Now that Peach-faced mutations and colours have become more and more complicated and plentiful, it is important to be able to accurately identify exactly what has been bred.

Here is a guide to help work out the mutation of each chick before and after they have feathered up.

‘Splits’ can throw out surprises

With so many Peach-faced lovebird enthusiasts breeding the many mutations and colours now available, so a large surfeit of ‘split’ birds is being created, and it is these birds that can often throw out a few surprise colours and perhaps cause confusion.

‘Splits’ are birds that visually show one colour but carry the genes of at least one other colour and have the ability to pass it on to their progeny. But, unless their genetic history is known, it will not be obvious until they breed what colours they are ‘split’ for. Even if the mutations of their parents are known, depending on their colours and what hidden genes they may be carrying, it is not always known which youngsters in a nest carry which hidden genes.

Read more in the magazine…