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Parrotlets Breeds & Mutations

35K views 29 replies 18 participants last post by  smilies34 
#1 ·
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Pacific Parrotlet (Forpus coelestis)
Other Names: Celestial Parrotlet or Lesson’s Parrotlet
Length: 12-13 cm (4 ¾ - 5 ½ in.)
Color: The Pacific Parrotlet is mainly green.
Variations: F. c. lucida
Plumage/Body: The cock (male) has cobalt blue flight feathers and a narrow blue streak that runs from the eyes to the back of the neck. The hen (female) lacks the blue in the wings, and has a lighter blue (mostly blue/green) streak running from the eyes to the back of the neck. Both have blue rumps, but the blue rump on the female is not as defined as the male. Their eyes are dark brown, beak is grayish-white, and their legs are pale pink. Tail is very short.
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Pacific Lucida Parrotlet (Forpus coelestis lucida)
This variation has most of the same characteristics and colors as the Pacific Parrotlet except as noted: although mainly green, Lucida males and females both have blue color on their wings and rump. The males’ blue coloring on the rump is dark cobalt blue and the blue markings around the eye are darker than the female, which is similar to a male Pacific (normal-colored). Also, both male and female have a gray wash over the green coloring on the wings. Note: This variation is not recognized in all reference materials.
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Pacific Parrotlet Mutations
Colors: Blue, Yellow, Fallow, Lutino, Isabel, Albino, White, and Pastels.
[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Characteristics: The same as Pacifics, although their colors vary as to the mutation. Pacific (Color) Mutations are not as common as the Pacific (normal-colored) Parrotlet. Current prices on these color mutations reflect the few breeding programs available[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Green-Rumped Parrotlet (Forpus passerinus)
Other Names: Common Parrotlet, Guiana Parrotlet.
Variations: F.p. viridissimus, F.p. cyanophanes, F.p. cyanochlorus, and F. p. deliciosus.
Characteristics: 12cm (4¾”)
Plumage/Body: The males is green with a brighter green at the cheeks, underside of the body and behind the neck. Lower back, rump and upper tail are bright emerald green. Underside of wings and edge of wing are blue. Females are the same as males, but lacking any blue. Some females may have yellowish colorings on forehead. Green-Rumped Parrotlets have a sleek body, their eyes are dark brown, and their legs are a pale pink.
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Spectacled Parrotlet (Forpus conspicillatus)
Characteristics: 13cm (5 ½”)
Variations: F. c. caucae, F. c. metae
Plumage/Body: The male is emerald green with lighter green and some yellow-green underneath. Blue ring around eye, wing coverts and rump are cobalt to violet blue, with underside of flight feathers bluish green. The female is bright green, with emerald green around eyes, forehead and rump. She will have more yellow on the forehead and underneath than the male. Eyes are gray-brown, legs are light pink.
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Mexican Parrotlet (Forpus cyanopygius)
[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Other Names: Turquoise-rumped Parrotlet, Sonora Parrotlet (F. c. pallidus), Tres Marias or Grayson’s Parrotlet (F. c. insularis)
Variations: F. c. insularia, F. c. pallidus (under investigation)
Characteristics: 13cm (5 ½”) Plumage/Body Males green with turquoise-blue underwing coverts and rump, females are mainly green. Eyes are dark brown, legs are pink or gray. This is one of the largest (stockiest) Parrotlets being bred in the United States, and they are available only from a few select breeders. A breeding cooperative has been established. The Mexican Parrotlet is slow to breed and only produces a few eggs a year once they have begun - which could take years. They are also confused with the Blue-wing Parrotlet and some variations are still under investigation.
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Blue-Winged (Forpus vividus - formerly xanthopterygius)
Characteristics: 12 cm (4 3/4”) Variations F. c. flavissimus, F. c. flavescens, F. x. olallae, F. c. crassirostris, F.c. spengeli
Plumage/Body: Male has blue on upper- and underwing coverts and rump. There is no blue in the eye area. Females difficult to distinguish from other species though there is information that their underside has more yellow. Blue-winged Parrotlets can weigh 35-40 grams.
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Yellow-faced Parrotlet (Forpus xanthops)
Characteristics: 14.5cm (6.25”)
Plumage/Body: Light Green-Yellow with face, throat, and forehead bright yellow. Males have cobalt blue on rump and wings as in other species. They have brown eyes and flesh to pink colored legs. Yellow-faced Parrotlets are known by some American breeders to be a variety of the Pacific Parrotlet. Some European breeders believe them to be a species by themselves.
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Dusky-Billed Parrotlet (Forpus sclateri)
Other Names: Sclater’s Parrotlet, Schomburgh’s Parrotlet.
Variation: F. c. eidos
Characteristics: 12 cm (4 3/4")
Plumage/Body: The male is emerald green, with greater flight feathers and greater wing coverts dark green. The female is green and has no blue coloring, but does have yellow on the forehead and crown. Eyes are dark brown, cere light to dark black, and legs are grey. This Parrotlet has not been imported into the United States. It is very small and stocky.
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#7 ·
Nice job Buuzbee and mikesonly1 - this will come in very handy::)

