Sex-linked recessive | Slight melanin dilution and grey-brown flight feathers. | Only males can be carriers; the female either shows it or does not carry it |
| Cinnamon | Sex-linked recessive | Brown flight feathers and a lighter body; the chick's eye is red/burgundy. | Only males can be carriers; the female either shows it or does not carry it |
| Opaline (pink head) | Sex-linked recessive | The pink color extends to cover the whole head, and the tail has no black band. | Only males can be carriers; the female either shows it or does not carry it |
| Dilute (Japanese yellow/golden cherry) | Autosomal recessive | Yellow with a green sheen (80–90% melanin dilution), light grey flight feathers, legs and eyes in the natural (grey) color. | Yes – the male and female can be carriers (split) without it showing |
| Marbled/edged (American dilute) | Autosomal recessive | Dark feather edges on a diluted body. | Yes – the male and female can be carriers (split) without it showing |
| Orange face | Autosomal recessive | The face is orange instead of rosy-red. | Yes – the male and female can be carriers (split) without it showing |
| Dominant pied | Autosomal dominant | Irregular yellow/light patches. | No – if present it shows |
| Pale fallow | Autosomal recessive | Brown dilution with red eyes. | Yes – the male and female can be carriers (split) without it showing |
| Bronze fallow | Autosomal recessive | Bronze dilution with red eyes. | Yes – the male and female can be carriers (split) without it showing |
| Misty | Incomplete dominant | A slight grey darkening of the color. | No – appears with one dose (SF) and two doses (DF) in different degrees |
| Pale | Sex-linked recessive | Slight melanin dilution (~15–20%) — harder to distinguish than Pallid. | Only males can be carriers; the female either shows it or does not carry it |
| Recessive pied | Autosomal recessive | Irregular clear patches. | Yes – the male and female can be carriers (split) without it showing |
| Pale headed | Incomplete dominant | A head lighter than the body. | No – appears with one dose (SF) and two doses (DF) in different degrees |
| Dun fallow | Autosomal recessive | Fallow with red eyes and a lighter color. | Yes – the male and female can be carriers (split) without it showing |
| Dark-eyed clear (DEC) | Autosomal recessive | A clear yellow/white bird with a black eye. | 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.