FINCHforum

I purchased a BH/PB/BB a while back. He was in pretty sad shape but he is not molting in nicely and filling in bald spots on head. I know essentially nothing about his background and I was trying to figure out if he might be a BH/YTB or just a plain BH. From reading on the forum it seems that if he has a yellow tipped beak his beak should be yellow at end and if he is just a BH then his beak will have a red tip. My bird doesn't have any color to his beak...all white. What does that mean? I can post a photo if it would help. He is not a juvenile but probably about 2 years old.
thanks,
Lori

He has no color on his beak because he is a Blue bodied bird.

That is what I thought originally but then some of the genetics programs list a BH-YTB even with the BB. Does that mean then that even though they may have an orange head in there it won't show on the beak like in some of the other birds?
thanks,
Lori

Yup! I believe BBs are an exception to the beak color. All my BBs have are black tipped beaks. They can't express any other color.

Well that is interesting that you say that all your BB have black tipped beaks. Mine doesnt have any color whatsoever!
I guess I could understand better if it was black tipped.
Lori

Does that mean then that even though they may have an orange head in there it won't show on the beak like in some of the other birds?

Correct, that's why a Red Head and a Yellow Head both have the tan color head. Because of the changes in their genetics they can no longer produce those colors.

Well that is interesting that you say that all your BB have black tipped beaks.

Only hens in breeding condition will have the black beaks just like the normal gouldians do.

This is interesting, as I have 2 BB males (RH-PB-BB and BH-WB-BB) and both have no color on their beaks, even though they are breeding.

Actually, my BB male has a black tipped beak.

Actually, my BB male has a black tipped beak

That is interesting

Just checked in on mine. My males all have the standard ivory colour, just the hens have a bit of black on their tips.

lovemyfinch wrote:Just checked in on mine. My males all have the standard ivory colour, just the hens have a bit of black on their tips.

Agreed - my BB hens also have black tipped or blackened beaks when in breeding condition. My BB males always have ivory beaks - no colour at all.