# Anything special about my new birds?



## tim_r95 (Aug 21, 2015)

Hello all, I just got a pair of homers for my new loft. The female looks like a regular pigeon to me, but the male is kind of lighter and different looking. I guess they're moulting right now so he may look different when done. But I was wondering if anyone could help me out with the genetics.








If I remember correctly the female is the one on the left. 








The female








Not the greatest picture, but this is the male


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Am not a pigeon expert but the one on the right reminds me of the precious pigeon we lost, Phoebe, who I think was "sooty." I think that is what makes the lighter color. I love it! Looked to try to find that color when we lost Phoebe. I think it is uncommon.


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## tmaas (May 17, 2012)

Your cock bird is either dominant (most likely)or recessive opal. Anticipate some offspring looking like each parent. Enjoy your new loft and birds.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Was looking at pigeon photos...your female looks like a smoke aka slate. I think that's what Phoebe was, not sooty.


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## Chuck K (Jan 12, 2013)

tmaas said:


> Your cock bird is either dominant (most likely)or recessive opal. Anticipate some offspring looking like each parentIfenjoy your new loft and birds.


Do both the opals wash out the tails like that?


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## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

The yellow banded bird Is a barred opal. With a incomplete bar. The other Is a blue bar. asume the opal is the cock bird. So the blue bar hen would not be split. You could get opels But if not the young cocks would carry it.


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## tim_r95 (Aug 21, 2015)

Awesome! Thanks everyone! I'm excited.


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## tmaas (May 17, 2012)

Chuck K said:


> Do both the opals wash out the tails like that?


Yes they do.


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## indigobob (Nov 12, 2008)

tim_r95 said:


> Awesome! Thanks everyone! I'm excited.


As tmaas has said, the yellow-banded bird could be dominant opal or recessive opal, neither is sex-linked. 

If he is dominant opal, with the blue bar he will produce approximately 50% dominant opal and 50% blue offspring.
If he is recessive opal, unless the blue bar carries recessive opal, all their babies will be blue bars; these babies will all carry recessive opal. If the blue bar carries recessive opal, 50% of their babies will be recessive opal, the blue bars bred will all carry recessive opal.
Both the opal genes vary in expression, so you should get a few interesting colour variations.
All the youngsters will be barred, unless barless is in the mix.


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## jabadao (Jun 11, 2011)

Dominant opal,not recessive.


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