Colours & Mutations (3)

• Yellow-faced

All budgies are either yellow-based or white-based (see budgie colour guide pt 1). There are also the so-called yellow-faced budgies, something in between those two kinds. Visually, there are two types of yellow-faced budgies:

1. The mask feathers of type 1 yellow-faced budgies are all yellow and the yellow colour may also be visible in the tail feathers. The budgie is normally coloured in the body feathers.
2. Just like type one, these budgies have yellow mask feathers and tail feathers. But after the first three months of their life, something special happens: the yellow colour diffuses into the body feathers and creates a new colour, depending on the original colour of the budgie. A sky blue budgie for example, gets a seafoam green colour (which I think is really pretty).

Left: a sky blue budgie with yellow-face type 1. The colour of the body feather remains blue.
Right: a sky blue budgie with yellow-face type 2. The colour of the body feathers is bluish green.

• Lutino / albino

Lutino and albino are in fact different names for the same variety. Lutinos are yellow-based budgies and albinos are white-based budgies. Typical for these budgies is the red eye colour and the fact that all the colours and markings are effectively erased. Only the basic colours yellow and white remain.The cere of the male adult lutino / albino budgie is, unlike for other budgies, purple. Adult females have normal white or brown ceres.





















Left: a lutino male with purple ceres.
Right: an albino male with purple ceres (notice the vague red eyecolour

More information: Budgie / Parakeet Colors and Mutations Guide