# Pied VS Splash



## TwinTurboPigeon (Jan 22, 2013)

Okay, I been looking around for the difference between pied and splash on pigeon genetic websites and I found nothing much. Both are white feather patches, pied is on the head area and splash is all over the whole pigeon. I also google image both of them, they look like the same thing.... So, is pied a subcategory of splash?


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## NZ Pigeon (Nov 12, 2011)

Pied is a gene and/or multiple genes that cut the pigment from affected areas of the bird, regardless where it is, it is pied. Pied varies a lot, sometimes its only visible on one toe nail of the bird, or one white flight etc.

Splash as far as I know is not a recognised gene, it is a term people use and who use it for what differs, I have heard spread blue grizzles called splashes, Rec red mottles called splashes and also birds with a little bit of pied on their face called splashes.

So really, there is no true answer, Pied is the cutting of pigment to certain areas, splash is a phenotype term.

This is as I see it anyway, others may have a differing opinion


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## gsstage2 (Jul 2, 2009)

I believe Evan to be correct, and the biggest problem is the term "splash" being used when there is random white on a birds head and body. There is no concrete color or pattern chart so to speak for all breeds, so when you hear "splash" in the states in my opinion, I would say any bird with white "splotches". Again my opinion and experience.


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## TwinTurboPigeon (Jan 22, 2013)

Bull eyes = pied around the eye/head area

So, does splash make pigeons have bull eyes too?


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## NZ Pigeon (Nov 12, 2011)

No hard and fast rule there Tyson

Take a baldhead for example, although opposite to your statement.
Baldhead is a pied marking but over time it has been refined to be pied over the entire head yet still showing a coloured (non pied) eye.

Bull eye is simply the lack of pigment to the eye, as pied is simply the lack of pigment to the feather so if one can breed a bird with a white (non-pigmented) head keeping the pigment in the eye I would say that no, bull eye does not = pied around the head area but I can safely say in bull eyed birds you would likely see some white around the head area.


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## NZ Pigeon (Nov 12, 2011)

But the main thing to remember Tyson is that splash is not a gene. Pied is also not necessarily a gene, it is likely there are multiple genes that cause pied in birds.


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## TwinTurboPigeon (Jan 22, 2013)

Okay thanks NZ Pigeon.


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## TwinTurboPigeon (Jan 22, 2013)

When any pigeon has white flights (or one white flight), it has the pird gene?


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## NZ Pigeon (Nov 12, 2011)

There is no specific pied gene but it would have some type of pied in its genetics


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## Shan (Feb 4, 2012)

Good answers to a complex question. And forgive an old timer being slow to add any comments here. It seems that the moniker applied to birds with the piebald gene depends mostly on the breed in question. I'm an old racing pigeon and roller man, so have seen clashes in names between those two breeds alone. There are many other nomenclature clashes I won't mention. But . . . check out this site for some solid info on your question. 

http://mumtazticloft.com/m_baldheadpied.asp

You'll find it answers some questions and opens fifty more. A bit like good science, methinks.

Shannon


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