I have a Lucida female so I wanted to note a correction to the Lucida Pacific Parrotlet description: Only Some females have blue to their wings - and the males have the grey wash over their green -

See the description as posted on the parrotletranch website: Sandee Molenda was the one to discover the Lucida in her stock. Although there was a reference made to them in 1932 by the Chicago Zoo curator of birds, Karl Plath.

There is one subspecies, the Lucida Pacific parrotlet (Forpus coelestis Lucida) where the females have blue rumps and eye streaks and, sometimes, wings although it is not as dark blue as the males. Males of this subspecies have silver gray backs and wings as well an eye streak that completely encircles the back of the head. This subspecies is found in Columbia. You can learn more about the Lucida Pacific subspecies by reading our article entitled "The Lost Lucida <thelostlucida.html>".
Sandee L. Molenda
 
#8 ·
I just noticed this, and want to make a correction to the thread. The different Parrotlets are NOT breeds, they are different SPECIES. Dogs, horses, cats have breeds - they are all the same species. Parrots are all different species.
 
#9 ·
I thought the different parrotlets were all the same species, but just different mutations... and they could all interbreed?

Or is it that the Pacific species has different mutations, and the rest are just a different species of parrotlet, but all can interbreed due to being similar?
 
#10 ·
The different mutations of Pacific Parrotlets are not breeds, they are color mutations, identical except for color. There are several less common Parrotlet species, only a few of which are kept as pets - Spectacled, Green-rumped, Mexican. All these (and a few others) are in the Forpus genus, but all are different species with different identifying characteristics.

Check the Lexicon for more information on different parrot species:

http://www.arndt-verlag.com/neotrop.htm

Oh, and as far as interbreeding between the species, I'm not aware of any Parrotlet hybrids, but it is a possibility. Some species of the same genus can interbreed, others cannot. Crossing two species results in a hybrid, such as a Harlequin Macaw (Blue & Gold crossed with a Greenwing). I prefer the natural species myself. Sometimes there are intergeneric hybrids as well.
 
#11 ·
Ok i get it now. I think lol

The Pacific Parrotlet has different mutations.

The other parrotlet species do not.

All the different kinds of parrotlets listed are different species, and if they can interbreed, it would cause a hybrid (because they are different species).

Thanks for clarifying, Reta!
 
#13 ·
Some co-workers of mine met Jinx and decided that they wanted to be owned by a parrotlet too. There are new color mutations out. One of them have a very cute pied parrotlet (green with yellow/white here and there) and another just got a turquoise. I've also found out that there are dark factor colored ones out there too though they are not currently being released by the breeder. If I ever get another parrotlet, I think I would like a dark factor blue one, they're gorgeous!
 
#17 ·
The regular dark factor is a olive green and reminds me of mud. But if bred with a blue, supposedly the babies can be a dark blue.

This is the only pic I know of the dark factor blue: http://www.birdbreeders.com/breederphotos.aspx?b=2920

Only this breeder has them and he's not selling until he has multiple generations available.
 
#21 ·
I don't think any parrotlet colors are ugly! I actually find the olive to be quite lovely.

Both of my parrotlets are pacific green celestial. My female had very gorgeous pied parents. As for my male, I cannot remember his parents genetics.

My female is a rec. pied green split to pastel blue fallow. Her father is a Pied Green Fallow andher mom is a pastel blue pied. If I am correct, all of their offspring would be rec. pied green split to pastel blue fallow. Though she is a visual green her eyes are more plum colored than the amber of my visual green male, and she is the brightest emerald green parrotlet I have ever seen, with a gorgeous lemon-lime on her cheek feathers. I'm waiting to hear back from the breeder of my male because I can't recall what he could be split to.

I've been learning about parrotlet genetics lately and it is fascinating! I look forward to calculating what their chicks may be like!
 
#22 ·
Just curious: How many people have a color mutation of the pacific parrotlet? And there are color mutation of the green rump, but I do not know anybody who owns them as pets. Just breeder birds for now.
 
#23 ·
As you can see I have a yellow. We found him on Caraigs list. My husband wanted a blue one and I said what about yellow. He saw the pics that were sent to me and he kept saying that's not yellow but he sure is. I love his blue rump. In contrast to his yellow it almost looks purple. I say he's my Minnesota viking bird. LOL
By the way my name is Kathy and my name on here was supposed to be grannykat but I misspelled it and just left it.
 
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