Is it a dilute?

[Debbie]

One of my chicks (hatched almost 4 weeks now) is a dilute... I think. I've been reading a lot and am a little confused about colorations and breeding of birds. The wings are definitely grey and white, flight feathers are white, body is very pale pastel blue with a white band across the lower chest (you can't see it in the pic), cheek patches are blue, no cheek spots yet, tail is white. I have the parents and grandparents so I know the parentage (if someone is interested). Can you tell me what I have? I think it is a she but should be able to tell more in a week or two.
Thanks in advance. :cool:

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z265/Olive4Birds/Pict4.jpg

[BUUZBEE]

i'd say no.... too much white in the wings... a blue dilute looks like

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a201/BUUZBEE/2007%20eggs/CIMG4799.jpg

[A-n-M]

At my first instinct I thought she was a SkyBlue Clearflight Pied.
But then you said she had a clear band across her chest and that is a trait of Dominant Pied, so my guess she is a beautiful SkyBlue Dominant Pied.

[Babyluv12]

I have no idea- still trying to learn mutations. Adorable baby either way though! Do u have pics of the mom and dad? Just curious.

[Debbie]

What about the grey wings? They are a definite grey. The parents and grandparents have clearwings, too. Is there a clearwing dilute mutation? She is much paler than a sky blue coloration. Could the color "punch up" brighter as she gets older?

Thanks for having patience with my questions.

[Bea]

She's not clearwing (they have entirely white wings). I'd say she's either a greywing or a dilute skyblue dominant pied, very cute. :)

[Debbie]

Thanks, Bea. I definitely see the dominate pied in her and I really do think she is a dilute. I wish that I knew more about genetics and colorations. The more I read, the more confused I seem to get. I think the best strategy is to get involved in a local budgie breeder club. That way I can just sit, listen, and soak up some good information.

[BUUZBEE]

She's not clearwing (they have entirely white wings). I'd say she's either a greywing or a dilute skyblue dominant pied, very cute. :)

see, this is where i mess things up... things arent so easy as 1 2 3, there are such a mix up, more than one name! i'll get it at some point!

[Bea]

see, this is where i mess things up... things arent so easy as 1 2 3, there are such a mix up, more than one name! i'll get it at some point!

Well here's what i can tell you about dilution, it's the one lot of mutations that really messes with my brain! There are three levels of dilution. Greywing (the body colour should still be fairly strong), dilute (the body colour will be washed out) and clearwing (aka whitewing or yellowwing - i believe in a well bred clearwing the body colour should be strong). I struggle to tell greywing and dilute apart. :P

[BUUZBEE]

thats what i didnt know... i thought there was 1, a dilute!! learning everyday, i love it!!!

[Debbie]

Thanks to both of you, Bea and Buuzbee, for helping clear up things. When I read the material on dilutes, I thought there was only 1 kind of dilute as well. I also forgot the term where only the flight feathers are clear of markings. That is what I meant when I said "clear wing." Silly me! :o