It has been more than two years since, through this blog and a webinar hosted by ACP, we issued a call to conduct test pairings with pallid Agapornis fischeri.
The first reports we received about the possible existence of a possible pallid Agapornis fischeri originate from 2016. A few years later there were already several reports of enthusiasts who believe they have pallid Agapornis fischeri in their collection and of course that lead to many discussions.
It had been known for some time that it is a sex-linked mutation, but whether it was pallid or a combination with pale was not entirely clear. That’s why we called for test pairings with pale.
Soon we received breeding results of pallid with pale from one breeder indicating that they are indeed two different mutations, which are, importantly, alleles of the same gene. He bred males with an intermediate colour between pallid and pale (PalePallid) and ‘normal’ pallid females from the combination pallid male x pale female. This was already a good indication to support the theory that it is indeed pallid, but as always, we need at least three independent sources to draw conclusions.
In August 2022 we received the similar breeding results from a breeder in Indonesia. That was number two.
And now, last month, we were contacted by Mr. Mohsin Zaman who also combined pale with pallid with as results PalePallid males. More interesting is the fact that he bred PalePallid males with an opaline green hen and in this pairing he has pale and pallid females. That proves again that it are two different mutations (alleles) from the same gene. Also the fact that the birds have red eyes at the time of birth which after some days turn into dark, the grey primaries and pink feet, are extra (and typical) characteristics from pallid.
So I think we can assume with quite a high degree of certainty that pallid indeed exists in Agapornis fischeri.
Thanks to everybody who cooperated in this search, believers and non-believers, because every information is needed / important in these investigations.
© Hanzala Sharif
