FINCHforum

Hello,

I have a couple of questions. I have a Powdered Blue Silver Gouldian with a white breast. I am looking for one with a purple breast. My question is I dont understand this mutation. Is there 2 types of silvers? I have a powdered blue, but then I have one that is all white. In the genetic calculators there is technically only 1 silver. I love the powdered blue color, but dont understand if this is just another type of silver. The term Powdered Blue is just something I came up with. Its not a pastel, but the color is actually powder blue. I do have photos of these birds if someone would like me to email them photos to help me understand.

Any expertise anyone can offer would be greatly appreciated.

why not post the pictures on the forum? If you are not sure how, photobucket or some other hosting site normally can make it easier to put them up.

Silvers come in different colors. I've seen them a light blue to silver gray to white. The term "powder blue" refers to a pastel or dilute. The silvers carry a double factor yellow-back genetic trait which lightens the blue even more.
You would definitely have a silver, since there is no such thing as a pastel blue with a white breast.

brandon_cindy6
I would like to see the pictures as would a lot of members try this link to post very easy http://www.finchforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=2813
by the way welcome to the forum

brandon_cindy6 wrote:Hello,

I have a couple of questions. I have a Powdered Blue Silver Gouldian with a white breast. I am looking for one with a purple breast. My question is I dont understand this mutation. Is there 2 types of silvers? I have a powdered blue, but then I have one that is all white. In the genetic calculators there is technically only 1 silver. I love the powdered blue color, but dont understand if this is just another type of silver. The term Powdered Blue is just something I came up with. Its not a pastel, but the color is actually powder blue. I do have photos of these birds if someone would like me to email them photos to help me understand.

Any expertise anyone can offer would be greatly appreciated.

Silvers are Silvers. Pastels are Pastels.
The confusion arises because of the multitude of nomenclatures that exist.
To some, a Pastel is a "Blue Dilute," to others, a "Powder Blue," and to others still, a "SF Pastel Blue."
So it really just depends on the nomenclature you use versus the bird you possess.
A "Powder Blue" Silver with a White Breast is most likely a "Single Factor Yellow, Blue Bodied bird."
Because it is SF Yellow, it doesn't inhibit enough of the typical melanin production to completely turn the bird white (as in a "Silver hen" or a DF Yellow Blue "Silver" Male - both of which would appear light grey/bright white in body color).

The powdery blue color you see is the result of the structural blue body color being partially obscured by the single yellow gene present, and vice versa.
Silvers are a conundrum to pigmentation, because the mutated blue genes prevent expression of red and yellow pigment, and the yellow gene prevent expression of structual blue color and black pigment - so with only one copy of the yellow gene, there is only partial inhibition of either - so you get a soft, silvery blue colored bird instead of an all over, pigment-void white bird.

Confusing enough?? :))